Police call for tougher sentences to deter Extinction Rebellion

Met says it is working with CPS on more than 900 cases from environmental protests

Police have accused Extinction Rebellion of causing "high level" disruption and called for courts to pass sentences big enough to deter them from causing fresh chaos, as the environmental group braces itself for mass prosecutions of its activists.

Laurence Taylor, the deputy assistant commissioner in charge of protest policing for the Metropolitan force, said last April's mass civil disobedience, when thousands of activists occupied four sites across London, saw 90 of the people being arrested only to be released and rejoin the protests. Taylor said police were talking to the government about tougher and clearer powers.