Just Stop Oil activists at the back entrance to Downing Street
(Picture: AFP via Getty Images)A police chief on Friday told drivers faced with Just Stop Oil protests not to take matters into their own hands.
Commander Karen Findlay told the Standard she is now considering applying for court injunctions against repeat offenders causing misery by glueing their hands or sitting on roads to stop drivers, including emergency vehicles.
More than 200 officers a day are policing the demonstrations, diverting 7,000 Met hours from other priorities.
But Ms Findlay warned frustrated motorists against “self-policing” by nudging activists in their vehicles or dragging them away.
She said: “We are in no way tolerating criminality or anti-social behaviour. We are really alive to the impact on people coming to London. Whilst we clearly facilitate protests, equally the concern is policing protracted protests. Resources are being moved away from policing local communities and being focused on London’s priorities, such as reducing knife crime.”
Ms Findlay added: “I can completely appreciate how some of the coverage generates questions about the length of time it takes officers to take action and remove these people.
“The issue about self-policing, we are not wanting people to feel that they have to do that. That is a job for the Metropolitan Police.
“We’ve arrested 376 people across the last 13 days. A high number of those have been bailed when there’s substantive offence involved — wilful obstruction and criminal damage.
“We’ve got the opportunity to bail people with conditions. It helps us manage the repeat offending.”
Just Stop Oil said: “We have tried everything else to make our criminal Government act.”
