A JUDGE worked late into last night (Sunday, 24 April) to complete an application for an injunction from Thurrock and Essex County Councils to ban protesters supporting the JustStopOil campaign to take action at sites in Thurrock.

The injunction – against 222 named people – none of whom are from Thurrock but who visited the borough from as far away as Scotland and Cornwall – and 'persons unknown' , is aimed at stopping them from taking further action to stop fuel tankers, block roads or impede vehicles at key fuel terminals in the borough.

The injunction gives police powers to quickly move on anyone attempting to block these sites. A number of fuel terminals and key junctions and roads in Thurrock have been targeted by activists and previous police operations where protests have stopped vehicles or trespassed onto sites have taken many hours to complete, .

Thurrock Council has acted because it says the protests have caused disruption to the borough's road networks, local businesses, waste collections and other frontline council services. 

A Thurrock Council statement says: "The innovative legal measures prevent the activity and tactics protestors used to create disruption at these sites and is set to act as a deterrent to anyone who is thinking of coming to Thurrock to carry out similar activity in the area in the future." 

The injunctions cover areas around the Navigator Oil Terminal in Grays, Inter Terminal UK's site in Grays and Thames Oilport in Stanford-le-Hope as well as other key fuel infrastructures sites and filling stations in the borough.

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

Over the last three weeks, since the first protest on 1 April, Essex Police have made 461 arrests in connection with illegal acts carried out as part of oil protests in Thurrock. Police say the operation has cost it and partners well over £1 million – with specialist police teams brought to Essex from across the country.

Now many sites in Thurrock where the protesters have struck, plus others including roads managed by Essex County Council -among them Sadlers Farm roundabout and fuel site access roads on Canvey island – have been marked up on maps adde to the injunction. They specific roads, petrol forecourts and other fuel infrastructure beyond the premises previously targeted by protestors.

The full terms of the injunction are available online at: thurrock.gov.uk/protest-injunction