Police finally take 'rapid' action after 13 days of eco protests disrupting London’s roads
13 October 2022, 10:19 | Updated: 13 October 2022, 14:28
Police finally took swift, decisive action on the 13th day of eco-blockades disrupting traffic in London - as officers rounded up a group of activists at a major roundabout in central London.
Just Stop Oil targeted a key south London roundabout today, setting up roadblocks at St George’s Circus, near Waterloo station and Elephant and castle, with some protesters glued to tarmac.
The protesters blocked the busy junction from 9am, but by 9.25am dozens of police were at the scene, leading many protesters away - some in handcuffs.
The Met police said: "As of 10.40hrs, rapid intervention by officers resulted in the removal and arrest of all 20 Just Stop Oil protesters, including 10 who had glued themselves to the road. All lanes at St George’s Circus are now open and traffic flowing again."
At one stage an ambulance was held up in the chaos today, while huge queues formed.
Rows broke out today as motorists tried to haul the protesters away, with one pedestrian shouting: “Leave them, you can’t touch them.”
Police swoop on Just Stop Oil protesters blocking major London road
Read more: 'How utterly pathetic!': Nick Ferrari slams policing at climate protest
Today is the campaign group's 13th day in a row of protests that have already resulted in 300 arrests.
One protester said: “We have two to three years left to take decisive action to prevent complete catastrophic climate breakdown. This government is behaving with criminal irresponsibility in granting licenses for more fossil fuel extraction against all scientific advice."
The group wants the government to halt all new oil and gas licences and consents.
Protester Jane Thewlis, 60, a retired social worker from Bradford, West Yorkshire, said: “My life's work has been to look after people and I can't bear to see the suffering caused by climate breakdown.
“People are being forced to visit food banks and unable to heat their homes. I have been seriously depressed to see this government add to their suffering while giving tax handouts to the wealthy. Just Stop Oil gives a simple message: no more oil and gas licences. Let's start creating a world where we care for everyone.”
Manny McKenzie, 63, a retired child psychiatrist also from West Yorkshire, said: “I am taking action for the first time because it is clear to me that, given the urgency of the worsening climate crisis, and the inaction, paralysis and denial we are seeing from our political leaders, there is now no alternative.
“Ending new oil and gas projects seems to me to be such a no-brainer. Allowing more oil and gas to be burned is going to fuel climate and ecological disaster with billions of people facing death and starvation, while decarbonising energy, transport and farming will protect us, increase our quality of life through greater resilience, community and healthier environment, and set an example for others to follow.”
Sally Hayes, 66, a grandmother and shop owner from Hebden Bridge, said: “We have two to three years left to take decisive action to prevent complete catastrophic climate breakdown. This government is behaving with criminal irresponsibility in granting licenses for more fossil fuel extraction against all scientific advice.
“I can't just stand by and watch the destruction of this wonderful world and all our children's lives. I can't bear to think of the life my lovely little granddaughter has before her. We've had our lives, and bear collective responsibility for this catastrophe. How can we do this to our children?”
Today's sit-down protest comes after 12 days of consecutive demonstrations by Just Stop Oil activists in which there have already been more than 337 arrests.
Yesterday, Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley told of his frustration at not being able to shut down demonstrations.
He said the protests were using a huge amount of police resources but that he was frustrated that actions by the protest groups had to meet a legal threshold of causing ‘major disruption’ before officers could step in.
But under the law, the Metropolitan Police's partners, Transport for London and local council have to say the protests cause 'serious disruption' to the lives of those in local communities before the police can disperse them.
When asked whether officers should be handing out cups of tea to protesters, Sir Mark said: “I do not think we should do that. It's not our responsibility.”
“The fact I've been putting 200 officers a day into policing this, I don't welcome that, that's not good for London's communities, frankly. But I have to work with the legal framework,” he told the London Assembly.
