Explainer: An increasingly short temper for Just Stop Oil protesters
The number of climate protests up and down the country, but especially in London, is undoubtedly increasing. Today, three Just Stop Oil activists were arrested after throwing orange powder all over one of the gardens on display at the Chelsea Flower Show.
This week and last, Just Stop Oil protesters have been conducting slow marches all over the city. And it’s not only the UK: last Sunday, climate activists threw charcoal into the water of the iconic Trevi fountain in Rome. They were protesting against investments in fossil fuels, pointing to the tragic floods in the Emilia-Romagna region as evidence of their impact on climate.
In the UK, the police have started to routinely respond to these protests. The three women throwing powder on the garden were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage. The police now have the power to remove people from the streets and block them on the pavement, and it often does so in the first hour of the protest.
But another trend is emerging: private citizens intervening and trying to physically remove the protesters. Videos from the last couple of weeks have emerged showing citizens taking matters into their own hands. It’s worrying, as vigilante culture has barely ever brought any good to communities.
Two days ago, one driver was blocked and handcuffed by the police after he pushed Just Stop Oil protesters onto the pavement. In the video, the man is seen pushing one man to the floor quite violently. He was detained on “suspicion of common assault” but not arrested.
Last week there was another clash in the City, near Tower Bridge, that was filmed from above by someone overlooking the scene from a balcony. In the video, a visibly angry man proceeds to snatch the barriers carried by the protesters, then throws away the phone of someone who’s filming, and pushes a female protester to the floor.
The police have urged people not to intervene, but the reprimand is unlikely to work without enforcement. Through the Public Orders Bill introduced by this government, the police already have increased powers to deal with protesters. Protestors who lock themselves together – or to buildings and infrastructure – can now face six months in jail. The definition of “serious disruption” was altered last month to give the police powers to intervene even during slow walks like the ones of the last few days.
Some people might feel annoyed – others furious – by the disruption caused by the protests. This doesn’t, and shouldn’t, excuse violent intervention. The issue is that as the tension around these protests heightens, the number of people who feel entitled to intervene is only going to increase.