A range of organizations including Just Stop Oil and Palestine Action could be banned in the UK as “extremist protest groups” under new proposals put forward by senior government advisers.
Citing excerpts from the report, the BBC reported on Sunday that political violence adviser John Woodcock (also known as Lord Walney) should use the approach currently being applied to terrorist organizations as a model.
In his recommendations, which will now be submitted to Cabinet, Mr Woodcock supports groups that “routinely use criminal tactics to seek to achieve their objectives”.
“Extremist organizations such as Palestine Action and Just Stop Oil are using criminal tactics to cause mayhem and hold citizens and workers to ransom without fear of consequences,” he said.
“Banning terrorist groups has made it harder for activists to plan crimes. This approach should also be extended to radical protest groups.”
If adopted, the measures could restrict groups' ability to raise funds and their rights to assemble on mainland Britain.
Climate change activists from Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion have paralyzed public life with repeated mass protests in which people are glued or chained together.
Just Stop Oil rejected the proposed sanctions, arguing instead that the government is a “dangerous extremist who is putting us all at risk” through its climate policies.
According to the BBC, the government is considering the report's recommendations.
The Interior Ministry told the broadcaster that a small number of protesters had displayed “violent and hateful behavior” in recent months.
“Extremism of any kind has no place in our society and we will not tolerate tactics that seek to intimidate, intimidate or cause chaos against the law-abiding majority.”
