[ad_1]
Eco zealots Just Stop Oil blocked Park Lane and sprayed paint over an Aston Martin showroom in their latest display – hours after they were branded ‘thugs and vandals’ by the Home Secretary.
The protesters, now on their 16th day of disruption, descended on the famous London highway just after 11am with 14 of them blocking it with barriers after gluing themselves to the tarmac.
Moments later a supporter sprayed orange paint over the Aston Martin car showroom in an apparent spontaneous act of vandalism.
Among them were a pregnant mother and a musician who all vowed to continue with their deeply divisive campaign.
Chloe Thomas, 19, from Cannock said: ‘I’m 15 weeks pregnant this week. Today, we’re out here on the road together, demanding no new oil. How do I explain to my daughter in the years to come where the animals went, where the culture went, where the beauty went, why there are no bees and why I can’t put food in her tummy?
‘You know it’s bad, don’t you? As citizens, as humans, as parents and children we have a responsibility and a right under British law to protect ourselves and those we love. ‘
David Kearns, 45, a musician from Birmingham added: ‘I can not stand by and allow this government to continue destroying everything we love for the sake of nothing but profit.
‘The climate crisis is a product of greed, just as the cost of living crisis is a product of greed and I will not comply with a system that puts profits before the people and the planet. ‘
It came just hours after Suella Braverman slammed the activists as ‘thugs’ and told the Metropolitan Police and told them to ‘do a better job’.
Just Stop Oil sprayed orange paint over the Aston Martin car showroom in an apparent spontaneous act of vandalism
Suella Braverman fiercely attacked eco-protesters and the Metropolitan Police in an article for The Mail On Sunday last night – telling police to ‘do a better job’
She lambasted protesters for their ‘imagined right to bully’ the rest of the public, adding: ‘Who do they think they are?’
It followed a 15th successive day of protests by Just Stop Oil, who blocked roads in central London again today, and more protests by vegan activists Animal Rebellion which included pouring milk on the floor and meat counters in luxury shops such as Fortnum and Mason.
Ms Braverman labelled the climate activists ‘so-called protesters’ and added that ‘democracies reach decisions in a civilised manner.’
Her criticism wasn’t just reserved for the activists themselves, she also issued a stark warning to the police: ‘I also expect the Metropolitan Police to do a better job of cracking down on these thugs and vandals – as does the public.’
Referring to activists such as those from Just Stop Oil and Insulate Britain, she said protesters who glue themselves to the road are ‘wildy irresponsible, idiotic, and risking lives.’
She threatened future ‘serious penalties in order to deter public disorder’ in her article in The Mail On Sunday.
Her comments come ahead of the Public Order Bill returning to Parliament this week, which the government is hoping will strengthen officers’ powers to deal with protesters more quickly. Proposed measures include more stop and search powers to enable police to look for items such as superglue.
A sharply-dressed eco-warrior grimly pours a bottle of milk all over the floor of Fortnum & Mason in Piccadilly as they protest dairy products
Supporters of Animal Rebellion dump litres of milk onto a Marks and Spencers floor as they demand a ‘plant-based future’ from the government
The meat counter at Harrods was targeted by the zealots, who object to animal-based products such as meat and milk
The eco-mob hit a Waitrose in Edinburgh, targeting upmarket stores as they call for a transition to a plant-based future
Eco-protesters in Manchester poured milk all over the floor beside the meat aisle in Marks and Spencers
Protesters strike at Harrods as bemused and nonplussed Saturday shoppers watch or try to get on with their shopping
The Public Order Bill is a major piece of legislation which will introduce a raft of new measures aimed at curbing protests.
Accusing protesters of draining police resources, Ms Braverman will use the bill to allow secretaries of state to apply for injunctions in the ‘public interest’ where protests are causing or threatening ‘serious disruption or a serious adverse impact on public safety’.
According to the Home Office, this will include protecting access to ‘essential’ goods, services and key infrastructure.
Ms Braverman said: ‘I will not bend to protestors attempting to hold the British public to ransom. ‘Preventing our emergency services from reaching those who desperately need them is indefensible, hideously selfish and in no way in the public interest.
‘This serious and dangerous disruption, let alone the vandalism, is not a freedom of expression, nor a human right. It must stop.’
The Home Office said the proposed public order legislation would create a new criminal offence of interfering with infrastructure such as oil refineries, airports, railways and printing presses. Such an offence would carry a maximum sentence of 12 months in prison, an unlimited fine, or both.
‘Locking on’ or ‘going equipped to lock-on’ to other people, objects or buildings to cause ‘serious disruption’ could see people imprisoned for six months or hit with an unlimited fine.
A new criminal office of tunnelling to cause serious disruption is also being created, which will carry a maximum penalty of three years’ imprisonment as well as the potential for an unlimited fine. An offence of going equipped to tunnel will also be created.
