More than 70 Insulate Britain activists charged over protests blocking M25

Incidents took place in 2021 as climate change protesters took to the streets

An Insulate Britain banner outside the Royal Courts of Justice (AFP via Getty Images)

Seventy-four people been charged so far over Insulate Britain’s road-blocking protests that caused disruption last year.

Kent Police said the prosecutions relate to incidents which took place in September and October 2021 on the M25 motorway and near to the Port of Dover.

Previously activists faced legal action in the civil courts where several were jailed for breaching injunctions.

Kent Police explained that its work with the Crown Prosecution Service meant that 74 people are now facing a total of 104 charges.

These include 73 charges of public nuisance, 29 charges of obstruction and two charges of criminal damage to a police car.

Hearings will take place in Crawley Magistrates’ Court and defendants have been summoned to attend hearings from April.

Not all of those arrested in connection with the protests were charged, as nineteen people were released.

Insulate Britain is an offshoot of the organistation Extinction Rebellion and is campaigning for the UK government to insulate all UK homes by 2030, in a move designed to cut carbon emissions.

In protest, the group repeatedly blocked major roads in the UK last autumn 2021, which resulted in a number of long traffic jams.

At one point in the protests police officers were posted at every junction of the M25 to try and stop the group.

In a bid to make themselves harder to remove from things, activists often glued their hands to roads or each other.

Overall, policing the protests cost taxpayers at least £4.3 million.