Campaigners say that provisions in the bill target and scapegoat young people who may have done nothing other than gather with friends. The bill will enable police to break up and move on groups of two or more people if they believe they might be intimidating, annoying or harassing other people. The coalition is also concerned at what it claims is effectively a nationwide 9pm curfew for under-16s not accompanied by a "responsible person aged 18 or over".
Independent legal opinion obtained by coalition members advises that the bill may breach the Human Rights Act of 1998.
Designed and printed for the coalition by The National Youth Agency, the Grounded! campaign postcard enables young people to send a printed message to Home Secretary David Blunkett. The message backs the need to address anti-social behaviour but expresses concerns that young people might be brought into conflict with police and asks Blunkett to end plans for "curfew and dispersal". There is also space to add an individual's own message.
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