Met and Allies Nab 16 Just Stop Oil Activists in M25 Mayhem
Sixteen activists were hauled in during a major crackdown on protests aiming to cripple the M25. The drama kicked off at 8am Tuesday when a man dangerously clambered onto the overhead gantry at junction 14, forcing the busy motorway to shut down.
Chaos at Junction 14: M25 Shut and Traffic Gridlocked
The reckless stunt sparked huge delays, especially around Heathrow Airport. Officers raced to the scene within ten minutes and swiftly arrested the protester by 8:30am. The road reopened by 8:46am, easing gridlock.
Joint Police Operation Puts the Clampdown on Disruptors
The Met teamed up with Essex, Surrey, and Kent Police to clean up the chaos. Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist vowed tough action against the eco-warriors. He said:
“The Met, in a joint operation with neighbouring forces, has again responded swiftly and robustly to today’s attempts by Just Stop Oil activists to disrupt the M25. We are all absolutely committed to providing a quick and effective response to those activists who continue to significantly disrupt people’s daily lives.”
Twist revealed policing these protests is a costly battle. Since October, over 11,000 officer shifts have been deployed to tackle Just Stop Oil protests — shifts that could otherwise tackle knife crime, burglaries, and safeguarding.
He added: “We are determined to bring to justice all those who conspire to cause significant and unreasonable disruption to London and the motorway network. We’ll work closely with the Crown Prosecution Service and the courts to make sure this happens.”
