Just Stop Oil protests: Arrests after emergency service vehicles blocked
- Published
A total of 28 anti-oil protesters have been arrested following a demonstration in west London.
Campaign group Just Stop Oil blocked three roads in Knightsbridge and Brompton Road, bringing all traffic to a halt.
Videos shared online show emergency crews were unable to get through.
Home Secretary Suella Braverma described the actions of those demonstrating as "self-defeating" and "completely indefensible".
She said she expected police to use the "full powers" given to them by the government.
One video showed a stationary fire engine stuck in the middle of a junction near Knightsbridge Tube station because protesters had blocked the road behind and in front of the vehicle.
Just Stop Oil later tweeted, external a video showing protesters moving out of the way of a fire engine with the caption: "Just Stop Oil supporters pause roadblock to let fire engine through."
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "An appliance from Kensington Fire Station was temporarily stopped by a road block and arrived within 14 minutes of being called."
A spokesperson for the protest group said: "Just Stop Oil policy is, and always has been, to let blue light emergency services through."
It comes on the group's 11th consecutive day of disruption in the capital.
Protesters demanded the government halts all new oil and gas licences and consents.
The 28 campaigners were all arrested earlier for alleged wilful obstruction of the highway and were taken to multiple central London custody suites, where they remained, the Metropolitan Police said.
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- Published21 March 2022