Extinction Rebellion latest: I’ve got your backs on demos, Priti Patel tells Met police

Home Secretary Priti Patel today issued a powerful defence of Scotland Yard’s handling of the Extinction Rebellion protests, saying the force had “delivered” in the face of hardened protesters intent on causing serious disruption.

Ms Patel said she also wanted to make clear to officers that “I have their backs” and that the “much more robust” police response had been justified because of the tactics used by the climate change activists during the nine-day protest.

She also lashed out at Labour politicians who yesterday criticised the Met’s decision to ban protests connected to the group’s “Autumn Uprising”, claiming they were content to see police spending their time removing protesters instead of keeping streets safe.

More than 1,600 people have now been arrested in an operation that has cost £16 million and seen officers drafted in from across the country.

This morning, a giant wooden horse was dragged into Park Lane by activists intent on taking it to nearby embassies.

The Home Secretary’s response came as protesters began a court challenge to the Met’s ban and called a mass rally in Trafalgar Square in a further act of defiance. Ms Patel today dismissed criticisms of the police with a firm defence of their actions. “I’ve been in touch with the Met every day since these protests started to reassure them that I have their backs,” she told the Standard.

“They are dealing with extremely difficult protesters who have developed more sophisticated techniques making them harder to move off the roads and pavements which they have been obstructing. It’s quite unbelievable what they’ve been doing. I’ve heard reports of them chaining themselves to vehicles near the petrol tank making it difficult to use angle grinders to cut them out.” She added: “They’ve also been locking arms with each other inside plastic tubes encased in concrete meaning they can’t just be told to stand up and move on.

“It can take a four-man team up to an hour to cut two of them free. The Labour Party seems to think this is a good use of their time, but I certainly don’t.

“The Met, and the forces from around the country who have supported them, have been dealing with much more hardened protesters than the last time so a much more robust approach has been necessary. And they have delivered.

“These protests are not harmless just because they are peaceful. They have caused enormous disruption to the lives of law-abiding Londoners trying to earn a living.” The Met warned of a “totally unacceptable” plan to shut down the Tube network tomorrow as Deputy Assistant Commissioner Laurence

Taylor said it is balancing the rights of both protest groups and communities but “enough is enough.”