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Insulate Britain protests

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Insulate Britain protests
Insulate Britain hold a press conference outside the Home Office, London (22-9-2021).jpg
Insulate Britain hold a press conference outside the Home Office, London (22 September 2021)
Date13 September 2021 – present
Location
M25 motorway, A1(M) motorway
StatusOngoing

A series of protests by the group Insulate Britain involving roadblocks are currently taking place on the M25, A1(M), M3 and M11[1] motorways in England. The first protest took place on 13 September 2021,[2] with protestors blocking five junctions of the M25. This was followed by further protests on the M25 on 15,[3] 17,[4] 20,[5] 21,[6] and 23[7] September. On 24 September, the group blockaded the Port of Dover.[8]

The protesters demand that the government insulate all social housing in Britain by 2025 and retrofit all homes with insulation by 2030. They have drawn condemnation from figures within the government.

Background

Insulate Britain is an environmental activist group, formed by people involved in the global environmental movement Extinction Rebellion.[9] The group began hosting both online and in-person events in July 2021, also raising money for direct action.[9]

Founded with the aim of ensuring insulation across Britain, the group laid out two specific demands for its September 2021 protests. The first is that the British government fund insulation of all social housing by 2025, and the second is that, by the end of 2021, the government must create a plan to fund retrofitting of insulation of all homes in Britain by 2030. Insulate Britain created a Parliament petition for the first demand.[9] According to The Guardian, the group's demands are in line with consensus among climate scientists and policy experts that home insulation—including when retrofitted—is an environmental priority, saves money to occupants and is beneficial to the economy.[10]

Protests

The protests began on 13 September 2021, when protesters blocked five junctions (Junctions 3, 6, 14, 20 and 31) on the M25 motorway,[9][11] followed by further protests on the 15,[3] 17,[4] 20,[5] 21[6] and 23[7] of September. On the 24 September the group blockaded the Port of Dover.[8] Several protestors were arrested.[12]

In an escalation of the protests, on 21 September activists blocked the main carriageway of the M25 in both directions between junctions 9 and 10.[13] Protestors walked out onto both sides of the motorway from junction 10. 38 protestors were arrested for various offenses, such as criminal damage, causing danger to road users, wilful obstruction of the highway and causing a public nuisance.[14][15]

On 29 September 2021, protesters blocked the M25 again near junction 3. The protest started around 7.30am but by 8.53am the police had put out a tweet stating that the section of the M25 had been reopened.[16]

During the protests, activists glued themselves to the slip roads of targeted motorway exits or to live lanes of the motorway, making them inaccessible to vehicles. The protestors also poured paint onto sections of the carriageway.[17]

Further protests took place on 1 October with disruption to the M1 and M4 motorways. Thirty-nine protesters were arrested.[18]

On 4 October, Insulate Britain protesters blocked the Blackwall Tunnel, on the A102 which connects Tower Hamlets and Greenwich in London. Thirty-eight protesters were arrested.[19]

Reaction

Insulate Britain burn police release letters outside the Home Office, London (22 September 2021)

An injunction effective on 22 September and lasting to 21 March 2022 was granted to National Highways.[20][21][22] The injunction prohibited demonstrators from "causing damage to the surface of or to any apparatus on or around the M25 including but not limited to painting, damaging by fire, or affixing any item or structure thereto".[23] Protestors who break the injunction will be in contempt of court, which could result in a prison sentence of up to two years or an unlimited fine.[24]

Figures within the British government, including the Home Secretary Priti Patel,[25] Transport Secretary Grant Shapps[26] and Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned the protesters' actions.[27] The protests are supported by Green Party MP Caroline Lucas,[28] and House of Lords members Natalie Bennett[29] and Jenny Jones.[30]

On 4 October, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that Insulate Britain, who were not "legitimate protesters", were "irresponsible crusties".[31] Patel announced at the 2021 Conservative Party Conference that increased penalties for motorway disruptions, criminalisation of infrastructure disruption and "stop and search" powers for the police. Patel named Insulate Britain specifically in her announcement.[31][32] The Guardian opposed this policy as it would "remove even more rights from political protesters".[33]

The politics academics Oscar Berglund and Graeme Hayes supported the protests in The Conversation, agreeing with Insulate Britain's aims as "an essential part of lowering Britain's emissions". They quoted research that concluded that protesters who "inconvenience others" are more likely to achieve change, arguing that "broad popularity isn't all that relevant". Providing counterarguments against criticism, the writers said that motorway traffic and disruption that "hurts vulnerable people" is an everyday phenomenon, and that "it is unlikely that people will be against insulating homes just because they get annoyed at protesters".[34]

