More than 80 arrested as oil terminal blockades continue
MORE than 80 people have been arrested in Essex as climate change protesters continued to block oil terminals.
Activists from Just Stop Oil yesterday said they had blocked access to the Titan Truck Park – which contains over 100 oil tankers that service the three major terminals in the area – and revealed a secret underground network of tunnels at the Navigator and Grays oil terminals.
Environmental group Extinction Rebellion warned of “major disruption to come” as the climate change protesters demanded that the UK Government stops new oil and gas projects.
The groups said on Friday their action would have a “potential impact on fuel supply for London and the South East” as some locked themselves to tankers.
Essex Police said on Saturday that officers had arrested a total of 83 people on suspicion of a variety of offences after protests in the Thurrock district.
The force said 63 were arrested on Friday following protests in Oliver Road, Grays, London Road, Purfleet, and Askew Farm Lane, while another 20 people were arrested on Saturday in Oliver Road and Stoneness Road.
The Just Stop Oil activists said Saturday morning’s tunnel activity at Grays and Navigator meant the main and emergency access roads to the oil terminals were closed.
Demonstrators from the environmental groups obstructed 10 fuel sites in the Midlands and southern England in the early hours of Friday, to stand against “expanding UK oil and gas production”.
‘The action will have a potential impact on fuel supply for London and the South East’
ExxonMobil UK, one of the UK’s largest privately-owned underground oil pipeline distribution networks, said it shut down three terminals as a result, while police from at least five forces were deployed to tackle the protests.
The Met arrested 14 activists who broke into a facility at Bedfont Road in Staines, Surrey, and West Midlands Police arrested six people at a terminal in Tyburn, Birmingham.
Arrests were made for offences including aggravated trespass, criminal damage and obstructing the highway.