Just Stop Oil protests: Arrests after M25 services petrol pumps damaged

Protesters say they have blocked petrol stations at Clacket Lane and Cobham services on the M25

Police arrested 35 people at climate protests which saw two petrol stations on the M25 blocked by activists.

Just Stop Oil said 35 supporters blocked petrol stations at Cobham and Clacket Lane services in Surrey.

The action began at 07:00 BST with activists saying they had vandalised petrol pumps by smashing display glass and spraying them with paint.

Protesters were held on suspicion of conspiracy to commit criminal damage and aggravated trespass, police said.

Supt Graham Barnett, from Surrey Police, said: "All protesters have now been removed and 35 people are in custody. Both forecourts have reopened but unfortunately a large number of pumps have been damaged which means they have not currently in use."

He said 35 petrol pumps were damaged at Cobham and 20 at Clacket Lane, but HGV pumps at both sites were not targeted and remain open.

The incident took time to resolve because officers trained in using specialist de-bonding equipment were needed, he said.

Some 35 protesters blocked petrol pumps

Protesters had glued themselves to pumps and signs on the forecourts.

One was glued to the top of a lorry.

Nathan McGovern, an activist at Clacket Lane, told BBC Radio Surrey 15 people blocked the entrance to the forecourt.

The 22-year-old student from Coventry said: "Some of us have made sure the petrol pumps cannot be used."

Fuel pumps were damaged at Clacket Lane services

Surrey police and crime commissioner, Lisa Townsend, said: "We have seen damage caused and disruption to ordinary people's lives in the name of protest.

"The selfish actions of these protesters are completely unacceptable."

She added: "The right to peaceful and lawful protest is important in a democratic society but the actions this morning step far beyond what is acceptable."

A spokesman for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said: "People's day-to-day lives should not be disrupted and any criminal activity will not be tolerated."

On Tuesday, members of Just Stop Oil were arrested after breaching an injunction outside Warwickshire's Kingsbury Oil Terminal.

A High Court injunction in the area grants police "enhanced powers to prevent and disrupt any unlawful activity".

Warwickshire Police said officers detained 16 people.

• Why protesters tie themselves to goalposts

On 1 April members of Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion obstructed 10 fuel sites in the Midlands and southern England in a stand against "expanding UK oil and gas production".

Protesters glued themselves to roads and locked on to oil drums and each other.

Protesters at Clacket Lane services blocked the entrance to the petrol station forecourt

The group has also targeted high-profile football matches.

More than 1,000 arrests have been made.

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