Insulate Britain are BACK: Eco-protestors bring M25 to a halt

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Insulate Britain activists were dragged away by irate motorists today as they carried out yet another road-blocking protest, with 40 of them bringing misery on the M25.

The demonstrators ran out onto the road by traffic lights at junction 31 of the motorway near Thurrock on the north side of the Dartford Crossing which links Essex to Kent, and also near a nearby industrial estate.

But motorists got out of their cars and dragged the protesters off the road while they were still in a seated position, with one man seen ripping banners out of their hands. Essex Police then arrived and made 16 arrests.

A lorry driver was filmed taking his vehicle right up to the protests; one man dragged an activist onto the pavement by his backpack; and a mother taking her 11-year-old son to school shouted at them to leave the road. 

The group, an offshoot of Extinction Rebellion, said it was the 13th time that its activists had caused disruption on motorways or A roads over the past four weeks – and their protests continued despite a series of injunctions. 

One man called the activists a ‘bunch of f***ing a***holes’, according to LBC, while another said: ‘This is not helping. This is going to gridlock the whole area. You’ve made your point. 

‘My business is on its knees – we’ve got massive haulage problems in the UK. Look at my warehouse there – how am I going to insulate that?’

And a motorist told LBC: ‘I’ve lost my job interview because of these lot here, for a skip driver. I’m a HGV (driver) – look at this lot, none of them work, they’re all retired. 

‘I’ve lost it (the job opportunity), I’ve been told, I’ve lost it because I’m too late because of these. I’m an hour late because of this lot. I’ve got two young children.’

An Essex Police spokesman said: ‘We’re on scene and have made arrests following reports of people blocking the slip road of the M25 at J31 in Thurrock.

‘We were called at 8.26am and officers were on scene within five minutes. We’re trying to resolve the situation as quickly and safely as possible.’

In an update issued around 25 minutes later, the force added: ‘We’ve made 16 arrests after reports of people blocking the M25 at J31 in Thurrock.

‘Officers responded within five minutes and were able to keep one lane open. We’re now responding to people blocking the road in the Stonehouse Ln area in Purfleet.’

Yesterday, protesters set light to court injunction papers that had been individually served on them, on the pavement outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

A High Court hearing was taking place over three injunctions granted to National Highways, covering the M25, Port of Dover and major A roads around London.

Activists were warned by David Elvin QC, on behalf of National Highways, that a bid to prove the protestors are in contempt of court – and thus liable to be jailed – could come ‘sooner rather than later’. 

A further hearing will take place next week.

Liam Norton, from Insulate Britain, said today: ‘In ten years’ time when fuel crises are catastrophic, when the food has run out and when people are experiencing unsurvivable heat waves, what would you be wishing you had done now?

‘We think you’ll be wishing you had sat on the road with Insulate Britain doing whatever it took to protect current and future generations. So come join us on the road.’ 

Dr Diana Warner, an Insulate Britain supporter, also said today: ‘Many people are going out of their way to thank us. Some come out of their cars to thank us, some are police officers involved with our arrests. 

‘To them, we bring hope – we haven’t yet given up. We are still pushing for life saving changes. It is a big step to move from thanking us to taking action.

‘But if you make some move to help us, however small, you will be helping us to achieve change. Please check out the website insulatebritain.com ‘ 

Earlier this week, Prince Charles said he understood why eco activists took to the streets, but warned they could be doing more damage than good by blocking roads.

The heir to the throne told the BBC that he disagreed with the group’s ‘destructive’ tactics, but understood its members’ ‘despair’, adding: ‘Young people feel nothing is ever happening, so of course they’re going to get frustrated.’ 

Meanwhile an Insulate Britain protester arrested for blocking the M25 was this week revealed to be the wife of a Transport for London director, who has now stepped down from his £170,000-a-year role.

Cathy Eastburn had previously vowed to ‘unleash hell’ on drivers during her protesting, despite her long-term partner Benedict Plowden’s role in charge of the Covid Restart and Recovery Scheme.

It is understood TfL bosses were aware of her views and actions, but insist it was Mr Plowden who resigned for unrelated reasons to ‘pursue new opportunities’.

The group, which is calling on the Government to insulate all homes across the UK by 2030 to help cut carbon emissions, has been protesting since September 13.