The controversial new Public Order Act 2023 came into force today (May 3), yet Just Stop Oil defied the government to take to the streets - and 16 protesters were arrested in Parliament Square.
The 55-strong group of climate activists were conducting a slow march through Westminster in London before the police imposed a Section 12 Order ordering them to protest on the pavement, not the road, when marching in the boroughs of Westminster and Southwark before 6pm.
The slow march, a tactic which has been used all week, was halted just before 1pm when the arrests were made. Last Friday, new legislation was also introduced to tackle this protest tactic, and support the new Public Order law which means longer jail sentences and larger fines for protesters from today. This controversial bill is specifically designed to limit the disruptive powers of pressure groups such as Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion.
