Climate change activists enter tunnels as they block access to Essex oil terminals

Climate change activists have entered a network of underground tunnels as they block access to the Navigator and Grays oil terminals in Essex.

Protesters from Just Stop Oil have also blocked access to the Titan Truck Park in Essex which contains more than 100 oil tankers used to service the three main terminals in the area.

The protesters are demanding that the UK government stops new oil and gas projects.

Just Stop Oil posted a photograph of one of their activists inside an underground tunnel at one of the Essex terminals and wrote: “In the tunnel – these people are butting (sic) themselves in danger calling for #NoNewOil – calling on the government to protect us all.”

In an earlier tweet, the group shared a video of police officers beginning to break apart a wooden structure covering one of the tunnels.

Police start to dismantle tunnel cover – with #JustStopOil supporters still inside and in the tunnel. Concerns expressed for peoples safety pic.twitter.com/tRQeIb5gvh

Just Stop Oil wrote: “Police start to dismantle tunnel – with #JustStopOil supporters still inside and in the tunnel. Concerns expressed for people’s safety.”

The group said its access to the tunnels at the Navigator and Grays sites meant the main and emergency access roads to the oil terminals were closed.

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Essex Police have now arrested 83 people after two days of protests in the Thurrock district, with 20 of those arrested on Saturday.

Police arrested 63 people at protests in the areas around the oil terminals on Friday.

Officers said demonstrators were arrested on suspicion of a variety of offences.

Assistant Chief Constable Rachel Nolan said: “Our officers are continuing to work in exceptionally challenging circumstances with a view to bringing these protests to a safe and swift conclusion.

“I would like to thank businesses, local drivers and workers for their continued patience whilst we carry out our work.”

The latest protest action comes a day after Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion obstructed 10 fuel sites in the Midlands and southern England to stand against “expanding UK oil and gas production”.

Protesters were glued to roads and locked themselves to oil drums from around 4am.

ExxonMobil UK, one of the country’s largest privately owned underground oil pipeline distribution networks, said it shut down three of its terminals as a result, and police from at least five forces were deployed to tackle the demonstrations.

The Metropolitan Police arrested 14 activists who broke into a facility at Bedfont Road in Staines, Surrey, and West Midlands Police arrested six people at a terminal in Tyburn, Birmingham.

Police said arrests were made for offences including aggravated trespass, criminal damage and obstructing the highway.

Despite arrests, both Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion have warned they will be “more disruptive than ever” from next week.

They said they will stage protests in Hyde Park every day from 9 April and expect huge numbers of people to join them.

“We will be easy to find, we will be easy to join, we will be more disruptive than ever and we will be impossible to ignore,” a spokesperson told The Times.

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