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Screengrab from a video posted by Just Stop Oil of one of their activists being dragged off the street in south London Just Stop Oil/PA

Drivers drag Just Stop Oil protesters away during London road blockages

Police have made a number of arrests after anti-oil activists blocked four roads in London.

FURIOUS MOTORISTS DRAGGED Just Stop Oil protesters out of the way as activists simultaneously blocked four roads in London on Saturday.

The anti-oil campaign group said 61 of its supporters walked onto Charing Cross Road, Kensington High Street, Harleyford Street, just off Kennington Park Road, and Blackfriars Road, and sat down holding banners, causing traffic delays, at 12pm.

They are demanding that the Government halts all new oil and gas licences and consents, and police made a total of 33 arrests.

The protest outside Oval Station in Harleyford Street, south London, sparked ugly scenes as drivers remonstrated with activists and forcibly tried to move them.

Drivers dragged protesters out of the road but they persistently returned to retake their places.

A man hurled a traffic bollard onto the road near where they were sitting and people snatched their signs and chucked them on the ground.

One driver appeared to accelerate towards them before stopping while another mounted the pavement to get around them.

A motorist said: “We’ve asked you nicely, you are doing the wrong thing by blocking innocent people going about their business.

“Can you please move before we pick you up and move you?

“You are stopping the wrong people, I’ve got to go pick my kids up, I’ve got to get my lorry back to work. We can’t help you, go to Westminster.”

Theresa Norton, 64, a Labour councillor in Scarborough who was supporting the protest, said: “In the grand scheme of things, a half an hour’s disruption is not a massive sacrifice.

“It’s these people that are making the biggest sacrifice, they’ll be arrested, go to a police cell, they might even have to spend 48 hours in the police cell, go to court on Monday.

“These are the real people making the sacrifices even though people may not realise it.

“We’re doing it for everyone, no people here is doing it out of selfish reasons.”

She added: “We all have to undergo non-violence training, so that’s a day’s training with exactly this scenario, people being dragged out, dragged away, violently sometimes, and just calmly not reacting, calmly moving back into place if and when is possible.

“So, we are trained for this situation and we know there’s a lot of anger, which is regrettable, nobody enjoys it, but we are here to make a point.”

Just Stop Oil said the road blockages follow four weeks of civil resistance by its supporters during which the police have made 626 arrests.

The Metropolitan Police tweeted: “We are aware of Just Stop Oil protests in Kensington High Street, Charing Cross Road, Kennington Park Road and Blackfriars Road. Police were immediately on scene and a number of arrests have been made.

“Protesters have used ‘lock-ons’ and glued themselves to the road. Charing Cross Road has now been cleared and is back open to traffic. Work is ongoing to reopen the other roads as soon as possible.”

The force later said officers had removed the protesters and the roads were open again, and a total of 33 people had been arrested and taken into custody.

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60 Comments
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    Mute Gerry Madden
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    Oct 29th 2022, 5:04 PM

    Its only a matter of time before someone going to collect kids from school are delayed and something happens to the kids… what will these guys have to say then???

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    Mute François Pignon
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    Oct 29th 2022, 5:39 PM

    @Gerry Madden: buy a cargo bike. No fuel, better excercise, better planet.

    102
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    Mute malcolm smith
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    Oct 29th 2022, 6:00 PM

    @François Pignon: and we could all buy clown outfits too!

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    Mute Bri Lyons
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    Oct 29th 2022, 6:03 PM

    @François Pignon: metal frame, rubber tyres, transported from factory by ship, rail, truck.

    207
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    Mute Disco Inferno
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    Oct 29th 2022, 6:03 PM

    @François Pignon: cos after all, mining the minerals needed for the plethora of batteries has minimal environmental impact

    171
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    Mute Dave Byrne
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    Oct 29th 2022, 6:38 PM

    @François Pignon: Wanna big house to get a bike like that in and out of the house,Not unless you have a big house like sleepy Eamo.

    83
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    Mute
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    Oct 29th 2022, 7:17 PM

    @Bri Lyons: you are missing the point a cargo bike or 2 wheeled bike doesn’t use any fossil fuel to move. The list you named and how the products got transported is offset because of the fact petrol or diesel is not used to cycle the bike.

