Two charged over Just Stop Oil protest that shut Dartford Crossing

Two men will appear in court on Thursday

(Just Stop Oil/PA) (PA Media)

Two men have been charged in connection with a Just Stop Oil protest that shut the Dartford Crossing.

Morgan Trowland, 39, of Islington, and Marcus Decker, 33, of no fixed address, have been charged with conspiracy to commit a public nuisance.

Essex Police said they have been remanded in custody to appear at Southend Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow said: “Our priorities have always been to keep people safe and work with our partners to keep Essex moving.

“We have done this consistently during incidents of disruption across the county this year and again this week.

“As we have consistently said, we are not anti-protest but we must take action when we believe laws have been broken and the safety of the public is put at risk.”

Traffic built up around the Dartford Crossing on Tuesday (PA)

It comes after two protesters blocked Dartford Crossing this week, scaling the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge and staying there for more than 36 hours, meaning no traffic could cross.

They stayed in hammocks and draped a Just Stop Oil banner across the bridge.

Police used an elevated platform, which arrived at the scene on Tuesday afternoon, to remove the men from the bridge.

National Highways reopened the crossing shortly before 11pm on Tuesday.

Just Stop Oil said after the protest ended: “We successfully disrupted oil supplies to Kent and the South East for 36 hrs.

“We are stepping down now but other supporters of Just Stop Oil will be stepping up day after day, causing disruption and putting their liberty on the line to demand that the government ends new oil and gas.”