An order attempting to ban Extinction rebellion protests in London was unlawful, the high court has heard, as lawyers for the group challenged what they described as an abuse of power by police. Seven prominent supporters of XR brought judicial review proceedings against the Metropolitan police after the force last Monday issued the order under section 14 of the Public Order Act to demand that that the group’s activists “cease their protest(s) within London”. It was considered an attempt to curtail the group’s two-week “autumn uprising” – a series of non-violent direct action protests in the capital – and was criticised by the civil rights groups Amnesty International UK, Article 19 and Liberty as an assault on the right to protest. To view the full article visit the Guardian.
