Jimu News reporter Li Lili and intern Yang Shaopeng
According to BBC report on July 4, British protesters collectively drove "slowly" on the highways in Wales, Essex and Devon to demonstrate against the government's high oil prices. .
Protest convoy (Image source: BBC)
The protest started at 7am British daylight saving time , and the activities were concentrated in England and Wales. The protest focused on three lanes of the motorway, where a convoy of at least 20 vehicles was driving deliberately slowly.
Police warned that other motorists traveling on the motorway could face severe disruption throughout the day as a result.
The protest convoy drove slowly, escorted by police motorcycles. Local police said on Twitter that it was a "slow-moving rolling roadblock."
Protest convoy (Photo source: BBC)
According to reports, both lanes of the motorway leading to the Prince of Wales Bridge, which spans the Severn River between England and Wales, were brought to a standstill for several minutes due to excessive speed. river.
Due to the protests, the Prince of Wales Bridge was closed in both directions and there was congestion on the highway throughout the morning.
Protest convoy (Photo source: Wales Online)
At present, the protest is still ongoing and it is not clear what the speed of these convoys is. However, Jimu News reporters noticed on Twitter that a British netizen posted that he was a member of the team.
He said in a tweet: "I was in a car with the fuel protesters, 'slow-driving' at 30mph heading west towards the M4 Severn Bridge."
He said police caught up to them and asked them to Drive normally but they won't comply.
Tweet screenshot
According to "Wales Online", the local police chief advised drivers who need to pass the highway to work from home as much as possible and avoid traveling.
Richard Dieter, a 44-year-old welder from Maesteg, Wales, drives to Cardiff, another city, for work every day. He said the cost of his commute had more than doubled after gas prices rose, and he joined the protest convoy.
He said: "If the police want to arrest me, come and arrest me. In order to go to work, I spend more than 300 pounds a week. Before the price increase, it was still 125 pounds, and I will not be able to survive!"
In this regard, the local government said that while they understood citizens were struggling with rising prices and that people had the right to protest, other people's daily lives should not be disrupted, and warned that traffic delays would also increase fuel use.
UK fuel prices have risen to record highs in recent weeks. According to data from data company Experian, the average price per liter of gasoline at British gas stations reached 191.4 pence (approximately RMB 16.6 yuan) on Thursday.
