Suella Braverman to tell police to crack down on Just Stop Oil activists
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Home Secretary Suella Braverman is to summon police chiefs to Downing Street for talks about cracking down on Just Stop Oil protests as officers anticipate a fortnight of disruption.
Scotland Yard warned it believes the environmental activists will on Monday launch two weeks of disruption in London in the run-up to Christmas.
A frustrated Rishi Sunak has ordered Home Secretary Suella Braverman to summon policing leaders to press them on using all their powers to remove mayhem-causing protesters.
Ms Braverman and policing minister Chris Philp will meet police chiefs and police and crime commissioners in Downing Street towards the end of the week, a Whitehall source said.
It is unclear whether the Prime Minister will join them.
The Just Stop Oil campaign to end new oil and gas projects has prompted frustration after activists repeatedly blocked traffic on the M25.
They have also grabbed attention with stunts including gluing themselves to the frame of a Vincent Van Gogh painting.
On Sunday, the Metropolitan Police pre-emptively warned that the group are preparing “further disruption in London in the run-up to Christmas”.
In a statement, Commander Karen Findlay said: “Activists are affecting people’s businesses, their lives, whether they are on their way to a doctor, a long-awaited hospital appointment, on their way to work, to interviews, or to collect children.
“Therefore, I again urge Just Stop Oil organisers to engage with us to minimise disruption to Londoners.”
The force said 755 Just Stop Oil activists were arrested during October and November, with 182 charged.
The Sunday Times reported No 10 sources as saying that the Prime Minister confronted officials two weeks ago to vent his anger about a closure of the M25 by activists.
“This is ridiculous! Why are the police not arresting people?” he reportedly said.
