Police have arrested 34 Insulate Britain activists who blocked two roads in Westminster yesterday morning, holding up traffic that included a lorry belonging to an insulation company.
The climate group said more than 60 activists had gathered at Bridge Street by Westminster Bridge and the peers’ entrance to the Houses of Parliament.
About 30 protesters glued themselves to the ground, stopping traffic and causing motorists to sound their horns in frustration amid lengthy tailbacks. One activist glued his hand to a police van.
• Insulate Britain block roads in Manchester and Birmingham
• Insulate Britain road protests cost £1m
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One of the vehicles held up was a green HGV emblazoned with the word “Insulation” in large white letters.The vehicle was owned by CCF Limited, a company that supplies insulation products to the construction industry.
In a statement at 11.30am, the Metropolitan Police said: “At this time, officers have made 34 arrests in response to this protest. Units were immediately on scene following the initial protest.
“Bridge Street will be cleared shortly and officers remain on scene working to remove further obstructions.
“Insulate Britain have the right to assemble and protest; however they do not have the right to cause serious disruption to London and prevent others from going about their business.”
Since September, 161 people have taken part in roadblock protests resulting in 770 arrests.
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The number of Insulate Britain protesters served with injunctions has leapt in the past week.
The protest called problems at parliament. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Commons Speaker, said it was “totally unacceptable” that Insulate Britain was “interfering with democracy” after Darren Henry, the Conservative MP for Broxtowe, was delayed from entering parliament to participate in transport questions.
Hoyle told the Commons: “This is totally unacceptable. This is interfering with democracy.”
At the questions, Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, said that 475 injunctions had now been served to protesters at their homes.
An interim injunction granted on Monday last week bans protesters from obstructing traffic and prevents access to 4,300 miles of motorways and major A-roads.
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It also prohibits members from gluing themselves to the road, damaging the road surface and abandoning their vehicles, with the punishment being imprisonment and an unlimited fine.
Shapps told the Commons: “So far, following my requirement that National Highways seek injunctions against these protesters, 475 injunctions have been served to protesters at their homes for contempt of court.
“Thirty-two are due to be coming to court, nine of which are coming later this month.”
The nine activists will appear before the court on November 16 for breaching the National Highways injunction by causing disruption to traffic on the M25.
They face a charge of contempt of court and if found guilty could be subject to unlimited fines, seizure of assets and prison sentences of up to two years.
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Among those summoned to the High Court is Emma Smart, 44, from Weymouth, Dorset, who has been arrested nine times while on Insulate Britain demonstrations. Each time she was released under investigation.
Smart, who previously worked for the WWF, said that she had no fear at the prospect of going to prison.
She said: “I’ll be more scared of inaction on the outside, from governments, policy makers and corporations but mostly fear of inaction by other activists from across all movements who I feel need to be coming together in huge numbers to fight this oppression.
“The sacrifice of putting your soft body in front of traffic feels right, even with the negative and angry reactions from the public on the ground to social media and the press. It feels the right thing to do and I haven’t regretted a second.”
