Met Police ousts Honk for Hope from city

The Metropolitan Police, faced with a clash of events with Extinction Rebellion demonstrating in Westminster, has banned today’s Honk for Hope protest from a large area of central London.

An eleventh-hour letter, headed Section 12 of the Public Order Act 1986, warns operators not to stop vehicles, and prevents them entering an area bounded by Piccadilly, Vauxhal Bridge Road, Victoria Embankment and The Strand. The move sparked fury among operators attending the event.

“The policing was at best incompetent at worst they were trying to trap people into breaking the law, incompetent because they had been communicating with organisers in advance so could easily have communicated this banning order in advance, the decision was taken far enough in advance to print hundreds of pages and distribute them around London,” said Tony Graham on social media.

“So sad the Met have come heavy-handed when they allow other protests go ahead, including one today in Parliament Square. The irony is this protest is an environmental one. 1 coach = 25 cars,” said Ian Clark.