Just Stop Oil marches through London have cost taxpayers more than £3.5million in one month alone – as more than 45 eco zealots are arrested
- New figures show 11,000 Met officer shifts have been lost to the demonstrations
More than £3.5 million of taxpayer cash has been spent on policing Just Stop Oil slow marches across the capital over the past four weeks, new figures released by the Metropolitan police force reveal.
The ongoing demonstrations, which have caused chaos in rush hour since they began on April 24, resulted in 11,000 Met officer shifts being lost to police the eco-zealots events.
In total 45 people – including the eight who were arrested today – have so far been arrested for breaching conditions set under Section 12 of the Public Order Act, where officers order protesters onto the pavement from the road.
As of Monday, 78 marches have taken place across the capital with the majority, 60, causing ‘serious disruption’ resulting in officers having to impose the new conditions that were introduced by the Home Secretary this month.
On average it has taken officers between 13 and 19 minutes to remove protesters.
More than £3.5 million of taxpayer cash has been spent on policing Just Stop Oil slow marches across the capital over the past four weeks, new figures released by the Metropolitan police force reveal. Pictured: Met Police officers arresting to members of Just Stop Oil
Since the action began on April 24, 78 marches have taken place in the capital. Pictured: Met officers during the a Just Stop Oil protest
Today the climate warriors continued their action throughout the capital, holding five separate marches in Islington, the City of London and Marylebone.
This morning furious drivers were seen herding the protesters off busy roads during rush hours, with some becoming enraged.
One man driving a transit van drove past the group shouting ‘go and do some work’ while another swearing tradesman shouted: ‘Will you let these people go about their f*****g lives and pay their mortgages.’
The commuter was then seen herding the activists on to the payment while shouting at them to ‘grow up’ and taking away their banners.
A pedestrian passing by shouted ‘we’ve got to get to f*****g work’ as the group held hands in orange vests outside Westminster Magistrates Court.
Over the course of the last few weeks, Met police officers have been filmed not only arresting members of Just Stop Oil but members of the public who have confronted the slow marchers.
Yesterday, police officers were seen handcuffing a furious motorist who had pushed two Just Stop Oil protesters on Blackfriars Bridge as they stopped him and his colleague from getting to work in their van.
The workman got out of his vehicle during rush hour after around 45 protesters walked slowly along the bridge blocking traffic in the process, with simultaneous demonstrations at London Bridge and Tower Bridge.
The new figures show 11,000 Met officer shifts have been lost in the last month to policing the demonstrations
He had been caught on video ripping banners from the activists’ hands before pushing them to the ground.
EXCLUSIVE: ‘I worked in the fossil fuel industry, you’re talking c**p!’: Moment a passer-by confronts Just Stop Oil protesters – before another enraged onlooker hurls a female activist to the floor as eco demos turn violent
Officers from the Met are then seen intervening and putting him in handcuffs.
The man’s actions drew support from fellow commuters stuck in traffic because of the demonstrators, with some shouting ‘give the guy a break’ as he wrestled with the two officers.
The Met, however, defended the actions of the cops involved saying that the man – who was not arrested – was handcuffed to ‘prevent further breach of the peace’.
The workman’s furious reaction comes just days after another motorist was seen pushing a Just Stop Oil protester to the ground when another demonstration took place.
Speaking in light of the costly figures Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said: ‘I understand that many Londoners are concerned and frustrated by the deliberate disruption caused by Just Stop Oil.
‘For the past four weeks we have deployed significant numbers of officers in central London specifically to respond to these protests – so far the amount of time lost to other policing priorities and to communities across the city stands at 10,677 shifts.
‘Officers will respond as soon as we are aware of actions causing serious disruption. The time from disruption starting to officers imposing conditions and removing protestors has typically been between 13 and 19 minutes.’
Just Stop Oil said in a statement following the incident: ‘Tensions have been high this morning as the marches cause major delays for commuters.
‘One man threw a supporter on to the ground and was subsequently arrested on Blackfriars Bridge.
An angry commuter tries to throw a Just Stop Oil activist off the road as they cross Blackfriars Bridge
Just Stop Oil said ‘tensions have been high’ as one man tried to throw a supporter on to the ground and was later arrested
The protest descended into chaos when an angry commuter took matters into his own hands – and police swooped in and detained him
‘A motorcyclist attempted to drive through the same procession, before police intervened.
‘Elsewhere there were a number of altercations as members of the public snatched banners and confronted Just Stop Oil supporters.’
Mr Twist added today: ‘We absolutely understand why those who are caught up in traffic delays will be frustrated. I would urge the public not to intervene or take matters into their own hands, but to call the police, let us know where the incident is and we will get there quickly.
‘I know that a widely shared video of a member of the public confronting protestors on 23 May has reignited the strongly held public feelings about this protest tactic and how we are responding to it.
‘But we must recognise that short clips of individual incidents don’t tell the whole story of a much larger policing operation which, as we have shown, is ensuring that our response times are effective and that our interventions are seeing roads cleared with minimal delays.’
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