Just Stop Oil activists are shouted at as van man ploughs through them

2022-10-11

Eco-nuisances face wrath of the binmen: Refuse collector screams at ‘idiots sitting there like a bunch of lemons’ as white van man and taxi drivers move mob off road before 28 are arrested (but emotional American woman praises ‘brave’ activists)

Just Stop Oil activists in London’s Knightsbridge cause fire engine responding to an emergency to be blocked
Ambulance has to reverse and find another route as environmental group take to the capital’s streets again
Demonstration at junction of Knightsbridge and Brompton Road began at 10am and involved 32 activists
Today marked the 11th consecutive day of demonstrations that have resulted in more than 300 arrests so far

Fed-up motorists took out their anger on environmental protesters as they blocked a major junction in London today – with one irate van driver driving through them and another motorist dragging them off the road by hand.

The Just Stop Oil activists in exclusive Knightsbridge also caused a fire engine responding to an emergency to be blocked while an ambulance had to reverse and find another route as the group took to the capital’s streets again.

On what was the 11th consecutive day of demonstrations that have resulted in more than 300 arrests so far, the van driver slowly drove into the activists to make it through, forcing them to move away from his vehicle. Another motorist ripped away banners from the group as tempers reached boiling point amid extraordinary scenes.

A stuck Westminster City Council binman shouted: ‘You’ve got nothing better to do, get a job, you mugs, come on it’s enough, we’re just the f***ing workers, you clowns, f***ing idiots, you just sit there like a bunch of lemons.’

Other motorists blared their horns and motorcyclists tried to weave their way past the protesters at the junction of Knightsbridge and Brompton Road as they continue to demand the Government halts all new oil and gas licences.

But, in a video released by Just Stop Oil today, one woman with an American accent watching the activists appeared emotional as she said: ‘It’s really amazing work, and they are so brave for being out here with cars coming at them, especially, and cars, yeah, willing to stay there for everyone else and it’s really nice work.’

The traffic chaos, which began at about 10am and involved 32 of the group’s activists, caused stuck drivers to get out of their cars and angrily remonstrate with the protesters – some of whom had glued themselves to the road.

The Metropolitan Police later confirmed officers arrested 28 protesters in the demonstration, all on suspicion of wilful obstruction of the highway. They were taken to various Central London custody suites, where they remain.

One taxi driver was filmed saying: ‘How do I pay my bills? I’ve got one of these, an electric taxi. I paid £70,000 for that. I’m doing my bit, so why do you stop me?’ The activist’s answer could not be heard, but the driver replied: ‘What you’re asking for is years and years and years away, it don’t happen overnight. How stupid are you?’

A woman with the activists then said: ‘We’ve got eight years of reserves of oil already, we don’t need more, we don’t need to take more.’ But the man said: ‘Yeah, you can’t do this – and it doesn’t happen overnight, does it?’

After police had arrived on the scene, a police liaison officer told the group: ‘Are you intending to stay here until you get removed by officers and arrested?’ A woman replied: ‘Yes, or you can get them to stop new oil licences.’

The police officer calmly continued: ‘I can’t do anything about that, but what I can ask you to do is ask you to move out the road and protest in a more safe and appropriate location. Is anyone willing to do that?’

One man filmed another police officer as he confronted her about the protesters sat in the road. She told him: ‘I don’t appreciate you shouting at me right now.’ He replied: ‘I’m not shouting, no, we’re not going to do that, my love, please, handle your business, handle your business, my love.’ The officer replied: ‘We are, we’re here.’

The junction is a major traffic interchange for those driving in or out of Central London to and from the west of the city, and is located close to the Harrods department store, Knightsbridge Underground station and Hyde Park.

The van driver’s identity is not known, but his vehicle carried the branding of Archers, a design and manufacturing facility for signage based in Isleworth, West London. MailOnline has contacted the company for comment.

Some 337 Just Stop Oil demonstrators are thought to have been arrested over the 11 days up to and including today, and the group claimed there had been more than 1,500 arrests since its campaign began on April 1.

After ambulances and fire engines struggled to get through, Number 10 said any disruption to the emergency services’ work is ‘unacceptable’. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘These sorts of protests that disrupt peoples’ daily lives or, indeed, can stop our emergency services from potentially saving lives are unacceptable.

‘That’s why we’ve already toughened powers for the police, we’ve given them new powers to act and we are also taking further powers through the House at the moment to ensure they can go even further in preventing these individuals from disrupting peoples’ lives.’

Asked about the PM’s view on members of the people intervening to drag protesters off roads, he added: ‘We can understand the public’s frustration with their lives being disrupted in this way. But clearly it is for the police to respond in the first instance to these sorts of protests and this sort of disruption and that’s what we’d recommend.’

