UK police arrest 10 climate activists before protests

 

Police officers stand guard outside Lambeth County Court, during a raid on an Extinction Rebellion storage facility, in London, Britain October 5, 2019. REUTERS/Simon Dawson

 

LONDON (Reuters) - British police arrested 10 climate change activists in London ahead of a planned new round of protests by Extinction Rebellion on Monday, police said.

 

A Reuters photographer said he saw police using a battering ram to break down a door and enter a former court building that was used by Extinction Rebellion to store equipment.

 

A spokeswoman for London's Metropolitan Police said seven women and three men had been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to cause public nuisance.

 

Extinction Rebellion said the arrests represented an "escalation of pre-emptive tactics by the government and police" and was a sign that it was considered a "significant movement" by the authorities.

 

"We ask that the government focus their attention and resources on responding to the climate and ecological emergency which threatens us all," it said in a statement, calling for donations of kitchen and sound equipment, food and tents and other items to replace material seized on Saturday.

 

The group staged 11 days of protests in London in April that disrupted public transport and roads.

 

On Thursday, Extinction Rebellion activists used a fire engine to hose red liquid at the British finance ministry's headquarters in London to draw attention to what they said was the government's failure to avert climate disaster.

 

(Reporting by William Schomberg and Simon Dawson; Editing by Alexander Smith, Hugh Lawson, William Maclean)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-10-06

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

About time the police actually did something.

Sent from my SM-A720F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

History Repeats , years ago they would be outside US Air Bases, or moaning about Mink Coats. Only thing ive noticed is why are they so ugly they scare Police Horses an smell worse.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

I loved the video of XR trying to spray a building red and losing their grip and spraying themselves.

1 hour ago, ivor bigun said:

About time the police actually did something.

Sent from my SM-A720F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

I hope other countries follow the example and stop these lunatics.

If not, violence will occur on road blocks etc.

Patience of citizens can't be endless.

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

British police arrested 10 climate change activists in London ahead of a planned new round of protests by Extinction Rebellion on Monday, police said.

I guess Monday isn't a Universal Credit sign on day or an important class in Uni

People exercising their democratic right to peacefully protest.

 

The usual suspects triggered to their usual response.

5 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

People exercising their democratic right to peacefully protest.

 

The usual suspects triggered to their usual response.

????......I remember the poll tax "peaceful" demo's, you obviously don't...

 

Demo's are a breeding ground for woodwork dwellers, very few demo's avoid that influx....

Plus this lot will go home in their car, put the central heating on and plug the telly or iPhone battery charger in, so they can download all their useless photos to their PC.....????....... ????

1 hour ago, transam said:

????......I remember the poll tax "peaceful" demo's, you obviously don't...

 

Demo's are a breeding ground for woodwork dwellers, very few demo's avoid that influx....

Plus this lot will go home in their car, put the central heating on and plug the telly or iPhone battery charger in, so they can download all their useless photos to their PC.....????....... ????

I absolutely do recall the poll tax demonstrations, those that lead the glorious moment of Thatcher being caught sneaking out the back door of No. 10, not those of the Wat Tyler Peasants’ Revolt she failed to learn from.

 

At the time I was a post graduate student at Edinburgh and had a front row seat to the idiocy of Thatcher trialing the poll tax on the Scottish.

 

The demonstrations against the poll tax are an example of the power of collective action.

 

Edited October 6, 20196 yr by Chomper Higgot

8 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I absolutely do recall the poll tax demonstrations, those that lead the glorious moment of Thatcher being caught sneaking out the back door of No. 10, not those of the Wat Tyler Peasants’ Revolt she failed to learn from.

 

At the time I was a post graduate student at Edinburgh and had a front row seat to the idiocy of Thatcher trialing the poll tax on the Scottish.

 

The demonstrations against the poll tax are an example of the power of collective action.

 

And woodwork dwellers......Plus, who actually takes any notice of them...?

5 minutes ago, transam said:

And woodwork dwellers......Plus, who actually takes any notice of them...?

More triggered nonsense.

 

 

Just now, Chomper Higgot said:

More triggered nonsense.

 

 

I do not ride a horse....????‍????

2 hours ago, inactiveposter said:

I loved the video of XR trying to spray a building red and losing their grip and spraying themselves.

 

26 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I absolutely do recall the poll tax demonstrations, those that lead the glorious moment of Thatcher being caught sneaking out the back door of No. 10, not those of the Wat Tyler Peasants’ Revolt she failed to learn from.

