The United Kingdom has expanded police powers in an amended legislation that took effect on Sunday, bringing fruition to a move that was introduced in January and supported by the country’s top leaders. 

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had backed an amendment to an already-existing public order measure that provided police with the authority to “move” demonstrators and activists who cause disruptions to traffic or building projects during their demonstrations.

According to the authorities, protesters convicted of “tunnelling”— or excavating underground tunnels to block the construction of fresh infrastructure works — could spend up to three years in prison. Anyone convicted of impeding an essential transportation project faces a maximum six-month prison sentence.

Critics said the new legislation could curtail the rights to freedom of expression, but UK leaders described it as a move to protect the public from a disruptive minority. 

“The right to protest is a fundamental principle of our democracy, but this is not absolute. A balance must be struck between the rights of individuals and the rights of the hard-working majority to go about their day-to-day business,” Mr Sunak had said in defence of the move in January. 

The British prime minister added: “We cannot have protests conducted by a small minority disrupting the lives of the ordinary public. It’s not acceptable, and we’re going to bring it to an end,” he added. 

Home Secretary Suella Braverman the lives of the public have been often disrupted by “selfish protesters.”

UK residents have “had enough of their lives being disrupted by selfish protesters. The mayhem we’ve seen on our streets has been a scandal,” Ms Braverman said.