UK to Expand Police Powers on Climate Protests

Facts

• The UK has passed a law expanding and granting further police powers to counter a series of high-profile demonstrations along some of the state's busiest motorways from environmental and climate action groups such as Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion.¹
• Under the new Public Order Act, the police can now move static protests, with "locking on" — where protesters attach themselves to each other, objects, or buildings — now being a criminal offense.²
• Protesters found guilty of obstructing major transportation projects can also now be jailed for up to six months, with those who engage in digging tunnels under construction projects facing up to three years behind bars.³
• Hundreds of climate protesters were already arrested last year for blocking major roads and bridges, while others threw soup and glued themselves to famous works of art in museums. Police say these incidents draw thousands of officers away from dealing with other crimes.¹
• Over the weekend police removed Just Stop Oil demonstrators from blocking the Pride parade in central London, citing Pride's acceptance of money from "high-polluting industries." After briefly bringing the march to a halt, police arrested them on public nuisance charges.⁴
• While activists say the laws violate their right to protest, government officials have stated they're aimed at curbing "disruption from a selfish minority." Home Secretary Suella Braverman said Britons are tired of "selfish protesters" and the "mayhem" has been a "scandal."²

Sources: ¹Al Jazeera, ²ABC News, ³Associated Press, and ⁴BBC News.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by The Telegraph. Anti-blockade laws are the government's justified response to public outcries. Not only do groups like Just Stop Oil ruin parades and disrupt regular traffic but they also threaten lives by blocking ambulances from transporting patients to the hospital. The government has finally made the correct decision to deal with these protesters. There are more effective and civil ways to converse about climate change.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by The Guardian. Just Stop Oil believes in saving the planet from destructive oil and gas burning, and it doesn't give a free pass to any enabling institutions. This is why after Pride in London made United Airlines its signature parade sponsor, the grassroots group gave an ultimatum of removing the sponsor or being disrupted. Civil disobedience is how change happens, and so these brave protesters should continue to slow traffic if it means bringing an end to the Earth-burning fossil fuel industry.