But Just Stop Oil – which normally has a policy of letting through the emergency services – also tweeted a video showing protesters moving out of the way of a fire engine, saying they had ‘paused’ the roadblock for the vehicle.

A London Fire Brigade spokesman said: ‘Crews were on their way to an automatic fire alarm sounding on Foley Street in Fitzrovia. Five fire engines were sent to the scene, with an appliance from Soho Fire Station the first to arrive. Firefighters investigated and found no fire.

‘An appliance from Kensington Fire Station was temporarily stopped by a road block and arrived within 14 minutes of being called. We work closely with our local authority and emergency service partners whenever there are road closure proposals to minimise impact on our service. However, given the nature of the event crews had no prior warning of the roadblock.’

TODAY — A man remonstrates with Just Stop Oil protesters on the road at a major junction in Knightsbridge this morning

TODAY — The Just Stop Oil activists in exclusive Knightsbridge cause a fire engine responding to an emergency to be blocked

TODAY — A man drags a Just Stop Oil protester from the road in Knightsbridge this morning amid major traffic chaos

TODAY — Police officers speak to Just Stop Oil protesters as they block a road in Knightsbridge in West London this morning

TODAY — A man drags a Just Stop Oil protester from the road in Knightsbridge this morning amid major traffic chaos

TODAY – An ambulance has to reverse and find another route as the group take to London’s streets yet again this morning

TODAY — Police officers take away a Just Stop Oil protester involved in the action at Knightsbridge in West London today

TODAY — A stuck Westminster City Council binman shouted today: ‘F***ing idiots, you just sit there like a bunch of lemons’

TODAY — Motorists argue with Just Stop Oil protesters on the road at a major junction in Knightsbridge in West London today

TODAY — Police officers take away a Just Stop Oil protester involved in the action at Knightsbridge in West London today

TODAY — Just Stop Oil protesters take to the streets of London this morning as they block a road in exclusive Knightsbridge

TODAY — Police officers speak to a Just Stop Oil protester involved in the action at Knightsbridge in West London today

TODAY — Just Stop Oil protesters take to the streets of London this morning as they block a road in exclusive Knightsbridge

TODAY — Police officers take away a Just Stop Oil protester involved in the action at Knightsbridge in West London today

Just Stop Oil put out a press release about the action this morning, quoting Holly Exley, 34, a freelance illustrator from Bristol, who said: ‘The reality is that there can be no new oil and gas if we want a safe future, but the UK government wants to extract and sell ‘every last drop’ from the North Sea.

‘Their plans will make climate breakdown, mass suffering and loss of life inevitable unless good people rise up and resist. Right now a very small group of people are making huge sacrifices, risking their wellbeing and their liberty to resist new oil and gas. It’s time for everyone to stand up and pick a side.’

Naomi Goddard, 58, a parish clerk from Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire, said: ‘I work in a conservative, law-abiding profession so the decision to take direct action with Just Stop Oil was not an easy one.

‘The reality is that we have less than three years to avoid climate catastrophe, but our government is failing to act and now Liz Truss is planning to grant over 100 new fossil fuel licences rather than encouraging renewable energy.

‘I just couldn’t keep my eyes tight shut against what was happening any longer. I know that I risk losing my freedom, my job and my friends by doing this but I also know deep in my heart that taking action at this time is absolutely the right thing to do.’

TODAY — A man drags a Just Stop Oil protester from the road in Knightsbridge this morning amid major traffic chaos

TODAY — Police officers take away a Just Stop Oil protester involved in the action at Knightsbridge in West London today

TODAY — A man remonstrates with Just Stop Oil protesters on the road a major junction in Knightsbridge this morning

TODAY — A man rips a Just Stop Oil banner away from protesters as they block a road in Knightsbridge in West London today

TODAY — Police officers take away a Just Stop Oil protester involved in the action at Knightsbridge in West London today

TODAY — Just Stop Oil protesters on the road at the junction of Knightsbridge and Brompton Road in West London today

TODAY — Police officers take away a Just Stop Oil protester involved in the action at Knightsbridge in West London today

TODAY — Just Stop Oil protesters take to the streets of London this morning as they block a road in exclusive Knightsbridge

TODAY — A man rips a Just Stop Oil banner away from protesters as they block a road in Knightsbridge in West London today

TODAY — Police officers speak to Just Stop Oil protesters as they block a road in Knightsbridge in West London this morning

TODAY — Police officers take away a Just Stop Oil protester involved in the action at Knightsbridge in West London today

TODAY — Police officers sit with Just Stop Oil protesters involved in the action at Knightsbridge in West London this morning

Graham Lowe, 68, an artist and art tutor from Lancaster, said: ‘I have no choice but to resist, this government is once again putting profit before people.

