Rebellion Extinction protesters pulled a record 83,000 police officers away from their normal duties – more than two terror attacks and the Grenfell Tower fire combined, top cop saysScotland Yard has estimated it cost £16million to police the demonstrationsActivists are expected to bring London to standstill from Monday for two weeksPolice chiefs have asked for a change in the law to stop arrested protesters immediately returning to a protestBy Rebecca Camber Chief Crime Correspondent For The Daily Mail Published: 18:34 EDT, 2 October 2019 | Updated: 04:06 EDT, 3 October 2019 Extinction Rebellion protesters have placed more strain on police this year than the Grenfell Tower fire and the London Bridge and Westminster terror attacks combined, a top officer says.Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Nick Ephgrave said yesterday that his force’s ability to deal with violence on the streets, domestic violence and other crime is affected if officers were tied up dealing with protesters.Since April this year, the force has pulled a record 83,000 frontline officers away from normal duties to tackle the Extinction Rebellion protests. Extinction Rebellion protesters have placed more strain on police this year than the Grenfell Tower fire and the London Bridge and Westminster terror attacks combined, a top officer saysDuring 2017, 80,000 officer shifts were disrupted to respond to the two terror attacks and the Grenfell Tower blaze.The statistics come as thousands of the climate change activists are expected to bring central London to a standstill from Monday for two weeks.Extinction Rebellion is promising to cause more disruption than in April when they paralysed parts of the capital for 11 days. It cost Scotland Yard £16million to police the demonstrations, which could have paid the annual salaries of 600 bobbies on the beat. Since April this year, the force has pulled a record 83,000 frontline officers away from normal duties to tackle the Extinction Rebellion protestsMr Ephgrave said it was clear protesters planned to ‘overwhelm’ police and added Scotland Yard has had to ‘mobilise significant resources’, including calling on officers from other forces.’There is a cost to all of this… It means they might have to make compromises around which things they go to, how long they spend at incidents,’ he said.Mr Ephgrave revealed Scotland Yard chiefs have asked for a change in the law to stop arrested protesters who are freed on bail from immediately returning to a protest.The force also wants powers to stop campaigners from bringing items, ranging from boats to furniture, to use as barriers to stop traffic.In April, the protesters set up a camp around a boat. About 1,100 people were arrested, with 850 facing prosecution and more than 250 convicted so far.
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Rebellion Extinction protesters pulled a record 83,000 police officers away from their normal duties
