More than 150 people took part in a protest on Friday to demand lawmakers protect the island’s children from sex offenders.

The peaceful protest heard from campaigners who want to see minimum sentencing, training in schools and greater support for survivors of abuse.

As well as speakers and placards, organisers arranged for those in attendance to form a human chain across the front of the courthouse as a sign of solidarity.

Organiser Christine Gibson Urquhart said the protest was focusing on three themes: punish, protect and prevent.

She said: ’Punishment is harsher sentences for sex offenders on this island, whether that be in reality or virtual.

’Any online criminals: you are being watched and you will be caught.

’Anyone who is offending against a child now or has offended against a child historically, the victims are speaking, you will be caught, you will go to jail.

’This new legislation coming in (the Sexual Offences and Obscene Publications Bill), thanks to the MLCs, will be applied come Christmas this year. That is a victory for the victims.’

Ms Urquhart added that campaigners are seeking ’automatic restraining orders, instantly on the accused, to empower the victim to ensure they feel safe to continue giving those statement the police need’.

She also called on children to be educated on their personal boundaries, giving the example that they should know it is okay to say they don’t want to kiss their grandmother goodbye.

And the campaigner for justice for victims of historical sexual abuse is calling on schools to introduce self defence classes.

One area of the Sexual Offences and Obscene Publications Bill Ms Urquhart said she opposed was the section which would make it a crime to identify a person accused of sex offences in court before they were found guilty.

The Bill would only prevent this in the Isle of Man and, while it would include social media, it would not stop the UK media or anyone off island naming the accused.

She said: ’Naming the accused would empower other victims to come forward and give them the strength after someone else has done it.

’The anonymity clause, for that reason, needs to come out to empower the victims to come forward.

’The more victims that come forward, the more abusers that get taken off our street.’

Ms Urquhart also called on politicians to establish a victims’ commissioner saying the police have a job to do ’but they’re not social workers’.

During the protest, campaigners linked arms and stood outside the courthouse forming a human chain from the corner of the building on Albert Street all the way along Deemster’s Walk.

As well as chanting ’enough is enough’, the protesters then held a chilling silence in honour of the victims of sexual abuse in the island past and present.

Organiser Devon Watson also thanked the protesters for ’giving up a bank holiday to do something amazing and larger than yourselves’.

He added: ’Going over the legislation and listening to the stories of the victims is hard, but as a society we need to show solidarity with victims and with each other as we tackle this issue.

’The police and the judicial system have for a very long time been confined, they themselves have been trapped and they have not been given the freedom to give the sentences they should.’

The Sexual Offences Bill is due to return to Tynwald later this year when it will be debated by the Legislative Council.