Climate change activists vow to cause chaos during rush-hour on the M25 again after 35 people were arrested
7 November 2022, 22:17 | Updated: 7 November 2022, 23:48
A group of climate change activists have vowed to cause chaos during rush-hour on the M25 again this morning just a day after 35 people were arrested.
Yesterday, a group of protesters from Just Stop Oil climbed to the overhead gantries on England's busiest motorway, causing blockages in at least five locations.
It comes despite police efforts overnight on Sunday to arrest the 'mastermind' behind the plans and put an end to the disruption.
In an emotional video, one 24-year-old, named Louise teared up as she told the camera: "I'm here because I don't have a future.
"And you might hate me for doing this, and you're entitled to hate me, but I wish you would direct all that anger and hatred at our government.
"They are betraying young people like me."
She went on: "How many more people have to say 'we don't have a liveable future if you continue licensing oil and gas' for you to listen?
"Why does it take young people like me, up on a f*****g gantry on the M25, for you to listen?"
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that by the end of the day 35 people had been arrested.
Seven of those were arrested for allegedly planning public disruption - including Roger Hallam, 56, the co-founder of Extinction Rebellion and the 'mastermind' behind Just Stop Oil.
But despite the mass arrests and police intervention - the group have issued another warning to commuters that there will be 'severe delays' to journeys around the M25 from 7.30am this morning, urging the National Highways to lower the speed limit to 30mph across the network for 'public safety'.
In a letter, the group asked the government: "What did you expect?" and accused them of 'mass murder' with decisions they've made 'likely to result in a collapse of society as we know it'.
The group said: “We ask everyone who is planning to use the M25, or associated roads, from 7am tomorrow to be prepared for closures and severe delays to their journeys or to make alternative plans.
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“Once again we urge the National Highways to implement a 30mph speed limit across the entire M25 road network in line with their responsibility to keep the public safe.
“To the government we say yet again, what did you expect?
“Under British law we have the legal right, and a moral duty, to disrupt to prevent this great harm – the right of necessity. “The government’s policy to allow new North Sea Oil and gas results, as the United Nations has pointed out, in there being ‘no credible path’ to remaining at or below 1.5C of heating.
“This will result in the collapse of ordered civil society, the loss of our rights and freedoms and the death of countless millions of people. We will not stand by and allow this mass murder to happen.”
