Insulate Britain: Climate group pledges to restart road-blocking protests
Insulate Britain has pledged to restart its road-blocking protests despite the risk of its members being jailed or fined.
The climate group, which has caused misery for drivers with protesters sitting on major roads including the M25 motorway, has said the pause to its “campaign of civil resistance” runs out on October 25.
A spokesman, who would not give details of what further action would be taken on Monday, said “there are things happening” that would target morning rush-hour traffic.
Angry drivers often confronted the protesters and attempted to drag them away during the five-weeks of road sit-ins which were suspended earlier this month.
The Metropolitan Police said it has an appropriate policing plan in place for future protests.
Injunctions have been imposed on the protesters to stop the disruption and activists who have broken the legal order are now a facing court summons along with and possible imprisonment or an unlimited fine.
An Insulate Britain spokesman told the PA news agency: “I don’t know why they have decided to use court injunctions. Injunctions change nothing.
“We will be back to continue until the government give us a meaningful statement that we can trust and then we will be off the roads immediately, other than that the injunctions or the threats of prison don’t [mean] anything.”
Insulate Britain, an offshoot of Extinction Rebellion, wants the government to insulate all UK homes by 2030 to cut carbon emissions.
It has blocked roads on 14 days over the five weeks to October 14, with activists often gluing their hands to the carriageway to increase the length of time it takes for police to remove them.
Hundreds of arrests were made, with some people detained several times.
A Department for Transport spokesman said: “Insulate Britain’s actions are dangerous and disruptive, and we urge them to call off their reckless campaign for good.
“National Highways is now taking the first group of activists from Insulate Britain to court, for breaching injunctions by blocking the M25.
“We will continue working with the police to bring those who carried out dangerous and disruptive action to justice."