LONDON (Reuters) – Climate change protesters ignored criticism from politicians and the police to stage another protest to disrupt rush hour traffic using London’s busy M25 orbital motorway on Monday, leading to long tailbacks.
The activists from Insulate Britain, which wants the British government to commit to providing insulation for 29 million homes, blocked slip roads, glued themselves to the road and poured paint onto the motorway carriageway.
It is the fourth such action in the last week to disrupt the M25 by the group. It sent a letter to the Highways Agency and police on Sunday to warn them that their campaign would go on until the government met its demands.
Home Secretary (interior minister) Priti Patel has described the protests as unacceptable and said the police must take decisive action.
Angry motorists have said the action was stopping people from getting to work and hospital appointments, and that it was alienating the public from the group’s cause.
“Protesters have made it clear that they intend to continue causing disruption,” said Chief Superintendent Nick Caveney of Hertfordshire police which said it had made 29 arrests on Monday.
“Not only is purposely blocking a highway incredibly dangerous, it also affects thousands of members of the public who are stuck in delays as a result.”
(Reporting by Michael Holden; editing by James Davey)
