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Original poster

Why are the police not arresting the protesters blocking roads?

119 replies

DietCokeChipsAndMayo · 04/10/2021 16:31

I don’t understand why they’re just standing there while they’re blocking the roads
I’ve seen a video today of the police dragging them to the pavement but by the time the police have walked back on to the road to get another person the first one has just walked and sat back down
Why are they not throwing them into the back of a van?!
I genuinely don’t understand

OP posts:
FindingMeno · 04/10/2021 16:38

I saw a video of members of the public dragging the protestors around today.
The police really need to step up and decide what they're doing - arresting or protecting- or we're going to start seeing some really nasty scenes with frustrated drivers taking matters into their own hands.

gardeninggirl68 · 04/10/2021 16:40

can you imagine the public outrage of a police officer physically moving someone? throwing into the back of a van??

police would be slated for it

Original poster
DietCokeChipsAndMayo · 04/10/2021 16:44

@gardeninggirl68 what?? Police remove people from situations and put them in the back of a van all the time! Do you think everyone that gets arrested just willingly goes along with it? What an odd post

@FindingMeno I’m surprised it’s took this long for the public to get involved tbh, particularly when they’re blocking ambulances getting through, it’s absolutely outrageous!

OP posts:
OtherInfo · 04/10/2021 16:46

Presumably it's because protesting is a legal right in this country?

FindingMeno · 04/10/2021 16:47

But you can still be arrested protesting if you break the law ( obstructing the highway/ breach of the peace)

ChicChaos · 04/10/2021 16:50

@FindingMeno

I saw a video of members of the public dragging the protestors around today. The police really need to step up and decide what they're doing - arresting or protecting- or we're going to start seeing some really nasty scenes with frustrated drivers taking matters into their own hands.
This is what stopped the protests last time they did this - I remember outraged commuters dragging someone off the top of a train. It seemed to dawn on the protestors then that they were turning people off their cause rather than drawing attention to it.

Also, I suspect that some of the people involved just like protesting, and are not very choosy about the cause involved. The Police are being criticised for the hands-off approach quite a lot this time in the media.

SammyScrounge · 04/10/2021 16:55

@gardeninggirl68

can you imagine the public outrage of a police officer physically moving someone? throwing into the back of a van??

police would be slated for it

I think the outrage at the moment is about tea being served to these people. They blocked an ambulance the other day - unforgiveable. They are on a self righteous high and thoroughly enjoying themselves. They could even justify to themselves blocking that .ambulance. They make me sick and I wish police would toss them in the backs of lorries.
AlohaMolly · 04/10/2021 16:56

I’ve wondered this. Given the new riot bill(?) that has been passed, giving the police powers to arrest protesters that are being ‘noisy and annoying,’ and after seeing the way some women were treated at the Sarah Everard vigil, it’s very surprising to see police doing nothing at all over this.

Peridot1 · 04/10/2021 16:57

I’m surprised one of them hasn’t been run over yet. I’d be tempted. Very tempted. Slowly. But if I was first car in the queue I would just drive at them very slowly with my hand on the horn. Damn selfish idiots.

Why don’t they protest at Westminster? Makes more sense than pissing people off and potentially causing harm to others.

Lindy2 · 04/10/2021 17:00

Quite a few of them were arrested when they were blocking the M25 a couple of weeks ago.

I think the chances of one of them causing an accident soon is pretty high. Let's hope they only end up injuring themselves and not innocent bystanders.

LikeACatInTheDark · 04/10/2021 17:00

From the guardian article:

Frustration at the road blocks led to confrontations with drivers. In a video shared by LBC one woman cried as she pleaded with protesters, telling them she needed to get to her sick mother.

“She’s in the ambulance, she’s going to the hospital in Canterbury, do you think I’m stupid?” she says. “I need to go to the hospital, please let me pass. This isn’t OK ... How can you be so selfish?”

At Wandsworth Bridge, people dragged protesters out of the road. In a video shared by TalkRadio one man is heard saying: “There’s an ambulance, you stupid prick, get out of the road,” as others drag activists away.

Responding to the video, Insulate Britain released a statement saying: “We share the frustration of the people being delayed on the roads today. Does our government know what to do? The disorder on the roads today suggests otherwise.

“The Insulate Britain protests could end immediately, the government has a choice: make a meaningful statement that we can trust on insulating our homes, or make the decision to imprison those people who are more scared of the destruction of their country than they are of fines or a six-month sentence.”