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    Mute Bri Lyons
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    Oct 29th 2022, 8:03 PM

    @: you missed the point that fossil fuels are used to manufacture the bike and this lot are anti fossil fuel use. Hypocritical.

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    Mute Fozz
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    Oct 30th 2022, 5:11 AM

    @Gerry Madden: maybe the little fatties can walk or cycle to and from school.
    Teach them some independence, instead of being driven everywhere.

    21
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    Mute Ned
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    Oct 29th 2022, 5:33 PM

    British people are struggling to make ends meet so they are not going to tolerate these wasters blocking them from going about their daily struggle to make a living in these tough times,

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    Mute sean o'dhubhghaill
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    Oct 29th 2022, 6:13 PM

    @Ned: ‘Wasters’? Explain.

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    Mute Ned
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    Oct 29th 2022, 6:25 PM

    @sean o’dhubhghaill: they are wasting drivers time the cops time and their own time cause they will get nowhere with this carry on,
    So this qualifies them as wasters I say.

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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    Oct 29th 2022, 6:39 PM

    @Ned: well said.

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    Mute
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    Oct 29th 2022, 7:20 PM

    @Ned: struggling to make ends meet. Well they’d save lots by not using the car wouldn’t they tax insurance mot fuel maintenance. Just take a bus or train. Unless your a good delivery person and you obviously need to use the vehicle.

    21
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    Mute Ned
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    Oct 29th 2022, 7:59 PM

    @: getting a bus or getting to a train would would still be interrupted by these climate wasters,

    109
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    Mute Margaret Mcgarry
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    Oct 30th 2022, 8:19 AM

    @sean o’dhubhghaill: wasters = idiots who try to prevent ordinary people from working who don’t work themselves

    34
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    Mute Seamus Mac
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    Oct 29th 2022, 6:10 PM

    Just Stop Oil. How? By blocking traffic in large urban areas & forcing people to sit with engines idling & making them buy even more fossil fuel. I wouldn’t be surprised if the oil companies were behind this.

    190
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    Mute sean o'dhubhghaill
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    Oct 29th 2022, 6:15 PM

    @Seamus Mac: All cars now have ‘autostop’ systems which turn off the engine when iing in neutral. It turns on again when clutch is pressed.

    18
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    Mute sean o'dhubhghaill
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    Oct 29th 2022, 6:16 PM

    @sean o’dhubhghaill: *idling in neutral.

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    Mute Seamus Mac
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    Oct 29th 2022, 7:41 PM

    @sean o’dhubhghaill: all cars?

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    Mute Hector Pickaxe
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    Oct 29th 2022, 7:58 PM

    @sean o’dhubhghaill: I have 2 cars and none of them have “autostop” as you call it. And my Wife’s car is automatic so she doesn’t press the clutch, and, the car doesn’t need to be in neutral. Just saying… :-D

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Oct 30th 2022, 9:33 AM

    @Seamus Mac: By getting people to talk about it. Hate is a powerful weapon even when indirectly appropriated.

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    Mute Jo H
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    Oct 30th 2022, 10:23 AM

    @sean o’dhubhghaill: my car is only 4 years old, it does not have autostop

    18
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    Mute Trebor Daly
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    Oct 30th 2022, 11:12 AM

    @sean o’dhubhghaill: All new cars.

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    Mute Stephen Deegan
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    Oct 30th 2022, 11:36 AM

    @sean o’dhubhghaill: mine doesn’t.

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    Mute John Kelly
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    Oct 30th 2022, 1:46 PM

    @sean o’dhubhghaill: On paper this sounds like a great idea but in practice I’ve had to replace two car batteries that were less than 3 years old and the batteries were significantly more expensive than they were in the past as they are now special because if the auto stop start. I’ve no doubt it’s putting wear and tear on the ignition system too.

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    Mute SkylineSi
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    Oct 29th 2022, 5:08 PM

    Good enough for them. these “protests” are getting out of hand and only making them look like fools even more

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    Mute Mick Tobin
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    Oct 29th 2022, 5:23 PM

    @SkylineSi: I saw one scientist comment that that may in fact be the idea, that by making fools of themselves it makes other protests seem less radical and hence more acceptable.

