Met Police claim Extinction Rebellion protests are ‘unreasonable’
The Met Police have released their general plans for policing London over the Bank Holiday weekend. I’m not sure how common such statements are but it certainly makes interesting reading in respect of the current Extinction Rebellion protests in central London.
According to the Met many of these have not been ‘reasonable’. Quite what determines what is a ‘reasonable’ protest no doubt keeps lawyers busy. The term is quite widely used for example in employment where its actual meaning is also usually imponderable.
There is also of course another way of looking at. Given the scale of the climate emergency might not robust protest being perfectly reasonable short obviously of threats to life and limb.
The Met also claim that the ER protests have been causing ‘serious disruption’ a term that features a good deal in the current Police, Crime & Sentencing Bill which, whatever the Government may claim, aims to restrict yet further the right to protest.
Take care out there.
Met Statement
Government protest powers factsheet. Police, Crime, Sentencing & Courts Bill (July 2021)
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