Met Police officer drags Just Stop Oil protester along ground in West London
Video from Twitter/Just Stop Oil
Just Stop Oil protesters have blocked a major road in west London with one police officer dragging a supporter along the ground by his hi-vis vest amid attempts to clear the way.
The group said it had caused “chaos” by staging another of its slow marches along three roads near West Kensington tube station on Wednesday, including the A4, with a total of 66 supporters taking to the roads at around 8am.
Footage was posted on the Just Stop Oil (JSO) Twitter account that showed a police officer dragging one protester along the ground before appearing to give up and walk off.
Officers have power under the new Public Order Act to make activists move out of the road or face arrest.
An entry on the Metropolitan Police Events Twitter account at 8.45am said that the road was clear.
Wednesday’s march followed protests on Tuesday where JSO supporters blocked four bridges in London.
The group has been carrying out action, including slow marches on major roads, every day since April 24 and has pledged that the action is indefinite until the government bans any new licences for gas, oil and coal.
Tempers have frayed among members of the public amid the traffic hold-ups, with heated scenes earlier in the month as drivers tried to physically force protesters from the roads and snatched banners.
There was also irritation as protesters threw orange paint over a garden at the Chelsea Flower Show, and disrupted the Gallagher Premiership rugby final at Twickenham by invading the pitch and throwing orange powder paint.
The Metropolitan Police has spent £3.5 million policing the protests in the month from April 24 alone, on top of £7.5 million spent by the force dealing with JSO action between October and December last year.
Temporary assistant commissioner Matt Twist last week urged the public to wait for the police to deal with the demonstrations.
He said: “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.”
The time between officers arriving at each scene and imposing conditions to move protesters out of the road has been between 13 and 19 minutes for the recent marches, he added.
A separate group of Just Stop Oil protesters were arrested for failing to move out of the road in Parliament Square.
The group said 10 supporters were detained by police on Wednesday.
They were among a larger group of 56 activists who were staging a slow march near the Houses of Parliament.
JSO has held demonstrations every day since April 24, and has pledged to carry on indefinitely until the Government stops granting new licences for gas, coal and oil.
Over the weekend, Home Secretary Suella Braverman said Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was “in bed” with Just Stop Oil donors and Tory party chairman Greg Hands urged Labour to hand back the money.
But shadow international trade secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said Mr Vince is “a perfectly legitimate person” to make donations, and his support does not affect Labour’s opposition to JSO’s tactics.
In response to the “right-wing mudslinging”, Mr Vince, founder of green energy company Ecotricity, said he would double any donations made to JSO in the next 48 hours.
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