    Though to be fair that was a comment on the museum protests.

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    Mute Paul Maguire
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    Oct 29th 2022, 5:10 PM

    What do these protesters think back what happened when they disrupt the public routine…as most of people are pinned to the colour as it is and these protesters are adding to the People’s problem.

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    Mute Luan Willis
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    Oct 29th 2022, 9:27 PM

    @Paul Maguire: *collar

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    Mute Brian Sherry
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    Oct 29th 2022, 6:38 PM

    Even their name is clueless. You don’t “Just” stop oil. As if you could flip a switch and oil “just” stops being the backbone of energy and material production worldwide. I’m absolutely for moving to renewable energy but I know you don’t “just” do it. It’s a long slow march toward it and a bunch of 20 year olds throwing paint on things and stropping around London does nothing to help that move.

    138
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    Mute Celtic Eagle
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    Oct 29th 2022, 5:25 PM

    These people have been brainwashed. They think all human life on earth will end if we don’t go crazy with the climate agenda. If we did nothing we would be fine in Ireland. The problem with climate refugees could be solved easily.

    179
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    Mute sean o'dhubhghaill
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    Oct 29th 2022, 5:34 PM

    @Celtic Eagle: Sea levels will rise by up to 150cm, meaning every major financial centre in the world is flooded except Johannesburg. Life won’t end, but it WILL change in ways we cannot imagine. If you think we will be fine in Ireland you are COMPLETELY deluded. Dublin, Waterford, Cork, Limerick and Galway destroyed.

    106
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    Mute Pat Man
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    Oct 29th 2022, 5:53 PM

    @sean o’dhubhghaill: I guess there will be a Plague of Locusts too.

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    Mute sean o'dhubhghaill
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    Oct 29th 2022, 6:05 PM

    @Pat Man: No. But change in sea temperatures has led to change in CO2 levels meaning a change in sea pH. This is leading to a ‘plague’ of jellyfish in areas of the Phillipine Sea.

    39
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    Mute Paul Owens
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    Oct 29th 2022, 6:48 PM

    @sean o’dhubhghaill: Very true.

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    Mute
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    Oct 29th 2022, 7:25 PM

    @sean o’dhubhghaill: check this map out

    https://bit.ly/3gTvNDU

    6
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    Mute Longlin
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    Oct 29th 2022, 8:01 PM

    I’ve seen this map before and some people believe it to be the parts that will be permanently underwater if sea level increases. In actuality, it’s parts that will flood annually and much of the areas that are highlighted pink, have flooded annually anyway. Not a climate change denyer by any means but I would sometimes question the rate of change that is likely to happen. No harm for this country to move away from foreign sources of fossil fuel but we’re fooling ourselves that we will make much difference unless the big global polluters get on board also.

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Oct 30th 2022, 9:35 AM

    @Celtic Eagle: Gotta keep your head in the sand to avoid being brainwashed I suppose

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    Mute Stephen Deegan
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    Oct 30th 2022, 11:52 AM

    @sean o’dhubhghaill: I think the word ‘destroyed’ is a bit much. Inconvenienced, maybe, but not destroyed. I strongly believe that we’re hurtling headlong towards sea level change if we don’t cop on to ourselves, but it’s going to be a gradual level rise. I live in Waterford (one of the places you quoted) and we’ve seen the building of substantial flood defences over the last decade or so, due to the frequent flooding of the Suir. These defences are designed to contain flooding caused by a surge of over 1.5 meters above the highest astronomical tide. Thankfully these defences have worked well over the last few seasons. I think using words like ‘destroyed’ isn’t applicable in this context.

    6
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    Mute Ní neart go cur le chéile.
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    Oct 29th 2022, 6:17 PM

    Do they know the clothes they are wearing and the glue from oil? Polyester is a manufactured synthetic fiber. It is a kind of plastic and is usually derived from petroleum. Alternatives to oil-derived polyester exist, including those made from recycled plastic, agricultural crops, or even waste. Look into derivatives of petroleum, we are using them every day and eating as well

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    Mute sean o'dhubhghaill
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    Oct 29th 2022, 6:20 PM

    @Ní neart go cur le chéile.: You know what the protesters were wearing??!! Well Done!

