LambethNews

Just Stop Oil supporter from Lambeth held over M25 gantry climb

A Just Stop Oil supporter has been remanded in custody after she was arrested for climbing on to a gantry on the M25.

Isabel Rock, 41, an artist from Red Post Hill in Dulwich, was arrested on Wednesday and remanded to appear before Brighton Magistrates Court on Thursday, where she was remanded until her next hearing on December 8.

She has already been arrested multiple times for her actions with Just Stop Oil. 

Section of M25 closed on Wednesday (Picture: Just Stop Oil)

She said: “I’m doing this for my baby nephew and his unborn sister. I want them to have a chance at a future. I want this for all the children everywhere. I’ve had a life full of love and privilege, I want to give something back. 

“The Government is responsible for criminal inaction on the climate crisis. They should be in prison, not me. It is my moral duty to cause disruption to force the Government to act.”

About 50 Just Stop Oil supporters climbed on to the overhead gantries of the M25 from Monday to Thursday this week, causing the Met to close large sections of the motorway.

Just Stop Oil claimed that it contacted the Met and National Highways the night before to advise them that there would be major disruption on the M25, and asked them to implement a 30mph speed limit.

The gantry-climbing actions come after the Government failed to respond to Just Stop Oil’s ultimatum – that the Government reverses its plans to license more than 130 new oil and gas projects or the campaign of disruption would be escalated.

This week’s actions follow a month of daily disruption by supporters of Just Stop Oil, which saw the police make more than 700 arrests. 

Since the campaign began on April 1, Just Stop Oil supporters have been arrested more than 2,000 times, with more than 25 supporters currently in prison.

They are demanding the Government stops all new UK oil and gas projects.

A spokeswoman for Just Stop Oil 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.”

Just Stop Oil announced this morning that it had paused its campaign of civil resistance to give “time to those in Government who are in touch with reality to consider their responsibilities to this country at this time”.

Pictured top: Just Stop Oil protester Isabel Rock (Picture: Just Stop Oil)

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