England: Dover port terminal blocked by activists

40 people can cause delays in the chain, if they are well positioned.

Environmental activists blocked the motorway that gives access to the Dover ferry port on Friday morning, causing disruption around England's first port.

17% of the UK's merchandise trade passes through Dover, opposite the French port of Calais, and 6,200 trucks enter and leave the terminal every day.

Insulate Britain protesters, divided into two groups, blocked the A20, the same one that made the headlines in December 2020 when hundreds of heavy goods vehicles were blocked by Covid.

Kent Police have confirmed "a protest causing traffic disruption in Dover" along the motorway.

In a statement, she said she had made 17 arrests and cleared two of the three places where traffic was blocked, adding to try to "reduce delays".

Dover MP Natalie Elphicke denounced the behavior of "hooligans".

Fifth motorway blockade for Insulate Britain

In less than ten days, Insulate Britain blocked portions of the M25 motorway around London five times. Always with the same message: there is an urgent need to renovate UK housing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The activist group is calling on the UK government to commit to funding the insulation of all social housing by 2025 and to launch a program to modernize all other housing by 2030.

Their mobilization is such that the Interior Ministry on Wednesday obtained an order from the High Court prohibiting anyone from blocking the M25. Those who violate the injunction face two years in prison or an unrestricted fine. Ahead of the COP26 climate conference to be held in early November in Scotland, when the Extinction Rebellion group has also mobilized a lot, Minister Priti Pattel has announced a new bill to give more powers to the police in the face of “very disruptive demonstrations”. Like a snub to justice and the minister, the eco-warriors of Insulate Britain have so far moved their action on roads not covered by the injunction.

“We are sorry for the disruption we cause.

This seems to be the only way to keep the issue of isolation on the agenda and to draw attention to the fact that poorly insulated housing leads to poor health, misery and premature death for thousands of people ” , a spokesperson for Insulate Britain said in a statement (read here).

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak it's also what it takes to sit down and listen” Churchill

Europe's busiest ferry port blocked by 40 people from #InsulateBritain

Disruption is the only way to draw attention to ill health & early death as a result of #FuelPoverty pic.twitter.com/ikGqZw87Ey

- Insulate Britain (@InsulateLove) September 24, 2021

This action comes in a context of a worsening supply crisis, due to a lack of truck drivers.

The BP has closed gas stations and in supermarkets, some shelves are no longer supplied.