Grant Shapps seeks ANOTHER injunction barring Insulate Britain from blocking all major roads in the South East - despite eco mob ignoring first one and targeting M25, M4 and M1 today
Ministers have said they will take out a second injunction against eco-morons after a further 39 were arrested today for blocking three motorways in London - their ninth day of disruption in less than three weeks.
Insulate Britain shut down the M4 near Heathrow Airport and the M1 close to Brent Cross in more misery for drivers who have also spent the past week queuing for fuel - and further humiliation for the police and Home Office.
Later on the group - who want the Government to insulate all UK homes by 2030 - then returned to the M25, which has been their focus over the past 18 days so far, and blocked junction 25 for Waltham Cross in Hertfordshire.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps then announced this afternoon that he had instruction National Highways to seek a further injunction covering major roads in the South East to prevent highways from being obstructed.
It comes after the Government obtained a first injunction last week meaning anyone blocking the M25 could be found to be in contempt of court, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison or an unlimited fine.
So far the first injunction, taken out on September 21, has had little to no effect on the protests - and appears to have made the campaigners even more focused on causing as much disruption as possible around the capital.
The injunctions do not give the police extra powers, and instead give National Highways the ability to apply to a court to find someone in contempt of court. But this makes no immediate difference and can take months to sort.
Today, there were furious clashes between drivers and protesters on the rain-soaked M4 at about 8.30am near junction three for Cranford and Hayes in West London, with motorists tearing away banners and hurling abuse as their route to work or school was blocked. Others stuck in long queues also beeped their horns in frustration.
The climate change campaigners have bragged that at least eight of those who sat on the roads this morning had been arrested and released without charge after they twice blocked the M25 at Swanley in Kent on Wednesday.
One angry driver told LBC radio today: 'I don't understand what they are f***ing doing. Look at them... staring, like goldfish. I understand what they are doing but this isn't the way to do it, absolutely not. Sit outside Parliament.'
There were 13 activists on the M4 with some glueing their hands to the road – forcing police to bring in specialist officers to unglue them – and others chained themselves together with what appeared to be bicycle locks.
The protest on the M4 began at 8.27am, and the Metropolitan Police had arrived by 8.40am - with up to 30 officers at the scene. The police arrested all 13 activists on suspicion of obstruction and conspiracy to commit public nuisance.
One angry driver even ripped up the group's red, white and blue posters and threw them into nearby bushes, while others got out of their cars and waited by the roadside for the activists to be taken away by police.
Among those arrested on the M4 today was Reverend Sue Parfitt, 77, a vicar from Bristol who is regularly detained at Extinction Rebellion protests and previously committed contempt of court by gluing herself to court furniture.
On the M1 today, protesters were arrested and put on a London bus commandeered by police, which was stuck in the traffic. Scotland Yard said the total number of arrests on the M1 was 17. There were nine arrests on the M25.
One of the activists on the M25 today told talkRADIO: 'Do you really think I want to be here, glued to the road? No, I want to be spending time with my family. And sadly, the Government aren't acting so we have to act ourselves.'
A spokesman for Insulate Britain, which had until today focused its protests on the M25 since September 13, said: 'Approximately 30 people from Insulate Britain have blocked roundabouts on the motorway network today.
'The group has blocked the M4 at Junction 3 and the M1 at Junction 1. They are demanding that Boris gets on with the job of insulating Britain's homes starting with the homes of the poorest people in the country'.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'At approximately 8.27am on Friday, October 1, protesters blocked junction 3 of the M4. By 8.40am, police were on scene and by 9am the road was cleared. Officers arrested 13 people for obstruction and conspiracy to commit public nuisance.
Insulate Britain activists block junction three of the M4 for Cranwell and Hayes in West London this morning, near Heathrow
Insulate Britain campaigners sit on the rain-soaked M4 at about 8.30am near junction three for Hayes in West London
Police arrive on the scene on the M4 in West London today and speak to protesters, telling them they will be arrested
There were furious clashes between drivers and protesters on the rain-soaked M4 in London at around 8.30am this morning
Reverend Sue Parfitt, who is regularly arrested at Extinction Rebellion protests, is involved in the M4 demonstration today
These two enviro-zealots padlocked their necks together to make it harder for police to arrest them on the M4 this morning
Police officers detain Insulate Britain activists blocking a motorway junction on the M4 near Heathrow Airport this morning
'Shortly after, officers attended a protest at junction 1 of the M1 where activists were blocking traffic. 17 arrests were made for obstruction and conspiracy to commit public nuisance and the junction was cleared by 10am.'
Shortly before 3pm, the force added: 'Officers responding to a protest at junction 25 of the M25 worked to safely remove protesters who had glued themselves onto the road. The road was cleared by 11.50am.
