Crackdown on Just Stop Oil zealots who disrupt sporting events: Ministers and police chiefs discuss sending eco-clowns who invade sports pitches to jail after string of infuriating stunts at Wimbledon and the Ashes
- Police argued ‘tougher sentences are the strongest deterrence’ to protesters
- Officials may consulting the Sentencing Council to review sentence guidelines
- Latest Wimbledon 2023 news, including schedule, travel updates and results
Ministers and police chiefs are seeking tougher sentenced for protesters who invade sports pitches as Just Stop Oil vows to keep disrupting high-profile sporting events.
Officials met with Home Secretary Suella Braverman at Downing Street last week to discuss ways to deter climate change protesters from targeting sports matches after the group carried out demonstrations at the Wimbledon tennis tournament and the Ashes test.
Police chiefs argued that ‘tougher sentences’ – such as jail time – are the ‘strongest deterrence’ to disruptive behaviour, a source inside the meeting told The Times.
It was noted that after the two JSO protesters who scaled the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge and brought gridlock to the Dartford Crossing were jailed for causing public nuisance, the organisation seemed to scale back its protests on major roads.
‘Since the Dartford Bridge protesters were jailed, we’ve not seen a repeat of the M25 protests,’ an insider said. ‘It sent a chill through the groups in terms of what they’re willing to do, and that’s why you’ve seen a change in tactics to slow-walking and sporting events.’
Ministers and police chiefs are seeking tougher sentenced for protesters who invade sports pitches as Just Stop Oil vows to keep disrupting high-profile sporting events. Pictured: A Just Stop Oil protester throwing confetti on court 18 during Katie Boulter’s first-round match against Daria Saville on day three of the 2023 Wimbledon Championships
Police chiefs argued that ‘tougher sentences’ – such as jail time – are the ‘strongest deterrence’ to disruptive behaviour, a source inside the meeting claimed. Pictured: England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow carries a Just Stop Oil protestor off the pitch at Day 1 of the second Ashes test
Officials in Wednesday’s meeting at No. 10 argued that jailing a pair of protesters who scaled the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge appeared to ‘act as a deterrent’ and led JSO to change its tactics to slow-walking marches and disrupting sporting events. Picture: JSO protesters during a slow March in central London last week
Morgan Trowland, 40, and Marcus Decker, 36, blocked one of the busiest stretches of road in the country during their climate protest on October 17 last year.
The pair hoisted a banner between two pillars of the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links the M25 in Essex and Kent, and slept in hammocks in freezing temperatures overnight.
The road beneath was closed by police for fears over their safety, causing traffic chaos – they were eventually arrested after coming down the following day.
Trowland and Decker in April this year were jailed for three years, and two years and seven months, after being found guilty of causing a public nuisance.
Officials in Wednesday’s meeting at No. 10 argued that jailing the pair appeared to ‘act as a deterrent’ for other protesters.
A sports industry source told the meeting that the ‘more these protesters are locked up’, the ‘easier’ it will be to stop JSO from interrupting events.
The meeting, chaired by Ms Braverman and policing minister Chris Philp, also discussed the impact that the type of jails that protesters are sent to has on deterring disruptive behaviour.
For example, it is understood that a protester accused of disrupting a horse-race this year is currently being held in Belmarsh at one of the highest-security jails in the UK.
A government source reportedly suggested consulting the Sentencing Council about reviewing sentencing guidelines because ‘they’re not considering the wider impact of these protests’.
The meeting was attended by Ms Braverman, Mr Philp, members of the National Police Chiefs’ Council and representatives from every major sport in Britain.
In the meeting, it was claimed that JSO changed protesting tactics after Morgan Trowland and Marcus Decker were jailed. Pictured: The JSO protesters scaling a bridge over the Dartford Crossing in October last year
Marcus Decker (left) and Morgan Trowland (right) in April this year were jailed for three years, and two years and seven months, after being found guilty of causing a public nuisance. Both men are pictured on the bridge in October 2022
The pair’s actions caused more than a day of gridlock (pictured) as police were forced to divert traffic through the Dartford Tunnel as they closed the road on the bridge
JSO, which aims to pressure the Government into abandoning fossil fuels, has ramped up its protests at major sporting events in recent weeks.
Play had to be paused at Wimbledon on two separate occasions as the protesters were removed from the ground and the jigsaw pieces were cleaned up.
And last week three other protesters ran onto the cricket pitch at Lord’s during the Ashes test series against Australia, prompting England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow to take matters into his hands and haul one of them off.
It was believed that the group had disrupted George Osborne’s wedding day on Saturday by showering him and his bride with orange confetti, but JSO has claimed the confetti-thrower is not part of their group.
The former chancellor, 52, married Thea Rogers, 40, at a ceremony in Somerset yesterday afternoon, in front of a host of Tory bigwigs including David and Samantha Cameron.
There was a moment of confusion after the ceremony when a woman, dressed as if she was attending the wedding, tipped bright orange confetti similar to that seen at Wimbledon this week over the couple as they left the churchyard.
But JSO’s spokesman James Skeet confirmed the protester at Mr Osborne’s wedding was not a member of the group, despite the eco-zealots tweeting that he ‘looked good in orange’ after.
They also said he ‘carries a heavy responsibility for the inability of successive Government to address the climate crisis’.
Just Stop Oil has revealed that the woman who disrupted George Osborne’s wedding day by showering him and his new bridge with orange confetti (pictured) is not part of their group
The former chancellor married Thea Rogers at a ceremony in Bruton, Somerset, on Saturday afternoon
The couple looked behind them in some confusion as the confetti was thrown as they left the church
Mr Skeet said yesterday: ‘Unfortunately, we can’t claim credit for the orange confetti on this one, but we wish the happy couple well.
He added: ‘I neither condemn nor praise it. I don’t know who that lady is.’
When quizzed on whether the group welcomed outside protesters taking similar action to Just Stop Oil, the spokesman said: ‘As a policy, Just Stop Oil is always accountable for our actions. You will know it is us because we will admit to it.
‘The fact that we were vague last night implies that it wasn’t really us.
‘If orange confetti is the symbol of the revolution then so be it, but obviously you can always guarantee that we will be accountable for any actions that we undertake.’
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