Just Stop Oil protests: Dozen arrests as climate activists ‘stop production’ at two plants

Twelve climate activists arrested at Kingsbury terminal in Staffordshire as lorry driver clashes with campaigners in Grays, Essex

Just Stop Oil climate protesters have been arrested after targeting three oil terminals in Staffordshire and Essex (Henry Nicholls/Reuters)

A dozen climate campaigners have been arrested after targeting three oil terminals in their latest wave of protests.

Activists arrived at the Kingsbury terminal near Tamworth, Staffordshire, and the Navigator Oil terminal in Thurrock and Grays oil terminal, both in Essex, early on Friday morning.

Pictures from Just Stop Oil, a group of climate activists affiliated with Extinction Rebellion, showed people in orange hi-vis jackets on top of oil tankers and blockading roads while holding signs.

The group claimed production had been stopped at both the Kingsbury and Grays terminals.

Valero Energy was granted an injunction against a number of environmental groups and “persons unknown” earlier this week following protests at the Kingsbury terminal.

It bans anyone from damaging any part of the land at each of the firm’s sites, from “affixing themselves to any other person or object” on the land or parts of access roads, and from building any structure.

A copy of the court order was reportedly placed at the entrance to the terminal, but campaigners appeared undeterred as images emerged of some gluing their hands to the road after moving back in overnight.

Other images also appeared to show a lorry driver clashing with protesters as he pulled one to the ground as they attempted to scale a tanker in Grays.

Warwickshire Police said 12 arrests had been made, while officers were also at the scene in Essex.

Valero also owns and operates sites in Manchester, Cardiff, Plymouth and Avonmouth.

Activists from Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion have been blocking access to oil terminals, demanding that the government stops new oil and gas projects.

Activists from Just Stop Oil sit on top of a fuel tanker during a protest in Grays, Essex (Henry Nicholls/Reuters)

A dozen activists are said to be at the scene in Tamworth and have locked themselves on to pipes, while roadblocks and “tanker-surfing” has taken place at the sites in Essex.

Warwickshire Police said: “Officers remain at Kingsbury Oil Terminal today and are currently dealing with protest activity after a number of protesters arrived overnight.

“There is minimal impact to the wider community at this time.”

Additional reporting by Press Association