Harper fights to keep protest-hit roads open

Transport Secretary to ‘tweak and fine-tune’ police operations to prevent Just Stop Oil blocking roads

The Transport Secretary wants to change the way police deal with Just Stop Oil protesters after days of chaos on the M25. Mark Harper wants it to be harder for activists to force the closure of motorways but there are no plans to let roads be open if protesters climb gantries because of the danger to the public. Hundreds of arrests have been made and some of the ringleaders have been remanded into custody. Critics have accused the police and courts of treating protesters too lightly.

‘Protesting by blocking busy motorways or climbing overhead structures is extremely dangerous and disruptive’

‘The kind of demos we’ve seen over recent days disrupt people’s daily lives and cause mass misery for the public’

THE Transport Secretary wants to change the way the police deal with Just Stop Oil protesters after days of chaos on the M25.

Mark Harper wants to see operations “fine-tuned” so it is much harder for activists to force the closure of motorways.

But there are no plans to allow roads to open if protesters climb gantries, because of the danger to the public. Activists from Just Stop Oil have promised to continue bringing chaos to Britain’s motorway network every day until the Government caves into its demands.

Hundreds of arrests have been made and some of the ringleaders have even been remanded into custody.

Critics have accused the police and courts in this country of treating protesters too softly and have claimed this approach is simply emboldening them to continue taking action.

The latest round of action by Just Stop Oil involved protesters climbing gantries above the M25, forcing the police and National Highways to close the motorway while they are safely removed.

There have been calls to keep the motorway open, but transport sources have said the danger posed to road users is too great to take a risk and they are considering other options to negate the impact of the protests.

A source said: “We are constantly looking at how the operations can be tweaked and fine-tuned, and the beefed-up injunctions are already having an effect.”

A Department for Transport spokesman added: “Protesting by blocking busy motorways or climbing overhead structures is extremely dangerous and disruptive.

“That is why we instructed National Highways to apply for a further injunction, which the courts have granted.

“This will make it easier to take action against reckless protesters. They could face imprisonment or an unlimited fine if they breach the injunction.

“The right to protest is a fundamental principle of our democracy, but the kind of demonstrations we’ve seen over recent days disrupt people’s daily lives and cause mass misery for the public, even putting lives in danger.”

Angry motorists were left tearing their hair out earlier this year when demonstrators from the Insulate Britain group, who blocked major roads, were left for hours before eventually being removed by the police.

Footage of officers asking those who glued to the tarmac if they were in any discomfort, or if they needed anything, also led to accusations that they were not being treated sternly enough. When people were arrested they were often bailed, meaning they were free to go back and take the same illegal action again and again.

Most of those involved in the latest round of illegal activity are known to the police having been arrested for similar activities in the past.

In the case where protesters were charged and convicted the short length of the sentences handed out failed to act as a deterrent.

Desperate to speed up the process and prevent further law-breaking, the authorities went down the route of pursuing civil injunctions.

But even when it was shown activists had knowingly breached an injunction and were in contempt of court, some only received suspended sentences.