 

At the time I was a post graduate student at Edinburgh and had a front row seat to the idiocy of Thatcher trialing the poll tax on the Scottish.

 

The demonstrations against the poll tax are an example of the power of collective action.

 

Yes,  ALL demos, no matter what the protest is about, achieve something in the name of 'collective action" (as you say).

 

My memories of 2008, when I was one of the many who could not leave Suvarnabhumi, illustrate what can be achieved by "collective action".  In the case of the Yellow Shirts, all they had to do was march to the airport and sit down for 10 days.  Soon after, the government of LoS had a new leader.

 

When I (in 2008) was 'imprisoned' in a 5-star hotel in Bkk (3 buffet meals a day) while we all waited for "something" to happen, I only wanted the Thai govt to go in and spray those Yellows with a good dose of water.

 

11 years later, I wait for thousands of Brexiteers to march out to Heathrow (and all the other major airports) and just sit there and wait, peaceably, to see whether their demo in support of the 17 million who voted for Brexit will lead to a back-down by the Remainer elite who exercise all the power both openly and secretly against the will of the people.

 

 

OZ is considering checking the unemployed benefits status of disruptive protesters. 

12 minutes ago, DoctorG said:

OZ is considering checking the unemployed benefits status of disruptive protesters. 

More countries should do this.

1 hour ago, blazes said:

Yes,  ALL demos, no matter what the protest is about, achieve something in the name of 'collective action" (as you say).

 

My memories of 2008, when I was one of the many who could not leave Suvarnabhumi, illustrate what can be achieved by "collective action".  In the case of the Yellow Shirts, all they had to do was march to the airport and sit down for 10 days.  Soon after, the government of LoS had a new leader.

 

When I (in 2008) was 'imprisoned' in a 5-star hotel in Bkk (3 buffet meals a day) while we all waited for "something" to happen, I only wanted the Thai govt to go in and spray those Yellows with a good dose of water.

 

11 years later, I wait for thousands of Brexiteers to march out to Heathrow (and all the other major airports) and just sit there and wait, peaceably, to see whether their demo in support of the 17 million who voted for Brexit will lead to a back-down by the Remainer elite who exercise all the power both openly and secretly against the will of the people.

 

 

I doubt enough of Brexit dwindling supporters would turn up to block a bus stop.

 

But you could give it a go.

 

53 minutes ago, DoctorG said:

OZ is considering checking the unemployed benefits status of disruptive protesters. 

I doubt they’ll do that in the UK, the last thing Illiberals want is data to disprove their baseless accusations that people who protest are unemployed and or welfare scrounges.

 

Refer this thread for examples of such baseless claims.

2 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I doubt enough of Brexit dwindling supporters would turn up to block a bus stop.

 

But you could give it a go.

 

Why would any of us do that sort of thing...?

Well I certainly wouldn't....

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

seven women and three men had been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to cause public nuisance.

Likely arrest will not be upheld by the court for this "inchoate offense."

https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/inchoate-offences

• A person is guilty of attempting to commit an offence under the Criminal Attempts Act 1981 (CAA 1981), Section 1(1) if they do an act, which is more than preparatory to the commission of the offence, with the intention of committing an offence.
• In each case it is a question of fact whether the accused has gone sufficiently far towards the full offence to have committed the act of the attempt. If the accused has passed the preparatory stage, the offence of attempt has been committed and it is no defence that they then withdrew from committing the completed offence.
• When examining if the accused has passed the ‘preparatory stage,’ the approach is “to look first at the natural meaning of the statutory words” - R. v. Jones, 91 Cr.App.R. 351, CA, applying R. v. Gullefer, 91 Cr.App.R. 356, CA.  It is important to consider whether the defendant had actually tried to commit the act in question or whether he had only got ready, or put himself in a position, or equipped himself to do so: R. v. Geddes [1996] Crim.L.R. 894, CA.

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

A Reuters photographer said he saw police using a battering ram to break down a door and enter a former court building that was used by Extinction Rebellion to store equipment.

It appears that the accused were within a legal private area and not gathered in public. There is no mention of a warrant to enter the premise.

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

the arrests represented an "escalation of pre-emptive tactics by the government and police"

More than mere "suspicion" must be met for arrest.

The UK has laws that provide for Freedom of Assembly (https://www.legislationline.org/topics/country/53/topic/15) and in the subject arrests the assembled parties were not on public property.

All the police had to do was gather in the public area in front of the facility to send a message to those people gathered inside the facility that there might be the potential for criminal public nuisance.

