Updated: Climate activists blockade BP Hamble oil terminal
BP’s Hamble oil terminal near Southampton has been blocked by Extinction Rebellion climate campaigners
BP’s Hamble oil terminal near Southampton has been blocked by Extinction Rebellion climate campaigners
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.
Opposition MPs have criticised government plans to give police greater powers to control protests as “draconian, undemocratic and disproportionate”.
An environmental campaigner who took part in a 12-hour protest on a rig platform at the Horse Hill oil site in Surrey has been cleared of aggravated trespass.
A temporary injunction against protests granted to an oil company could be made permanent within weeks – but in a radically-reduced form from the original.
A parliamentary petition against legislation that has sparked protests across the UK is to be debated by MPs later this month.
The human rights committee of the UK parliament has called for evidence on the government’s new bill that would give police greater powers to restrict protest.
Labour has failed to block the government’s new policing bill which includes restrictions on the right to protest and criminalises unauthorised encampments.
MPs called on the home secretary tonight to abandon plans to give police greater powers to curtail the right to protest.
Civil liberties campaigners have condemned police plans for dealing with demonstrations as an “assault” on human rights.