Guernsey Press

Just Stop Oil activists arrested as new police dispersal law comes into force

Several individuals were handcuffed at a slow march protest in central London on Thursday.

Published

Police have arrested Just Stop Oil protesters on the day new legislation came into force giving officers greater power to disperse crowds.

Several individuals were handcuffed at a slow march protest near Vauxhall Bridge in central London, after officers read out the updated Section 12 of the Public Order act, which came into effect on Thursday.

Around 30 environmental activists moved from Vauxhall Bridge Road, around the A202 roundabout and towards the Albert Embankment in Vauxhall, south London.

Just Stop Oil activists take part in slow walk protest in Vauxhall, central London
Protesters moved from Vauxhall Bridge Road, around the A202 roundabout and towards the Albert Embankment (Lucy North/PA)

One Just Stop Oil activist said police were moving “faster” today, as a result of the new legislation.

Canon Peter Lippiett, 76, said the length of time that protesters were allowed to remain in the road had become shorter.

Mr Lippiett said: “The section 12 is making an enormous impact. It’s legal to walk in the streets but the new section 12 has been applied disorganisedly and haphazardly.

Just Stop Oil activists take part in slow walk protest in Vauxhall, central London
One protester said the changes to the Public Order Act were having ‘an enormous impact’ (Lucy North/PA)

Another protester, 48, who gave his name as Mark, said: “Police are moving faster today, that’s what we think.

“We don’t know exactly what the impact will be yet, but it seems it is easier to disperse us with this definition of ‘minor’ disruption.”

Motorists shouted at the march as they progressed slowly through the Vauxhall Bridge tunnel towards South Lambeth Road.

Police detain a Just Stop Oil activist
Police said several arrests were made under the updated Section 12 legislation (Lucy North/PA)

An ambulance was among the vehicles slowed behind the protest walk.

Protester Chris, 53, said: “People are very concerned about the changes in law and how difficult it is getting to protest legally, because all we do is non-violent protests, but it is getting harder to do so.”

And Frances, 20, said: “It’s totally unjust. It’s our fundamental human right to protest under the human rights act. We’re not harming anyone.”

She added: “Until they bring in the death penalty, we’ll keep going until the Government stops this death pact with the oil and gas industries.”

Police detain a Just Stop Oil activist
Several individuals were handcuffed during the protest (Lucy North/PA)

Protesters at the march thanked the officers for facilitating the event.

Some 156 slow march protests have taken place in London since April 2023, according to the Home Office.

The average length of time taken between a protest starting and activists being moved out of the road was between 13 and 19 minutes, the Metropolitan Police said in May.

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.