Moment furious motorist attacks Just Stop Oil eco-zealots as he pushes them to the ground before police officers swoop in and handcuff HIM during another slow-march protest through capital
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An angry commuter took matters into his own hands by attempting to throw Just Stop Oil activists off the road as they slow marched through central London during the morning rush-hour.
Around 45 activists in three separate groups slow marched across Blackfriars Bridge, London Bridge and Tower Bridge on Tuesday.
One man held up in traffic became so frustrated that he pushed a protester onto the ground and ripped banners out of activists’ hands as they walked across Blackfriars Bridge.
In the tense moment caught on camera, a waste management van can be heard continuously beeping its horn as the chaos unfolds.
Two police officers – who are escorting the group – then intervene and grapple with the furious member of the public, who is handcuffed against the side of the van. During the struggle, the officer says: ‘You are f***ing assaulting people’.
An angry commuter attempts to throw a Just Stop Oil activist off the road as they cross Blackfriars Bridge
Just Stop Oil said ‘tensions have been high’ as one man tried to throw a supporter onto the ground and was later arrested
The van’s driver shouts at the officers to ‘get off my truck’ while a passing taxi driver shouts out of his window that it is ‘absolutely disgusting’.
Another person – who cannot be seen on camera – tells the officers to ‘give the guy a break, he’s just trying to get to work’.
The Metropolitan Police said they had detained a member of the public for common assault after an ‘altercation’ between himself and two Just Stop Oil protesters on Blackfriars Bridge at around 8.25am.
A spokesman said: ‘There have been no arrests and police are investigating the matter.
‘We completely understand the frustration and anger of London’s communities when protesters walk slowly in the roads.
‘We urge people not to intervene and to let police deal with the situation who, if not already there, will arrive promptly.’
Police grapple with the commuter who was seen trying to remove Just Stop Oil activists from the road
The protest descended into chaos when an angry commuter took matters into his own hands – and police swooped in and detained him
Just Stop Oil said in a statement: ‘Tensions have been high this morning as the marches cause major delays for commuters.
‘One man threw a supporter onto the ground and was subsequently arrested on Blackfriars Bridge.
‘A motorcyclist attempted to drive through the same procession, before police intervened.
‘Elsewhere there were a number of altercations as members of the public snatched banners and confronted Just Stop Oil supporters.’
Another video showed protesters slowly walking over London Bridge, prompting an angry cyclist to hurl abuse at them.
The commuter shouted a number of expletives at the climate activists as he cycled past the ‘slow march’ protest at around 8.30am on Tuesday.
As the group cross the bridge escorted by police, one cyclist who overtakes the slow marchers can be heard shouting: ‘F*** you, you c***s’ to which a protester responds: ‘Nice’.
Traffic was at a standstill this morning as Just Stop Oil activists staged a protest on London Bridge
Just Stop Oil activists slow marching in London Bridge on Tuesday morning
Police issued Public Order Act (Section 12) notices on all three teams by 8.55am forcing them off the road.
Three further marches are expected later this morning, the group said.
Yesterday Just Stop Oil commenced their fifth week marching in central London every day, as the group demands an end to all new oil, gas and coal projects in the UK.
Around 46 protesters started marching on three major routes in east and west London on Monday, forcing traffic to a crawl.
During the protest, a taxi passenger could be seen pleading with police to move the activists out of the road.
The man, whose taxi was stuck behind a group of hi-vis wearing protesters, shouted out the window to officers: ‘I pay my taxes, I just want to go to work!’ as they attempt to calm him down.
Police issued Public Order Act (Section 12) notices on all three groups of marchers, forcing them off the road.
One motorcyclist attempted to drive into the group of Just Stop OIl protesters on Blackfriars Bridge
Protesters also staged a ‘slow march’ on Tower Bridge, which sparked angry clashes with motorists
Tuesday’s clashes came after footage of another confrontation in the City of London was posted on social media on Friday.
A man approached protesters as they marched slowly in front of traffic on Mansell Street, near the Tower of London, before snatching their banners and pushing a woman to the ground.
He also grabbed a phone from one of the campaigners and threw it away, before trying to push other activists out of the road.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman has vowed to stop ‘seflish, disruptive protesters’ from ‘wreaking havoc in people’s everyday lives’.
Police officers were forced to intervene at a Just Stop Oil slow march across Blackfriars Bridge this morning
A commuter ripped a banner out of a protester’s hands as they slow marched through the capital on Tuesday
Police have been handed new powers to intervene against ‘highly disruptive’ slow marching tactics used by groups such as Just Stop Oil.
It means police have the power to force protesters out of the road and onto the pavement.
READ MORE: ‘I pay my taxes… I just want to go to work!’ Frustrated taxi passenger pleads with police to move eco-zealots along as Just Stop Oil continue slow marching campaign through the capital
The legislation supports the controversial Public Order Act, which gives police new powers to break up disruptive protests.
Protesters who ‘lock on’, or obstruct infrastructure such as airports and railways have been criminalised by the new law, which came into effect just days before the King’s Coronation.
The Metropolitan Police have previously urged members of the public not to take matters into their own hands when dealing with protesters.
It comes amid growing frustration and anger at the climate activists’ tactics, with slow marches causing gridlock in the capital.
Last year, the force tried to reassure the public it was ‘fully prepared’ to deal with climate activists.
Met Police commander Karen Findlay said: ‘I completely understand the frustration and anger felt by the public, who are seriously disrupted by a relatively small number of protesters and their deliberate tactics.
‘Activists are affecting people’s businesses, their lives, whether they are on their way to a doctor, a long-awaited hospital appointment, on their way to work, to interviews, or to collect children.”
She continued: ‘We will arrive quickly, deal with the situation efficiently, remove and arrest activists as appropriate and return things to normal as soon as possible.
‘Please do not take matters into your own hands.’
Just Stop Oil has marched every since April 24.
Since the Just Stop Oil campaign launched on February 14 last year, there have been 2,100 arrests and 138 people have spent time in prison, they said.
There are currently two Just Stop Oil supporters serving three year prison sentences for resisting new oil, gas and coal.
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