Just Stop Oil plots Christmas CHAOS around UK - 'Serious disruption' to hit motorways in next three weeks

JUST STOP OIL is plotting serious disruption on motorways and major trunk roads around Britain in the build up to Christmas.

The militant group - which claims the Government is "genocidal" for allowing new oil and gas projects - has vowed to cause maximum disruption as families try to complete their Christmas shopping and get home for the festive season.

Britain's biggest police force warned of "serious disruption" in the coming weeks and vowed to The Metropolitan Police said it had arrested a staggering 755 activists in the last two months, but admitted it had only charged 182.

It warned it had received intelligence of 'disruptive activity' in and around London from 28 November to 14 December - while the protest group issued a rallying call to arms for more protestors to get involved up and down the country.

Commander Karen Findlay, Met Operations, said: “Just Stop Oil has already caused significant disruption to London’s general public and people travelling on the M25.

“We understand they are now set to cause further disruption in London in the run-up to Christmas, from 28 November to 14 December.

"However, we are again fully prepared. We have a very experienced team with robust policing measures in place to respond quickly and effectively to any incidents of serious disruption to London. We also have specialist officers available to deal with a range of tactics including sophisticated lock-on devices.

The Metropolitan Police has vowed to take 'swift action' against any Christmas protests
PA

“We will always try to work with organisers so that protests can go ahead safely. However, Just Stop Oil do not engage with police in advance to share where they may protest or how many may be involved.

"As their actions are spontaneous and could take place anywhere across the capital, we are having to use more officers to respond, regardless of whether any action takes place or not.

"These are officers who could be dealing with issues that matter to local communities such as knife crime, safeguarding and responding to burglaries."

Since 1 October, 11,923 officer shifts have been required to respond to Just Stop Oil activity.

She added: “I completely understand the frustration and anger felt by the public who are seriously disrupted by a relatively small number of protesters and their deliberate tactics.

"Activists are affecting people’s businesses, their lives, whether they are on their way to a doctor, a long awaited hospital appointment, on their way to work, to interviews, or to collect children.

"Therefore, I again urge Just Stop Oil organisers to engage with us to minimise disruption to Londoners.

“I would also like to reassure people in London that the Met is a large and resilient organisation. Despite the abstraction of officers to support these operations, we can and will continue to deal with our core business in communities.

“Where activists cross the line into criminality, the Met will provide a proportionate policing response. We will arrive quickly, deal with the situation efficiently, remove and arrest activists as appropriate and return things to normal as soon as possible. Please do not take matters into your own hands.

“We are determined to bring to justice all those activists who cause disruption or damage to London. We're working closely with the Crown Prosecution Service and the courts to ensure this happens.”

t comes as a Just Stop Oil zealot who caused mayhem on Britain's roads bragged he had been arrested 22 times.

Ringleader Paul Sheeky gloated about his run ins with the police on a Zoom call with other protestors.

He said: "My name is Paul Sheeky, I have been a climate activist since I found out about this stuff for the past couple of years.

“It has become more and more urgent in that time. I have been arrested 22 times - it’s not had a huge effect on my life so far to be honest.”

Home Office Minister Chris Philp is set to meet with police chiefs this week to demand a crackdown on the protests.

He said today: "There is no excuse for gluing yourself to roads or trains, vandalising property, digging illegal tunnels, or making someone miss his father’s funeral.

"It is wrong to block ambulances, fire engines, or cars carrying babies to hospital."

Just Stop Oil has called for more volunteers to help it shut down Britain's road network
Just Stop Oil

A Just Stop Oil spokesman said: "The Government’s decision to go ahead with new fossil fuel projects will effectively destroy all of our culture and the future of the young people.

"Climate collapse will destroy our crops and lead to widespread famine and societal collapse.

"These young people [protestors] understand what many have still to realise: we cannot rely on our criminal government or on our cherished institutions to save us.

"They will take away our rights and freedoms even as our country alternately burns and floods."