Rishi Sunak joined a protest of farmers in Wales last Friday, after they had obstructed a road while campaigning against the Labour government’s new farming subsidies scheme.
On Wednesday, the Welsh Conservative leader, Andrew Davies, along with many of his colleagues greeted and posed for photographs with farmers who formed a large group outside the Senedd and blocked a main road with tractors.
In recent years, the government has tightened legislation specifically to stop climate protesters from blocking roads, and dozens have been imprisoned as a result.
This week, Sunak announced a range of measures to stop protesters from obstructing the homes or workplaces of politicians – including their parliaments.
Yasmine Ahmed, UK director of Human Rights Watch, said: “The idea that politicians are celebrating one set of protesters while cracking down on others is chilling.
Ruth Ehrlich, head of policy and campaigns at Liberty, said: “The messages coming out of the government this week on protest have been riddled with hypocrisy and inconsistencies.
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Obstructed a road, how dare they! Cannot believe they were supporting people who are so obviously breaking the law. Where were the police? People were just trying to get to work/shops/holidays. Protesting is fine but why do they need to impact normal people just trying to get on with their lives. What if an ambulance was trying to get through? What if it made someone miss work and got fired, we're in a cost of living crisis don't you know. Can't believe they did it so close to mother's day, people are just trying to enjoy their holidays with loved ones.