Just Stop Oil plan to 'march as slowly as possible' around vital roundabouts from tomorrow until Christmas
27 November 2022, 10:30 | Updated: 27 November 2022, 16:27
Eco-protesters Just Stop Oil will 'swarm and block' the M25 in a fresh wave of disruption from tomorrow until Christmas.
The protesters are going to begin their action during rush hour tomorrow morning.
According to an operational note obtained by the Sunday Mirror, the group will be using a new tactic of marching 'as slowly as possible' around busy roundabouts in the capital in multiple teams and in timed phases in a bid to cause 'maximum disruption'.
Over recent weeks, fearless activists bought the M25 to a completely standstill for days on end as part of its mission to make the government stop future gas and oil projects from going ahead.
The Metropolitan Police said campaigners are planning disruptive activity in London from tomorrow up to December 14.
Commander Karen Findlay said the group ‘spontaneous’ in where they protest and have never worked with police to minimise disruption.
She said she ‘completely understands’ the ‘frustration and anger’ that people feel when protesters disrupt their lives.
Earlier this month, grieving man Tony Bambury said he would ‘never, ever’ forgive them after he was forced to miss his own father’s funeral because of the gridlock.
Another man waiting in the long queues of traffic missed the birth of his baby because he couldn’t get there in time.
Police commander Findlay, of Met Operations, said: "Just Stop Oil has already caused significant disruption to London's general public and people travelling on the M25.
"We understand they are now set to cause further disruption in London in the run-up to Christmas, from 28 November to 14 December. However, we are again fully prepared.
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"We have a very experienced team with robust policing measures in place to respond quickly and effectively to any incidents of serious disruption to London. We also have specialist officers available to deal with a range of tactics, including sophisticated lock-on devices.
"We will always try to work with organisers so that protests can go ahead safely. However, Just Stop Oil do not engage with police in advance to share where they may protest or how many may be involved.
"As their actions are spontaneous and could take place anywhere across the capital, we are having to use more officers to respond, regardless of whether any action takes place or not.
"I completely understand the frustration and anger felt by the public, who are seriously disrupted by a relatively small number of protesters and their deliberate tactics.
Just Stop Oil to halt M25 protests
"Activists are affecting people's businesses, their lives, whether they are on their way to a doctor, a long-awaited hospital appointment, on their way to work, to interviews, or to collect children.
"Therefore, I again urge Just Stop Oil organisers to engage with us to minimise disruption to Londoners."
"Where activists cross the line into criminality, the Met will provide a proportionate policing response," she said.
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"We will arrive quickly, deal with the situation efficiently, remove and arrest activists as appropriate and return things to normal as soon as possible. Please do not take matters into your own hands."
The force arrested 755 Just Stop Oil activists, and charged 182, in October and November.
"We are determined to bring to justice all those activists who cause disruption or damage to London," Ms Findlay added.
"We're working closely with the Crown Prosecution Service and the courts to ensure this happens."
