Member

What is the difference between one protest, which does not give rise to such a restriction as is suggested, and repeated protests? It is that repeated protests are often required to persuade government or authority that something must be done. Of their nature, repeated protests are more likely to be justified and more likely to be effective, whether that be farmers protesting against inheritance tax repeatedly in central London, marches against the Iraq war or any number of protests in Trafalgar Square. The noble Lord, Lord Gove, shakes his head, but when we look back at the history of protests in this country, we see that repeated protests have the utility that they are more likely to be effective. Protest movements take time to build up momentum. That momentum is an important part of their future success. The more justified the protest, the more likely it is to be effective and the more likely it is to be repeated and repeated in the same area.