Insulate Britain

M0nica

I am sure you are all like me impressed by the commitment of our rentamob ecowarriors to their cause today.

They have called today's protest off - because it is raining!

Compare them with other truly committed protestors. CND and the Greenham Women. The members of these groups suffered through hardships of rain and cold weather and far more and unpleasant opposition than this little group of wimps.

They won the respect of people like me, who did not agree with them - and many others, which is more than this lot are doing.

Just to add to this, can I ask why these cowardly moronic idiots don’t go and protest in massive polluting countries like China. Oh I wonder if this is because they would not be treated so kindly if they did. The water cannons would be the least of their worries I would imagine. The best thing I saw was members of the public dragging them off the roads and dumping the protesters on the roadside.

Are those who say “why don’t they go and protest in China” really thinking that argument through? How would a British protest group get to China? Who would fund that trip? Where would they stay? What about the language differences? Of course they aren’t going to “go to China “ it’s the most ridiculous statement. We have got to clean up our own act first - what you are really saying is “shut up and go away”. Which is fine, except they aren’t going to do that - we must all take environmental issues seriously and if it takes committed and legitimate protest to make us all sit up and take notice then that’s what will happen. We are definitely collectively dragging our feet while the environment degrades.

I don't agree that anyone's saying "shut up and go away". Exercise your right to free speech and to demonstrate but don't impede the rights of others to travel for whatever reason.

Blocking roads IMO isn't legitimate protest and rather than encouraging others to join and support them, their actions are pushing people away.

I had a laugh yesterday when it was reported their demonstrators had been arrested after walking along the hard shoulder. One of their spokespersons said they weren't going to block the actual road any more after getting 'feedback' from the public. I presumed that the feedback was the angry drivers getting physical with them and quite right too!

Does anyone else find the hateful language and mentions of violence - gluing people to walls, turning hoses on them, laughing at ink being thrown in faces - on this thread appalling, or is it just me?

Yes absolutely, I do too Scones

Along with the implication that unless you are a saint and have no carbon footprint whatsoever you aren't entitled to have a view on Climate Change.

So you don't find their behaviour appalling then, Scones? I'm not surprised people use that kind of language, to be perfectly honest. If I was being prevented from going about my normal daily basis, or worse, stopped from getting to hospital or something similar, I'd be doing a hell of a lot more than just using 'appalling language'.

What's wrong with gluing the people who glue their hands to the road, to walls?

Good point Alegrias everyone has a carbon foot print don't they?

Scones

Does anyone else find the hateful language and mentions of violence - gluing people to walls, turning hoses on them, laughing at ink being thrown in faces - on this thread appalling, or is it just me?

No, it's not just you, Scones. I haven't bothered with this thread because I just knew what the general response would be like. I read it through last night from curiosity and I was absolutely correct in my assumption. Grans at their very worst.

I do think the point someone made about Food Banks is a good ne.

If people feel passionately about something then it is a good thing to channel that passion in a positive way rather than negative and disrupt others going about their lawful business.

Starting a fund to help others insulate their homes, lobbying to ensure that councils and housing associations insulate their properties would be a far better way to channel that energy.

Disruptive protests have the opposite effect to what is needed.

I should add, though, that the leader of the protests seems to be singularly passionless.

I do wonder if IR have factored in the extra emissions and disruption to small roads and towns around the M25 as many hauliers, people travelling to work etc now actively avoid the motorway just in case IR swoop in and disrupt/stop traffic?

I know that our drivers are now avoiding the M25 wherever/whenever it’s possible, nice scenic routes for them but longer journeys and working hours, not so nice for the local roads as they become busier.

What shocked me was how swiftly the police responded to the bagpipe player who was causing no disruption whatsoever, yet the rabble who consider it acceptable to hold up traffic for several hours were permitted to stay.

However the protesters’ behaviour over the past few months has alienated the majority of the population, so ultimately it’s all been a futile exercise.

Maybe the police should start arresting idiots using their mobile phones whilst driving, causing accidents and closing roads like the M25 on a daily basis.

They do vegansrock.

scones you’re not alone - the generalisations based on no evidence and completely wrong about these protesters ( no jobs, rentamob, crusties etc) almost amounts to hate speech. Yet criticise the critics for not doing enough themselves you get a complete pile on.

Vegansrock
I think you’ll find they have been doing that for some years now.

If you look at the statistics for convictions for using mobile phones whilst driving they are incredibly low - yet I can walk down the road and see people doing it daily.

Oh yes, if in doubt, have a go at the police! How predictable...

I presume people are just as scathing about mobile phone users who think it's ok to do so whilst driving.
They're idiots, and self entitled fools, too.

vegansrock

If you look at the statistics for convictions for using mobile phones whilst driving they are incredibly low - yet I can walk down the road and see people doing it daily.

There are multiple unmarked and visible police cars patrolling the M25 24 hours a day, there are many many speed cameras and traffic surveillance cameras also.

Maybe you should ask the traffic police under the freedom of information act how many speeding motorists are caught each day alongside those using their phones whilst using the M25 vegansrock ?

vegansrock

Are those who say “why don’t they go and protest in China” really thinking that argument through? How would a British protest group get to China? Who would fund that trip? Where would they stay? What about the language differences? Of course they aren’t going to “go to China “ it’s the most ridiculous statement. We have got to clean up our own act first - what you are really saying is “shut up and go away”. Which is fine, except they aren’t going to do that - we must all take environmental issues seriously and if it takes committed and legitimate protest to make us all sit up and take notice then that’s what will happen. We are definitely collectively dragging our feet while the environment degrades.

My point exactly, they are hardly committed passionate protesters are they. They are taking the easy way and just using their childish futile protests as a ‘jolly up’. I saw a news photo where there were ambulances that had to make detours to get patients to hospital. All these idiots have done is made themselves laughing stocks and achieved nothing. If a Grandchild of mine was stuck in an ambulance trying to get to a hospital then I am afraid I might result to violence and give the protesters a good kicking. The police should arrest them, take them away and there should be a mandatory three month prison sentence to make sure that they do not return to the protest. A lot of protests do involve anarchists and rent a mob who are just out to cause mayhem, usually left wing layabouts.

Completely agree ajswan
And while we’re about it, I would also make the three month prison sentence as unpleasant for them as possible.

I feel so cross about how many lives this mob have endangered by delaying their journey.

I gather from today's Telegraph that their latest tactic is to walk into the traffic holding placards, already taking place on the M25 in Essex.
I once left an A34 traffic junction in heavy traffic to join the motorway to be confronted by a family of five whose car had crashed into the central reservation, walking across the motorway to the hard shoulder dragging a mangled bumper behind them. It was the most terrifying experience I ever encountered; a group of people including children in the middle of totally unprepared fast traffic suddenly having to screech to a halt.
Imagine how a motorist would feel if they killed someone.

These protesters have lost their grip on reality.

Imagine how a motorist would feel if they killed someone.

And if someone had to brake suddenly to avoid them wandering around and there was a pile-up.

Also imagine the outcry if one of the protesters got hurt, yet I feel they have been extremely lucky that this hasn't already happened.