The Public Order Bill will return to Parliament next week and Ms Braverman said it is ‘high time’ MPs back it. ‘The police need strengthened and tougher powers to match the rise in self-defeating protest tactics and that’s what the Public Order Bill will do.
‘It’s high time Parliament got behind it and put the law-abiding majority first.’
The Home Office is also promising that stop-and-search measures and new serious disruption prevention orders will support the police, with the latter targeting those repeatedly convicted of protest-related offences.
Animal Rebellion, an off shoot of Extinction Rebellion, today shocked Saturday shoppers as they organised a co-ordinated ‘milk pour’ targeting upmarket stores across the country.
Activists grabbed milk from shelves at multiple stores such as Waitrose, Whole Foods and Marks and Spencer throughout the country, including in London, Norwich, Manchester and Edinburgh and dumped it over the floors and counters.
The young climate activists held signs calling for a plant-based future, a reference to the high carbon footprint of animal products.
The meat counter at Harrods was targeted by the organisation, while in Fortnum & Mason the cheese counter was vandalised.
In a video of a ‘milk pour’ at a Marks and Spencers in Manchester, a man is heard telling the protesters: ‘Plant-based future? Take your shoes off then, they’re not plant-based.’
Animal Rebellion said it is highlighting the need to support farmers in transitioning to a sustainable plant-based food system.
Skylar Sharples, an international development University of Sussex graduate, from Bristol and one of the protesters at Harrods, said: ‘Supporters of Animal Rebellion are back acting because (Prime Minister) Liz Truss and Ranil Jayawardena (Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) are again deciding to ignore calls to start building a better future.
‘A plant-based future would see a beautiful world for us all, thriving with nature and life.
‘The steps to properly support farmers in this transition need to begin now.’
Skylar Sharples (pictured), an international development graduate from Bristol and one of the protesters at Harrods, said: ‘Supporters of Animal Rebellion are back acting because (Prime Minister) Liz Truss and Ranil Jayawardena (Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) are again deciding to ignore calls to start building a better future
Milk pours happened in Marks and Spencers in Manchester on Market Street, beside the steak section
A pair of protesters march up to the milk aisle in a Waitrose in Edinbrugh and proceed to systematically pour out gallons of milk onto the floor
One bystander approaches an eco-zealot to remonstrate with her while she was in the midst of a rant against the dairy industry
Shoppers looked over as protesters poured out cartons of milk onto the floor of Marks and Spencers in Manchester
Animal Rebellion said it is calling for a plant-based future and highlighting the need to support farmers in transitioning to a sustainable plant-based food system
The meat counter at Harrods was targeted by the eco mob, while in Fortnum & Mason – two of London’s poshest shops – the cheese counter was vandalised
A shopper looks frustrated as protesters empty gallons of milk onto the floor of a Marks and Spencers
Protesters raid the cheese section of upmarket Fortnum & Mason’s in Piccadilly, grabbing milk and pouring it out onto the shop floor
Protesters with baskets of milk moments before it was poured all over the floor
Lou Hadden, a charity worker from Herefordshire who joined the action at Fortnum and Mason, said: ‘This is not how I imagined spending my weekend.
‘Unfortunately, this disruption is necessary to get those in power to listen to the academics at Oxford, Harvard and the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change).
‘The world’s best climate and land scientists are calling for the transition to a plant-based food system.
‘We need bold and decisive politics at this time, not the horror show we currently see.’
‘Milk Pours are currently happening across the UK. All are concerned individuals calling on the government to give us a livable future, a #PlantBasedFuture,’ Animal Rebellion tweeted this afternoon.
‘Animal Rebellion supporters have just poured out milk across the floor and over other dairy products at Fortnum & Mason, Piccadilly,’ came another tweet.
‘We are calling on the government to support farmers in a transition to a plant-based food system.’
‘The dairy companies are responsible for the majority of methane emissions,’ one protester shouted out as she busily poured milk onto the floor in the Waitrose milk aisle.
She was interrupted by a bystander coming up to remonstrate with her.
‘We’re all about peaceful protests and non-violence, we’re just calling out the injustice of the industry,’ she says to the man, before continuing her rant.
The same group struck Fortnum & Masons just two weeks ago when activists from the group sparked fury by pouring milk over two high-end London department stores in a protest against dairy products.
Meanwhile Furious road users resorted to dragging eco protesters out of the road and begged them to move today as Just Stop Oil blocked busy Shoreditch High Street in East London.
At least 26 people were arrested at the junction after the Met Police arrived to unglue and remove the dozens of protestors blocking up the streets on the 15th consecutive day of disruption by the eco-zealots.
