Essex Police make 15 more fuel protest arrests

Essex Police said it had made 373 arrest in connection with fuel protests this month

A further 15 people have been arrested in the wake of protests at a fuel site in Thurrock, Essex Police said.

The force said the protesters were detained on suspicion of aggravated trespass, and brought the total number of arrests to 373.

There were no protests currently under way and all sites were operating as normal, police said.

Assistant Chief Constable Glen Pavelin said the protesters had put "their own lives at risk".

Activists from Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion have been blocking access to oil terminals since 1 April.

Just Stop Oil tweeted on Monday that protesters were at the Inter Oil Terminal in Grays in the Thurrock area of Essex.

The activists said they wanted the government to halt new oil and gas projects.

Assistant Chief Constable Glen Pavelin said the safety of officers and other emergency services had been put at risk by the incidents

ACC Pavelin said: "The reality is each time they are taking part in these acts, it is not protest; it is reckless and it is dangerous and we cannot simply stand by as people continue to put themselves and others in harm's way."

Essex Police said last week it had spent more than £1m dealing with demonstrations, and ACC Pavelin added the costs of policing the protests "continues to rise by the day".

Downing Street condemned the "guerrilla tactics" used by environmental protesters targeting oil supplies.

Labour called for the government to seek an immediate, nationwide injunction to stop the protests.