Instead I believe the police acted prematurely and violated without legal foundation those people's right to assembly within the facility.

5 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Likely arrest will not be upheld by the court for this "inchoate offense."

https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/inchoate-offences

• A person is guilty of attempting to commit an offence under the Criminal Attempts Act 1981 (CAA 1981), Section 1(1) if they do an act, which is more than preparatory to the commission of the offence, with the intention of committing an offence.
• In each case it is a question of fact whether the accused has gone sufficiently far towards the full offence to have committed the act of the attempt. If the accused has passed the preparatory stage, the offence of attempt has been committed and it is no defence that they then withdrew from committing the completed offence.
• When examining if the accused has passed the ‘preparatory stage,’ the approach is “to look first at the natural meaning of the statutory words” - R. v. Jones, 91 Cr.App.R. 351, CA, applying R. v. Gullefer, 91 Cr.App.R. 356, CA.  It is important to consider whether the defendant had actually tried to commit the act in question or whether he had only got ready, or put himself in a position, or equipped himself to do so: R. v. Geddes [1996] Crim.L.R. 894, CA.

It appears that the accused were within a legal private area and not gathered in public. There is no mention of a warrant to enter the premise.

More than mere "suspicion" must be met for arrest.

The UK has laws that provide for Freedom of Assembly (https://www.legislationline.org/topics/country/53/topic/15) and in the subject arrests the assembled parties were not on public property.

All the police had to do was gather in the public area in front of the facility to send a message to those people gathered inside the facility that there might be the potential for criminal public nuisance.

Instead I believe the police acted prematurely and violated without legal foundation those people's right to assembly within the facility.

Based on the information provided I agree with you. Problem is though that the information provided is often not the full story.

15 minutes ago, transam said:

Why would any of us do that sort of thing...?

Well I certainly wouldn't....

Protesting is a right, not an obligation.

49 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Protesting is a right, not an obligation.

Then send a letter, an email etc...

Do you actually think the folk who these protesters are aiming at care...I doubt it...

People exercising their democratic right to peacefully protest.
 
The usual suspects triggered to their usual response.

Spraying paint over buildings ,peacfull? The usual left wing suspects triger their usual response.

Sent from my SM-A720F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

59 minutes ago, ivor bigun said:

Spraying paint over buildings ,peacfull? The usual left wing suspects triger their usual response.

Sent from my SM-A720F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

They didn't do that, did they?

They didn't do that, did they?

Why let the truth get in the way of a good smear?

Sent from my SM-G975F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

7 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

People exercising their democratic right to peacefully protest.

 

The usual suspects triggered to their usual response.

There is nothing peaceful about these dangerous anti social activities. They are preventing emergency vehicles pick up people to takevthem to hospital. They are 'disturbing the peace'. They are 'preventing people going about their lawful business'. And in the parlance of this modern generation: they are scaring people, are upsetting people, diminishing safe spaces and creating micro aggressions. The demonstrators are elitist white racists who speak only for the white middle classed and want to prevent economic development in the third world.

1 hour ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

There is nothing peaceful about these dangerous anti social activities. They are preventing emergency vehicles pick up people to takevthem to hospital. They are 'disturbing the peace'. They are 'preventing people going about their lawful business'. And in the parlance of this modern generation: they are scaring people, are upsetting people, diminishing safe spaces and creating micro aggressions. The demonstrators are elitist white racists who speak only for the white middle classed and want to prevent economic development in the third world.

More triggered unsubstantiated hyperbole hogwash.

 

How you got ‘elitist white racists’ in there is anybody’s guess.

 

9 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

People exercising their democratic right to peacefully protest.

 

The usual suspects triggered to their usual response.

 

           Are they muslims ,  up setting the peace, in rural England ..

            Enough Powell , come back .. 555

 

Edited October 6, 20196 yr by elliss

8 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I absolutely do recall the poll tax demonstrations, those that lead the glorious moment of Thatcher being caught sneaking out the back door of No. 10, not those of the Wat Tyler Peasants’ Revolt she failed to learn from.

 

At the time I was a post graduate student at Edinburgh and had a front row seat to the idiocy of Thatcher trialing the poll tax on the Scottish.

 

The demonstrations against the poll tax are an example of the power of collective action.

 

I was involved in the don't pay movement in the UK at the time. Still owe money I'm guessing, I know I never paid.

 

Was there in London when it kicked off, no where near where it all happened though.