Police Chief Promises "We Learned Our Lessons On Extinction Rebellion"

7 October 2019, 10:39

Laurence Taylor told Nick Ferrari that the police will deal with protests "robustly" and arrests will be made to try and minimise disruption to Londoners.

Laurence Taylor, who is the Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Operations at the Metropolitan Police, told LBC: "So, we've got an awful lot of officers who will be looking to enforce unlawful behaviour. As you said, protest is a fundamental human right and we're absolutely not saying you can't protest. But what we are saying is the protest has to be lawful.

The police's role is to enforce the law and where behaviour is unlawful and obstructing the highways for significant periods of time or other behaviour that we anticipate, which is unlawful, we will deal with and we will deal with robustly."

Nick Ferrari asked if it is a different approach to previous policing efforts.

Police Chief Promises "We Learned Our Lessons On Extinction Rebellion"
Police Chief Promises "We Learned Our Lessons On Extinction Rebellion". Picture: LBC

Taylor responded: "What I won't say is there won't be disruption, there is going to be significant disruption."

He added: "We're anticipating a number of sites around Westminster that are going to attempt o be blocked with a number of protests around the capital at the same time."

He explained how the police force would cope with major disruption: "The Met is a large organisation and we will cope but it does mean that we're drawing officers from across the capital, who should be working in their local communities, and it means that we're unable to do some of the policing activity that we want and should be doing in our local communities."

Ferrari asked about local raids.

Taylor said: "We found an awful lot of material that would be utilise fo large scale protest as well as material that would enable people to stay on the streets for 24 hours a day and for a prolonged period of time."

He spoke of an "appropriate policing plan"and said: "We will be arresting, we've made arrests this morning already, we made arrests over the weekend and will continue to do that."

He continued: "If you think back to April, by the end, we'd arrested over 1150 people, 800+ who have now been charged."

He then said: "We will be looking to be as proactive as we can be and we are very, very keen to prevent the level of disruption we saw in April."

More Nick Ferrari

See more More Nick Ferrari

Nick Ferrari

'I cannot overstate the amount of trauma': Infected blood scandal victim advocates for justice and compensation

The Security Minister was speaking to LBC's NIck Ferrari

Security Minister agrees Home Office losing 17,000 asylum seekers is an 'absolute shambles'

Caller Sol speaks to Nick Ferrari from Jerusalem.

Caller describes terrifying moment he heard gunshots as two Palestinian attackers open fire in Jerusalem

Israel and Hamas have started a four-day truce

'We won't live with Hamas': Fragile four-day truce between Israel and Hamas is 'just a pause', insists Netanyahu adviser

Treasury Minister Gareth Davies confirms that there are 'no plans' to change winter fuel payments

'We've always stood by pensioners;' Minister confirms there are 'no plans' to change winter fuel payments

Sunak will quit even if the election loss is not as bad as feared, Kwasi Kwarteng has told LBC

Rishi Sunak will go even if Tories lose election narrowly but Braverman has no hope of taking over, Kwasi Kwarteng says

David Cameron's return to government signals 'the grown ups are back in the building' Clare Foges tells LBC

David Cameron's return to government signals 'the grown ups are back in the building' Clare Foges tells LBC

Exclusive
The education minister has said he respects the police's operational independence.

‘I’ve always respected the operational independence of the police’, education minister says amid Braverman ‘bias’ row

The Culture Secretary was speaking to LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast

Sports Secretary caught offside by Nick Ferrari as she can't name Rugby adviser she's met with twice in last few months

Hamas are booby trapping nurseries, an IDF spokesperson has said as forces close in on Gaza

Hamas leaving booby traps in nurseries as it departs, says IDF spokesperson

The Justice Secretary was speaking to LBC's Nick Ferrari ahead of the state opening of Parliament

Government defends King's speech crackdown on crime as long-planned, not electioneering

Police should take 'as robust a line as possible' on Just Stop Oil, says ex-Met commander

Police should take 'as robust a line as possible' on Just Stop Oil, says ex-Met commander

Rishi Sunak says police have the ‘absolute and total’ support of ministers

Rishi Sunak says police have ‘absolute and total’ support ahead of pro-Palestinian protest planned for Armistice Day

Exclusive
The former top Met cop says he thinks the march will be allowed to go ahead

Met 'won't bow to political pressure' over pro-Palestine Armistice Day protest, ex top cop says, amid calls to cancel

The Deputy Prime Minister was speaking to LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast

Top Tory can't tell Nick Ferrari where £38million of taxpayer cash will go in car crash interview on AI

Exclusive
Tony Abbott says the government should consider "physical" blocks on people crossing the English Channel.

British government needs to 'show more courage' to stop migrant Channel crossings, ex Australian PM tells LBC