Liberty condemns 'staggering and shocking' statistic as anti-protest legislation is enacted
Police have made at least 630 arrests of peaceful protesters campaigning against new oil and gas production in the past month, as the authorities exploit new powers under the government's anti-protest legislation.
The mass arrests of more than 470 people – some individuals were arrested more than once – was condemned by civil rights group Liberty as "staggering and shocking".
The protests involve slow marching along roads and are a form of peaceful civil resistance, says Just Stop Oil. The protests over the past four weeks coincided with the British government confirming in the king's speech its plans to grant new North Sea oil and gas licences every year.
Police are using new powers to make the mass arrests under section 7 of the Conservative government's Public Order Act 2023, which bans any action that "interferes with the use or operation of any key national infrastructure". According to data gathered by Just Stop Oil, almost half of the arrests were carried out under section 7. The offence carries a prison sentence of up to 12 months.
Evidence reveals some people have been held in police custody for long periods after arrest. A 23-year-old was arrested within five minutes of joining a demonstration and held for 56 hours in custody. A 19-year-old student was held for three nights in a London prison despite being given bail by a magistrates court. Another 19-year-old student was held for 50 hours in a London police cell.
Jun Pang, a policy and campaigns officer for Liberty, said: "The staggering number of people arrested in recent weeks shows just how sweeping and dangerous these powers are. It's shocking to see hundreds of young protesters criminalised simply for standing up for what they believe in."
Just Stop Oil said: "They're imprisoning peaceful protesters, protecting the real criminals, and licensing more than 100 new oil and gas projects while everything burns."