‘After a summer of global drought, record temperatures and millions made homeless by unprecedented floods in Pakistan, we have to stand up to the government and say no to new fossil fuels. There is no greater threat to the wellbeing of billions of people than complacency at this time. ‘

And Kathy Dolan, 48, a council worker from Trafford in Greater Manchester, said: ‘I can’t stand by while our government chooses destructive self-interest over a liveable future, and, for the global south, a liveable present. We’re out of time. I will resist, my conscience won’t let me do anything else.’

A Just Stop oil spokesman said today: ‘This is not a one day event, this is an act of resistance against a criminal government and their genocidal death project.

‘Our supporters will be returning – today, tomorrow and the next day – and the next day after that – and every day until our demand is met: no new oil and gas in the UK.

TODAY — A man rips a Just Stop Oil banner away from protesters as they block a road in Knightsbridge in West London today

TODAY — Police officers speak to Just Stop Oil protesters as they block a road in Knightsbridge in West London this morning

TODAY — Just Stop Oil protesters take to the streets of London this morning as they block a road in exclusive Knightsbridge

TODAY — Just Stop Oil protesters are unglued from the streets of Knightsbridge this morning by specialist removal teams

TODAY — Police officers speak to Just Stop Oil protesters as they block a road in Knightsbridge in West London this morning

TODAY — Just Stop Oil protesters take to the streets of London this morning as they block a road in exclusive Knightsbridge

TODAY — Police officers take away a Just Stop Oil protester involved in the action at Knightsbridge in West London today

TODAY — Just Stop Oil protesters take to the streets of London this morning as they block a road in exclusive Knightsbridge

TODAY — A man rips a Just Stop Oil banner away from protesters as they block a road in Knightsbridge in West London today

TODAY — Just Stop Oil protesters take to the streets of London this morning as they block a road in exclusive Knightsbridge

TODAY — Police officers take away a Just Stop Oil protester involved in the action at Knightsbridge in West London today

TODAY — A man drags a Just Stop Oil protester from the road in Knightsbridge this morning amid major traffic chaos

TODAY — Police officers watch over Just Stop Oil protesters as they block a road in Knightsbridge in West London today

TODAY — Just Stop Oil protesters take to the streets of London this morning as they block a road in exclusive Knightsbridge

TODAY — A man rips a Just Stop Oil banner away from protesters as they block a road in Knightsbridge in West London today

‘We will not be intimidated by changes to the law, we will not be stopped by private injunctions sought to silence peaceful people. Our supporters understand that these are irrelevant when set against mass starvation, slaughter, the loss of our rights, freedoms and communities.’

It comes after about 25 activists were arrested by police yesterday following a blockade of The Mall outside Buckingham Palace, with the disruption lasting just over two hours before they were eventually all removed.

A further eight protesters were arrested after carrying out sit-down protests outside Downing Street yesterday.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said of the 33 people arrested: ‘All were arrested for wilful obstruction of the highway and have been taken to a number of custody suites where they remain at the moment.’

The protesters outside the royal residence, who had travelled from Scotland, said they felt the need to act after the UK Government gave its backing last month to an expansion of oil and gas operations in the North Sea.

The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) is expected to undertake a new round of oil and gas licensing this month, but one of yesterday’s protesters described this ‘a death sentence for all of us here’.

YESTERDAY — Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall near Buckingham Palace

OCTOBER 9 — Protesters block the road in a demonstration at Piccadilly Circus in London

OCTOBER 8 — A man is removed by police during a Just Stop Oil protest at Green Park

OCTOBER 7 — Just Stop Oil activists block Vauxhall Bridge Road in Central London last week

OCTOBER 6 — Just Stop Oil activists at Trafalgar Square in London as their protests continue

OCTOBER 5 — Police speak to Just Stop Oil protesters block a road leading into Westminster

OCTOBER 4 — Climate activists from Just Stop Oil block the roads around Parliament Square

OCTOBER 3 — Police try to move Just Stop Oil protesters blocking roads in Trafalgar Square

OCTOBER 2 — Police wach as Just Stop Oil of protesters occupy Waterloo Bridge in London

OCTOBER 1 — Activists occupy Parliament Square as Just Stop Oil carry out more protests

However Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said the licensing could lead to more than 100 new licences being granted, which he claimed could ‘safeguard’ UK energy supplies and support more than 70,000 jobs in Scotland.

A Government spokesman said: ‘We remain fully committed to reaching net zero by 2050 and the UK is forging ahead of many other countries on net zero – with 40 per cent of our power now coming from cleaner and cheaper renewable sources.

‘But with Russia weaponising energy across Europe, we must make sure we do so in a way that protects energy security, by boosting homegrown energy supply and reducing our dependence on foreign imports.

‘This includes increasing domestic gas supply, which we’ve always been clear will have a role in our transition to net zero. But we will also continue to drive forward our commitments on nuclear and renewables like offshore wind.’

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