R5: The Right to Protest

An essential component of democracy is that it is active: it is not just the right to vote but the rightpossibility to constantly influence government decisions. A functioning democracy allows citizens the freedom of thought, expression, assembly and association. If people disagree with the actions of the government, or other forms of governance, it is within their democratic right to demonstrate this in peaceful ways.

Our right to protest is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and also in the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR), created by the Council of Europe and ratified in 47 countries. Articles 9-11 of the Convention declare that every person in Europe has the right to freedom of thought, the right to freedom of expression, and the right to freedom of assembly and association. These rights together allow the participation of peaceful demonstration.

The fundamental right to peaceful protest is not limited to State authorities allowing protests to take place. It also creates a positive obligation on the part of the State to ensure that peaceful protests can take place. This may mean that the State must facilitate conditions which allow peaceful protesting, including by ensuring that protesters are protected from violence by onlookers, the general public or counter-protesters.

In February 2020, protesters in the Greek islands of Lesbos and Chios were met with teargas and fires as they tried to prevent the police from forcibly evicting migrants from camps. In July, people of Serbia also took to the streets to ask for fair elections and the protestors were dispersed using excessive force and tear gas, while many of them, mostly young people were unlawfully detained and sentenced without the right to a lawyer. In France, demonstrations are often met with police violence - recent examples including crackdowns on firefighters’ demands for better working conditions and the Gilet Jaune movement. Protesters in Poland also face increasing risk: those demonstrating for gender equality, for LGBTQIA+ rights, or against racism and xenophobia are met with excessive police force and a lack of accountability for police actions.

We have seen use of force towards peaceful demonstrators even in traditionally stable countries. In Finland, the local Extinction Rebellion movement staged a street blockade where police used pepper spray towards the non-violent and peaceful protesters. Elsewhere in the world, Hong Kong protesters have also encountered police brutality and in Latin America environmental defenders, often Indigenous people, are at risk of violence and murder and without protection. In Nigeria, the police open fired onto demonstrators who took to the streets to protest against the police unit SARS, known for its extra-judicial killings and use of torture.

In February 2020, protesters in the Greek islands of Lesbos and Chios were met with teargas and fires as they tried to prevent the police from forcibly evicting migrants from camps. In July, people of Serbia also took to the streets to ask for fair elections and the protestors were dispersed using excessive force and tear gas, while many of them, mostly young people were unlawfully detained and sentenced without the right to a lawyer. In France, demonstrations are often met with police violence - recent examples including crackdowns on firefighters’ demands for better working conditions and the Gilet Jaune movement. Protesters in Poland also face increasing risk: those demonstrating for gender equality, for reproductive rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, or against racism and xenophobia are met with excessive police force and a lack of accountability for police actions. Elsewhere in the world, Hong Kong protesters have also encountered police brutality and in Latin America environmental defenders, often Indigenous people, are at risk of violence and murder and without protection. In Nigeria, the police open fired onto demonstrators who took to the streets to protest against the police unit SARS, known for its extra-judicial killings and use of torture.

In February 2020, protesters in the Greek islands of Lesbos and Chios were met with teargas and fires as they tried to prevent the police from forcibly evicting migrants from camps. In July, people of Serbia also took to the streets to ask for fair elections and the protestors were dispersed using excessive force and tear gas, while many of them, mostly young people were unlawfully detained and sentenced without the right to a lawyer. Bulgaria has seen months of non-stop anti-government protests against the state capture and endemic corruption, marked by use of excessive force and extreme police brutality even against journalists. In France, demonstrations are often met with police violence - recent examples including crackdowns on firefighters’ demands for better working conditions and the Gilet Jaune movement. Protesters in Poland also face increasing risk: those demonstrating for gender equality, for LGBTQIA+ rights, or against racism and xenophobia are met with excessive police force and a lack of accountability for police actions. Elsewhere in the world, Hong Kong protesters have also encountered police brutality and in Latin America environmental defenders, often Indigenous people, are at risk of violence and murder and without protection. In Nigeria, the police open fired onto demonstrators who took to the streets to protest against the police unit SARS, known for its extra-judicial killings and use of torture.

In February 2020, protesters in the Greek islands of Lesbos and Chios were met with teargas and fires as they tried to prevent the police from forcibly evicting migrants from camps. In July, people of Serbia also took to the streets to ask for fair elections and the protestors were dispersed using excessive force and tear gas, while many of them, mostly young people were unlawfully detained and sentenced without the right to a lawyer. In France, demonstrations are often met with police violence - recent examples including crackdowns on firefighters’ demands for better working conditions and the Gilet Jaune movement. Protesters in Poland also face increasing risk: those demonstrating for gender equality, for LGBTQIA+ rights, or against racism and xenophobia are met with excessive police force and a lack of accountability for police actions. Elsewhere in the world, Hong Kong protesters have also encountered police brutality and in Latin America environmental defenders, often Indigenous people, are at risk of violence and murder and without protection. In Nigeria, the police open fired onto demonstrators who took to the streets to protest against the police unit SARS, known for its extra-judicial killings and use of torture.

In February 2020, protesters in the Greek islands of Lesbos and Chios were met with teargas and fires as they tried to prevent the police from forcibly evicting migrants from camps. In July, people of Serbia also took to the streets to ask for fair elections and the protestors were dispersed using excessive force and tear gas, while many of them, mostly young people were unlawfully detained and sentenced without the right to a lawyer. In France, demonstrations are often met with police violence - recent examples including crackdowns on firefighters’ demands for better working conditions and the Gilet Jaune movement. Protesters in Poland also face increasing risk: those demonstrating for gender equality, for LGBTQIA+ rights, or against racism and xenophobia are met with excessive police force and a lack of accountability for police actions. Elsewhere in the world, Hong Kong protesters have also encountered police brutality and in Latin America environmental defenders, often Indigenous people, are at risk of violence and murder and without protection. In Nigeria, the police open fired onto demonstrators who took to the streets to protest against the police unit SARS, known for its extra-judicial killings and use of torture.

As Greens, we stand in solidarity with marginalised groups whose freedom of expression is often blocked by oppressing governments.We recognise the violence inflicted on women*, trans people, genderqueer, BIPoC and racialised communities, migrants, people from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and LGBTQIA+ people and commit to empower activists in their fights. We condemn the disproportionate state violence against these marginalised groups. Even as we face the COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot accept using it as an excuse to violate the right to protest, especially when such protests are caused by outrageous acts of governments which threaten basic human rights. We see the different ways to organise across Europe, and commit to support each method of protest and civil disobedience that is peaceful.