Insulate Britain activists arrested on motorways during tenth day of protests in three weeks
At least 30 people have been arrested as the climate group blocked three motorway junctions, causing long queues of traffic for the 10th day in the past three weeks.
Friday 1 October 2021 15:15, UK
Insulate Britain activists have been detained as the group blocks three motorway junctions on their tenth day of protests in three weeks.
The Metropolitan Police said 39 people have been arrested after protesters sat on the road at roundabouts for junction 3 of the M4 near Heathrow and junction 1 of the M1 at Brent cross on Friday.
Other members of the climate action group, an offshoot of Extinction Rebellion, also blocked a roundabout at junction 25 of the M25 at Waltham Cross on the boundary between north London and Hertfordshire at around 10.30am.
Some glued their hands to the road and others chained themselves together.
The action caused long queues, prompting drivers to beep their horns in frustration, with one grabbing a banner from an activist's hands.
Insulate Britain said the demonstrators include eight people who were released from police custody on Thursday after blocking the M25 at junction 30 in Essex, and others who were arrested earlier this week.
Images show some activists being handcuffed and led away by police.
Police said protesters blocked the M4 at around 8.27am.
Officers were on the scene in 13 minutes and the road was cleared by 9am, with 13 people arrested for obstruction and conspiracy to commit public nuisance.
The M1 was cleared by 10am with 17 people detained for the same offences.
The force issued an update at 12.10pm stating that it was responding to the M25 protest.
Insulate Britain wants the government to insulate and retrofit homes across the UK to cut climate emissions.
It has pledged to continue its actions until the government makes "a meaningful statement indicating that they will insulate all of Britain's 29 million leaky homes by 2030".
The group said in a statement: "It's incomprehensible that the government is continuing to delay action on home insulation when we urgently need to cut our carbon emissions, eliminate fuel poverty and help hard-working families with their rising energy bills.
"Added to which industry is crying out for the government to show some leadership and get behind a national retrofitting strategy. Come on Boris: get on with the job."
The government obtained an injunction last week which means anyone blocking the M25 could be found to be in contempt of court, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison or an unlimited fine.
Insulate Britain admitted that its actions this week "are in breach" of the injunction.
Hugh Bladon, founding member of the Alliance of British Drivers, said: "What we need now is firm action from the police before someone gets killed.
"They've made their point, now go away and get this country working properly. They're bang on about insulating houses though.
"They need to let this country get back to living normally. They need to be seen by the courts, and they need to be dealt with - you can't allow this to go on."
Sir Stephen House, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, told the London Assembly's Police and Crime Committee on Thursday that he is concerned police forces are under so much pressure to quickly clear the protests that "officers are putting their lives at risk".
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He continued: "The most recent one I saw had officers running between articulated lorries that were moving on the main carriageway of the M25.
"We cannot be doing that. We cannot put people's lives at risk. My officers' lives at risk and indeed the demonstrators' lives at risk.
"We have to look out for that first. But we have been very quick in moving these people and arresting them."