Just Stop Oil (JSO) activists are facing intense criticism after allegedly obstructing an ambulance on an emergency call during a demonstration on London’s Waterloo Bridge. The Metropolitan Police reported making more than 40 arrests as protesters did not heed warnings to clear the roadway, which resulted in severe traffic congestion.
Images released by the police display the blockade’s impact, with an ambulance visibly stuck amidst the traffic with its emergency lights activated. JSO has countered the accusations via a post on X (previously known as Twitter), claiming that it was the police, not protesters, who were blocking the ambulance “to pin the blame on the protest.”
Authorities have conveyed frustration as activists, despite repeated requests to make way, continued their slow march toward The Strand. The police’s ultimatum to vacate the road or face arrest was met with a partial migration of the demonstration, but not before more arrests were made as the final holdouts were removed from the street.
This disruption is the latest in a series of JSO-led actions that have rippled through London. Recently, two individuals were charged for allegedly vandalizing a protected painting at the National Gallery, adding to the 42 others facing charges for obstruction of the highway.
The group, known for its high-profile stunts aimed at calling attention to climate change, vehemently denied allegations that they targeted the war memorial Cenotaph during another protest, arguing that police herded them to that location.