Angry
gardeninggirl68 · 04/10/2021 17:02

why dont they insulate their own homes? why do they expect the government to do it?

im only half joking

lannistunut · 04/10/2021 17:02

@AlohaMolly

I’ve wondered this. Given the new riot bill(?) that has been passed, giving the police powers to arrest protesters that are being ‘noisy and annoying,’ and after seeing the way some women were treated at the Sarah Everard vigil, it’s very surprising to see police doing nothing at all over this.
Hasn't been passed yet, is in progress, currently in Lords: bills.parliament.uk/bills/2839

That bill is a disgrace tbh, and wouldn't increase police powers in this situation.

loveisagirlnameddaisy · 04/10/2021 17:05

And this is the group whose leader has a massive, uninsulated house, isn't it?

Original poster
DietCokeChipsAndMayo · 04/10/2021 17:06

@LikeACatInTheDark

From the guardian article:

Frustration at the road blocks led to confrontations with drivers. In a video shared by LBC one woman cried as she pleaded with protesters, telling them she needed to get to her sick mother.

“She’s in the ambulance, she’s going to the hospital in Canterbury, do you think I’m stupid?” she says. “I need to go to the hospital, please let me pass. This isn’t OK ... How can you be so selfish?”

At Wandsworth Bridge, people dragged protesters out of the road. In a video shared by TalkRadio one man is heard saying: “There’s an ambulance, you stupid prick, get out of the road,” as others drag activists away.

Responding to the video, Insulate Britain released a statement saying: “We share the frustration of the people being delayed on the roads today. Does our government know what to do? The disorder on the roads today suggests otherwise.

“The Insulate Britain protests could end immediately, the government has a choice: make a meaningful statement that we can trust on insulating our homes, or make the decision to imprison those people who are more scared of the destruction of their country than they are of fines or a six-month sentence.”

Angry

“More scared of the destruction of their country than they are of fines or a six-month sentence” … so absolutely no regard of the lives they’re putting in danger while they block people getting to hospital or other urgent appointments, only thinking about how it may affect them negatively Just an unbelievably selfish way of thinking I wonder what they were saying in response to the woman begging them to move so she could get to hospital- how do they sleep at night??
OP posts:
lannistunut · 04/10/2021 17:06

@gardeninggirl68

why dont they insulate their own homes? why do they expect the government to do it?

im only half joking

Leaving aside the rights and wrongs of blocking the road, they want state investment in insulation to reduce carbon emissions.

They will have insulated their own homes I would imagine, they are talking about the whole nation.

lannistunut · 04/10/2021 17:08

@loveisagirlnameddaisy

And this is the group whose leader has a massive, uninsulated house, isn't it?
Is it? Half the time these type of slurs are made up, half the time they're true...
gardeninggirl68 · 04/10/2021 17:09

wonder if any mumsnetters are part of this lot?

Spudlet · 04/10/2021 17:11

I can get behind their cause, I think insulating more homes would be a very good thing and there is a case for there to be some public funding available, as it’s something that benefits us all and is not financially accessible to all.

However this seems such a stupid way to do it, as it’s just turning people against what is actually a very good cause! It’s just so counterproductive.

That incident in Wandsworth could have got really nasty and someone could have been hurt. It’s not good.

lannistunut · 04/10/2021 17:16

I am very worried this will escalate and get violent

YesIDoLoveCrisps · 04/10/2021 17:21

I saw a clip where the police were telling people not to touch or move the protesters as it would be assault.
If I was the police and saw someone dragging one of the protesters out the way of an ambulance with a elderly sick lady inside, with the daughter weeping nearby I would turn a blind eye to it - however they can’t do that if people are filming them!

FindingMeno · 04/10/2021 17:22

Yes, the thing is that if members of the public drag them away when they're glued on they could cause significant injury.
Probably why the police are needing to wait for some sort of unsticker to turn up.

jlpartnerrs · 04/10/2021 17:24

I support them. They are trying to highlight that the fact is that if we do not get on and reduce our carbon footprint asap our children / grandchildren will have an awful life and death on a planet not fit for human habitation. Why do you think the Elon Musks of this world are investing so heavily in space?

Twentypast · 04/10/2021 17:26

@jlpartnerrs

I support them. They are trying to highlight that the fact is that if we do not get on and reduce our carbon footprint asap our children / grandchildren will have an awful life and death on a planet not fit for human habitation. Why do you think the Elon Musks of this world are investing so heavily in space?
Would you support them if it was your mother inside an ambulance unable to get to hospital?