A fuming driver got out of his car to confront the ‘stupid’ Just Stop Oil eco-zealots for disrupting traffic in the capital today.
Video shows how the motorist approached the group while they were marching in the middle of Mile End Road, east London.
He got out of his vehicle, walked over to a protester – who retreated as the driver got closer – and yelled: ‘What the f**k is your problem?
The motorist, whose vehicle remained abandoned in the street, launched a furious rant: ‘You have a problem with the Government, do you not? So why are you blocking the road?’
He accused the activists of being ‘dumb’ and further questioned, ‘why aren’t you outside House of Parliament?’
The seemingly flustered protester replied ‘we tried that,’ before walking away.
A fuming driver got out of his car to confront the ‘stupid’ Just Stop Oil eco-zealots for disrupting traffic in the capital today. He approached a protester and launched a furious rant: ‘You have a problem with the Government, do you not? So why are you blocking the road?’
Activists from Just Oil are detained by police after they block traffic on Bow Road, east London
Just Stop Oil activists block traffic on Bow Road, east London today
Twenty-two Just Stop Oil activists marched down Bow Road, east London beginning at 12.14pm today, according to the climate change group.
The organisation alleges that the Met Police officers arrived on scene just three minutes after their march started and began arresting demonstrators by 12.30pm for allegedly breaching Section 7 of the Public Order Act.
The force, in a tweet, said that officers made at least 15 arrests on Mile End Road today. All protesters who were in the road were arrested and traffic is understood to now be ‘moving freely’.
Officers currently remain on the scene with the activists who are heading to custody.
Just Stop Oil has been carrying out slow marches through the streets of London for months now in a bid to get the Government to halt all new oil, gas and coal projects in the UK.
Since October 30 alone, the Met Police have made 274 arrests during the group’s protests and issued 132 charges.
‘It has been another busy week for officers policing Just Stop Oil activists,’ the force tweeted today.
‘We are removing officers from local communities to police these protests. That is money and officers which could be better utilised within our 32 London boroughs.’
Just Stop Oil activists demonstrators carried out a slow march in Bow Road, east London today
Since October 30 alone, the Met Police have made 274 arrests during the group’s protests and issued 132 charges. Pictured are officers detaining protesters today
Activists from Just Oil are detained by police after they block traffic on Bow Road, east London
Video taken from today’s protest on Mile End Road appears to show the activists, surrounded by officers, clearing the road in order to let an ambulance pass
However, the activists do not seem to be deterred by the possibility of arrest.
Neil Brophy, 54, a grandfather from Leeds participating in today’s demonstration, hailed ‘civil disobedience’ as the ‘catalyst for essential change’.
‘I am marching in response to government plans to issue over 100 new oil and gas licences. I am angry at how this government has failed to address the catastrophe that’s killing people around the world,’ he said.
‘Without immediate action, the future of humanity is under threat. Soaring temperatures and adverse weather conditions are causing forest fires and flooding, killing countless people, and causing mass displacement of families.’
‘Historically, civil disobedience has always been the catalyst for essential change when governments have failed us. I can’t ignore the facts. We owe it to the children and young people who are facing a frightening future to act.’
Just Stop Oil said that today marks the end of its two weeks of slow marching, but the group plans to resume its daily demonstrations on November 20.
The demonstrations have been highly criticised by the public, who are seemingly outraged over the routine traffic disruptions.
Just Stop Oil alleges that they are carrying out a ‘campaign of peacefully marching’, but earlier this week their demonstration appeared to prevent first responders from getting to the scene of a medical emergency.
On Wednesday, a paramedic was reportedly begging police to clear the eco-zealots out of the so he could attend a ‘life or death’ emergency as they held up traffic on Waterloo Bridge.
Activists staging a ‘die-in’ have been accused of blocking a ‘blue lights’ ambulance trying to respond to an emergency at Guy’s Hospital in central London.
On Wednesday, a paramedic was reportedly begging police to clear the eco-zealots out of the so he could attend a ‘life or death’ emergency as they held up traffic on Waterloo Bridge
Video and pictures from the scene on Wednesday showed a blue light ambulance unable to get past the gridlocked traffic
A furious passer-by shouted at the activists to ‘protest in the right place’ as the ambulance’s sirens blared on Wednesday
Video and pictures from the scene showed a blue-light ambulance trapped in gridlocked traffic in central London, where eco zealots slow-marched and lay down on the wet pavement.
One exasperated paramedic is reported to have begged police to be given access through the road, saying he was trying to save someone’s life.
The driver of the ambulance told The Telegraph: ‘I am responding to a life or death emergency – I am going to pick up a team from Guy’s hospital to save someone’s life at another hospital but can’t get through.’
Police said the march was causing gridlock on the bridge, holding up traffic including an ambulance with ‘blue lights on’. But Just Stop Oil hit back, saying it was actually the police who were blocking the ambulance from getting past.
Video taken from today’s protest on Mile End Road appears to show the activists, surrounded by officers, clearing the road in order to let an ambulance pass.