35 Just Stop Oil activists held over M25 chaos: ‘This isn’t policing protest, it’s a crime operation’
35 Just Stop Oil activists have been arrested after breaking a High Court injunction banning them from protest on the M25.
Campaigners from the environmental group climbed on to gantries on the motorway, closing it in multiple sections at around 8am this morning.
Just Stop Oil said it had launched actions in six locations around the M25 this morning at 7.30.
As of 3.30pm on Monday, the Met Police said 35 arrests had been made. Seven were arrested over the course of the two days in connection with a pre-emptive operation to crack down on the illegal protests.
Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said: “This isn’t policing protests, this is a crime operation. There is a deliberate and wilful intent to disrupt thousands.”
Just Stop Oil said last night, it had contacted the police and Highways England informing them of the disruption, asking for a 30mph speed limit to keep them save.
This comes after a High Court injunction was granted on Saturday stopping Just Stop Oil from protesting on the M25.
Some drivers took to Twitter to share their frustration as backlogs on the motorway piled up, with Police stopping the flow of cars while protestors were brought down.
The Met Police said the motorway was “temporarily closed” before “specially trained officers from our protest removal team” took them down.
On Sunday, the Met announced it had launched a pre-emptive operation ahead of planned protest activity.
Surrey Police shared multiple image of one of demonstrators after having been brought down from a gantry.
In a statement last night, it said a “ significant proactive” operation was launched to “identify and arrest people we have strong reason to believe are intent on causing reckless and serious disruption to the public.”
Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist announced three arrests were made last night, while the Met said a further four had been made this morning.
Just Stop Oil have been protesting the government’s issuing of 100 gas and oil licences for almost 40-days in a row now, including through disruption, vandalism and protest.