Councils secure four-year extension to oil protests injunction

Under the terms of the injunction, named protestors and persons unknown are prevented from blocking roads, stopping vehicles and glueing themselves to the road or vehicles.

The court is to send a copy of the injunction documents to activist groups Just Stop Oil, Youth Climate Swarm, Extinction Rebellion and Insulate Britain.

The injunction aims to prevent unnecessary disruption for local businesses and residents trying to access their premises, homes, petrol stations and travel near these sites.

The first interim injunction was granted in April 2022 following weeks of protests at oil terminals in the borough, which saw 461 arrests made and cost Essex Police, Thurrock Council and other partners more than £1m.

The named defendant injunction order was then finalised in October 2024 and was to last for five years, but required an annual review and application for renewal.

At a hearing on Tuesday (7 October), Mr Justice Sweeting ruled that the injunction should remain in place until October 2029 without the need to reapply every 12 months.

Cllr Lynda Heath, Thurrock’s Cabinet member for Public Protection, Constitutional and Civic Affairs, said: "I am pleased that the judge has extended the injunction without the need for us to reapply every 12 months."

She added: "This does not prevent lawful protests from taking place in the borough, we support everyone's right to peaceful protest. It does, however, prevent those named in the injunction from blocking and damaging roads.

"By taking out this injunction we not only remove these known protestors' ability to disrupt life in the borough, it also prevents them from causing damages to our roads, which is something Thurrock council taxpayers end up footing the bill for."

Adam Carey