Just Stop Oil Protesters caused further disruption on the M25 earlier this month by climbing gantries and an Essex police motorcyclist was injured between junctions 26 and 27 as the police operated a “rolling roadblock” to try to keep the traffic moving.
One of the people caught up in the protests was University of East London lecturer Adam Powley who spoke to Rising East.
He said, “My journey into work usually takes around an hour and a half and today it took 4 hours and 40 minutes. It’s making an impact because I, along with tens of thousands of other motorists were stationary for two hours or more.’
People have also taken to social media to express their frustration, with one Twitter user saying, ‘Can Just Stop Oil please tell me how stopping working class people getting to work to pay the bills they’re already struggling to pay is helping anyone?’
Another on TikTok said, “Are they actually making positive change?’ and was met with this response, ‘No one was happy – they are actually turning people against the cause’.
Just Stop Oil is an environmental activist group that uses civil resistance and direct action to gain government commitment to halt new fossil fuel licensing and production.
They have gained a lot of attention in the media due to their persistence to cause disruption on UK roads in order to raise their points. Several Just Stop Oil members have been arrested and charged with “causing a public nuisance” following the disruption.
Police Officer is recovering
Meanwhile, Essex Police said the injured police officer, who preferred to remain un-named, is recovering from his injuries.
The force added: “The officer has been part of the Essex Police Roads Policing Unit for more than twenty years, having joined the unit in 2001.
“He is a highly experienced officer and was equipped with the force’s latest motorcycle and protective clothing, which includes built-in airbags.
“The airbags were activated as he was thrown from his motorcycle during the incident, while he was responding to criminal actions by Just Stop Oil.
The officer is married with two children.”