WATCH NOW: Just Stop Oil protesters attempt to break Magna Carter glass
By Jack Walters
Published: 13/05/2024
Updated: 13/05/2024
Lord Walney is also expected to recommend banning activists from holding protests near defence manufacturing and energy sites
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Just Stop Oil and Palestine Action should be proscribed in a similar way to terror organisations, a Government-commissioned report has claimed.
The report, led by former Labour MP John Woodwock, recommends creating “extreme protest restriction orders”.
It comes with a total of 40 recommendations and will be sent to Downing Street.
Woodcock, who serves as Rishi Sunak’s independent adviser on political violence, wants to make it an offence to belong to a protest group judged to be “extreme” and which routinely uses criminal methods to campaign.
In a copy of the draft report, seen by the BBC, Woodcock said: “Militant groups like Palestine Action and Just Stop Oil are using criminal tactics to create mayhem and hold the public and workers to ransom without fear of consequence.
“Banning terror groups has made it harder for their activists to plan crimes — that approach should be extended to extreme protest groups too.”
The report comes amid concern current police powers under the Public Order Act lead to delays ahead of trial.
Lord Walney is expected to recommend banning activists from holding protests near defence manufacturing and energy sites.
The recommendation comes after Palestine Action targeted the sale of British-made weapons to Israel.
Palestine Action posted on social media: “Whilst one group smashed a lorry into Elbit’s Leicester drone factory, another scaled the roof of the building. Collectively, they’ve shut down the Israeli weapons maker.”
Given concerns about the use of such tactics, Woodcock’s report will say: “The Government should consider ways to ensure resilience of production for defence and energy companies whose operations are being disrupted by illegal protest.
“This could include setting a protective buffer zone around certain sites or expediting injunctions on certain protesters not to enter such a zone.”
Despite the expected recommendations, Palestine Action and Just Stop Oil have been defiant.
Members of the eco-campaign group said ministers were the “dangerous radicals that are endangering all of us” through their climate policies.
Palestine Action, who argued the British public support an arms embargo, stressed the proposals would not deter its campaigning.
A Home Office spokesman said: “Extremism of any kind has no place in our society and we will not tolerate tactics that set out to intimidate, threaten or cause disruption to the law-abiding majority.
“In recent months we have also witnessed a small number of protesters display violent and hateful behaviour, and the police have our full support in tackling extremism and hate crime.
“We are considering the report’s recommendations extremely carefully and will respond in due course.”
GB News has approached Just Stop Oil and Palestine Action for comment.
