Eco-warriors from Insulate Britain block Birmingham city centre and key road near Manchester Airport as members descend on M25

Around 60 environmentalists from Insulate Britain have staged a three-pronged protest across major cities by targeting London’s M25 orbital, a key junction near Manchester airport, and a busy road in Birmingham.

The movement brought its protest northwards on Tuesday, with the group announcing it was taking its “message to people outside of London because we want everyone to know that our government is killing our children.”

Around a dozen demonstrators blocked the busy Wilmslow Road, close to Manchester Airport, including seven people who had glued their hands to the tarmac. Footage on Twitter showed the activists sat in the road and holding their Insulate Britain banner as police attended the scene.

Greater Manchester Police said they were “working at the scene to minimise disruption” and “bring the incident to a swift and orderly conclusion.”

Several protesters rallying on the M25, a key location for Insulate Britain’s demos, were arrested after some 20 activists attempted to block the London orbital by gluing themselves to the road. Meanwhile, in Birmingham, demonstrators obstructed traffic in the city centre, causing snaking queues of vehicles.

The London and Manchester roads are both part of the strategic road network, meaning that they are covered by the superinjunction granted to National Highways last week after Insulate Britain brought key roads in London to a standstill after a 10-day hiatus. Downing Street said that those who dare breach the injunction will be in contempt of court and risk imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine.

Last week, Essex police detained 10 activists after they walked into oncoming traffic. British media, citing court documents, argued that three days of disruption caused by environmental activists had incurred a whopping estimated cost of £883,962.

According to a statement from the movement, so far 161 people have taken part in the campaign to insulate the country’s homes, deemed an integral move in cutting carbon emissions, with 770 arrests made.

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