Peers inflict defeats on government anti-protest measures
Key parts of government plans to crack down on protest were blocked in the House of Lords yesterday.
Key parts of government plans to crack down on protest were blocked in the House of Lords yesterday.
The protest tactic of locking on – used as far back as the Suffragettes – could become a criminal offence under new changes to the Policing Bill.
A controversial law to increase police powers to control protests was included in the Queen’s Speech this morning. The speech also included other already-announced plans for new environmental targets, an overhaul of the planning system and changes to the way public decisions could be challenged in court.
The government is to provide £4.3m towards the cost of policing anti-fracking protests outside Cuadrilla’s shale gas site, Lancashire’s police and crime commissioner confirmed this afternoon.
The judge at a trial of two anti-fracking campaigners warned them that taking part in protests in future could be expensive.
Update to Timeline – September 2013 27/9/13 Cuadrilla leaves Balcombe Cuadrilla’s exploratory drilling site at Balcombe is cleared and Sussex Police scales down its operation. Superintendent Lawrence Hobbs says a few officers will remain in the area, mostly to ensure road safety. He acknowledges the policing operation will affect […]
Update to Timeline – September 2013 26/9/13 Farewell to Cuadrilla Friends of the Earth Brighton announces a farewell gathering outside the Cuadrilla site at Balcombe at 11am on Saturday 28th September. The company has until Saturday, under the terms of its planning permission, to leave the site. 25/9/13 Rig […]