Robert Buckland lashes out at Just Stop Oil's twisted plot to wreck London Marathon - 'Unacceptable!'

The World Snooker Championship was disrupted on Monday after a Just Stop Oil protester stormed the playing area and jumped on a table, before covering it in orange powder.

As thousands of climate protesters descend on the capital over the weekend, Buckland addressed whether the UK Government has the “balance” right in protecting the right to protest and protecting the rights of people who are going about their ordinary business in a GB News interview.

The ex-Justice Minister told Gloria De Piero: “That balance was very much in my mind when we brought forward legislation to strengthen police powers and to make sure that important and much loved events like the London Marathon aren’t disrupted by people who, whilst they have the right to express their view, don’t really have the right to disrupt the lives of the rest of us, thank you very much.

“I think the legislation, the laws that we’ve passed, strike that balance.

“A responsible protest group will talk to the police and say that we want to make this demonstration.

“How can it work best for everybody? And then the police will of course, take into account the right to free speech and accommodate and seek to help groups that want to make legitimate protests.

“But what I think is unacceptable, and I think unacceptable to the vast majority of the British people is this, you know, sudden lightning strike without any warning, disrupting not just everyday lives and going about our lawful business, but big events like the London Marathon.”

The Tory MP issued a plea to protesters who may be considering wreaking havoc on the marathon, saying there are better ways to make a point.

He said: “I don't know about you, but I like running and I haven't done a marathon, but I've done a few half marathons

“And you need to just focus and concentrate on the road ahead. And I can't think of anything worse than a protester disrupting what is often charitable fundraising.

“So you know, my plea to them is, look, think again, please guys. You know, make your point, but don't make it in a way that upsets and disrupts much loved events like the marathon.”

Fellow protest group Extinction Rebellion have pledged to assist with efforts to protect the marathon on Sunday, holding talks with organisers over the matter.

Brasher was due to hold talks with Just Stop Oil on Wednesday afternoon in the hope of avoiding further protests in the capital but has been given assurances by others.

“I’ve come from a meeting with Extinction Rebellion, they will be uniquely asking all their participants to help guard the London Marathon,” he said. “To do something which is unique in their history, to protect what is one of the crown jewels of British sport.

“We have been talking to Extinction Rebellion for months. They have been very clear they are in a new phase of wanting to engage the general public in a different way.

“It was not Extinction Rebellion at the snooker, it was Just Stop Oil. I’m having conversations with Just Stop Oil, I hope in those conversations they will be giving the same assurances.

“We do mitigate for disruption and have done for years. There are numerous mitigations we put in, we do that working with the police, the Royal Parks, Westminster, the Mayor.

“I won’t say what they are. We don’t say what we are doing, but we have a raft of additional mitigation measures we are putting in to this year’s event.

“I trust Extinction Rebellion, they have been very clear of what they are doing and why. I hope Just Stop Oil and the other organisations listen to what we are saying.

“The London Marathon is unique, we run for clean air, that is so important in what we do.

“We’ve not traded anything off, all we are doing is having conversations and asking if we can work together. So far everyone has been incredibly positive in that manner.

“I will be asking them to help and protect the marathon because of the good it does in society.”