New Tensions Arise as Report Urges Police to Focus on Extreme Left-Wing Protests Amid Controversial Law Changes

Calls for greater police focus on 'extreme left-wing' demonstrators

Interestingly, the suggestion for increased government intervention in managing protests was made just after the High Court found that the Home Office had illegally authorized enhanced police powers to handle demonstrations the previous year.

By Duncan Gardham, journalist specializing in security issues

Tuesday, May 21, 2024, 6:

An independent advisor to the government has stated that law enforcement needs to focus more on radical left-wing extremists and advocated for the introduction of legislation to restrict protest rights.

In a recent study, independent lawmaker and ex-Labour representative Lord Walney stated that the UK is facing a pivotal moment in its democratic journey.

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He stated that although the threat of far-right extremism is widely acknowledged, there has been insufficient focus on the significant violence, intimidation, and hate incitement that occurs on the far left.

He warned that such activities could lead to "significant economic harm and deplete law enforcement resources," emphasizing the necessity for government intervention.

Lord Walney, serving as the government's independent consultant on political violence and disruption, pinpointed a widespread subculture within the far left that participates in environmental movements, anti-racism efforts, and campaigns against Israel. He noted that this group typically embraces ideologies that are anti-capitalist, anarchist, and anti-establishment.

He argued that it was crucial for the government to fill the existing knowledge voids in various departments and among law enforcement agencies regarding the ideologies, strategies, and individuals involved in what he referred to as the "extreme left-wing and anarchist" protest movements.

He further suggested that the intelligence agencies and the Home Office should categorize threats according to their methods of effecting change and the type of world they aim to establish.

Law enforcement agencies, in collaboration with the Crown Prosecession Service, ought to keep a current, internal catalog of visuals and emblems linked to banned groups. They should also release guidelines detailing which expressions, chants, and symbols are considered illegal.

The Home Secretary will give thoughtful consideration to the suggestions provided.

Lord Walney has advocated for the authority to require organizations that obstruct roads and commercial operations, like Just Stop Oil, Extinction Rebellion, and Insulate Britain, to provide financial restitution.

He advocated for increased deployment of undercover police in response to protesters, as well as the introduction of legislation that would enable law enforcement to assess the overall impact and damage caused by protests in determining whether to permit or prohibit them.

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He mentioned that the rise in antisemitic hate crimes following the Gaza protests could represent such harm.

He also recommended that the government think about establishing a buffer zone around the parliament to safeguard Members of Parliament.

Home Secretary James Cleverly stated he would "thoughtfully review" the suggestions provided.

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In a rather ironic twist, the study was published soon after the High Court determined that the Home Office had illegally authorized expanded police powers to manage demonstrations last year.

The initiative, launched by former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, reduced the criteria for police to act at protests, leading to the arrest of hundreds since its implementation.

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When the Public Order Bill was under consideration in parliament, ministers attempted to implement these amendments, but they were defeated in the Lords by a vote of 254 to 240.

Ms. Braverman pushed forward the amendments, bypassing the standard legislative review process.

The decision from the High Court followed a lawsuit filed by the advocacy group Liberty against the Home Office.

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