Photographer arrested at Just Stop Oil protest gets payout

Mr Macdiarmid was arrested at the Just Stop Oil protest at Clacket Lane Services

A photographer arrested during a Just Stop Oil petrol station protest on the M25 has received a payout from Surrey Police.

Peter Macdiarmid, 59, said he was handcuffed at Clacket Lane Services on 24 August 2022 and detained for several hours, despite holding a UK press card.

He had been photographing activists blocking access to the petrol station by sitting in the road with banners.

Surrey Police confirmed it had reached a settlement with Mr Macdiarmid.

After Mr Macdiarmid was arrested, law firm Bhatt Murphy sent a letter of claim to Surrey Police on his behalf and last December the force offered to settle out of court.

The force has not accepted liability or apologised for its actions, the British Press Photographers' Association (BPPA) said.

Surrey Police's lawyers allegedly denied the officers did anything wrong, saying the situation they found when they arrived was confusing and they had acted within the law.

Some Just Stop Oil protesters put fuel pumps out of use by breaking the display glass and covering them with spray paint.

Just Stop Oil protesters targeted petrol stations at Clacket Lane Services on the M25

Mr Macdiarmid said: "I have been a news photographer for 37 years and have covered many events where tensions were running high and police were under great pressure.

"This Just Stop Oil protest was not like that, it was very calm and protesters were voluntarily giving themselves up for arrest when a police officer decided to detain me on suspicion of conspiracy to commit criminal damage.

"I was unable to persuade the arresting officer that I was a genuine working press photographer and my press card was ignored."

The BPPA said: "In the end Peter has received damages and his costs, but would rather have not had to go through a lengthy and stressful legal process to clear his name."

Surrey Police confirmed it had reached a settlement with the claimant which was accepted.

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