Insulate Britain: New injunction after rush hour protest

A new temporary injunction has been granted against environmental group Insulate Britain after protesters brought parts of London to a standstill.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the injunction covered the "entire strategic road network".

"Tonight this has been granted on a temp basis by the High Court," he tweeted on Monday evening.

Earlier police arrested more than 50 people, some glued to the road.

In a post on Twitter, Mr Shapps accused Insulate Britain, who blocked roads on 14 days over the five weeks to 14 October, of "risking lives and ruining journeys".

There are already three specific injunctions in place against the group.

The transport secretary tweeted: "The long term solution lies in changes to the Police, Crime, Sentencing & Courts Bill, giving additional powers against disruptive protests which target critical national infrastructure."

Insulate Britain, an offshoot of Extinction Rebellion, wants the government to insulate all UK homes by 2030 to cut carbon emissions.

Members of the group targeted London's financial district in Canary Wharf and the City of London during Monday's rush hour, obstructing Limehouse Causeway as well as nearby Liverpool Street, Bishopsgate and Upper Thames Street.

Demonstrators who glued their hands to the ground on Monday were removed from the road by officers before being arrested and led to police vehicles.

The previous injunctions obtained by the government ban the group from demonstrations on the M25, around the Port of Dover and on major roads around London. These orders were granted to National Highways.

In addition, Transport for London was granted a civil banning order earlier this month to prevent activists obstructing traffic on the city's roads - an order which was extended last week.

Breaches of the injunctions could lead to jail terms. However, so far, the injunctions have failed to put a stop to the protests.

Earlier this month, the group, whose actions have led to angry exchanges with members of the public caught up in traffic disruption, suspended its campaigning for 11 days, from 14 October.

But protesters vowed to restart its action if Prime Minister Boris Johnson did not deliver "a meaningful or trustworthy statement" on improving the insulation in some British homes.

In a statement following the most recent arrests on Monday, Insulate Britain said: "We won't stand by while the government kills our kids."