UK Police ‘Fully Prepared’ to Counter Road-Blocking Protests by Climate Activists

Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London, on Oct. 10, 2022. Jonathan Brady/PA Media

The UK’s biggest police force has said it is “fully prepared” to prevent climate protesters from causing disruption ahead of Christmas.

Climate group Just Stop Oil, an offshoot of Extinction Rebellion, has been staging disruptive protests in an attempt to highlight its call for the UK government to begin the process of winding down fossil fuel production in the country.

In recent weeks, the group has repeatedly blocked the M25, the UK’s busiest M25 motor way, which encircles Greater London.

The Metropolitan Police said the group is now planning more disruptive activities in London from Nov. 28 to Dec. 14.

Just Stop Oil protesters are arrested after they blocked the road at the junction of Cannon St. and Queen Victoria St. in London on Oct. 27, 2022. Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Commander Karen Findlay, of Met Operations, said on Nov. 27: “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 Nov. 28 to Dec. 14. However, we are again fully prepared.

“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.”

‘Proportionate Policing Response’

Findlay said the climate group’s tactics mean the police have had to respond with a lot of resources.

She said: “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.”

The senior police officer said she “completely” understands “the frustration and anger felt by the public, who are seriously disrupted by a relatively small number of protesters and their deliberate tactics.”

She said: “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.”

Findlay assured the public the Met will continue its “core business” while also managing the protests.

“Where activists cross the line into criminality, the Met will provide a proportionate policing response,” she said.

“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.”

Disruptions

Just Stop Oil 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.

The Met 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,” Findlay said, adding: “We’re working closely with the Crown Prosecution Service and the courts to ensure this happens.”

‘Criminals’

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been urged to consider making the climate group a “proscribed organisation.”

Gareth Johnson, a former lawyer and justice minister, criticised the group for blocking the Dartford Crossing in his constituency last month and “causing chaos for days.”

Raising the issue during Prime Minister’s Questions on Nov. 23, the Tory MP said: “These people are not protesters, they are criminals.”

He asked Sunak if he would consider proscribing the group “so that they can be treated as the criminal organisation they actually are.”

The prime Minister said police have the government’s full support in dealing with “the kinds of demonstrations we have seen recently.”

He said: “The kinds of demonstrations we have seen recently disrupt people’s daily lives, they cause mass misery for the public, and they put people in danger.

“The police have our full support in their efforts to minimise this disruption and tackle reckless and illegal activity. The Public Order Bill will give them the powers they need.”

PA Media contributed to this report.