More than 60 climate activists have been arrested in London under the UK’s “repressive” new anti-protest laws.

Just Stop Oil protesters were taking part in a ‘slow march’ around Parliament Square yesterday morning (30 October), demanding an end to new oil and gas licenses.

Within 10 minutes, Metropolitan police arrived – blocking their path and forcing activists off the road. When this proved unsuccessful, videos and photos show police kneeling on and handcuffing protesters, before carrying them into vans.

This is the first time that the Met have made arrests under section 7 of the Public Order Act 2023, which bans any activity that “interferes with the use or operation of any key national infrastructure in England and Wales.”

It’s part of a wider European crackdown on direct action protests. France and Germany have taken an anti-terror approach to some demonstrations; toughening surveillance and detention laws and even launching dawn raids on the homes of Last Generation members.

Continue here: yahoo