Insulate Britain: Protesters block roads leading to M25on October 27, 2021 at 9:36 am

Insulate Britain protesters have blocked major roads connecting to the M25 despite a new court injunction.

Demonstrators from the environmental group obstructed the A40, which connects with the M40 and M25, in west London during rush hour on Wednesday.

Kent Police arrested 14 protesters blocking the A206 at Crossways Boulevard in Dartford. Traffic is flowing on the road in both directions.

There are four court injunctions in place against the group.

The Department for Transport said the injunctions cover the “entire strategic road network”.

Insulate Britain said in a statement: “We are not concerned with endless injunctions. We are not concerned with our fears.

“We are concerned with fulfilling our duties and responsibilities at this ‘period of consequence’.

“Starting from 07.00 BST on the morning of Wednesday 27 October, the M25 will become a place of non-violent civil resistance to stop our government committing crimes against humanity.”

The group – an offshoot of Extinction Rebellion – wants the government to insulate all UK homes by 2030 to cut carbon emissions.

Suzie, 47, a protester from Cambridge, who works in childcare, said: “If going to prison and losing my home is what it takes to get the government to do the right thing and cut our carbon emissions, then it’s a price worth paying.

“I can’t be a bystander while this government betrays the public, our children and future generations by failing to defend our country from the climate crisis.”

She said she had been arrested 11 times since 13 September.

Members of the group targeted London’s financial district in Canary Wharf and the City of London during Monday’s rush hour, obstructing Limehouse Causeway as well as nearby Liverpool Street, Bishopsgate and Upper Thames Street.

Demonstrators who glued their hands to the ground on Monday were removed from the road by officers before being arrested and led to police vehicles.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has previously accused Insulate Britain of “risking lives and ruining journeys”.

He has said the “long term solution lies in changes to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill” to give “additional powers against disruptive protests which target critical national infrastructure”.

Jeremy Kite, leader of Dartford Borough Council, also called for greater powers for police to prevent protests happening.

Mr Kite said: “The law needs to be beefed up so when they’re talking about action in a couple of days’ time, or predicting it tomorrow, the police ought to be able to pay them a visit at six o’clock in the morning and make sure they don’t go out.

“These are people who are just spoiled and entitled and they’re narcissistic in their aims, regardless of what they want to achieve, and what they want to do.

“There are other, better ways to do it in a free society and you cannot deprive one person of freedom, simply to establish yours.”

He added: “Quite frankly, some of these people, rather than gluing themselves to a road, it’s time they glued themselves to a job or glued themselves to something productive, or glued themselves to something which took our community and our country forward.”