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Just Stop Oil protests - live: Climate activists block A4 after Dartford Crossing reopens

Activists block traffic in London to raise alarm about climate crisis

Zoe Tidman,Lucy Skoulding
Wednesday 19 October 2022 07:14 EDT
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Just Stop Oil activist hangs nearly 450ft above Dartford crossing in makeshift bed

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Just Stop Oil protesters have blocked a busy road in London in the latest round of demonstrations aimed at raising the alarm about the climate emergency.

Dozens of activists stopped traffic on the A4 Cromwell Road near the Natural History Museum in Kensington as they demanded the government halt all new fossil fuel licences.

It come after a major bridge on the Dartford Crossing reopened to traffic after two Just Stop Oil protesters hung off it for 37 hours, causing severe delays.

The Queen Elizabeth II bridge on the M25 was closed off to drivers after two activists scaled the 190-ft structure on Monday morning and even spent the night up there.

National Highways confirmed the bridge reopened to drivers just before 10pm that night after being checked for damages.

What else have Just Stop Oil been up to this month?

Just Stop Oil are carrying out a month of protests in a call to end all new oil and gas licenses.

Here is a recap of some of the biggest moments so far:

Van drives through Just Stop Oil protesters blocking London road

A frustrated van driver nudged Just Stop Oil protesters out of the way as they were blocking a road in Knightsbridge on Tuesday morning. The man can be seen slowly accelerating forward as at least four people wearing high-vis try to push his vehicle back. Eventually, those blocking the van move out of the way and the driver can be heard saying “thank you” as he pulls away. Those who were nudged out of the way assume their positions in the road again afterwards, sitting down to block more London traffic. Click here to sign up for our newsletters.

Climate activist pours human faeces over Captain Tom statue

Footage appears to show a climate activist pouring human faeces over a memorial for Captain Tom Moore. The 21-year-old woman in the video - named only as Maddie - was wearing a T-shirt with the words: “End UK Private Jets.” She can be seen pouring the faeces over a statue of Sir Tom, which stands in Thistley Meadow, Derbyshire. In a separate video, the activist claimed that every time a private jet takes off in the UK, “it pours a bucket of s*** and blood onto everything that Captain Tom stood for”. Click here to sign up for our newsletters.

Protesters throw tomato soup on Van Gogh’s Sunflowers masterpiece

One of the activists shouted, ‘What is worth more, art or life?’

Just Stop Oil protesters glue themselves to the road outside Buckingham Palace

Specialist officers used debonding liquid in plastic syringes to unglue campaigners

Zoe Tidman18 October 2022 14:38

Just Stop Oil ‘undeterred'

Just Stop Oil has vowed to keep causing disruption until its demands are met:

Zoe Tidman18 October 2022 14:10

Traffic around Dartford Crossing

Just Stop Oil protesters on the Queen Elizabeth II bridge continue to cause traffic chaos in the surrounding area.

Live trackers show there is gridlock around Thurrock, Purleet, Dartford, South Ockendon and Lakeside.

National Highways shows traffic was moving slowly along stretches of the M25 in the area in the afternoon.

Zoe Tidman18 October 2022 13:51

Images from Dartford Crossing protest

And here are some images from the Queen Elizabeth II bridge today:

Just Stop Oil protesters spent the night at the bridge at the Dartford Crossing
Just Stop Oil protesters spent the night at the bridge at the Dartford Crossing (PA)
Just Stop Oil activists remained on the Queen Elizabeth II bridge on Tuesday
Just Stop Oil activists remained on the Queen Elizabeth II bridge on Tuesday (PA)
Zoe Tidman18 October 2022 13:35

Police arrest 26 in Hammersmith protest

Just Stop Oil have also been active in west London this morning.

Police have arrested 26 protesters who blocked a road around Barons Court tube station in Hammersmith - some of whom had glued themselves to the tarmac or locked themselves to others.

Here are some images from the action today:

Activists of Just Stop Oil climate campaign group hold a banner at Barons Court in west London as they block the A4
Activists of Just Stop Oil climate campaign group hold a banner at Barons Court in west London as they block the A4 (AFP via Getty Images)
Activists have blocked a road outside Barons Court in west London
Activists have blocked a road outside Barons Court in west London (AFP via Getty Images)
Zoe Tidman18 October 2022 13:14

Why is the Dartford Crossing important?

The A282 Dartford Crossing is the only way to cross the Thames east of London by road.

The 1.7-mile Queen Elizabeth II bidge southbound and two 0.8-mile tunnels northbound link Essex and Kent.

The A282 also connects directly at both ends with the M25 London Orbital Motorway, one of the busiest in Europe.

Just Stop Oil activists have scaled the Queen Elizabeth II bridge (Just Stop Oil/PA)
Just Stop Oil activists have scaled the Queen Elizabeth II bridge (Just Stop Oil/PA) (PA Media)
Zoe Tidman18 October 2022 12:55

Activist shares footage on top of bridge

Just Stop Oil activist who spent the night hanging from the near-450ft high cables of the Queen Elizabeth II bridge has shared footage from his makeshift bed.

Watch on Independent TV:

Just Stop Oil activist hangs nearly 450ft above Dartford Crossing in makeshift bed

A Just Stop Oil activist who spent the night hanging from the near-450ft high cables of the Queen Elizabeth II bridge has shared footage from his makeshift bed. Morgan Trowland, a civil engineer, said he had “just survived the first night” atop the Dartford Crossing, and will stay there until the government cancels all new oil and gas extraction licenses. “It was pretty cold and didn’t sleep much, but I’m okay,” Mr Trowland said. The protest has forced the full closure of the bridge, which is the only overground road over the Thames east of London. Sign up for our newsletters.

Zoe Tidman18 October 2022 12:37

Essex Police on Dartford Crossing protest

Here is the latest from an Essex Police spokesperson on the protest at the Dartford Crossing:

“We’re working with our partners to identify the safest and quickest way to resolve the situation. But as you can imagine, they’re 100 metres up in the air. It’s very complex. These things can take time.”

Zoe Tidman18 October 2022 12:11

Traffic jams around bridge

Independent TV has some footage showing the travel chaos around the crossing this morning:

Just Stop Oil: Long traffic delays continue around Dartford Crossing for second day

Traffic chaos has continued into the second day as Just Stop Oil activists remain atop Queen Elizabeth II bridge on Tuesday morning (18 October). This footage recorded by Lisa Gordon shows the buildup of cars along the A2 by Bluewater Shopping Centre, at around 7am. In a bid to grab the government’s attention for climate action, protesters climbed the bridge standing 190-foot above the water forcing the closure of the only overground road across the Thames east of London. National Highways tweeted just after 7am that six miles of traffic had already formed around the Dartford Crossing. Sign up for our newsletters.

Zoe Tidman18 October 2022 11:52

‘Long delays’ at Dartford Crossing

National Highways says the Dartford Crossing is still closed while the Just Stop Oil action is ongoing on the bridge.

There are “long delays” as a result:

Zoe Tidman18 October 2022 11:33

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