Lack of Police Action at ‘Climate Change protests’

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.22.026908

I note you seek access to the following information:

There are clearly laws already in place that can be used to stop the so called climate change groups causing massive disruption yet Met police have not used them and allowed the massive disruption to the public.

Many people note the different often brutal treatment given to other protests, rather than the laissez faire current policy, the leniency shown to these "climate change" so called protestors, whose aims seem aligned with big corporations and the globalist UN.

Many people think that the lack of police action is politically designed so that politicians bring in more laws giving police more powers which will stop other legitimate protests.

1. Why are the Met Police not enforcing laws such as breach of the peace which are used in other circumstances?

2. Who is the most senior police in charge of deciding how to police these protests?

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you.

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

Q1 - Why are the Met Police not enforcing laws such as breach of the peace which are used in other circumstances?

The Act provides the right to request recorded information. Your request merely ask a question.
This type of question is not a valid FOIA request under Section 8(1)(c) of the Act.

Section 8 of the Act states:

8. (1) in this Act any reference to a “request for information” is a reference to such a request which -—
(a) Is in writing,
(b) States the name of the applicant and an address for correspondence, and
(c) Describes the information requested.

ICO guidance for making FOIA requests, advises the public that a FOIA request can be in the form of a question rather than a request for specific documents, however a public authority does not have to answer your question if this would mean creating new information or giving an opinion or judgment that is not already recorded.

Section 84 of the Act states: Information is defined in section 84 of the Act as 'information recorded in any form'. The Act therefore only extends to requests for recorded information. It does not require public authorities to answer questions generally; only if they already hold the answers in recorded form. The Act does not extend to requests for information or advice about legislation, policies or their implementation, or the merits or demerits of any proposal or action - unless, of course, the answer to any such request is already held in recorded form.

Q2 - Who is the most senior police in charge of deciding how to police these protests?

A Gold Commander is a senior officer appointed to be responsible for the policing of any particular protest. The Gold Commander varies from one protest to another.