Eco-fanatic who shut M25 'is a globetrotting artist'
REVEALED: Eco-fanatics who shut M25 include globetrotting artist who paints cars to and grandmother-of-five, 75, who scaled Downing Street railings
- Isabel Rock, 41, was among protesters who sparked widespread disruption again today on the M25 motorway
- She is an artist who has been around the world with residencies in India, Iceland, Germany and West Africa
- In a video from on top of a motorway gantry she spoke to her unborn niece to tell her she protested for her
- Others included OAP protester Rachel Payne, 75, and others Sam Holland, 21, and Jesse Prince, 19
An artist who vandalised her police tag on bail and sells her works for thousands around the globe is among Just Stop Oil activists who caused chaos today, speaking to her unborn niece in a strange video atop an M25 gantry.
Isabel Rock, 41, was among protesters who sparked widespread disruption again today as they somehow managed to evade police this morning.
Animal Rebellion activist Jesse Prince, 19, also went public with his participation as did Sam Holland, 21.
Others seen in videos nestling on gantries on the road network were Rachel Payne, 75, who said she was there for her ‘five grandchildren’. `
The OAP Oxford graduate – who lives at a £270,000 house in Banbury and counts Barack Obama as a Twitter follower – has taken part in numerous other demonstrations, including scaling the railings at Downing Street eight days ago.
Ms Rock – who sells her art for as much as £6,600 a piece – was identified by Just Stop Oil as they proudly showed off today’s actions.
She has taken part in international residencies in India, Iceland, Germany and West Africa, journeys with a carbon footprint of some 16,000 air miles. She also funded a move to Berlin where she lived and worked for four years.
In a video shot above an unidentified motorway gantry on the M25, Ms Rock spoke to her unborn niece and current nephew Billy.
Ms Rock – who calls herself Bella – said: ‘This is a message to baby Billy from your auntie Bella. I am speaking from your past.
‘It’s November 2022 and I’m up on a gantry, we are asking for no new fossil licenses, this is a death sentence for you and all of your generation.
‘I’m not coming down until the police come and get me down.
Isabel Rock, 41, was among protesters who sparked widespread disruption again today as they somehow managed to evade police this morning
OAP Oxford graduate Rachel Payne, 75, seen second from right, was also on one of the motorway gantries protesting today
‘Baby Billy you’re the cutest thing I ever saw in my life and you just gave me your first wave.
‘Hi baby Billy I love you and your unborn sister I’m doing this for you and for all of the kids that have no future. Things are only going to get worse if we continue with fossil fuels.’
Her artist webpage shows how some of her work fetches at least £6,000 a piece.
She also showed off a car it appeared she may have handpainted, describing it as making the world a ‘jolly place’.
Her father is millionaire Hugh Rock, who made has money in an organic soft drinks business.
Isabel Rock displayed what appeared to be a painted VW Beetle on her social media accounts and said it was ‘jolly’
Ms Rock – who sells her art for as much as £6,600 a piece – was identified by Just Stop Oil as they proudly showed off today’s actions
She has taken part in international residencies in India, Iceland, Germany and West Africa, journeys with a carbon footprint of some 16,000 air miles
Isabel Rock, pictured at the Southbank displaying her distinctive artwork, was among the protesters who targeted the M25
Earlier one Just Stop Oil protestor caused a lorry crash and left a police outrider hurt on the M25 today as swathes of Britain’s busiest motorway were shut for the third day running.
Chaos exploded between junction 26 and junction 27 in Essex this morning after she was spotted climbing a pole by the road with one witness claiming it was lucky nobody was killed.
Two lorries crashed into eachother under a gantry with a police officer apparently knocked off a motocycle in the chaos. A picture from the scene showed the HGVs crumpled together and the motorcycle on the hard shoulder.
The incident came on a third day of action on the M25, which appears to be its worst so far, where police failed to stop at least ten protesters causing closures at junction 4, junction 7 and 8, junctions 8 to 9, junctions 13 to 14, junction 22, junction 23 to junction 27 and junction 30 of the M25.
A police outrider was knocked off his bike and two lorries crashed when a Just Stop Oil protester tried to climb a gantry on the M25
A lorry crash on the M25 between j27 and j28 today after a protester ran into the road. A police officer was also injured
Six junctions have now been successfully targeted for the third day in a row, which is acutely embarrassing for the police. People caught up in the traffic missed medical appointments and one man even missed the birth of his child.
Scotland Yard said a person has locked themselves on to an overhead gantry near Junctions 24 and 25 – and they need a JCB digger to get them down.
The force said: ‘Locks add more complexity for our removal teams and the overall process becomes longer. We have had to bring in specialist equipment for this removal, including a JCB. Officers will endeavour to work swiftly and safely to open as quickly as possible.’
Officers appear to have been outfoxed by activists turning up at 6.30am – 30 minutes earlier than on Monday and yesterday – with ten eco-zealots able to get on to the road and many again climbing gantries and raising banners.
Just Stop Oil was joined by activists from Animal Rebellion, a group campaigning for ‘a plant-based food system’, with two of their members turning up at junction 13.
The number of protesters on the road again is deeply embarrassing for the police, who have been urged to get a grip.
The Met said this morning that they were ‘ready to respond to any protest’ in a tweet at 6.56am – sent 26 minutes after the protesters were already in the road.
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