HOME Secretary Priti Patel has vowed to step up her crackdown on climate change yobs.
It comes after two groups of activists were cleared of wrongdoing.
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Mrs Patel said the cases highlighted the urgent need to give police tougher powers to stop highly disruptive or dangerous protests.
She spoke out after three Extinction Rebellion fanatics who blockaded a newspaper printing plant escaped conviction on a technicality last week.
Days earlier, a jury cleared six XR protesters of causing criminal damage to Shell’s London HQ, despite a judge directing them there was no defence in law.
The defendants said the verdict would encourage more people to take similar action — and days later a group smashed windows at the HSBC headquarters in East London.
Mrs Patel told The Sun on Sunday: “I would not be delivering on my promise to the law-abiding majority if I stood by as Extinction Rebellion deployed dangerous tactics in the name of environmentalism.
“These so-called activists blocked many of us from being able to access a newspaper last year.
“And last week they smashed up a bank’s headquarters.”
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Ms Patel is re-drawing public order rules to give police more power to halt or control demos which damage or blockade key sites.
She rejects Labour claims that her Police and Crime Bill will limit freedom of expression.
She added: “Our ability to access a free and fair press and own private property are pivotal to our freedoms.”
Activists in roads
HUNDREDS of activists set up one-person road blocks yesterday to demonstrate against the Government’s lack of action on climate change.
The stunt, organised by Extinction Rebellion, saw individuals sitting alone in busy roads wearing signs with messages about their fears for the future.
The protest began at 11am — two years exactly since Parliament declared a climate emergency.
Protests took place in towns and cities including London, Nottingham, Birmingham, Bradford, Newcastle and Swansea.
