Eco protests bleeding police dry as new Bill pledges change

ECO protesters cost police more than £40million in a matter of months, Home Office data showed yesterday, as MPS said Britons were “fed up to the back teeth” of disruptive action.

Priti Patel took aim at groups who “cause chaos and endanger lives” as she said a new Public Order Bill announced in the Queen’s Speech would make it a criminal offence to attach yourself to other people, objects or buildings “to cause serious disruption and harm”.

The Just Stop Oil group has cost police £5.9million since it was founded in February, the data showed. Forces also spent more than £4million policing Insulate Britain events from September to November

‘The dangerous nature of these protests should not be lost on anyone, particularly the Just Stop Oil protests’

2021, and £37million on Extinction Rebellion activity between April and October 2019.

The Home Secretary said: “We understand that freedom includes the freedom of the law-abiding majority to go about their business free from harm.

“The dangerous nature of these protests should not be lost on anyone in this House, particularly when we saw the recent Just Stop Oil protests.

“There are particular sites and oil refineries where these protesters imposed themselves and it is really just a miracle somebody was not killed or injured through the tactics being used.”

Essex Police spent £3.5million on overtime as Just Stop Oil activists stormed a Thurrock terminal last month, Mrs Patel said, and called on mutual aid from Scotland and Wales. However, Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, accused the Government of making a fresh crackdown on activists “their top priority” despite the existing Police, Crime, Nationality and Borders Bill.