'You've ruined your cause': Driver takes on Insulate Britain supporter
13 September 2021, 10:45 | Updated: 13 September 2021, 11:03
Driver takes on Insulate Britain supporter over chaotic protests
This driver takes on an Insulate Britain supporter after climate change protesters stormed the M25 and caused chaotic disruption to commuters.
Insulate Britain, a relatively small activist group, blockaded the main carriageway of Britain’s busiest motorway in a sit-down protest.
As of 9.15 this morning, four arrests have been made and the group had targeted motorists at: M25 J6, J20, J3, J31 and at Junction 14 at Heathrow.
The aim of the group is for the government to "take responsibility for the insulation of all social housing in Britain" and create a "legally binding national plan to fully fund and take responsibility for the full low-energy and low-carbon whole-house retrofit", according to their site.
A supporter Fiona said, "What this is about is getting homes insulated so that we don't have fuel poverty in this country, so that people can not worry about heating their houses."
Police on site as Insulate Britain protesters block the M25
A "really really angry" driver Richard, who was caught in the disruption, told LBC's Nick Ferrari his half hour journey became an hour and a half journey, which "wasted so much diesel and caused so much pollution."
The supporter apologised to Richard, adding, "We're driven to this...I wish we didn't have to do this.
"The government aren't sticking to their own targets. They've made 12% progress towards their target in use of power and energy in this country."
Insulate Britain protesters approached by drivers
The driver responded: "You've made me and thousands of other people waste an awful lot of diesel this morning, caused so much more pollution than you needed to. If you believe in the democratic way, you'd do this via the ballot box, you wouldn't do it by disrupting normal working people just trying to go about their way of life.
"What you're doing is complete counterproductive... a lot of people might have backed your cause, but it's ruined by you doing this sort of thing."
Fiona responded that this is not "her cause" but it's "all our cause."
M25 protesters move out of road to allow ambulance to pass
"When our governments fail to act in a democracy, we are entitled to rise up and say not good enough," she said, to which Nick replied that there is a right to "proportionate" protest.
He said that he would not choose to cause "untold misery" to thousands of people, despite the existential cause.
Driver Richard concluded that he was "just so fed up with it."
Former chief constable Sir Hugh Orde told LBC that peoples' right to protest is "proportionate", and for this particular demonstration "a clear message needs to be sent."
"It's worth reminding ourselves these people tried to stop a live motorway running, that is extraordinarily dangerous."It puts their lives at risk, it puts motorists' lives at risks and it puts police officers' lives at risk."