References

  1. ^ UK Parliament | Statement: Injunction to protect the M25 | Kit Malthouse MP | Insulate Britain, archived from the original on 25 September 2021, retrieved 25 September 2021
  2. ^ "M25 junctions blocked by Insulate Britain campaigners". BBC News. 13 September 2021. Archived from the original on 20 September 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  3. ^ a b "M25 protests: Activists block motorway again". BBC News. Archived from the original on 16 September 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Motorway blockades and green new deal crusaders: the UK's new climate activists". the Guardian. 17 September 2021. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  5. ^ a b "M25 protests: Arrests made as Insulate Britain activists block motorways". BBC News. 20 September 2021. Archived from the original on 23 September 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Insulate Britain: Injunction granted against M25 protesters". BBC News. 22 September 2021. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  7. ^ a b Insulate Britain blocks the M25 motorway in both directions (J10) 21 September 2021, archived from the original on 25 September 2021, retrieved 25 September 2021
  8. ^ a b "Port of Dover: Arrests made as Insulate Britain blocks port". BBC News. 24 September 2021. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  9. ^ a b c d "Who are Insulate Britain, the group blocking M25 traffic, and what are they campaigning for?". ITV News. 20 September 2021. Archived from the original on 20 September 2021. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  10. ^ Taylor, Matthew (24 September 2021). "'Low-hanging fruit': Insulate Britain's message makes sense, say experts". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 25 September 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  11. ^ "M25 junctions blocked by Insulate Britain campaigners". BBC News. 13 September 2021. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  12. ^ "M25 protests: Arrests made as Insulate Britain activists block motorways". BBC News. 20 September 2021. Archived from the original on 20 September 2021. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  13. ^ Insulate Britain blocks the M25 motorway in both directions (J10) 21 September 2021, archived from the original on 25 September 2021, retrieved 25 September 2021
  14. ^ "M25 protests: Protesters 'may cause serious injury or death'". BBC News. 21 September 2021. Archived from the original on 22 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  15. ^ Francis, Alannah (21 September 2021). "M25 protest: Insulate Britain activists dragged from motorway by police after running into oncoming traffic". i. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  16. ^ "Activists block M25 for seventh time despite threat of fines and prison". the Guardian. 29 September 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  17. ^ Osborne, Samuel (20 September 2021). "Climate protesters block access to M25 for fourth time in a week". Sky News. Archived from the original on 20 September 2021. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  18. ^ "39 Insulate Britain activists arrested after halting traffic on M1 and M4". October 2021.
  19. ^ "Insulate Britain blocks Blackwall Tunnel". BBC News. 4 October 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  20. ^ "Policing Minister statement on Insulate Britain protests - Home Office in the media". homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 23 September 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  21. ^ Syal, Rajeev; Mason, Rowena (22 September 2021). "Climate activists vow to continue M25 blockades despite jail threat". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  22. ^ "Injunction granted against protesters blocking M25, amid warning of prison sentence". Sky News. 22 September 2021. Archived from the original on 22 September 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  23. ^ "Insulate Britain: Injunction granted against M25 protesters". BBC News. 22 September 2021. Archived from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  24. ^ Dathan, Matt; Hamilton, Fiona; Ball, Tom (22 September 2021). "M25 Insulate Britain protesters face prison after court grants injunction". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  25. ^ "M25 protests: Priti Patel calls activists 'selfish'". BBC News. 17 September 2021. Archived from the original on 17 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  26. ^ Holden, Michael (17 September 2021). "UK government condemns climate activists as they block London motorway again". Reuters. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  27. ^ Riley-Smith, Ben; Davies, Gareth (20 September 2021). "Insulate Britain: M25 protesters are undermining their cause, says Boris Johnson". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 20 September 2021. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  28. ^ Merrick, Rob (19 September 2021). "Caroline Lucas backs climate protests that blocked M25 because of 'existential crisis'". The Independent. Archived from the original on 20 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  29. ^ On LBC talking to Nick Ferrari about Insulate Britain blocking M25, archived from the original on 27 September 2021, retrieved 23 September 2021
  30. ^ Insulate Britain climate protests on M25 delayed my child's medication | Jeremy Vine On 5, archived from the original on 27 September 2021, retrieved 23 September 2021
  31. ^ a b Giordano, Chiara (5 October 2021). "Boris Johnson brands Insulate Britain 'irresponsible crusties' for blocking motorways". The Independent. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  32. ^ Mehta, Amar (3 October 2021). "Insulate Britain: Tougher punishments against motorway protests to be introduced by Priti Patel this week". Sky News. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  33. ^ "The Guardian view on Insulate Britain: the art of protest". The Guardian. 5 October 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  34. ^ Berglund, Oscar; Hayes, Graeme (20 September 2021). "Insulate Britain: blocking roads will alienate some people – but it's still likely to be effective". The Conversation. Archived from the original on 23 September 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2021.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Insulate_Britain_protests&oldid=1048406234"