Just Stop Oil protesters avoid being charged as legal loophole sees eco-activists walk free
Just Stop Oil activists arrested on Thursday were let off without being charged
JUST STOP OIL
Just Stop Oil protesters were released without charge after blocking a road - all because they were arrested while the green man was showing on a pedestrain crossing.
The climate change protesters have been taking part in a week of action in London, causing disruption in order to raise awareness for their cause.
Police have publicised the fact that they have been swift to arrest activists taking action over the past seven days.
However, it has now emerged that some of those detained have avoided being charged due to legal loopholes.
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Five Just Stop Oil activists were arrested by police on Thursday just seconds after they stepped out onto a pedestrian crossing near Trafalgar Square in London.
But they were later released by police without charge because traffic was already at a standstill and they were technically allowed to be on the road at that moment because the green man was showing.
Just Stop Oil said on social media: "No charge after Met Police get it wrong again.
"Unsurprisingly, those arrested at a pedestrian crossing were breaking no laws – not even the new anti-protest ones that Suella Braverman made up.
Video footage highlighted that the green man was showing when the arrests were made
JUST STOP OIL
"Why are the police still arresting protesters? Do they think we'll just go away?"
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."
Over the past week climate activists have targeted not only traffic on the roads but also interrupted a Thanksgiving service at St Paul's Cathedral.
During the church service. a pair of activists held up banners saying "just stop oil" and "will our children thank us?".
The group issued a statement saying: “In St Paul's Cathedral is the Thanksgiving Service when Americans especially celebrate family life. But here in Britain, young people are being imprisoned for saying: 'We fear for our future - will we be able to have families of our own?’
“Eight years ago, our governments pledged to reduce carbon emissions - but they, along with twenty of the largest oil-producing nations, are now planning to increase oil and gas production.”