Just Stop Oil should be considered a terror group like Islamic State or National Action, a Conservative MP said yesterday.
Former minister Gareth Johnson called for the Prime Minister to consider making the environmental activist group a "proscribed organisation" as he argued "these people are not protesters, they are criminals".
During Prime Minister's Questions, the former lawyer and justice minister criticised the group for blocking the Dartford Crossing in his constituency last month and "causing chaos for days".
The Tory MP asked Rishi Sunak if he would consider proscribing the group "so that they can be treated as the criminal organisation they actually are".
There are currently 78 terrorist organisations proscribed under the Terrorism Act 2000 in the UK, and 14 organisations in Northern Ireland that were proscribed under previous legislation.
They include groups such as Islamic State, al-Qaeda, al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, far-right group National Action and the IRA.
Government's full support
Asked to support Mr Johnson's call to add Just Stop Oil to that list, the Prime Minister said police have the Government's full support in dealing with "the kinds of demonstrations we have seen recently".
The Telegraph says that, under the Terrorism Act 2000, the Home Secretary may proscribe an organisation if they believe it is concerned in terrorism, and it is proportionate to do.
In the last couple of months, Just Stop Oil has been using civil resistance and direct action as part of its campaign to stop future gas and oil projects from going ahead.
Just Stop Oil covered the Silver Fin building in Aberdeen's Union Street in orange paint earlier this month. The building is occupied by Neo Energy and Barclays bank, while oil giant Shell is also moving in to the site.
Mr Johnson, the MP for Dartford said: "Last month Just Stop Oil clambered up the Dartford Crossing, causing chaos for days. They then attacked artworks, the M25 and anything else to cause misery and mayhem.
"These people are not protesters, they are criminals. Will the Prime Minister therefore consider making Just Stop Oil a proscribed organisation so that they can be treated as the criminal organisation they actually are?"
Mass misery
Mr Sunak replied: "The kinds of demonstrations we have seen recently disrupt people's daily lives, they cause mass misery for the public and they put people in danger.
"The police have our full support in their efforts to minimise this disruption and tackle reckless and illegal activity."
The Telegraph says that, under the Terrorism Act 2000, the Home Secretary may proscribe an organisation if they believe it is concerned in terrorism, and it is proportionate to do. For the purposes of the Act, this means that the organisation:
- Commits or participates in acts of terrorism
- Promotes or encourages terrorism (including the unlawful glorification of terrorism)
- Is otherwise concerned in terrorism