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A police commissioner has admitted officers “made a mistake” by arresting members of the press covering Just Stop Oil protesters on the M25. An LBC photographer, filmmaker and reporter were arrested by Hertfordshire Police this week. David Lloyd, the force’s police and crime commissioner, told LBC: “I’m sure there was no reason to arrest them in the way you gave. As I said at the beginning, I think we got it wrong.” Meanwhile, Just Stop Oil returned to the cranes along the M25 for the fourth day running. The climate group once again blocked roads and caused delays along the highway to call for a halt to new oil and gas. Traffic was disrupted near Heathrow on Thursday morning, although it has since eased. The Metropolitan, Surrey and Essex police arrested people over the action on Thursday.
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Photographer “enraged” at police search of house
A press photographer arrested covering a Just Stop Oil demonstration said he was asked to hand over his wedding ring and was “furious” when he found police had searched his home. Zoe Tidman10 November 2022 14:48 1668089928
‘Proactive Patrol’ patrol car with climbing equipment near the M25
Kent Police say they arrested five suspected activists this morning during “precautionary patrols” near the M25. Police found climbing equipment and a banner in a car: Zoe Tidman10 November 2022 14:18 1668087216
Eleven were charged overnight
The Metropolitan Police said 11 people were charged overnight in connection with the Just Stop Oil protests on the M25. All were due to appeal in courts across the country today. Zoe Tidman10 November 2022 13:33 1668084932
Essex Police praised the “brave” officers
Essex Police praised officers for arresting an activist on the M25 today. “It was great work this morning by our officers who were brave, stopped someone near a bridge and made an arrest,” ACC Glen Pavelin said. “When crime happens, we will act quickly and make arrests.” Zoe Tidman10 November 2022 12:55 1668083612
Just Stop Oil discuss arrests of journalists
New tweet from Just Stop Oil: Zoe Tidman 10 November 2022 12:33 1668082410
“Dangerous Override”
Jun Pang, head of policy and campaigns at Liberty said: “A free, independent press is a vital part of a functioning democracy and should not be interfered with. “For the Police and Crime Commissioner to order the media to review the way they cover the protests is a dangerous overreach. “This, and the recent arrests of journalists and protesters, is allowed and encouraged by a government that continues to grant sweeping powers to the police, creating a hostile environment for protesters and an increasingly dangerous working environment for journalists.” Zoe Tidman10 November 2022 12:13 1668080552
The journalists hit back at the police and crime commissioner’s comments
Ramzy Alwakeel, head of news at openDemocracy, said the organization was “deeply disturbed” by David LLoyd’s comments. “Our job is to report facts and context, not to censor facts to suit authorities or special interests. It’s not the police’s job to tell us which protests we can or can’t cover,” he told the Independent. Meanwhile, the British Association of Journalists said it is a non-political union and does not make statements on political issues. “However, the comments this morning on LBC by David Lloyd have left us stunned,” she said in a statement, adding: “We are at a loss for words. “ Zoe Tidman10 November 2022 11:42 1668079532
Media should rethink Just Stop Oil coverage, police and crime commissioner says
Hertfordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner appeared to blame journalists for not covering the Just Stop Oil protests “adequately” after the force was heavily criticized for arresting members of the press. David Lloyd said journalists should “consider” whether it was right to give the protests the “oxygen of publicity”. He made a comparison to how he imagined the press would say about a person trying to kill himself on a ring road, which he didn’t think would be covered “in the same way”. “The question I push back at you is that fine line between reporting the news and publicizing the news and whether that is occasionally crossed by reporting it in such a sensational way,” he told LBC. Zoe Tidman10 November 2022 11:25 1668078095
The police chief apologizes for arresting the journalist
Hertfordshire Police’s Police and Crime Commissioner admitted the force “made a mistake” by arresting journalists trying to cover the Just Stop Oil protests on the M25. Asked on LBC about the detention of an LBC reporter, as well as a documentary maker and a photographer, David Lloyd said: “I’m sure there was no reason to arrest them as you have. As I said at the beginning, I think we got it wrong.” Apologizing, Lloyd said he had been put on radio as a ‘scapegoat’ but added: ‘It seems he shouldn’t have. [arrested]and for that I apologize.” Zoe Tidman November 10, 2022 11:01 am 1668076636
Tweets from drivers stuck in traffic on the M25
Here’s what people who have been hit in traffic on the M25 are saying: Zoe Tidman10 November 2022 10:37
