Civil liberty groups express concern over plan for more anti-protest powers

Home secretary says police can consider cumulative impact' of demonstrations as Palestine Action ban opponents vow escalation'

Civil liberty groups have expressed concern over government plans to hand police greater powers to restrict protests as organisers of mass demonstrations against the banning of Palestine Action pledged a major escalation" of their campaign.

Shabana Mahmood said on Sunday that repeated large-scale demonstrations over Gaza had caused considerable fear" for the Jewish community in the wake of a fatal terror attack on a synagogue last week.