The UK government has announced plans to give police more powers to tackle “disruptive protests” such as those organised by climate activists, allowing officers to intervene before protests become highly disruptive.
The proposed move would give police greater clarity about dealing with demonstrators blocking roads or slow marching, a tactic that has often been used by groups such as Extinction Rebellion, Insulate Britain, and Just Stop Oil.
Under the proposed changes to the Public Order Bill, police would not need to wait for disruption to take place and could shut demonstrations down before they escalate.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaks during a major speech at Plexal, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in east London, on Jan. 4, 2023. (Stefan Rousseau/PA Media)
Downing Street said police would not need to treat a series of protests by the same group as standalone incidents, but would be able to consider their total impact….