Suella Braverman tells police to be firmer with 'extremist' protesters
- Published
The home secretary says protesters' rights have too often been put above the rights of others
The home secretary has told police to "take a firmer line" against protesters blocking roads and damaging art.
Climate activists, most notably Just Stop Oil, have closed motorways and glued themselves to famous art works over the last few months.
Suella Braverman said the "disruption is a threat to our way of life", during a speech on Wednesday.
She told police chiefs: "I urge you all to step up to your public duties in policing protests."
She told the summit, for police and crime commissioners, and police chiefs, external that: "In recent months and years we have seen an erosion of confidence in the police to take action against the radicals, the road-blockers, the vandals, the militants and the extremists.
"It is not a human right to vandalise a work of art. It is not a civil liberty to stop ambulances getting to the sick and injured.
"I want to reassure you that you have my, and this government's, full backing in taking a firmer line to safeguard public order. Indeed, that is your duty."
Scenes of members of the public moving protesters out of the road "are a sign of a loss of confidence and I urge you all to step up to your public duties in policing protests," Ms Braverman told the audience.
Two lorries crashed at a rolling roadblock in place to protect protesters on the M25
Climate protesters glued their own "apocalyptic vision of the future" to a John Constable masterpiece in the National Gallery
Just Stop Oil staged 32 days of disruption from the end of September and throughout October, which the Met Police said resulted in 677 arrests with 111 people charged.
According to Just Stop Oil, its supporters have been arrested more than 2,000 times since its campaign began on 1 April, and 15 are currently in prison.
On Wednesday, a police officer was been injured during a Just Stop Oil protest on the M25 where members climbed gantries at multiple junctions on the motorway.
The group, which is campaigning for more action on climate change, is carrying out a third day of action on the M25.
The police motorcyclist was hurt in a collision, which also involved two lorries at a rolling roadblock.
In response to the officer's injury Ms Braverman tweeted:, external "My thoughts and best wishes go to the officer injured while dealing with protesters engaging in guerrilla tactics on the M25 today.
"I fully back police in using all tools available to prevent further disruption and protect the public."
Two people have been arrested for causing a public nuisance.
Journalist arrested
During a protest on Tuesday police also arrested LBC reporter Charlotte Lynch.
Ms Lynch said she was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a public nuisance and held in a cell for five hours, before being released.
Downing Street said it was "right" to trust officers' decisions on the ground when asked about Ms Braverman's support for the policing operation that arrested Ms Lynch.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman told reporters: "It's right that we have trust in police operational decisions on the ground."
The spokesman added: "I very much understand the strength of feeling on this", but declined to comment on the specific incident.
In a statement, Hertfordshire Police said:, external "Additional measures are now in place to ensure that legitimate media are able to do their job."
Officers are told to "act as quickly as they can, using their professional judgment, to clear any possible protesters", the force added.