UK Rights Analyst Warns Britain Is Turning Into a ‘Police State’ Through New Protest Laws

UK Rights Analyst Warns Britain Is Turning Into a ‘Police State’ Through New Protest Laws
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British analyst Juveriah Alam has issued a stark warning that the United Kingdom is evolving into a “police state” as it rapidly expands surveillance and limits on protest under the guise of national security and public safety. In an opinion piece for 5 Pillars, Alam argues that the government is effectively criminalising dissent and tightening control over civil liberties.

Alam highlights that recent legislation, such as the Public Order Act 2023 and the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, grants authorities broad powers to suppress protest activity deemed “seriously disruptive”.

She suggests the government is intentionally fostering societal division, citing the announced £10 million funding to secure Muslim places of worship as a superficial measure that fails to address the root causes of Islamophobia and instead acts as “bait” for far-right reaction.

According to Alam, the current approach undermines democratic norms by portraying protesters—especially left-leaning activists and Muslim communities—as threats while selectively tolerating right-wing mobilisation. She warns that this pattern of widened policing powers, digital surveillance, and crackdown on peaceful assembly may erode fundamental rights in the UK.

Civil-liberties groups and protest-monitoring organisations have echoed similar concerns, noting increases in arrests of non-violent demonstrators and the use of counter-terror legislation against political dissent.

Alam urges British Muslims and broader civil society to recognise and resist this tightening grip on freedom, advocating for cross-community dialogue to counter the “divide and rule” strategy and chart a path toward protecting democratic rights.