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Rights groups raise the alarm over mass arrests of XR activists

THE “potentially unlawful” arrest of more than 200 Extinction Rebellion (XR) cyclists on Lambeth Bridge today has been slammed by civil-rights groups.

Officers swooped to arrest participants of a mass bike ride by supporters of the climate activist group after police vans blocked off both ends of the bridge. 

Protester Tim Woolrich told the Star that the group had no intention to block the road, yet he and hundreds of others were arrested for allegedly obstructing the highway. 

The mass arrests began after a small number of protesters unrelated to the main group decided to “lock on” to the road, Mr Woolrich said. 

Despite informing officers that the lock on was “nothing to do with us,” Mr Woolrich said officers gave no warning before arresting people. 

“By the time I realised what was going on it was too late,” he said.

XR claimed that the kettling of the main group on the bridge and arrests were potentially illegal, pointing to the arrest of 182 people taking part in a protest bike ride during the Olympic opening ceremony in 2012. 

Many of those arrests were deemed unlawful and the Metropolitan Police was forced to pay compensation. 

Police-monitoring group Netpol’s co-ordinator Kevin Blowe said that kettling should only ever be used to prevent a breach of the peace. 

“But as is often the case with the Met they fail to understand that you shouldn’t treat all protesters the same on the basis of the actions of a small number of people,” he said, adding that protestors should not be treated collectively “as though they are criminals.” 

XR also reported that a legal observer was arrested, which Mr Blowe described as being “at best dubious and at worst unlawful.”

Officers confiscated hundreds of bikes and are holding them as “evidence” until the XR protests are over. 

XR have staged four consecutive days of action as part of a fortnight of civil disobedience intended to pressure the government to act on the climate emergency. 

Yesterday a group of activists locked on to the gates of the Home Office to demand “climate justice and migrant justice” following weeks of anti-refugee vitriol from the government in response to Channel boat crossings. 

The Metropolitan Police did not respond to the Star’s request for comment.

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