The Prime Minister is preparing a new crackdown on eco-protesters such as Extinction Rebellion to stop mass disruption across the country by climate change extremists. It is understood that the measures being brought in will also give guidance to police forces on how to use them after criticism of officers standing by and refusing to clear roads.
There had been growing frustration among the public that police have done nothing to tackle climate change extremists, even handing out cups of tea to them as they blocked main roads including ambulances taking people to hospital.
The previous Home Secretary Priti Patel at one point called police chiefs in to demand they use existing powers more effectively to end the disruption when Boris Johnson was still Prime Minister.
Now Mr Sunak has indicated that he has had enough and said he will usher in new laws in the coming weeks with current Home Secretary Suella Braverman.
He said: “We have been looking at how we can strengthen our laws to provide police with the clarity they need to stop the serious disruption and will come forward with those plans in the coming weeks.”
The Prime Minister defended the right to protest peacefully but insisted that it must be “balanced with the rights of everyone else to go about their lives freely”.
Writing in Conservative Home, he continued: “We cannot and will not have protests conducted by a small minority disrupting the lives of the hard-working majority.”
He added: “We’re going to put a stop to it.”
The clampdown will come on top of powers in the new Public Order Bill which seeks to prevent protesters from locking themselves to buildings and blocking key infrastructure or destroying artifacts.
A recent wave of protests has seen famous works of art attacked by eco-protesters around Europe.
As well as going to prison, repeat offenders could also be handed prevention orders.
READ MORE: Blow to Sunak as fed up voters say they want a general election
