Have police gone soft with Just Stop Oil? Officers politely ask eco clowns playing dead to get out the road - before activist mocks: 'I don't go anywhere with strange men'

Police officers were seen politely asking Just Stop Oil protesters 'could you come with me please?' as eco clowns played dead in the middle of a busy road in London this morning.

The brazen group of 23 eco-zealots, who were seen blocking traffic in Oval, went on to mock police officers arresting them with one ridiculing a cop, telling him 'I don't go anywhere with strange men' when he asked her to move.

It follows a war of words between the Metropolitan Police and the campaigners, after demonstrators, unfazed by their arrests, took to social media boasting that officers 'quite literally can't arrest us all'.

In a now-deleted post, the London force quipped back, writing 'we "quite literally" just have'.

Continuing their disruptive protests for yet another day, the group were seen today brandishing their signature orange Hi-Viz vests and waving large signs before police intervened disrupting their demonstration. 

As the officers tried to place the eco warriors in handcuffs, the activists dropped to the floor forcing cops to drag them off the road or try and coax them onto the pavement.  

The cheeky protesters were even filmed telling a group of officers - on their way to make arrests - to get out of the bike lane as they were blocking cyclists from getting through. 

The eco zealots were seen shouting 'bikes', 'bike lane' and telling officers 'guys bikes' as they continued to block vehicles from passing down the road, causing cyclists to weave around them.

One is heard saying 'Yo police you're blocking the bikes' before another says 'can you guys do your briefing slightly further to the pavement please?'

Fighting back, a bemused officer said: 'Well if you had got off the road it wouldn't be a problem would it?' 

Annoyed drivers were then seen passing the eco mob, shouting 'get a life' and pleading with the protesters that 'everyone's got to get to work'. 

The Metropolitan Police said it was 'again making arrests as Just Stop Oil activists are in the road' but added it was a 'significantly smaller group than yesterday', where a demonstration over the Brent Cross flyover saw 110 activists arrested.

It prompted an angered response from the Met on X, formerly known as Twitter, where it wrote: 'All your activists who were slow marching in the road today have been arrested. 

'Your activists showed no inclination to leave the road, the only way they are is in the back of a police van. More than 110 activists have been arrested. Londoners continue to face the brunt and cost of this.'

Yesterday's march which saw the group charge along Hendon Way in north London - one of the capital's busiest roads - infuriated Londoners.

One angry member of the public was caught on camera confronting the group, sarcastically telling the activists 'this is definitely going to work' before pointing out that 'all your clothes are made out of oil'.

He went on to brand the group's actions a 'joke' for 'wasting everybody's time and petrol' while frustrated motorists can be heard blaring their horns in the background. 

On Friday an angry driver got out of his car to disrupt the group's march and criticise the protesters for being 'stupid'.

Marching over to the group, he yelled 'what the f**k if your problem?' adding: 'You have a problem with the Government, do you not? So why are you blocking the road?'

He accused the activists of being 'dumb' and further questioned, 'why aren't you outside House of Parliament?'

The seemingly flustered protester replied 'we tried that,' before walking away.

Last week, a chaotic demonstration on Waterloo Bridge led a paramedic to beg protesters to get out of the road so he could attend a 'life or death emergency'.

Just Stop Oil had been holding a 'die in' when they were accused of blocking the 'blue light' ambulance from coming through. 

Video and pictures from the scene showed a blue-light ambulance trapped in gridlocked traffic in central London, where eco zealots slow-marched and lay down on the wet pavement.

One exasperated paramedic is reported to have begged police to be given access through the road, saying he was trying to save someone's life.

The driver of the ambulance told The Telegraph: 'I am responding to a life or death emergency - I am going to pick up a team from Guy's hospital to save someone's life at another hospital but can't get through.'

Metropolitan Police said the march was causing gridlock on the bridge, holding up traffic including an ambulance with 'blue lights on'.

But Just Stop Oil hit back, saying it was actually the police who were blocking the ambulance from getting past.

A Just Stop Oil spokesperson told MailOnline last week: 'Earlier today, the Metropolitan Police shared a tweet suggesting that Just Stop Oil supporters were blocking an ambulance vehicle.

'We have deep sympathy for anyone suffering a medical emergency at any time. Nobody's life or health is more valuable than others.

'Just Stop Oil's policy has always been that we immediately move out of the way for emergency vehicles with blue lights on.

'In this case, Just Stop Oil supporters were on the other side of the road, and had never blocked the side of the road the ambulance was on.

'The picture shared by the Metropolitan Police indicates that it's only their officers who are blocking the road with the ambulance. Our own pictures confirm this.

'Nevertheless, we accept that our actions do cause disruption. There are a limited range of options available to normal people to resist government criminality.

'We will not stand by and watch while our government continues to license new oil and gas, which in itself is an act of violence.'