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A pro-Palestinian demonstrator in London wears a mask and holds a lit flare in May 2021. Reuters
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Banned: A protester with their face covered during the Pro-Palestinian march in London on November 11. EPA
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A supporter of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange wears a mask at a protest against his extradition to the US, outside the High Court in London in January 2022. AFP
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A campaigner from We Own It poses in a Margaret Thatcher mask to protest against the privatisation of Channel 4 in London, in April 2022. AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/F3LWHUX2KLV7SWTIOD2JB4WPSU.jpg?smart=true&auth=e527bea36656153407bd32f26069c47330042a335908703ffa06cc243b3f22da&width=400&height=225)
Extinction Rebellion protesters wear masks depicting Prime Minister Boris Johnson and a rat on Exhibition Road, London, in April 2022. Getty Images
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An Extinction Rebellion protester wears a mask resembling Rishi Sunak, then chancellor of the Exchequer, in London in April 2022. Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UCZNGCDOS6GFCU5KVLCQWFTOL4.jpg?smart=true&auth=dcbf57e4bf906d4ab2b4944e8c1635e6b45df60ee8b13aa0705d83beb52b6380&width=400&height=225)
Extinction Rebellion protesters dress up as Mr Sunak, Mr Johnson, then-home secretary Priti Patel, and Jacob Rees-Mogg MP in April 2022 in London. Getty Images
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A protester with a face mask of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in October 2021. AFP
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Protesters wave flags and hold flares during a pro-Palestinian protest in London on November 11. AP
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A demonstrator holds a flare as Extinction Rebellion members stage a protest on Earth Day in London in April 2022. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LA4HRVUUHLAHAXDQ2QFDN3QOIU.jpg?smart=true&auth=0dc48a5ef6ce0b5c82179fb76c8ec4c164b6d9f18ea6ce57f19c1bb7fb42fba9&width=400&height=225)
An activist holds a flare in a protest against factory farming, outside the High Court in London in January 2022. AP
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A flare burns as National Health Service staff march against Covid-19 vaccine rules in London, in January 2022. Reuters
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Police officers surrounded by orange flare smoke and NHS uniforms after the march against Covid-19 vaccine rules, at the entrance to Downing Street, London, in January 2022. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5MQV7BLBPUK5E5MGFN3WPSZLJ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=e3fde2a42806d223f89f77139e34bbdc34f6086bd0f83fd2cd944fa1fb748eb1&width=400&height=225)
A demonstrator holds a flare in a march to protest against the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, outside the entrance to Downing Street, in London in January 2022. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/F6J22FTATAUOR3XYDFU36IMYBE.jpg?smart=true&auth=7cb1abe887741e5d43be626a5a5a020f9de9e3d4a90b94e53b929e1c678935e7&width=400&height=225)
A pro-Palestinian demonstrator in London wears a mask and holds a lit flare in May 2021. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XGBT267VOX6Y35E6WC2LA3AKLU.jpg?smart=true&auth=daf062c99fa9eda878dc946616dce9306da9fb09c5034938f413a27b3fb06cda&width=400&height=225)
Banned: A protester with their face covered during the Pro-Palestinian march in London on November 11. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ITI7TLJMRV727555PO72PK6DQM.jpg?smart=true&auth=e7986175bb1d69b94faa6673b66339f01070ba3641434eac4bf04018d4b5affd&width=400&height=225)
A supporter of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange wears a mask at a protest against his extradition to the US, outside the High Court in London in January 2022. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3YCHNA2ZNTS6IKKVYRAXKGN5QA.jpg?smart=true&auth=21f6ca915b273750e5866509be99160a7212ad4c207a8666600daa9d23759654&width=400&height=225)
