Home Secretary Priti Patel has condemned Extinction Rebellion (XR) for an “attack on democracy” after the group blockaded major printing presses in a move to stop a range of papers reaching news stands on Saturday.
More than 100 protesters used vehicles and bamboo lock-ons to block roads outside the printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, and Knowsley, near Liverpool.
The presses print the Rupert Murdoch-owned News UK’s titles including The Sun, The Times, The Sun on Sunday and The Sunday Times, as well as The Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph, the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, and the London Evening Standard.
Home Secretary Priti Patel branded the Extinction Rebellion demonstration as an “attack on democracy”.
She said: “This morning people across the country will be prevented from reading their newspaper because of the actions of Extinction Rebellion.
“This attack on our free press, society and democracy is completely unacceptable.”