• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
  • Contact us
  • Guest Content
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Elevenses
  • Business
  • Food
  • Travel
  • Property
  • JOBS
  • All
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Sport
    • Tech/Auto
    • Lifestyle
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Set For Life
      • Thunderball
      • EuroMillions
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Insulate Britain protests cost police £4.3 million

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he was ‘appalled’ by the bill, which was disclosed by police forces.

PA by PA
2021-12-29 08:13
in News
Credit;PA

Credit;PA

FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

Policing Insulate Britain’s road-blocking protests cost taxpayers at least £4.3 million, an investigation has found.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he was “appalled” by the bill, which was disclosed by police forces in response to Freedom of Information requests by the PA news agency.

The Metropolitan Police said it spent £4 million dealing with the climate group’s stunts between September 13 and November 20.

Some 6,651 of the force’s officers and staff were involved, at a cost of £3.1 million.

A further £600,000 was spent on deploying vehicles, while the overtime cost was £300,000.

Traffic jams

Four other forces provided figures totalling more than £300,000 but only included overtime bills, meaning the actual cost of policing protests in their areas was considerably higher.

They were Hertfordshire Constabulary (£185,000), Surrey Police (£110,000), City of London Police (£44,000) and Greater Manchester Police (£10,000).

Insulate Britain, an offshoot of Extinction Rebellion, wants the Government to insulate all UK homes by 2030 to cut carbon emissions.

It repeatedly blocked major roads between September and November, causing long traffic jams.

RelatedPosts

BBC Gaza doc ‘breached editorial guidelines’, report finds

Donald Trump crashes Chelsea’s Club World Cup trophy lift 

UK must be prepared for war with Russia by 2030, former British Army chief warns

Donald Trump to be ‘denied access to Parliament’ on state visit

Activists often glued their hands to the road or each other to make it harder to remove them.

The group frequently targeted the M25, the UK’s busiest motorway, but also blocked roads in Manchester, Birmingham, London and the Port of Dover, Kent.

'How can you be so selfish?!'

This desperate motorist pleads with eco protesters blocking the entrance to the Blackwall Tunnel asking them to move so she can get to her sick mother in hospital.

Read More: https://t.co/ILY092Jaod pic.twitter.com/jxQ8FwYzMq

— LBC News (@LBCNews) October 4, 2021

Every junction of M25

At one stage police officers were deployed at every junction of the M25 in an attempt to stop the group.

Mr Shapps told PA: “I am appalled at the amount of time and public money that’s been spent policing the selfish actions of Insulate Britain.

“Not only did their guerrilla tactics wreak havoc on our roads and inflict misery to thousands of motorists, but they diverted our emergency services away from vital work, costing the UK taxpayer millions in the process.”

Ken Marsh, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, described the cost of policing the protests as “staggering”.

He said: “Unfortunately we have to police what’s put in front of us.

“It’s disgusting that we’re having to spend that sort of money on these protests.”

Mr Marsh described responding to the demonstrations on 70mph motorways as “some of the most dangerous things my colleagues have had to do”.

Police made hundreds of arrests, but many suspects returned to the roads just hours after being released from custody.

This led to Government-owned National Highways applying to the High Court for injunctions to ban protests on motorways and major A roads in England.

It cost just under £220,000 to obtain the first three injunctions with lawyers from National Highways, Government Legal Department (GLD) and DLA Piper (counsel engaged on behalf of GLD) advising on them.

Jail

Ten Insulate Britain supporters have been jailed for breaching the injunctions so far, with prison sentences ranging from two to six months.

Mr Shapps said: “We will continue to act against this lawless behaviour while the Government gets on with tackling climate change.”

The Cabinet minister is working with Home Secretary Priti Patel to include clauses in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill aimed at ensuring there are tougher penalties for interfering with key infrastructure such as major roads.

Insulate Britain spokeswoman Tracey Mallaghan said the group would “much rather money was being spent on insulating homes and helping get people out of fuel poverty”.

But she believes their actions have made home insulation “something people are talking about”.

Asked why they blocked roads rather than conducted legal protests, she replied: “When we went to Parliament as Insulate Britain, that just didn’t get the same amount of (media) coverage.

“It seems the only way we can get air time is by annoying enough ordinary people.”

She added: “I just can’t look my children in the face and say ‘this problem is too big, we’re not going to do anything’.

“Our Government has proved time and time again they’re not doing what is necessary for our children, for the future. So how can we stop?”

Related: XR founder Roger Hallam: ‘I would block an ambulance – here’s why’

Tags: Insulate Britain

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

SUPPORT

We do not charge or put articles behind a paywall. If you can, please show your appreciation for our free content by donating whatever you think is fair to help keep TLE growing and support real, independent, investigative journalism.

DONATE & SUPPORT

Contact

Editorial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Commercial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Address

The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE
Company number 09221879
International House,
24 Holborn Viaduct,
London EC1A 2BN,
United Kingdom

© The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE thelondoneconomic.com - All Rights Reserved. Privacy

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Lottery Results
    • Lotto
    • Set For Life
    • Thunderball
    • EuroMillions
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE thelondoneconomic.com - All Rights Reserved. Privacy

← The sad reality of this year’s Christmas number 1 ← Boris Johnson ‘betrayed’ the fishing industry to get Brexit done – says Express
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Lottery Results
    • Lotto
    • Set For Life
    • Thunderball
    • EuroMillions
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE thelondoneconomic.com - All Rights Reserved. Privacy

-->