Eco-clowns get taste of their own medicine as YouTube pranksters block them from road protest | The Sun
ECO-CLOWNS were today handed a taste of their own medicine as YouTube pranksters blocked them from a road protest.
The Just Stop Oil protesters were surrounded by a group of Londoners led by social media stars Josh Pieters and Archie Manners – preventing them from launching another crippling “slow walk” protest.
The counter-protest group were filmed demanding: “Just Stop P***ing Everyone Off” after a fourth consecutive day of disruption.
Around a dozen people, led by the two YouTubers who have 1.4million followers, halted the JSO march in Elephant and Castle, south London.
The group kettled their rivals by locking arms in matching mock-up orange T-shirts in a makeshift ring of steel.
Witnesses claimed the group linked arms around the slow march before driving JSO off the road, where they were circled until the end of rush hour.
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Each member of the counter-protest group wore identical orange T-shirts similar to ones donned by JSO louts – but emblazoned with a demand to “Just Stop P***ing Everyone Off”.
Some protesters chose to sit down on the pavement as they conceded defeat to the upstart group, which cleared them from the road before cops had even arrived.
But other JSO supporters attempted to convince their new rivals to join their disruptive action, claiming the interruption to their protest represented a “chance to debate”.
But YouTube star Archie, 30, retorted: “There’s an election this time next year. If you don’t like this government why don’t you stand for election?”
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Archie – who has 1.5m subscribers on YouTube – added: “We’re not keeping them hostage.”
And addressing floored protesters , he said: “You are very welcome to leave at any point.
“We just want to stop (Just Stop Oil) p*ssing people off”.
Just Stop Oil claimed the counter group dispersed from the scene and their march along the busy A201 road continued, although after rush hour traffic had subsided.
People were originally confused by the prank and were unsure whether it could be another stunt from Just Stop Oil.
But the eco-group today insisted the counter-protest was genuine and had not been set up as a publicity stunt.
Magician Archie – who donned a face mask whilst standing next to prank partner Josh, 29 – hinted at his involvement after reposting the footage with the caption: “More coming soon.”
The duo have previously flown a mock Chinese spy balloon over Parliament after US intelligence agencies shot down a genuine craft earlier this year.
They also targeted anti-vaccine campaigner Piers Corbyn in another video seen by millions online.
Elsewhere in London 132 protesters ground traffic to a halt with slow marches in the fourth day of the group’s “escalation of resistance” campaign.
The latest round of marches has also seen JSO hit groups target packed main roads in Westminster and west London.
But one furious coach driver appeared to nudge a hoard of protestors with the front of his vehicle after they attempted to grind cars in west London to a standstill.
On Wednesday frustrations boiled over when a pregnant woman yelled at the group before a man punched and kicked Daniel Knorr in the head.
Speaking after the incident, 21-year-old Daniel said: “I haven’t said anything to the police and I don’t plan to, but I’m afraid that the police might go after this man.”
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Oxford student Knorr was previously hurled off the Lord’s pitch by hero England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow after attempting to wreck the second Ashes test match.
Representatives for Josh and Archie were approached for comment.
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