The Metropolitan Police have slammed Just Stop Oil activists in a furious social media post this afternoon, blaming the group for using valuable resources.
Posting on X, formerly known as Twitter, a representative for the service said officers had charged 34 activists who would appear in UK courtrooms today.
The post highlighted the work put into apprehending and handling the activists post-arrest, asking people to “think of the resources” spent as they were taken from the street and to courts across the UK.
Ultimately, the service concluded that “Londoners are picking up the bill” for the organisation’s continued action across the city.
JSO later responded with a post of its own, in which one activist claimed the organisation “has to break the law”.
In its post this afternoon, the Met Police said: “We’ve charged 34 activists who are appearing at courts across London today.
“Think of the resources spent policing Just Stop Oil, from planning all the way through to trial and potentially sentencing.
“Ultimately Londoners are picking up the bill. We’re working swiftly to keep JSO’s disruption to a minimum.”
JSO hit back in a post on its official social media account this evening, confirming 34 people were “held to court” after marching on Wednesday, November 8.
The account also claimed 14 people were still being held in custody as of Thursday, November 9.
Patrick, a council worker from Newport who was on the Wednesday march, was quoted by JSO as saying protesters like himself now “have to break the law” after exhausting “decades” of legal means of political activity.
He said: “We’ve been trying for decades to use lawful political activity to save us from the climate crisis.
“All this has got us is the promise of an unliveable future. We have to break the law now because if we don’t our political establishment will ensure we lose everything we love.”
