A recent set of changes to the law in the UK has seen some new restrictions placed on pornography online, and there are plenty of protesters in London today who are demonstrating their dissatisfaction.
The law changes are part of the The Audiovisual Media Services Regulations 2014, and ban a number of activities from being shown in pornographic material, including "anything involving 'physical restraint', 'strong physical and verbal abuse' and potentially 'life-threatening acts'", according to Mashable. The list doesn't stop there, however, as "spanking, caning, whipping and urolagnia (or "water sports"), humiliation, face-sitting and more" are also prohibited.
As a result of all the new measures, a number of protesters decided to show their dissatisfaction and claim that the regulations go too far, so they staged a mass face-sitting in the Old Palace Yard in London today, which certainly made for some interesting pictures.
#pornprotests calming down but still fun pic.twitter.com/wUlSwZR4Ac
— Georgina Lawton (@GeorginaLawton) December 12, 2014
Face sitting en masse in front of parliament today. LIVE FEED here: https://t.co/hNGSRU9Ezn #pornprotests #fisting pic.twitter.com/RqtOivrnnn
— Georgina Lawton (@GeorginaLawton) December 12, 2014
Singing of Sit on my face begins...#pornprotest pic.twitter.com/tG0b5NOkL6
— Nichi Hodgson (@NichiHodgson) December 12, 2014
Yes yes yes #pornprotest pic.twitter.com/9Z1BqKZe9w
— Molly (@Mollysdailykiss) December 12, 2014
There was even a protester there dressed as Santa, which was a little bit weird we have to say.
#pornprotest pic.twitter.com/oCUZUy9pnL
— Ms Slide (@sliderulesyou) December 12, 2014
The etiquette for sitting on Santa has really changed since I was a kid. #PornProtest pic.twitter.com/OPZLv3bKhM
— Martin Wefail (@wefail) December 12, 2014
The protesters hope that their demonstration will get some attention for the more restrictive parts of the new legislation, and at least one MP is with them: Julian Huppert, the Liberal Democrat MP for Cambridge. He stated that "It seems to be to be very odd to say that this - assuming it is consensual - is acceptable for somebody to do in their own home, for them to photograph it, film it, but not to look at it online if it comes from the UK".
Via Mashable. Main pic via Ms Slide/Twitter