Insulate Britain have blocked the Old Street roundabout in London and a major M25 junction this morning as part of their latest protest.
Some 40 activists stopped traffic before 8:30am on Friday in defiance of an injunction obtained by National Highways, causing long queues of rush hour traffic, until Metropolitan Police officers arrested four people glued to the tarmac and reopened the roads.
Transport secretary Grant Shapps branded the activists “glued fools” in an interview with LBC.
“It’s dangerous, it’s really outrageous, and actually, ironically, it probably adds to pollution as cars idle, waiting for their nonsense … for them to be unglued from the road,” he said.
However Tracey Mallagan, a spokeswoman for the group, defended the group’s actions in a statement. She said: “If governments don’t act soon to reduce emissions, we face a terrifying situation.
“We won’t be worrying about shortages of pasta or loo rolls because law and order breaks down pretty quickly when there is not enough food to go round.”
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The action marks the 12th day in the past four weeks that Insulate Britain has carried out road protests as part of their efforts to make the government provide insulation for 29 million homes.
The following photos and videos are from the scenes:
Insulate Britain protesters blocking Old Street Roundabout are now being arrested. pic.twitter.com/I3jiHUqD0e
— Subject Access (@SubjectAccesss) October 8, 2021
If an ambulance crew tells you to get out the road, then get out the road #InsulateBritain pic.twitter.com/aC3J6fk6Oz
— Duncan (@shaksper) October 4, 2021
Insulate Britain now preventing ambulances from getting to their call outs pic.twitter.com/427RwAeqRR
— Julian Druker (@Julian5News) October 8, 2021
Juicy view from the office of the #InsulateBritain protest unfolding at Old Street Roundabout pic.twitter.com/53qh1KKX2x
— BOTH (@itsboth) October 8, 2021
Police arrest Insulate Britain protestors blocking Old Street Roundabout during rush hour this morning! #InsulateBritain pic.twitter.com/hMKPevoGVi
— Lynn Rusk (@lynnrusk) October 8, 2021
Insulate Britain admitted its actions on the M25 are “in breach” of an injunction obtained by the Government last month.
People who break injunctions can be found to be in contempt of court, but prosecutions usually take several months meaning there is no immediate impact on the protests.
