Man is confronted by police after tearing banners from Just Stop Oil
Moment man is confronted by police after tearing banners from Just Stop Oil zealots holding up traffic as eco-activists stage yet ANOTHER road protest in London
- Activists have blocked roads in London for the fifth day by ‘slow-marching’
- They yesterday took over the Strand and Oxford Street before being dispersed
A frustrated man who confronted Just Stop Oil activists and took their banners away was confronted by police in London this morning who told him to move away from the scene – while protesters continued to hold up traffic.
More than 60 Just Stop Oil activists staged another protest as they took to the streets to hold up traffic once again in their new ‘slow-marching’ action.
The environmentalists compared themselves to suffragettes and civil rights protesters as they accused the Home Secretary of ‘cowardice’ in the face of the climate crisis.
Video footage on social media shows protesters walking on the roads of Putney, causing large delays for Londoners as long queues of traffic form behind them.
Police were quick to arrive on scene but did not take immediate action to remove protesters from the road, instead escorting a man from the scene who tried to take matters into his own hands.
A group of around 10 protesters were filmed blocking roads in Putney shortly after 8.30am
In footage shared on social media, a member of the public approaches Just Stop Oil activists from behind as they hold up traffic on Mile End Road, London.
He grabs their banners out of their hands and dumps them at the side of the road, but before matters can escalate further two officers supervising the protesters approach.
They can be heard in the video shouting at the man to stop, to which the man responded: ‘Stop what?’.
He then appeared to tell the officers to ‘get them [Just Stop Oil] out of the road’, before he was escorted away from the marchers.
Activists were then able to pick the banners back up to continue their march.
The eco-group confirmed they had begun to disrupt roads shortly after 8.30am on Friday, writing on Twitter: ‘We are marching to protect rights, lives and livelihoods in a time-honoured method of resistance.
‘We are doing what the Suffragettes did, what the Civil Rights movements did. Suella Braverman’s anti-democratic crackdown won’t stop us.’
They are demanding that the government ban all new fossil fuel projects, which are a leading cause of global warming.
The organisation said 64 protesters took to the streets on Friday, adding: ‘We will step out again tomorrow, and again next week.’
The Met Police issued a statement at 8.41am saying that protesters had begun slow-marching on Uxbridge Road at around 8am.
They added: ‘Police are quickly on scene and engaging with protesters to minimise disruption to Londoners.’
After announcing protesters had taken to the roads in Putney, the group said a second team had blocked Mile End Road.
Police officers at the scene of one protest on Putney Bridge on Friday morning
A spokesperson said: ‘We won’t be deterred by changes to protest laws or how strongly the police enforce those laws.
‘Just Stop Oil supporters understand that this is irrelevant when we face mass starvation, mass death and the collapse of ordered human society.’
They later added: ‘Do your worst Suella Braverman. But understand this: You and this Government will go down in history as cowards who did not have the guts to look reality in the face.
‘As criminals who consigned millions to starvation, misery and death.’
Shortly before 9am activists had made their way onto Putney Bridge, where they continued to block traffic. A large police presence was pictured at the scene, with reports that around 10 people were involved.
The Met Police said on Twitter: ‘At around 08.50hrs, Just Stop Oil #protesters slow marched across #Putney Bridge.
‘Officers were quickly on scene and explained that Section 12 Public Order conditions would be enforced if they did not move out of the road. Protesters moved off the road by 09:03hrs.’
Just Stop Oil protesters take part in a slow march in central London on Thursday
A third team then began marching in Ealing, Just Stop Oil said, with video footage showing the group declaring their intention to slow-march ‘every day’.
On Thursday, activists took to central London roads including Oxford Street, bring traffic to a virtual standstill.
They moved off the road and onto pavements after the Metropolitan Police issued a dispersal order to prevent a further stunt on Waterloo Bridge.
A spokesman said that ‘conditions’ were issued to protesters at around 8.45am, and asked them to move out of the road as their slow walk ‘was causing severe and deliberate disruption to those going about their daily business.’
The protesters complied and moved out of the road.
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