A man is hauled away by police officers on Shoreditch High Street after taking part in the latest eco-warrior protest in London
Metropolitan Police arrested at least 26 people as they cleared Just Stop Oil protestors off the street this afternoon
An enraged motorist tries to grab the eco-warriors banner as they sit in the middle of the East London road
A member of the public drags away a Just Stop Oil protestor blocking the busy junction on Shoreditch High Street
In one clip of the disruption, caused by 29 protesters who glued themselves to the road just after 12pm, a van driver claims he desperately needs to get his sick wife to hospital.
Tensions between the driver and activists reached boiling point when he drove towards members of the group sitting in the middle of the road.
Several protesters jump up as the van approaches while a woman is heard screaming ‘No! Don’t do it!’
Members of the public film the driver as one asks him ‘Where are you going to go?’ before he explains: ‘My Mrs is not well, she needs to get to a hospital.’
‘Have some respect for other people,’ he added during the intense exchange.
‘There’s other people who need to get to places.’
Meanwhile, another driver pleaded with the activists to get out the road before physically trying to remove them.
The fuming man can be seen snatching a banner off the Just Stop Oil protesters before yelling: ‘You all use fuel in some way or another… this is ridiculous get out the way!’
In a statement the group said: ‘Just after 12pm, 29 supporters of Just Stop Oil disrupted traffic in Shoreditch on the fifteenth day of action during October. They are demanding that the government halts all new oil and gas licences and consents.
‘Supporters established a roadblock on Shoreditch High Street at the junction of Great Eastern Street, by sitting in the road with banners and gluing themselves to the tarmac.’
More than 350 Just Stop Oil protesters have been arrested in London since the start of October, according to Home Office figures.
The Home Secretary and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan are set to attend a meeting chaired by Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Nadhim Zahawi, where the recent protests are expected to be discussed.
SUELLA BRAVERMAN: Enough is enough. Eco-zealots are not just causing mayhem – they are risking lives
Enough is enough. Getting in the way of ambulances, fire engines, and cars carrying babies to hospital isn’t just illegal, it’s monstrously selfish. Just Stop Oil is the latest campaign to engage in such guerrilla tactics, but they are part of an ignoble tradition that includes Extinction Rebellion and Insulate Britain.
We have seen so-called protesters stick themselves to trains, glue themselves to roads, dig dangerously unstable tunnels, interfere with newspaper distribution, vandalise property and mess with the fuel supply.
On Friday Just Stop Oil activists threw soup over Van Gogh’s painting Sunflowers – one of the most celebrated works of art in the world. Who do they think they are?
This kind of behaviour is wrong no matter what the cause. There is widespread agreement that we need to protect our environment, but democracies reach decisions in a civilised manner.
Suella Braverman: ‘Enough is enough. Getting in the way of ambulances, fire engines, and cars carrying babies to hospital isn’t just illegal, it’s monstrously selfish’
It’s hard to name a bigger sense of entitlement than the imagined right to bully everybody else.
I also expect the Metropolitan Police to do a better job of cracking down on these thugs and vandals – as does the public. If they think they’re above the law, they’re sorely mistaken.
We have given our police greater powers to tackle seriously disruptive protests through our Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, but that Act was watered down by the House of Lords.
A sharply-dressed eco-warrior grimly pours a bottle of milk all over the floor of Fortnum & Mason in Piccadilly as they protest dairy products
The Government is taking further action because this cannot continue. The Public Order Bill, back in the Commons this week, will put the safety and interests of the law-abiding majority first.
It empowers the police to take more proactive action to prevent the kind of disruption we’ve seen in the past couple of weeks. Time spent on that is time that the police could otherwise spend pursuing burglars, murderers, and rapists.
Those who glue themselves to the road – forcing the police to remove them – are wildly irresponsible, idiotic, and risking lives.
Supporters of Animal Rebellion dump litres of milk onto a Marks and Spencers floor as they demand a ‘plant-based future’ from the government
It’s not just dangerous for those who do it, but also for the police removal teams.
So the Bill gives police the power to stop and search people for equipment used for such activities.
Just two police operations to deal with Extinction Rebellion activity in London cost £37 million, twice the annual budget of the violent crime taskforce. Meanwhile, HS2 estimates that protester action has cost them more than £146 million. What a staggering waste of money. We need serious penalties in order to deter public disorder.
Serious Disruption Prevention Orders will target selfish, repeat disruptors. There is a range of new offences and powers relating to the dangerous practice of tunnelling.
The Bill will strengthen the security of our transport networks, oil terminals, and printing presses by creating new criminal offences of interfering with key national infrastructure or access to essential goods and services.
A small number of people can bring gridlock – and misery.
New powers allowing Ministers to take out injunctions against the so-called protesters will scupper disruptive plans and prevent them from escalating into chaos.
This Government will not hesitate to act – and keep the law-abiding majority safe.
[ad_2]
Source link
