London’s transport authority has sought permission from the High Court to take legal action against 183 climate activists who have blocked busy roads in the British capital in protest against the use of fossil fuels.
Transport for London (TfL), a local government body responsible for most of the capital’s transport network, is seeking to prevent further road-blocking actions by activist group Just Stop Oil, an offshoot of Extinction Rebellion.
At a High Court hearing in London on Oct. 27, lawyers representing TfL told Mr. Justice Freedman that the climate group’s protest activity has “very largely focused” on London roads since the start of October.
They said that the “deliberate blocking” of roads caused serious disruption and created a “risk to life.”
Earlier this month, Mrs. Justice Yip, another High Court judge, granted an injunction against 62 named “defendants” and against “persons unknown,” barring the blocking of specified roads in London.
Lawyers told Mr. Justice Freedman that TfL wanted to take legal action against a further 121 named people, bringing the total number of named defendants to 183.
Mrs. Justice Yip also made an order saying the Metropolitan Police should disclose to TfL the names and addresses of people arrested as a result of protests.
Barrister Andrew Fraser-Urquhart KC, who led TfL’s legal team, told Mr. Justice Freedman that the force has disclosed the names of “further such people.”
Disruptions
Just Stop Oil has been urging the UK government to begin the process of winding down fossil fuel production in the country.The group began blockading fuel terminals across the country on April 1, leading to more than 1,000 arrests.
The group was also filmed blockading petrol stations and damaging petrol pumps. On Aug. 26, Just Stop Oil stated on Twitter that they “decommissioned pumps at 7 stations in central London.”
Since the beginning of October, the group has caused disruptions in central London by blocking key roads, including The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace.
On Oct. 26, activists from the group sprayed orange paint onto Ferrari and Bentley car showrooms in Mayfair and set up a roadblock in Piccadilly.
On Oct. 28, two members were arrested after they sprayed paint on the Rolex jewellery shop in Knightsbridge in central London.
Members of the group have also splashed tinned soup onto artworks and thrown a cake on a waxwork of King Charles at Madame Tussauds.
