Just Stop Oil protesters in road block fire engine and ambulance during demonstration
This is the group’s 11th consecutive day of disruption in London with protesters demanding a halt to all new oil and gas licences and consents
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Just Stop Oil protesters have been arrested while blocking emergency vehicles during a demonstration in west London.
The Metropolitan Police arrested 28 protesters on Tuesday for “wilful obstruction of the highway” and have been taken to police stations across central London.
Separate videos shared online show both a fire engine and an ambulance on blue lights unable to get through traffic after 32 protesters blocked three roads in Knightsbridge and Brompton Road, stopping traffic in each direction, with some gluing themselves to the asphalt.
One video showed a stationary fire engine in the middle of a junction near Knightsbridge Underground Station, with protesters blocking both the road behind and in front of the fire engine.
Another video shows an ambulance trying to get to an emergency stuck in the gridlock and elsewhere in the disruption, a van driver forced their way through a crowd of protesters who attempted to push back against the charge until they eventually fled and the vehicle proceeded.
Footage shows just under a dozen officers engaging with the protestors in an attempt to move them on
Just Stop Oil later tweeted a video showing protesters moving out of the way of a fire engine with the caption: “Just Stop Oil supporters pause roadblock to let fire engine through.”
This is the group’s 11th consecutive day of disruption in London with protesters demanding the government halt all new oil and gas licences and consents.
Downing Street said the actions of Just Stop Oil protesters were “unacceptable”.
The prime minister's official spokesman said: “These sorts of protests which disrupt people's daily lives or indeed can stop our emergency services from potentially saving lives are unacceptable.
“That's why we've already toughened powers for the police, we've given them new powers to act and we are also taking further powers through the House at the moment to ensure they can go even further in preventing these individuals from disrupting people's lives.”
Asked whether members of the public should intervene to remove protesters, the spokesman said that while the government “can understand the public's frustrations with their lives being disrupted in this way” it is “for the police to respond in the first instance to these sorts of protests”.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson confirmed one of their vehicles was delayed by the disruption following a fire alarm call out in west London.
“An appliance from Kensington Fire Station was temporarily stopped by a road block and arrived within 14 minutes of being called,” the spokesperson said.
“We work closely with our local authority and emergency service partners whenever there are road closure proposals to minimise impact on our service. However, given the nature of the event crews had no prior warning of the road block.”
Less than 24 hours ago police removed and arrested 25 Just Stop Oil protesters who had glued themselves to the road of The Mall outside of Buckingham Palace.
Specialist officers used debonding liquid in plastic syringes to free the protesters who had glued themselves to the ground or to each other.
The liquid was squirted into the activists’ hands, which allowed the police to separate them before they searched and detained the campaigners.
The activists started sitting in the road at 8.45am on Monday wearing orange hi-vis jackets and holding Just Stop Oil banners, blocking traffic in both directions – with some of them glued together or to the Tarmac.
Just Stop Oil has both been approached for comment.