Priti targets ‘mob rule’ protesters in new Bill

PRITI PATEL will tomorrow tell MPs to reject ‘mob rule’ and back new measures to curb anti-social protesters who wreak havoc on people’s daily lives.

The Home Secretary will urge the Commons to back a new Public Order Bill that gives police powers to counter disruptive protest tactics. The measures come in the wake of the Insulate Britain protests that brought motorways to a standstill and the Just Stop Oil campaigns that disrupted fuel supplies.

The new Bill is Ms Patel’s latest attempt to reintroduce measures previously blocked by the House of Lords as part of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill.

There will also be a new offence of obstructing major transport networks, which will carry a maximum penalty of six months’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine or both.

Interfering with national infrastructure – such as railways, roads and printing presses – will become a criminal offence punishable by up to 12 months’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine, or both.

The Home Secretary will tell MPs: ‘I will not stand by and let anti-social individuals keep causing misery and chaos for others.’

Labour last night dismissed the measures and said they would penalise peaceful protesters.

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: ‘This is a wasted opportunity to take a sensible approach and is getting things all wrong.

‘The Home Secretary is just recycling widely drawn measures from the Police Bill which have already been rejected by Parliament.’

‘I will not let individuals cause misery for others’