Priti Patel will tell lawmakers that “we are not making politics through mafia management in this country” as he urges them to support the new public order bill.
It is the latest attempt by the interior minister to introduce measures that were previously blocked by the House of Lords as part of a bill on police, crime, convictions and the courts.
The measures include the introduction of a new crime to obstruct large transport networks, leading to a maximum sentence of six months in prison, an unlimited fine or both.
Interference with key national infrastructure – such as railways, roads and printing presses – will also become a crime, punishable by up to 12 months in prison, an unlimited fine or both.
Patel will deliver a speech on the proposed bill as he opens a second-reading debate in the House of Commons on Monday.
The interior minister is expected to tell lawmakers: “From day one, this government has put the safety and interests of the law-abiding majority first,” but we have recently seen an increase in criminal, destructive and self-destructive tactics by an extremely selfish minority.
“Their actions divert police resources away from the communities where they are most needed… and we see parts of the country stop… this is reprehensible behavior and I will not tolerate it.”
As part of the bill, the police will also be given the power to actively stop and search people in order to confiscate items intended for “locking”, such as glue or bamboo structures designed to obstruct the police.
Locking tactics, such as protesters clinging to roads, vehicles or buildings, have been used repeatedly by groups such as Insulate Britain and Just Stop Oil.
Courts will also be given new powers to issue orders to prevent serious disturbances that would cause those found to have repeatedly caused disturbances to carry an electronic label to ensure that they are not in a certain place where they can to commit a “protest-related” violation. “
Patel will add: “I will not stand aside and allow anti-social individuals to continue to cause misery and chaos to others. The Public Order Bill will give the police the right to take more active action to protect the public’s right to live in peace.
“No matter how passionately you believe in a cause, we do not make politics through the management of the mafia in this country. It will not stop me from supporting the police and defending the law-abiding majority, and that is what the public order bill does.”
Norman Reimer, CEO of Fair Trials, said of the Home Secretary’s latest proposals: “By reintroducing plans that have already been rejected by British parliamentarians, the UK government seems intent on destroying the right to peaceful protest, and not defending him. “
Meanwhile, Extinction Rebellion (XR) has already announced plans to “take millions of people to the streets” in response to the new bill, after it was announced in the Queen’s speech earlier this month.
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