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1 year ago
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Just Stop Oil protesters have dodged charges for obstructing a road – because police arrested them while the green man was showing.
Five eco-zealots were held by officers seconds after they stepped on to a pedestrian crossing near London's Trafalgar Square on Thursday.
But they could not be prosecuted for blocking the highway because traffic was at a standstill and they were technically allowed to be there.
Just Stop Oil tweeted: 'Unsurprisingly, those arrested at a pedestrian crossing were breaking no laws – not even the new anti-protest ones that Suella Braverman made up.'
Just Stop Oil protestors were arrested by police officers earlier this week as they stepped onto the road near Trafalgar Square - but they have dodged charges because traffic was at a standstill when the arrests were made
Protesters who block roads can be prosecuted and jailed under the Public Order Act 2023. Pictured: A protestor is carried away by police earlier this week in Trafalgar Square
Two of the protestors were charged with breaching bail conditions in place following previous arrests, while three were released without further action
Protesters who block roads can be prosecuted and jailed under the Public Order Act 2023. A Met Police spokesman said: 'A total of five people were arrested.
'Two of these were charged with breaching bail conditions in place following previous arrests. Three people were released without further action.'
Not all Just Stop Oil protestors have managed to evade their charges - activist Phoebe Plummer, 22, was dramatically arrested in London after taking part in a slow march last Thursday.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Just Stop Oil claimed the activist was given bail conditions not to protest on any roads and shared a video of Plummer telling people she was in jail.
The University of Manchester graduate told the camera: 'If you are watching this video, then I've just been sent to prison simply for marching down a road. For exercising my fundamental human right to protest.'
Plummer gave a two-minute speech about the consequences of climate change and how there is going to be 'more storms, more floods, more wildfires and more droughts'.
The clip showed Plummer continuing to march with the group despite being aware of the conditions set by the courts.
Just Stop Oil claimed on the post that the protestor was sent to HMP Bronzefield in Ashford.
Plummer was arrested on Thursday, November 16, after taking part in a slow march in the capital.
But this is not the first she has been in trouble with the law. This time last year, she was arrested for throwing Heinz soup at Van Gogh's Sunflowers in the National Gallery in central London.
She and her accomplice, Anna Holland, 20, were arrested for criminal damage and aggravated trespass.
Phoebe Plummer, 22, was dramatically arrested again in London after taking part in a slow march earlier this month
The pair threw two tins of Heinz tomato soup over the iconic £76 million painting before glueing themselves to a wall inside the Gallery on October 14 2022.
Hours later, other rebellious eco-zealots from the campaign group launched a humiliating attack against the police, spraying orange paint over the New Scotland Yard HQ's sign in Westminster, London - prompting officers to make 24 arrests.
Plummer then found herself being arrested again in June this year after allegedly breaking her bail conditions.
In October 2022, Plummer was arrested for criminal damage and aggravated trespass after she and a friend - Anna Holland - threw Heinz tomato soup at Van Gogh's Sunflowers in the National Gallery
She was arrested in an upmarket cafe in Islington, London, after taking part in a slow march.
Just Stop Oil claimed the activist was given bail conditions not to protest on any roads.
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