Middle-aged Roger Hallam from Walworth is among eight charged and appearing before magistrates today (Tuesday, November 8) after traffic was brought to a standstill on the M25.
Hallam, 56, who is reported to be co-founder of Extinction Rebellion, was among a group of people arrested by the Metropolitan Police in pre-emptive attempts to stop the latest wave of Just Stop Oil protests.
Protesters climbed onto the gantries at least six different locations yesterday, and a combined effort from the Metropolitan Police, Essex Police, Surrey Police and other neighbouring forces are continuing to halt activists from Just Stop Oil causing disruption on motorways today.
On Sunday the Met said that they were targeting activists suspected of plotting to cause “reckless and serious disruption to the public”, and on Tuesday morning it announced that eight people have been charged.
Hallam is accused of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance and was due to appear at Westminster magistrates court today.
Just Stop Oil protesters deface the London Bridge News UK building
The disruption comes despite National Highways successfully getting a High Court order that bans the climate change group from disrupting the country’s busiest motorway.
This means that anyone fixing themselves to any object or structure on the motorway – and anyone assisting – can be held in contempt of court.
Those in breach of the order could face imprisonment, an unlimited fine and seizure of assets.
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In a press release, the Just Stop Oil group, campaigning against the Government’s new oil and gas licence plans, said it contacted the Metropolitan Police and National Highways to warn them of the disruption. Spokesperson Indigo Rumblelow, 28, said: “What did you expect? This government is complicit in an illegal and unconstitutional plan to issue more licenses and consents for new oil and gas.
“A plan that will take the world over 1.5C, resulting in the collapse of ordered society, the loss of our rights and freedoms and the death of millions of people.
“Our latest Prime Minister Rishi Sunak talks of the importance of ending our dependence on fossil fuels yet he is still planning to allow new fossil fuel projects.
“This is a failure of politics. People have the legal right under British law to cause disruption to prevent a greater harm: the right of necessity. We do not do this lightly.
Just Stop Oil protestors glue themselves to St George’s Circus roundabout
“After thirty years of public debate, lobbying and petitioning, and three years of peaceful civil disobedience, we are still on course for catastrophic climate breakdown and we have nowhere else to go. The government is doubling down on fossil fuels, indicating ever greater levels of criminality.”
The campaign group adds that since their campaign began on April 1, Just Stop Oil supporters have been arrested nearly 2,000 times with six activists currently in prison.
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According to the Met, which is conducting the operation in conjunction with the National Police Coordination Centre (NPoCC), more than 10,000 officer shifts have been dedicated to policing Just Stop Oil protests since the start of October.
Roger Hallam is one of eight people charged today with conspiracy to cause a public nuisance following attempts to cause disruption on the M25. The others include 72-year-old Tim Hewes of Charney Bassett, Wantage; sixty-three-year-old Ian Bates of Northampton; sixty-year-old Karen Matthews, of Overstone; Louise Lancaster, 57, from Cambridge; Daniel Shaw, 36, from Northampton; Christopher White, 29, of Yeovil and 21-year-old Alexander Wilcox from Northampton.
The Met police have said they expect to publish details of further charges later today.
