News from Caroline Russell: Mayor refuses to comment on way XR protests were policed

The Mayor refused to condemn the way the Met chose to police the peaceful XR protests after questioning from Caroline Russell today who suggested the tactics had worsened disruption for Londoners.

Caroline interrogated the Mayor on policing techniques questioning whether the Met’s decision to encircle people in the six-way junction at Long Acre and St Martins Lane on day one of the protest, in fact added to the disruption. He said, ‘I'm always keen to avoid commenting on operational matters.’

The Met filled Charing Cross Road with their vehicles and the Long Acre junction was completely closed off. Before this intervention by police, pedestrians and people not taking part in the protest had been able to move freely through the area.

Caroline also questioned the Mayor on his policing strategy following brutal displays of violence seen in videos taken at the XR protests on 31 August which appear to show Met Police officers punching peaceful protestors and striking them with batons.[1]

Retired Met detective-sergeant, Paul Stephens, described the policing of the protest as ‘an appalling example of policing’ and said the police used ‘unreasonable force’.[2]

The Mayor did encourage those who had been victims of these events, or had witnessed them, to complain to the Met or through the policing watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) but didn’t support or condemn the Met’s actions.[3]

Caroline Russell says:

“We know that by its nature peaceful protest can be a bit disruptive.

“But meeting slight disruption with the level of policing that we’ve seen feels excessive and risks worsening the situation, both for the peaceful protestors and bystanders.

“I’ve seen footage of Met Police officers climbing on to a bus that appears to show them punching peaceful protestors and striking them with batons.

“This kind of disproportionate response only lowers confidence in policing and most importantly, risks putting Londoners in real danger, which is not what the police are there to do.

“It is telling that the Mayor urged Londoners who witnessed or experienced worrying police tactics to complain to the IOPC.

“Many Londoners have contacted me about the harsh tactics used on them during XR’s Impossible Rebellion and I would encourage them to all submit complaints, the police must be accountable to the people. I will continue to push the Mayor to review the tactics used against Londoners exercising their right to protest.”

Witnesses have written to Caroline describing how, as bystanders in Exhibition Road, they were left ‘physically shaking’ while witnessing the police rushing to collapse a bamboo structure that ended up falling close to the head of a protester lying on the ground, risking serious injury.

She has also received reports from people who had taken their children to join a peaceful protest but who felt threatened and intimidated by the scale of policing.

Constituents have also written to Caroline with concerns about how protestors are transported after being arrested. They reported being transferred without seat belts over long distances in custody vans, and suffering injuries as a result of being driven fast round corners and over speed bumps.