Furious builder tackled and handcuffed by police after he tries to shove Just Stop Oil protestors off the road
23 May 2023, 10:00 | Updated: 24 May 2023, 08:21
A furious builder who tried to move Just Stop Oil protestors blocking cars out of the road on Blackfriars Bridge has been tackled and handcuffed by police.
More 'go-slow' protests took place in central London on Tuesday morning, including in Blackfriars and on Tower Bridge, which was temporarily closed.
During protests on Blackfriars Bridge, one frustrated commuter - a builder- got out of his car and tried to move the protestors out of the road, pushing one to the ground.
Two police officers quickly step in to stop the commuter in his tracks and handcuff him as the protestors remain on the road.
One onlooker posted: "A builder trying to get to work attempts to physically move Just Stop Oil protestors.
"The police only move in when he gets physical, if they had removed the selfish protesters then these predictable, physical altercations wouldn’t happen."
Scotland Yard said: "At around 08.25hrs, officers detained a male member of the public for common assault after an altercation between him and two Just Stop Oil protesters on Blackfriars Bridge this morning. There have been no arrests."
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This is an impossible situation.
— Just Stop Oil (@JustStop_Oil) May 23, 2023
Do we disrupt other ordinary people, like this man, arrested for lashing out today, or just sit back and watch everything burn?
That's where our government has left us. More and more people are realising taking action is the right thing to do. pic.twitter.com/hMm3Wxu0tY
In a separate incident, a biker tried to slowly break through the group of Just Stop Oil protestors blocking commuters on Blackfriars bridge.
One biker attempted his own 'go-slow' protest by moving through the activists' banners.
He initially managed to succeed - and was eventually let through by police - but a number of other bikers were prevented from doing the same after a group of officers
Just Stop Oil continue protest at Blackfriars Bridge
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They added: "Officers were on scene at #BlackfriarsBridge at 08.25hrs to Just Stop Oil protesters walking slowly in the road.
"A condition was imposed at 08.35hrs, and the protesters complied and moved out of the road at 08.39hrs. Traffic is moving again."
There was a similar protest on Tower Bridge. A spokesperson for the Met said: "Officers were on scene at #TowerBridge at 08.29hrs to Just Stop Oil protesters walking slowly in the road.
"A condition was imposed at 08.41hrs. The protesters complied and moved out of the road at 08.45hrs. Traffic flow has resumed."
Just Stop Oil protest at Tower Bridge
Just Stop Oil has demanded that the government stop licensing all new oil, gas and coal projects.
A spokesperson for the group said: "Just Stop Oil is calling on everyone to get off the sidelines and join in civil resistance against new oil, gas and coal.
"The time is now. Join us and slow march while you still can. Our indefinite campaign of civil resistance is underway and will not end until our government makes a meaningful statement halting new fossil fuel projects in the UK."