'Nine individuals were arrested for obstruction and conspiracy to commit public nuisance. This brings the total number of protesters arrested today by Met officers, who worked swiftly to minimise disruption to motorists, to 39.'
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Sluggish moves to combat Insulate Britain have left Government departments at loggerheads, as the injunction that ministers had promised would put them behind bars has failed completely.
Home Secretary Priti Patel was left 'amazed' by delays at Mr Shapps' Department for Transport, which is running the Government's legal response to protesters' actions, it is understood.
But Mr Shapps said today: 'Activists who invade and glue themselves to roads and motorways represent unacceptable, disruptive and dangerous behaviour. Today, I've instructed National Highways to seek a further injunction covering major roads in the South East to prevent highways from being obstructed.'
However, Human rights legal expert Adam Wagner, a barrister at Doughty Street Chambers in London, also said today: 'There seems to be quite a lot of confusion over these injunctions.
Police officers detain Insulate Britain activists blocking a motorway junction on the M4 near Heathrow Airport this morning
Police officers detain an Insulate Britain activist blocking a motorway junction on the M4 near Heathrow Airport this morning
Police officers detain an Insulate Britain activist blocking the M4 motorway junction near Heathrow Airport this morning
Across London today there is another protest on the M1 at Brent Cross in North London, one of the capital's busiest junctions
An angry motorist attempts to drag a protester off the road during the demonstration on the M1 in North London today
Activists on the M1 in North London are arrested and put on a bus commandeered by police, which was stuck this morning
A motorist takes matters into his own hands as he attempts to drag a protester off the road on M1 in North London today
Protesters are arrested and put on a bus commandeered by police, which was stuck in the traffic during the M1 chaos today
An angry motorist attempts to drag a protester off the road during the demonstration on the M1 in North London today
Later on the group returned to the M25 today - for the ninth day - and blocked junction 25 for Waltham Cross in Hertfordshire
'They do not give the police additional powers, they already have power to use reasonable force to prevent commission of offence, eg obstructing the highway.
'I am dubious that the court could lawfully order that no protest take place on any road in the south of England but we shall see.'
It emerged last night that Ministers had given orders to seek sweeping new legal moves against the eco-activists, in the form of a tougher and far more wide-ranging injunction.
Miss Patel has also instructed police chiefs to look at charging protesters with road traffic offences such as 'causing danger to road users' that could see them imprisoned for up to seven years.
Such a lengthy jail term would place convicted protesters in jeopardy of losing their livelihoods and their homes.
In a significant development last night, sources confirmed officials will seek a so-called 'contra mundum injunction', which will apply to anyone who breaches its terms by blocking roads, rather than against specific, named Insulate Britain activists.
In theory, this should make it easier for National Highways to ask police and the courts to enforce action against protesters for contempt of court.
An interim injunction, granted by the High Court against individual protesters last week, has failed to stop the road blocks.
Yesterday the activists barred drivers from part of the M25 for an eighth day, causing long queues of traffic.
Insulate Britain protesters glued their hands to the ground at junction 30 at Thurrock in Essex at around 8am.
Essex Police said all lanes were open again shortly after 10am.
Nine people were arrested on suspicion of obstructing a highway and were being held in custody last night.
The group admitted that its actions are in breach of the existing injunction, which means they could be found to be in contempt of court, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison or an unlimited fine.
But last night no firm action appeared to have been taken to enforce the first injunction, which was obtained by National Highways at the High Court last Tuesday.
Amid reports of conflict between the Home Office and the DfT last night, sources said Miss Patel was aghast at the length of time being taken to deal with the crisis by the DfT's highways agency.
Insulate Britain activists block a motorway junction on the M4 near Heathrow Airport in West London this morning
Police officers try to free an Insulate Britain activist blocking the M4 motorway junction near Heathrow Airport today
Insulate Britain activists block motorists at a junction of the M4 in West London near Heathrow Airport this morning
A police officer applies a solution onto the glued hand of an Insulate Britain activist blocking the M4 in West London today
Insulate Britain activists block the M4 motorway junction near Heathrow Airport in London this morning
Insulate Britain activists block the M4 motorway junction near Heathrow Airport in West London this morning
A police officer applies a solution on the glued hands of an Insulate Britain activist sat on the M4 in West London today
Insulate Britain activists block the M4 motorway junction near Heathrow Airport in West London this morning
Insulate Britain activists block a motorway junction on the M4 near Heathrow Airport in London this morning
Police officers detain Insulate Britain activists blocking the motorway junction on the M4 near Heathrow Airport today
A police officer applies a solution onto the glued hands of an Insulate Britain activist blocking the M4 in West London today
Officers dragged the protesters to the side of the road on the M4 today. Many have been arrested at least half a dozen times
'The real problem is with National Highways,' one source said. 'Priti is concerned that it has been very slow in responding. It has just not been quick enough.'
