£50m Extinction Rebellion bill
POLICING Extinction Rebellion protests has cost taxpayers more than £50million – and the bill will soar in the next two weeks, Scotland Yard warned yesterday.
The climate change activists are preparing for a fortnight of highly disruptive action targeting banks, big business and government in London.They plan to “occupy” the streets with camps similar to the protests in 2019 and one last year.
The latest protest is due to begin on Monday as XR demands an end to government investment in fossil fuels. Police Commander Rachel Williams said: “Three large previous events have cost the Met in excess of £50million. I’m in no doubt this year’s policing operation will run into the millions and will result in many officers sacrificing time off to bring order and safety to the streets of London.”
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said the Metropolitan Police made an “unprecedented” 3,762 arrests during the previous three demonstrations. Out of 1,938 prosecutions, more than 70 per cent resulted in convictions.
He added: “Every police officer committed to a large demonstration in central London is a police officer away from their local community.”
XR supporter Stephen Fry tweeted yesterday: “I know XR are mucky and make a fuss, they’re loud, they’re disruptive and they block traffic. But what else will make politicians recalibrate, realign, revolutionise politics so it faces the horrors of climate change?”