Prime Minister backs our call for zero tolerance approach to Coronation "saboteurs”

The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, vowed to protect the public from “selfish saboteurs” amid increasing fears they will target the Coronation.

Speaking to The Sun on Sunday, the PM promised a “no nonsense approach” to stop groups such as Animal Rising ruining the UK’s “glorious summer of celebration”.

It came after the Countryside Alliance warned that extremist animal rights groups are desperately trying to seek publicity and have been targeting major public events to cause chaos. 

Tim Bonner, the Countryside Alliance’s Chief Executive publicly warned: “We are increasingly concerned that activists plan on disrupting the coronation, with there even being suggestions that some could foolishly attempt to lie out in front of carriages to prevent a parade from passing through London. 

“There have also been reports in the national media that activists plan to set off rape alarms and throw them at horses taking part in the procession”.

“We cannot stress enough how dangerous any stunt which risks spooking horses is, particularly when there are big crowds of people. Animal rights activists, like any other extremists, desperately crave coverage and will do anything, no matter how dangerous. Any behaviour on the day which threatens the welfare of spectators, riders and horses must be dealt with robustly by the authorities.”

Mr Sunak said: “The public wants us to put a stop to selfish saboteurs disrupting their lives — and so do I.”

He added the public “deserve a no-nonsense approach”.

“They deserve to see law-abiding citizens protected against a minority trying to make their lives miserable.”

The Countryside Alliance has been warning for some time about Animal Rebellion, or Animal Rising as it has recently been rebranded, which is a rehash of extreme animal rights organisations riding on the coat-tails of Extinction Rebellion. 

Those warnings were validated by events at Aintree in April, when activists attempted to stop the Grand National. Those attempts were unsuccessful as police and authorities were well prepared, not least because the Mail on Sunday had exposed many of their plans in the weeks leading up to event. 

In June 2022, 25 Animal Rebellion activists were arrested after disrupting the start of Platinum Jubilee celebrations by storming the Mall during the Trooping the Colour parade.

And in September, activists from the same group broke onto the site of the Müller facility in Bridgwater, Somerset, drilling holes in truck tyres to disrupt the company's distribution.

Animal Rebellion activists also targeted the iconic fishing shop Farlows, by pouring red paint all over its shop floor in Pall Mall.