The decision by the Metropolitan Police to issue a revised section 14 order which banned any assembly in any part of London by Extinction Rebellion has been condemned by Catherine Rowett MEP, the Green Party’s spokesperson on human rights.
The order came into effect at 9pm on Monday 14th October and led to further arrests in particular in Trafalgar Square, which had hitherto been the approved base for the Extinction Rebellion group.
Catherine Rowett said:
“This was an excessive and unnecessarily heavy-handed response to peaceful assembly by a group which is simply highlighting the greatest threat facing humanity at the moment.
“The right to assembly in a public place is a fundamental human right and a vital feature of British democracy. The move by the Metropolitan Police on Monday evening is not only extremely harsh, but it sets alarm bells ringing about the future of other rights we hold dear as UK residents.”
“I was pleased to return to Trafalgar Square this afternoon because it is so important to resist threats to democracy at this time. This is not just about hearing the voices of those who are the prophets of climate emergency. It’s more than that. The attempt to silence parliament, the attempt to deny the people a vote on the proposed Brexit deal, and several other current problems in our democracy suggest that we are at a turning point and must stand up before it is too late.”