The way Palestine Action protesters have been detained for long periods on remand awaiting trial - not convicted of the offences they're accused of - for acts of nonviolent disruption is an absolute scandal.

This encourages others to think that chatting to the blue bibs is acceptable by normalising it. Plus they're trained to glean information you might not think is relevant but when combined with intelligence from others, may become so. We strongly suggest nobody talks to them.

This is exactly it: the intention is to make people fearful about ever approaching and questioning an MP or councillor in case they call this "harassment" and ring the police

In another case not reported in this piece, two co-defendants who are partners were only allowed to spend time with each other, according to their licence conditions, if they were supervised, using provisions usually relating to domestic violence.

The cruelty against protesters is deliberate

The government will say no, of course not.

Chances that one day soon, a police officer uses this new power, if it becomes law, outside Downing Street? High to extremely likely.

Dressed up as a safeguard, this proposal would criminalise more people trying to hold public office holders to account, because it places significant power, in the hands of people who already hold huge power, to influence the police into deciding what constitutes "harassment"