UK Sporting Bodies Urged to Tackle Eco-Protesters at National Events
The UK Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, has called for sporting bodies to take a more robust approach in dealing with eco-protesters who are causing disruption at national sporting events. Braverman made the comments at a summit with sporting bosses and police chiefs, which was convened in response to growing concerns about the tactics of groups such as Just Stop Oil. The Home Secretary expressed her desire to see stewards remove protesters from pitches to minimize disruption and act as a deterrent to others. She emphasized that as long as they do not use excessive force, the police and government will support these actions.
The summit, attended by 15 sporting bodies, including the Premier League, the British Horseracing Authority, Silverstone Circuits, and the Lawn Tennis Association, also saw police representatives outlining their plans to step up intelligence operations to prevent militants from disrupting major sporting events throughout the summer.
Sporting chiefs agreed to increase stewarding at high-profile events and explore the possibility of seeking injunctions in advance, which would facilitate quicker police action and potentially result in protesters being sent to jail. Similar injunctions have successfully disrupted previous actions by eco-protesters on the country’s motorway network.
Just Stop Oil, along with other groups like Animal Rising, have already caused disruptions at several major sporting events, including the World Snooker Championships, the recent Ashes test match at Edgbaston, and last year’s women’s Euros football tournament. The group even managed to interrupt play at Wimbledon twice during the summit in Downing Street.
After the summit, Braverman condemned the actions of these protesters and expressed her determination to be tough on those who aim to spoil the experience for spectators and sports fans. Her sentiments were echoed by Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer, who emphasized the need to protect the right to peaceful protest while preventing a vocal minority from disrupting events enjoyed by millions.
The UK government has introduced a series of law changes to empower the police in dealing with direct-action tactics used by protesters. These changes include new stop and search powers, criminalizing tactics such as locking on to prevent removal by police, and deploying slow march techniques to disrupt traffic. The definition of serious disruption has also been clarified in law to make it easier for the police to take action.
Despite these measures, there is still frustration at the level of disruption caused by eco-zealots. The summit aimed to bring all stakeholders together in a unified effort to address this issue. The government intends to take further action if necessary, with the hope of minimizing disruptions from such protests at future events.
In the interest of public safety, Formula One boss Stefano Domenicali has urged Just Stop Oil not to disrupt the upcoming British Grand Prix with selfish stunts, emphasizing the potential danger and risk to lives that such protests could cause. As the summer of sport continues, the focus will remain on finding effective ways to allow peaceful protest while preventing disruptive actions that undermine the enjoyment of these world-class sporting occasions.
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