Arrested for a SIXTH time after being repeatedly let go: Eco-hypocrite property tycoon among repeated offenders laughing at the law
Joshua Smith has now been arrested six times. He was branded a hypocrite after it emerged he owned a multi-million pound property empire - but the homes had poor insulation, an issue at the heart of the group's agenda.
The 28-year-old is heir to a £2million property empire and also has a seven-figure portfolio of his own. However, at least six homes owned by his Oldham-based company have efficiency ratings of E or F, according to the Sun.
This means the properties boast little or no insulation and also produce large quantities of extra carbon dioxide. Smith was pictured being held by police by the M25 yesterday before being led off in a police van.
Reverend Hewes, who once sewed up his lips in protest at the influence of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, was part of the mob blocking the M25 earlier this week despite already being arrested numerous times.
The activist has 'permission to officiate' in the Diocese of Oxford although he does not have a parish.
Asked about Rev Hewes last week, a spokesman for the diocese said: 'The actions of Rev Hewes and others, while arguably well-intentioned, have frustrated many people and we're unclear how the actions have been productive in encouraging the urgent change required.'
Rev Hewes, a retired dentist, previously said the Bishop of Dorchester, Gavin Collins, who comes under the Diocese of Oxford, had told him 'he does support issues regarding climate change and the environment but not about breaking the law'.The proposal for a contra mundum injunction – Latin for 'against the world' – is believed to have come from former Solicitor General Michael Ellis QC, who was appointed Paymaster General in Boris Johnson's reshuffle last month.
Proposals for the measure are being drawn up and will be put to a High Court judge within days, the Mail understands.
Yesterday deputy Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Stephen House described the protests as 'lunacy' and said he feared officers' lives are at risk dealing with the demonstrations.
'The most recent one I saw had officers running between articulated lorries that were moving on the main carriageway of the M25,' he told the London Assembly.
Police forces have improved in their response to the protests, sometimes managing to reopen carriageways within an hour.
National Highways – previously Highways England – and its bosses at the DfT, however, have failed to respond convincingly to a crisis about to enter its fourth week.
When first asked about how they would enforce the injunction after it was flouted on Monday, National Highways wrongly said that this was an 'enforcement matter' for the police.
However, a day later the agency said it was 'taking legal advice' after realising it was up to them to haul the protesters to the High Court for potential imprisonment or a fine.
On Wednesday the injunction was breached twice more, when protesters blocked junction 3 of the M25 on two occasions.
National Highways said it was 'working with the police to establish names of the protesters and if they have been previously arrested', despite their identities being widely reported.
Simultaneously, the DfT claimed it could not 'comment on the specifics around ongoing legal matters', despite contempt of court proceedings being public.
By Wednesday evening, however, the DfT said it was 'already knocking on doors and serving papers to offenders who will be sent to court and could face fines or prison'.
But it failed to reveal how many of the activists had actually been served with legal papers, despite repeated requests to clarify the situation.
Yesterday a spokesman for the judiciary said the High Court had not yet received any notification that the Government had begun proceedings against any of the protesters involved.
A further High Court hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.
Hugh Bladon, from the Alliance of British Drivers, said: 'What we need now is firm action from the police before someone gets killed. They've made their point, now go away and get this country working properly. They're bang on about insulating houses though.
'They need to let this country get back to living normally. They need to be seen by the courts, and they need to be dealt with - you can't allow this to go on.'
The protest group is calling on the Government to insulate all UK homes by 2030 to cut carbon emissions.
Some glued their hands to the M4 today to make it harder for police to clear them as queues built up this morning
A protester is searched after being put in handcuffs by a Metropolitan Police officer on the M4 in West London today
A police officer applies a solution onto the glued hand of an Insulate Britain activist on the M4 in West London today
One driver pleads with the protesters to move on the M4 this morning, but the two women explain they are staying put
Insulate Britain activists block a motorway junction near Heathrow Airport in West London this morning
Insulate Britain activists block a motorway junction near Heathrow Airport today as they glue their hands together
An Insulate Britain spokesman said: 'We are raising the tempo this week as, despite the urgency of the situation, there has been no meaningful response from the Government to our demands.
'We are deeply concerned that with rising fuel bills and not enough action on insulation, there will be further unnecessary suffering and deaths among the most vulnerable this winter.
'It's not just cold and hungry Britain, it's billions of pounds wasted on fuel costs for everyone.
'Failing to help hardworking families, failing to stop poverty fuel deaths, failing to protect the country we love from the biggest threat it has ever faced. We need our Government to keep us safe. Boris, get on with the job.'
Essex Police thanked drivers for their patience and understanding during the latest protests.
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