Why are the police not arresting the protesters blocking roads?

[DietCokeChipsAndMayo]

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

@Twentypast

The UK is not in the top 20 countries producing carbon emissions. Maybe they should be protesting outside the US, Chinese or Iranian embassies.

actually it is, we just defer our pollution to China

As if this mob give a damn about the environment.

What, including the millionaire property developer who hasn't insulated the homes he lets out?

If this lot really cared, they wouldn't be attacking people trying to get to work and hospital. Nor would they be holding up deliveries of essentials including fuel. All the while whilst creating traffic pollution due to their actions delaying traffic.

No, if they cared they'd be offering their services for free or crowdfunding to help insulate people's homes. Starting with the homes of their tenants.

@Orangejuicemarathoner So you're saying that the UK deferring pollution to China (what does that even mean) is the reason that China's emissions are so high? China's population is almost 1.5 billion. They are planning to open 160 airports in the next 13 years.

Judging from the backlash they're getting all over social media, it will only be a matter of time before one of them gets hurt and they won't get sympathy. They are pissing people off and turning people away from their cause. They're fucking idiots.

@Orangejuicemarathoner

because it is a legal protest

Well a law needs to be passed pronto to make it illegal.

@OnlyFoolsnMothers

lannistunut no honestly I get such a rage about these people and if I was in the car with my baby for example not sure I could stop myself. The people protesting are a generation that used used used all the resources on this planet without thought, the U.K. is doing well trying to tackle climate change, the younger generations are more aware and conscious than these haggard baby boomers fucking us all over because they don’t have the balls to protest outside the China embassy

Riiight you'd commit a crime in full view of the police with your baby in the car

Like @Orangejuicemarathoner said :

actually it is, we just defer our pollution to China

The City of London would be the ninth largest emitter of CO2 if it were a country
The emissions funded by the City’s banks and asset managers made the sector a bigger polluter than countries including Germany and Canada. Quote from the New Statesman

these haggard baby boomers fucking us all over

Erm the millionaire property developer is 28.

And the older ones do not represent the majority of their generation, anymore than the 28 year old represents his.

In actual fact many of the 'boomer' generation were more climate friendly than today.

They were the make do and mend generation. The waste not, want not. Reuse rather than recycle.

No frequent foreign holidays and city breaks abroad. One car households - if that. No central heating - meaning thermals and hot water bottles and blankets and clingform DIY insulation on the windows.

Products including consumer electronics used to be made to last.

As always it's less about generational divide and more about privilege. This lot causing chaos on the M25 are the young and old privileged.

@OtherInfo

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

I thought the government passed a law recently that made it illegal 🤔

@DietCokeChipsAndMayo

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

Is it too early to blame Brexit for the lack of police officers, or do we have to go back to George Osborne's austerity nonsense?

[quote Twentypast]@Orangejuicemarathoner So you're saying that the UK deferring pollution to China (what does that even mean) is the reason that China's emissions are so high? China's population is almost 1.5 billion. They are planning to open 160 airports in the next 13 years.[/quote]
It means that a huge proportion of the pollution discharged in China is down to China make products that support our society, and exporting them to us.

Its our life styles that produce the pollution, not Chinese life styles.

And our rubbish is sent abroad for disposal too, and lo and behold, that huge source of pollution doesn't get "counted" against us in international comparisons, even though it is all produced by our life styles.

So yes, we are well up there in the top 20, our lif styles are destroying the planet

Someone will hurt a protester eventually, public mood is at a low already.
There are ways to protest that don't directly harm random members of the public, blocking ambulances is completely unacceptable but what when it's a fire appliance?

I could understand someone walloping one just for the obstruction, they are targeting the wrong people.

The City of London would be the ninth largest emitter of CO2 if it were a country. The emissions funded by the City’s banks and asset managers made the sector a bigger polluter than countries including Germany and Canada.

Well it's not them suffering when the M25 or central London is blocked. They're safely away from the place they make money out of, at home in the shires or rural idyll or Switzerland or Monaco or the Channel Islands.

@OtherInfo

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

Not if it involves defacing public property or endangering the lives of others by walking out into a stream of traffic doing 70mph like these utter tosspots do.

Not really been following it but I thought blocking the road was something they could be arrested for

Recently changed

Its our life styles that produce the pollution, not Chinese life styles.

You're concerned? Don't attack other - often vulnerable - people.

You want to change your lifestyle? Go ahead.

Turn off your lights when the sun goes down.

Use contraception.

Don't go on foreign holidays.

Give up your car.

Don't use central heating (get some thermals, blankets, and hot water bottles).

Don't use energy intensive crytocurrency.

Get off the internet.

George Osborne's austerity nonsense?

Well it was certainly a (cruel) nonsense.

lannistunut I didn’t say it would be rational- but I could certainly be driven to blind anger- maybe you would just smile if you ailing mother was dying in the ambulance being held up or if your baby was screaming hungry being denied a feed

@OnlyFoolsnMothers

lannistunut no honestly I get such a rage about these people and if I was in the car with my baby for example not sure I could stop myself. The people protesting are a generation that used used used all the resources on this planet without thought, the U.K. is doing well trying to tackle climate change, the younger generations are more aware and conscious than these haggard baby boomers fucking us all over because they don’t have the balls to protest outside the China embassy

This is such a bizarre post. These are people trying to ensure your baby has a future. How are you going to explain your action to your child when they are grown up, and know you hurt people who were trying to protect your child's generation?

How are you going to explain you felt you you were qualified to judge that individual , because you know exactly what people of that age have done, every single one of them

And why would they protest outside the Chinese embassy when our life styles in the UK are causing so much more environmental destruction than the average Chinese lifestyle?

You sound irrational to me

I get the ideology and agree we all need to change. They've certainly made their point heard. However one of them is going to get an absolute kicking from a member of the general public if this carries on. If someone dies stuck in the back of an ambulance in traffic they've held up then their cause will be tarnished. Quit while you are ahead would be my advice to the protestors.

if someone dies stuck in the back of an ambulance in traffic they've held up then their cause will be tarnished.

Hasn't it already happened? There was definitely that poor woman left paralysed because of them. They should be made to pay for her ongoing medical and care needs (plus extra for the psychological distress).

Really the U.K. is the worst- how many coal burning factories does the U.K. have compared to- let’s not pick on China then- Germany?
I know it’s on trend to assume the U.K. is the worst for everything but we aren’t.

I really really wish people would inform themselves better with what the police are actually able to do. The ignorance is astounding.

This is what I’m thinking of re recent changes -

Injunction papers
However, the government said on Wednesday night legal proceedings had begun against any activists who faced fines or prison for blocking the motorway.
The activists have been warned they will be served injunction papers by enforcement officers from the High Court.
A government spokesman said: "We are already knocking on doors and serving papers to offenders who will be sent to court and could face fines or prison.
"Police continue making arrests and are working closely with National Highways to shut down these illegal demonstrations and keep the public safe."

@TheQueef

Someone will hurt a protester eventually, public mood is at a low already. There are ways to protest that don't directly harm random members of the public, blocking ambulances is completely unacceptable but what when it's a fire appliance?

I could understand someone walloping one just for the obstruction, they are targeting the wrong people.

I agree. It's only a matter of time before someone is either beaten up or just run over...