Environmental protesters block oil terminals across UK
GuardianAPR 2022
UN Advisor 'Distressed' by UK Crackdown on Environmental Protesters
Image copyright: Justin Tallis - WPA Pool/Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
The Spin
Left narrative
The UK's conservative government has been infringing on the basic right to peaceful protest, and thankfully, the UN is calling out this undemocratic behavior. Using government force and passing laws to criminalize protests is always wrong, but particularly in this case because it stops activists from speaking about the climate crisis. Climate defenders are heroes fighting on behalf of everyone, and they should be protected instead of being prosecuted.
Right narrative
Unhinged protests from groups such as Just Stop Oil have erupted throughout the UK, and hard-working Brits have had enough. While left-wing elites may try to paint these radical and polarizing demonstrations as "peaceful," they're anything but. These protesters instigate clashes with ordinary citizens and police, and do all they can to ruin public events. The UK allows and promotes peaceful protests, but these climate extremists are beginning to infringe upon the population's basic right to live undisrupted.