PHIL CAMPBELL Blasts New Law Banning 'Noisy Protests': 'I Was In MOTÖRHEAD For Over 30 Years. Now That's Noise.'

MOTÖRHEAD guitarist Phil Campbell has blasted a strict new law in Britain that's designed to curb protests which have brought parts of the country to a standstill over the past year.

Under the Police Crime Sentencing and Courts Act, noisy protests are forbidden in a designated area outside the Houses of Parliament.

Protest remains legal. However, police in England and Wales can now put restrictions on protests because they might be noisy, including one-person protests. Protesters can be sanctioned for breaching restrictions they "ought to have known" about.

Earlier today (Tuesday, June 28),Campbell took to his Twitter to write: "Protesting is not noisy. I should know, I was in Motorhead for over 30 years. Now THATS noise. F++k this government."

The Policing Act passed through parliament in March 2022 despite strong opposition. The government is starting to implement this new law.

The fines and prison sentences for some protest-related offenses have increased.

The government is proposing to restrict protest even further in the Public Order Bill, which is currently going through parliament.

According to MyLondon, protesters now face unlimited fines and prison sentences of six months for obstructing roads, even if the routes were already closed or had restricted access. Failure to comply with police restrictions on specific protests also carried a new maximum fine of £2,500, up from £1,000 previously.

A legal briefing from Extinction Rebellion says: "This Act gives the police the power to impose any conditions on a march or protest that is considered to have the potential to cause 'serious disruption' or have an 'Impact' on people in the vicinity, including through the level of noise. The new law has removed the word 'knowingly' from the offence. In the past, activists could argue they didn't know the [protest restriction] was in place. Now it's going to be enough for the officer to show the court that you ought to have known for the offence to be proved."

MOTÖRHEAD's December 1984 concert in Cleveland was said to be the loudest recorded until that point — 130 decibels — breaking the volume mark set by THE WHO in 1976. The volume at the Variety theater cracked the ceiling, and plaster started coming down, earning MOTÖRHEAD the title of "Loudest Band In The World." The power had to be cut to stop the band from continuing to play.