Steep rise in confrontational protests in UK since 2000

New level of social tensions indicated by sharp increases in confrontational protests and hate crime, finds review

The number of protests involving confrontational tactics have increased nearly 20-fold in the past two decades, signalling heightened social tensions, an independent policing review has said.

Led by Sir Michael Barber, a former adviser to Tony Blair, the first phase of the review found the number of protests involving confrontational tactics - such as blockades or occupations - rose from seven in 2000 to 126 in 2019.