LONDON, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- A police order warning Extinction Rebellion protesters they face arrest if they protest anywhere in London came under fire on Tuesday.
London politician Diane Abbott, shadow home secretary for the main opposition Labour Party criticised the actions of the Metropolitan Police.
"The Labour Party unequivocally supports the right to protest. The Extinction Rebellion protests have been largely peaceful and brought vital attention to the climate emergency - the most important issue facing the world," Abbott said.
According to her, criminal acts should of course be handled by police, "but an outright ban is wrong and completely contrary to Britain's long-held traditions of policing by consent, freedom of speech, and the right to protest."
Caroline Lucas, the Green Party's only Westminster MP, said the police ban was an overreach of police power.
London's Metropolitan Police Service issued a statement on Tuesday warning demonstrators linked to the Extinction Rebellion Autumn Uprising they face arrest if they continue to assemble to protest in central London.
It followed an order by the Met under a Public Order Act, known as a Section 14 condition, ordering an end to the protests anywhere within London by 21:00hrs Monday night local time.
Police said Tuesday that more than 1,450 people have been arrested in connection with the protests, and a significant policing operation will continue in the British capital.
Late Monday night and into Tuesday police cleared tents from a makeshift camp used by the protesters in London's famous Trafalgar Square. Media reports said Green Party member of European Parliament Ellie Chowns was among those arrested in the square.
"This is intolerable. There has been no justification given. The protesters have been peaceful. There is no justification for this curtailment of the democratic right to protest for the future of our children," Chowns said.
Extinction Rebellion's London branch described the Met's actions as an outrage, adding the police must respect the law.
Met Deputy Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said: "We have made good progress clearing Trafalgar Square and other sites to enable the capital to return to normal following more than a week of protests."
"This was an operational policing decision to help us get London moving again. After nine days of disruption we felt it is entirely proportionate and reasonable to impose this condition because of the cumulative impact of these protests.
"A significant policing operation continues and we will take robust action against anyone engaged in unlawful protests at locations targeted by Extinction Rebellion."
The Independent in London reported Extinction Rebellion insisting its international rebellion will continue after activists were ordered to stop their protest in London immediately or face arrest.
The newspaper said the group's co-founder Gail Bradbrook, flouting the order Tuesday, climbed the entrance to the Department for Transport building in Westminster while other activists glued themselves to the building.
Protesters are also planning to block roads outside Britain's MI5 spy center in London where they plan to "serve food around a table". It was later reported that Bradbrook was removed from the building and was arrested. Photos of her smiling as she was arrested were published.
The Met confirmed that its Section 14 Public Order Act notice covered the whole area covered by the Metropolitan Police as well as the area covered by the City of London Police.
On Monday protesters targeted areas in the City of London, with police making more than 90 arrests.
