Commander Karen Findlay, Met Operations, said: “Just Stop Oil has already caused significant disruption to London’s general public and people travelling on the M25.
“We understand they are now set to cause further disruption in London in the run-up to Christmas, from 28 November to 14 December. However, we are again fully prepared. We have a very experienced team with robust policing measures in place to respond quickly and effectively to any incidents of serious disruption to London. We also have specialist officers available to deal with a range of tactics including sophisticated lock-on devices.
“We will always try to work with organisers so that protests can go ahead safely. However, Just Stop Oil do not engage with police in advance to share where they may protest or how many may be involved. As their actions are spontaneous and could take place anywhere across the capital, we are having to use more officers to respond, regardless of whether any action takes place or not. These are officers who could be dealing with issues that matter to local communities such as knife crime, safeguarding and responding to burglaries. Since 1 October, 11,923 officer shifts have been required to respond to Just Stop Oil activity.
“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, and 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. Therefore, I again urge Just Stop Oil organisers to engage with us to minimise disruption to Londoners.
“I would also like to reassure people in London that the Met is a large and resilient organisation. Despite the abstraction of officers to support these operations, we can and will continue to deal with our core business in communities.
“Where activists cross the line into criminality, the Met will provide a proportionate policing response. 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.
“During October and November, the Met arrested 755 Just Stop Oil activists, with 182 charged so far.
“We are determined to bring to justice all those activists who cause disruption or damage to London. We’re working closely with the Crown Prosecution Service and the courts to ensure this happens.”
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