Five environmental activists who organised protests that brought part of the M25 to a complete halt for four consecutive days have now been jailed. Among the activists was Just Stop Oil co-founder Roger Hallam, who, along with four others, was handed a lengthy prison sentence at Southwark Crown Court.

In November 2022, forty-five Just Stop Oil supporters climbed gantries on the M25, forcing the police to bring traffic to a standstill to create a gridlock across southern England. The activists aimed to draw attention to the pressing issue of climate change but ended up causing massive disruptions to daily life.

The court presided over by Judge Christopher Hehir heard how Roger Hallam, 58, Daniel Shaw, 38, Louise Lancaster, 58, Lucia Whittaker De Abreu, 35, and Cressida Gethin, 22, engaged in what Judge Hehir described as "intricate planning" that transformed them from concerned campaigners to fanatics. Hallam received a five-year prison sentence while the other defendants were each sentenced to four years' imprisonment.

These sentences are reportedly the longest given since the new law of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance was introduced by the previous government, aimed at curbing disruptive protests. The court revealed that the protest's objective was to block major sections of the M25, thereby causing extensive traffic disruptions across the region.

The resulting chaos on the M25 spanned four consecutive days, leading to nearly 51,000 hours of driver delays as sections of the motorway in Kent, Surrey, Essex, and Hertfordshire were shut down. Residents experienced severe inconveniences, missing flights, medical appointments, and exams. Additionally, the protests led to two lorry collisions and a police motorcyclist falling off his bike in a "rolling roadblock" attempt on 9 November 2022.

Prosecutors reported significant economic repercussions from the protests, estimating the cost at a minimum of £765,000. Furthermore, the Metropolitan Police incurred expenses exceeding £1.1 million due to the extended disruptions and the need for extensive law enforcement resources.