    17
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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Oct 29th 2022, 6:41 PM

    @sean o’dhubhghaill: there is a picture showing them wearing hi vis tops made as described.

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    Mute Ní neart go cur le chéile.
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    Oct 29th 2022, 6:53 PM

    @sean o’dhubhghaill: don’t want to argue woth u, I am not against the idea, but going extremely and disturbing others are not good idea. We are all aware the pollution and global warming, but we have to do one step a time, the oil is in our life everywhere and everyday. What we should do is developing more green energy, reducing oil using, developing the tech that can absorb the pollution… also we should look into space, we may find something that can be replaced oil… or some planets we can move to … there are lots solutions

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    Mute sean o'dhubhghaill
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    Oct 29th 2022, 9:26 PM

    @Ní neart go cur le chéile.: I agree with 100%. I never said anything else. In fact, I was just querying other posts!

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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    Oct 29th 2022, 6:38 PM

    Dump these guys on a very very very remote island somewhere.

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    Mute GaMran
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    Oct 29th 2022, 8:39 PM

    @Dave Barrett: very kind, jeez no need to be nonchalantly cruel.

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Oct 30th 2022, 9:37 AM

    @Dave Barrett: …and crack on working to make a handful of people even wealthier than they already are. Personally, I enjoy the daily port que on the M7.

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    Mute Michael Costello
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    Oct 29th 2022, 7:32 PM

    Do all the protesters live locally to where they are staging their protests if not are they walking from their homes to the protests. They would be hypocritical if they used any form of transport run on oils. I also assume they will not be accepting the UK government’s heating grants to put towards their heating costs

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    Mute ProtectKyiv
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    Oct 29th 2022, 5:54 PM

    Literally saving humankind…your kids, grandkids. The facts are incontrovertible. If they could advertise the protest route they would. Just Look Up

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    Mute Bramley Hawthorne
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    Oct 30th 2022, 1:45 PM

    @ProtectKyiv: “Literally saving humankind.” That’s a bit rich from a poster called ProtectKyiv when KIev launched a war against its fellow citizens, shelling the eastern regions of their country. If less weapons were sent to Ukraine and peace talks started there would be more hope of saving the planet.

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    Mute Kevin Simm
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    Oct 30th 2022, 7:17 AM

    Labour councillor from Scarborough 308 miles away ,how did she get there bike or walk ?

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    Mute Kevin Geraghty
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    Oct 29th 2022, 11:31 PM

    Every one of you commenting on this is proof they are doing the right thing. The point of protesting is to be noticed and everyone of you are proof they’ve been noticed. And I haven’t said I agree with them or not, I’ve just pointed out the obvious.

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Oct 30th 2022, 9:45 AM

    @Kevin Geraghty: Shh! you are devaluing people’s attempts to convince us of their ‘believeies’

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    Mute JWT 999
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    Oct 29th 2022, 7:16 PM

    It’s only a matter of time and it will be happening here

    17
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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Oct 30th 2022, 9:42 AM

    @JWT 999: While I don’t support these kinds of protests something has to give on our transport system, currently we move everything on the same handful of roads, with zero planning and zero infrastructure, Iron curtain-era HGVs have it coming.

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    Mute David Lydon
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    Oct 29th 2022, 10:30 PM

    Cops need to learn how to turn a blind eye. If protesters fell above the law the so should those affected by them.

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    Mute Type17
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    Oct 30th 2022, 8:02 AM

    Even though the sample size is relatively small, the voting patterns on the various viewpoints in the comments below stories like this leads me to believe that societies and economies worldwide are doomed. With these prevailing attitudes, there is little to no hope of limiting climate breakdown. We never had kids, and it used to be a source of sadness for us, but now we’re somewhat relieved that they won’t exist in the coming calamities.

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    Mute Rochelle
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    Oct 30th 2022, 1:10 PM

    Well done to them!

    I feel sorry for the people who become irrationally angry at the idea of being delayed or inconvenienced over something like this. They’re stuck in an endless hamster wheel of consumption and you can see all the stress pouring out from these blockades. They can’t see at all that they’re the problem, I wonder will things ever change.

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