Home Secretary backs action to protect sport from disruption.

Suella Braverman, the Home Secretary hosted a roundtable discussion with sports leaders at Downing Street on Wednesday this week. Joined by the Culture Secretary and other senior government officials, together with senior police, and sports leaders, the meeting was called to outline the government’s stance on recent protests at sporting events, including that at last weekend’s Derby Final at Towcester.

Several issues were considered including the use of injunctions against protestors, pre-emptive action by the police and the reinforcement of security with stewards. Also cited was for the government to look at a possible increase in legislation against individuals who disrupt sport.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazier said, “We must protect the right to peaceful protest, but that does not give licence to a vocal minority to spoil events that millions of us enjoy.”

GBGB Chief Executive Mark Bird, who was present at the roundtable discussion said, “It was reassuring to see that the government and police are taking seriously the issue of non-peaceful protests at sporting events, including greyhound racing, but in particular, the disruptive actions of Animal Rising. The point around an increase in stewarding and policing numbers at events was particularly salient, in that if it wasn’t for the increase in stewards and the large police numbers at last weeks’ Derby Final at Towcester, we would have certainly seen a delay or even cancellation of the event. That level of resourcing comes at a significant financial cost to the event host and this point was echoed by myself and several other sports, not least those where stewarding numbers have run into the hundreds.

“It would be foolhardy to expect that Animal Rising will not continue to target other major greyhound competitions, as we know that their main ambition is to simply gain media attention to their extremist ambitions. In the meantime, we will continue to work with all licensed greyhound stadia to gather and disseminate the relevant intelligence and advice.”

The Downing Street meeting this week was described as only the start of the conversations with affected sports.