Member

I turn to the other amendments in this group tabled by those on these Benches. Amendment 369A in the name of my noble friend Lord Strasburger on face coverings at protests is a minimalist position of support for the right of the protester to attend a protest without revealing their identity. It would allow the protester to appear in disguise, and provides a defence of reasonable excuse for wearing a face covering. It is just a fact that people may have many legitimate reasons for disguising themselves. They may not want employers, teachers, parents, partners, political opponents or, in the case of people in public life, simply members of the public to recognise them or be aware of their attendance at a protest—and why not? We can see no justification for a limitation of that right, unless it is for camera surveillance, to which we will turn later today, which we regard as pretty unjustified anyway without really serious regulation, of which there is currently not a whit.