Just Stop Oil hit out as police drag slow marching activists into the road in west London

This is the moment a police officer drags a Just Stop Oil protester into the middle of traffic “in a futile” attempt to clear up west London roads.

Cars blast their horns as the activist, carrying an orange Just Stop Oil banner, is pulled by his hi-vis jacket by a Met officer as dozens brought rush hour traffic to a standstill around Hammersmith.

The activist quickly gets up, as a van slowly drives at him, and rejoins the protest demanding that the Government halt all licences and consents for new oil, gas and coal projects.

A police officer is seen dragging officers (PA)

A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said: “At 8am, four groups of Just Stop Oil supporters began marching on roads close to West Kensington station, including Cromwell Road, a major arterial route into London.

“Police were seen dragging supporters in a futile attempt to get them off the road.”

Around 66 Just Stop Oil supporters in three groups began marching on roads close to West Kensington station, including Cromwell Road, a major arterial route into London. Traffic was held up as long queues formed.

Police were seen dragging supporters off the road about 8.30am on Wednesday.

Scotland Yard said they “dealt swiftly” with Just Stop Oil protest imposing section 12 conditions and clearing the roads by 8.45am.

By midday the eco-group said ten of their supporters had been arrested in Parliament Square after defying police orders to leave the road.

(PA)

Just Stop Oil has been marching every day since April 24.

Last week it emerged Just Stop Oil’s new tactic of “slow marching” on the roads of London had cost the Metropolitan Police more than £3.5million.

The eco-warriors have brought streets to a standstill more than 80 times since it launched its three-month campaign. The tactic has sparked furious reactions from motorists, some of whom have been filmed shoving protesters out of the road.

Scotland Yard has urged the public not to take “matters into their own hands”, claiming it takes officers on average between 13 and 19 minutes to impose Section 12 of the Public Order Act conditions and start clearing protesters out of the way.