16 Just Stop Oil protesters have been arrested on second day of M25 disruption

Police have arrested 16 Just Stop Oil protestors following a second day of disruption on the M25, Sky News have reported. The climate change group claims its activists were involved in blocking parts of the motorway from 7am on Tuesday by climbing onto overhead gantries. 

Essex Police said a protestor climbed onto the gantry at junction 31, causing the Dartford Tunnel to be closed. Traffic was stopped in both directions, holding up hundreds of motorists during rush hour. 

Just Stop Oil also targeted at least six other locations on the M25. The Metropolitan Police said a total of 16 protestors were arrested on the M25 this morning in a joint operation with Essex, Surrey and Kent Police. 

The group is calling on the government to stop all new fossil fuel licences in the North Sea. It describes itself as “a coalition of groups working together to ensure the government commits to halting new fossil fuel licensing and production.” The government plans to licence more than 100 new oil and gas projects by 2025.

In the past few months, protesters from Just Stop Oil have thrown soup at Van Gogh’s Sunflowers at the National Gallery and attempted to disrupt the British Grand Prix.

According to Just Stop Oil, its supporters have been arrested nearly 2,000 times since April, with five of their supporters currently in prison.