Judges find police ban on climate protests unlawful

Extinction Rebellion brought London to a standstill

The Metropolitan Police could face hundreds of claims for compensation from Extinction Rebellion activists after the group won a High Court challenge over a protest ban.

The force imposed a blanket ban across London last month, prohibiting any assembly of more than two people, which was linked to the group’s Autumn Uprising action.

But two senior judges ruled yesterday that imposing the ban, under Section 14 of the Public Order Act, was “unlawful”.

Lawyers for XR said after the ruling that the Met now faces claims for false imprisonment from “potentially hundreds” of protesters who were arrested after the ban.

In 10 days of protests to call for urgent action on climate change and wildlife losses, which started on October 7, XR activists shut down areas around Parliament and the Bank of England and targeted London City Airport and government departments.

The Met used section 14 of the Public Order Act firstly to restrict the protest action to Trafalgar Square, but following “continued breaches” of the order police had moved in to clear the area. The force said 1,828 people were arrested during the protests.

Announcing their judgment Lord Justice Dingemans and Mr Justice Chamberlain said the Met had no power to impose the ban because the act does not cover “separate assemblies” and so it was unlawful.

The Metropolitan Police said it will “carefully consider” the ruling.