Police say charging M25 climate protesters ‘difficult’

Police arrest 11 after climate crisis protesters defy court injunction and glue themselves to road

Police have claimed it is very difficult" to bring charges against environmental activists after 27 members of Insulate Britain were arrested for blocking a roundabout at a junction with the M25.

Lisa Townsend, Surrey's police and crime commissioner, said the police were receiving an enormous amount of flak" over their response but she insisted officers were doing their utmost to prevent the disruption".

It comes after the same junction was targeted twice in six hours. On Wednesday morning, police arrested 11 people who had glued themselves to the road on a roundabout at junction 3, the Swanley Interchange in Kent, at about 7.30am.

The group returned at 1pm when a further 16 arrests were made for the same offence. All 27 people are being held in custody.