Nigel Farage has slammed Just Stop Oil protestors after they climbed motorway signs on the M25 in response to the extreme temperatures in the UK.
Five demonstrators scaled gantries which support overhead motorway signs in three places on the M25, causing police to close sections of the road.
Protesters climbed signs at junction 10 eastbound near Cobham, Surrey, the Poyle interchange at Heathrow between junctions 14 and 15, and in Dartford between the Queen Elizabeth Bridge northbound and junction 30.
Speaking on GB News’ Farage, Nigel hit out at the activists, saying they “need dealing with a lot more strongly.”
Nigel Farage has slammed the latest Just Stop Oil protestors
GB News/PA
Nigel said: “They’ve been blocking the M25 at Heathrow Airport and at the Dartford Crossing, causing absolute mayhem.
“People missing flights, people missing family funerals, people not getting to job interviews.
“Yes I know it got to 40C yesterday but the idea that we stop all production of fossil fuels in the UK is just for the birds because we’d had to import it because we still need to use lots of it.
“So I think these people are quite frankly a complete and utter disgrace and need dealing with a lot more strongly.”
Five people have since been arrested over the incidents, police have confirmed.
Surrey Police said a woman has been arrested on suspicion of causing a danger to road users, causing a public nuisance, and for being a pedestrian on the motorway.
Just Stop Oil activists climbed signs on the M25 earlier today
Just Stop Oil
The force said: “Officers were called just after 7am this morning following reports of a protest on the M25 just past junction 10 of the anti-clockwise carriageway.
“Officers attended the scene and located a female protester sitting on top of a gantry over the motorway.
“Three lanes needed to be closed while we worked to safely remove the woman, which involved a specialist team trained in dealing with incidents at height.
“A 22-year-old woman from London has been arrested on suspicion of causing a danger to road users, causing a public nuisance, and for being a pedestrian on the motorway.
“We appreciate this caused significant disruption this morning and want to thank drivers for their patience while we dealt with the incident.”
Police said all lanes had since been reopened on this part of the M25.
Essex Police also said a woman had been arrested.
The force said: “We responded to reports of someone on a gantry above the clockwise section between junctions 30 and 31 shortly after 11am today.
“Our officers attended and worked to resolve the situation quickly and safely and this required specialist resources.
“The road was closed for a time but we worked to put a diversion in place to release traffic. A woman has now been arrested and the road is being reopened shortly.”
Later, Scotland Yard said officers arrested a further three people – two women and a man – on suspicion of causing a public nuisance.
The Metropolitan Police said officers were called at 8:42am to reports of people on a gantry over the M25 between junctions 14 and 15.