Braverman tells police: don’t pose for photos with activists

POLICE should arrest protesters, not pose for pictures with them, said Suella Braverman, as she urged forces to make use of new powers to combat disruption to the public.

The Home Secretary said police should spurn “politically correct distractions” and instead concentrate on “getting the basics right” in tackling crime and keeping the public safe.

“I will give the police all the powers and resources they need to combat antisocial behaviour and crime,” she said, citing the commitment by all forces to attend every house burglary, new legislation to tackle disruptive protests and moves to sweep away red tape.

“This, rather than non-crime hate incidents, is what police should focus on,” she said in an article for the Tory grassroots website Conservativehome.

“I have backed the use of stop and search to tackle violent crime and we are bringing in serious violence disruption orders imminently,” she said.

“I’ve also sent a clear message that there should be no politically-correct distractions and that officers should arrest protesters who cause chaos, not stand posing for photos with them.”

The public order bill, currently being considered by the Lords, gives police new powers to take a more “proactive” approach to disruptive protest.

This includes a new criminal offence of interfering with infrastructure, such as airports, railways, and oil refineries, which would carry sentences of up to 12 months in prison.

Protesters accused of “locking on” to buildings, objects, or people would face sentences of up to six months or unlimited fines. A penalty of up to three years would be given to those tunnelling under infrastructure to cause damage.

‘I will give the police all the powers and resources they need to combat anti-social behaviour’

The bill also gives police powers to curb slow-walking protests by widening the legal definition of “serious disruption” so officers can step in earlier.

In her article, Ms Braverman also pledged to crack down on officers who were “not fit to wear the uniform” after the scandals over rapist officers and the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving Metropolitan Police officer. “We must get rid of them, urgently,” she said.

Vetting is to be tightened with annual “integrity” checks for all officers and comprehensive vetting every 10 years.