Sadiq Khan accused of using masked ‘thugs’ to protect ULEZ enforcement vans
Sadiq Khan discusses ULEZ concerns
Sadiq Khan has been accused of drafting in masked “thugs” in a bid to bully people opposed to the expansion of the ULEZ scheme throughout the capital.
Howard Cox, Reform UK’s candidate for London mayor, levelled his accusation during an appearance on GB News alongside anti-ULEZ campaigners – one of who claimed she had been struck by a vehicle used by security guards.
Mr Cox is an outspoken critic of the scheme, which Mr Khan says is necessary to cut emissions – but which opponents claim is simply a stealth tax on motorists.
Large numbers of enforcement cameras have been damaged or stolen since ULEZ was expanded to include all 32 London boroughs on August 29.
Mr Cox said: “What’s happened now is of course, because a lot of the cameras have been knocked down, they’ve decided to resort to using cameras on the back of vans.
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“And what’s happening now is that because they’re also being blocked, peacefully blocked, and this is what my two colleagues sitting here were actually protesting about in front of vans.”
He told host Nana Akua: “It’s so disrespectful of Khan, he’s actually employed thugs, security thugs, who are not recognisable to protect these vans.
“A lot of them have balaclavas on, a lot of them do not have recognisable security identification tags…right across London, there have been a good eight or nine incidents where these security guys are actually fundamentally breaking the law.
“They are actually using their alleged powers in terms of protecting these vans to actually threaten people and abuse people.”
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Cox added: “We’ve got to actually get to the bottom of this. So, who did this for a start, but we also want to get to the bottom of the bigger picture of who authorises this.
“This is taxpayers’ money being used to actually orchestrate – I’m sorry, I’m going to say this – thugs – to actually hit innocent people.”
Fellow guest Heather Watt claimed she had been hit by a vehicle driven by a security guard, leaving her with severe bruising.
Meanwhile Claire Dyer said there are often two or three vehicles parked around the corner apparently to provide security guards protecting ULEZ vans with extra back-up.
Mr Cox added: “We’ve got to actually get to the bottom of this. So, who did this for a start, but we also want to get to the bottom of the bigger picture of who authorises this.
“This is taxpayers’ money being used to actually orchestrate – I’m sorry, I’m going to say this – thugs – to actually hit innocent people.”
A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed both it and Transport for London were investigating an incident in Biggin Hill in south London during which a woman claimed to have been injured in a collision with a vehicle.
Express.co.uk has contacted TfL and the Mayor of London’s office for comment.
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