[Lauchenoiria]

Lauchenoirian Guardian

Thousands attend demonstration in Usera over leaked ‘surveillance bill’
29th October 2019

Approximately 2000 people attended a demonstration in the square outside Usera Cathedral after leaked documents appearing to show plans for legislation which would increase the government’s domestic surveillance powers. The demonstration took place at lunchtime, and was attended by a number of student groups. A government spokesperson has since claimed the leaked documents described a plan which has since been scrapped.

The documents were leaked online by a number of anonymous social media accounts simultaneously, and were later picked up by media outlets. They detailed plans for a government bill which would grant the police greater power to watch the online activity of Lauchenoirian citizens if there was “reasonable suspicion” that they intended to commit a crime – and, importantly, the activity of their associates.

A student anti-surveillance group at Usera University was behind the organisation of the last-minute demonstration in the left-leaning city. A statement released by the group said: “we must make our opposition to any authoritarian proposals known as quickly as possible, before we end up on a slippery slope. This government have repeatedly claimed to support democracy, but their actions and the warnings of last year mean we must be careful.”

A government spokesperson claimed the documents referred to a bill proposed by the Conservative Party, which was rejected by their coalition partners. The Conservative Party has also denied that the proposal would have allowed police to watch the families and friends of suspected criminals, claiming that part of the document has been “fabricated” by “those who wish to discredit this government”.

Prime Minister Alvarez, when questioned on the matter this afternoon in Parliament, said the following: “I will not support sweeping surveillance powers, which would unduly infringe on the privacy of Lauchenoirians. We will not always agree with everything our coalition partners propose, but it is only healthy in democracy that a diversity of opinion should be represented. My government remains committed to rebuilding the damage done by the war, safeguarding our democracy and building a better Lauchenoiria.”