A campaigner from We Own It poses in a Margaret Thatcher mask to protest against the privatisation of Channel 4 in London, in April 2022. AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/F3LWHUX2KLV7SWTIOD2JB4WPSU.jpg?smart=true&auth=e527bea36656153407bd32f26069c47330042a335908703ffa06cc243b3f22da&width=400&height=225)
Extinction Rebellion protesters wear masks depicting Prime Minister Boris Johnson and a rat on Exhibition Road, London, in April 2022. Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TFNNOPVC7BJHY7RCKCGZHVDFOU.jpg?smart=true&auth=5c2d8453f9d00a8c9440c147547f21d0aceb3ea2db52b895e8ae156f03ef3209&width=400&height=225)
An Extinction Rebellion protester wears a mask resembling Rishi Sunak, then chancellor of the Exchequer, in London in April 2022. Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UCZNGCDOS6GFCU5KVLCQWFTOL4.jpg?smart=true&auth=dcbf57e4bf906d4ab2b4944e8c1635e6b45df60ee8b13aa0705d83beb52b6380&width=400&height=225)
Extinction Rebellion protesters dress up as Mr Sunak, Mr Johnson, then-home secretary Priti Patel, and Jacob Rees-Mogg MP in April 2022 in London. Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OHEQUDCREXZP756BBPAWSDQURM.jpg?smart=true&auth=4fd5d78761044411a01ab34d381795d0259c10c9ce551535b5299f0cd7534cf7&width=400&height=225)
A protester with a face mask of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in October 2021. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UVGS47QL6SN3XWFSEF4ZUXG3RE.jpg?smart=true&auth=a205146c57013857dca25b36c612f242aea58707a41da1ff648ca55444876732&width=400&height=225)
Protesters wave flags and hold flares during a pro-Palestinian protest in London on November 11. AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KVMOY2ZL2NC3W7UILLTA4KQEIA.jpg?smart=true&auth=0a741f1df4678350155c7426d00bc7c25ceff175dc40374f5a02f9127024d2b6&width=400&height=225)
A demonstrator holds a flare as Extinction Rebellion members stage a protest on Earth Day in London in April 2022. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LA4HRVUUHLAHAXDQ2QFDN3QOIU.jpg?smart=true&auth=0dc48a5ef6ce0b5c82179fb76c8ec4c164b6d9f18ea6ce57f19c1bb7fb42fba9&width=400&height=225)
An activist holds a flare in a protest against factory farming, outside the High Court in London in January 2022. AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YQLT5GW2BJPN4F5UFZNPAMFNSI.jpg?smart=true&auth=0b6d0c5444bc4f4048c26d65079d35a0a70e34cc0c43a36dc4593ce82ed40367&width=400&height=225)
A flare burns as National Health Service staff march against Covid-19 vaccine rules in London, in January 2022. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XTSVCRPOAWCCAINDPITTFAUMHE.jpg?smart=true&auth=eea0edcf3242920b16fd03381d05c0861e35ca9241ce7f56d34b9acab5e824c2&width=400&height=225)
Police officers surrounded by orange flare smoke and NHS uniforms after the march against Covid-19 vaccine rules, at the entrance to Downing Street, London, in January 2022. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5MQV7BLBPUK5E5MGFN3WPSZLJ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=e3fde2a42806d223f89f77139e34bbdc34f6086bd0f83fd2cd944fa1fb748eb1&width=400&height=225)
A demonstrator holds a flare in a march to protest against the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, outside the entrance to Downing Street, in London in January 2022. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/F6J22FTATAUOR3XYDFU36IMYBE.jpg?smart=true&auth=7cb1abe887741e5d43be626a5a5a020f9de9e3d4a90b94e53b929e1c678935e7&width=400&height=225)
A pro-Palestinian demonstrator in London wears a mask and holds a lit flare in May 2021. Reuters
New UK laws to prohibit face coverings and pyrotechnics at protests
The Home Secretary said that while 'the right to protest is paramount in our country', deliberately setting out to cause damage will not be tolerated
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Soraya Ebrahimi
08 February, 2024
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