Climate Change Protesters Disrupt England's Busiest Motorway Despite Police Operation

Strategic Insights -

Climate change protesters from Just Stop Oil have gone ahead with plans to disrupt sections of England's busiest motorway, the M25, despite a major Metropolitan Police operation to foil their plans. The demonstrations come as international climate change talks in Egypt get under way. Surrey Police has shut down the road between junctions six and seven, and Essex Police has made arrests after reports of protesters climbing onto an overhead gantry. The Metropolitan Police has launched an operation to identify and arrest those suspected of planning motorway disruption, with three people arrested on Sunday evening and four more on Monday morning.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Metropolitan Police has dedicated over 10,000 officer shifts to policing Just Stop Oil protests since the start of October.
  • Just Stop Oil has staged 32 days of disruption from the end of September and throughout October, resulting in 677 arrests and 111 charges.
  • The group has been calling on the Government to abandon plans to licence more than 100 new oil and gas projects by 2025 and to help people with their skyrocketing energy bills.
  • Just Stop Oil supporters have been arrested nearly 2,000 times since their campaign began on April 1, with five of their supporters currently in prison.
  • The Metropolitan Police is working closely with the Crown Prosecution Service and Courts to bring to justice those who conspire to cause significant and unreasonable disruption to London.
  • Police are calling on the public to assist with preventing public disruption from protesters by reporting it to 999.

Statistics:

  • Over 10,000 officer shifts have been dedicated to policing Just Stop Oil protests since the start of October.
  • 677 arrests were made during the 32-day disruption from the end of September and throughout October.
  • 111 people have been charged in connection with the protests.
  • 2,000 Just Stop Oil supporters have been arrested nearly since their campaign began on April 1.
  • 5 Just Stop Oil supporters are currently in prison.

Sources:

  • "Just Stop Oil" statement (exact date not provided)
  • Metropolitan Police Operation to Foil Just Stop Oil Plans (no date)
  • "Just Stop Oil: Climate change action group escalates protests" (no date)
  • "Police 'dealing robustly' with protests on M25" (no date)
  • "Cop27: Climate protests as international talks begin" (exact date not provided)