A Just Stop Oil protester shared an emotional video on Monday morning explaining why the activist group were blocking the M25 as part of its latest civil disruption.
Sections of the busiest motorway in England were blocked during the first rush hour of the week, even after police had tried to intercept the plans.
It has had a knock-on effect for junctions in Surrey, London and Kent, and specially trained officers were sent to try and get the protesters down from motorway gantries.
Filming from above a motorway, Louise, 24, explained: “I’m here because I don’t have a future.”
Looking tearful, she continued: “You might hate me for doing this, and you’re entitled to hate me, but I wish you would direct all that anger and hatred at our government.
“They are betraying young people like me – I wouldn’t have to be here if they did their lawful duty to citizens.”
Just Stop Oil is demanding an end to all new oil and gas licences in the UK as the government is planning to allow 100 new oil and gas projects open by 2025, in an effort to help the energy crisis.
However, as fossil fuels soar in price, many are seeing this as an opportunity to invest in green energy.
Louise said: “How many more people have to say we don’t have a liveable future if you continue licensing oil and gas for you to listen?
“Why does it take young people like me up on a fucking gantry on the M25 for you to listen?”
She continued: “Over 1,000 people in the UK died in just a few days because of the 40C heat, because of the climate crisis, which is fuelled by oil, gas, coal, fossil fuels.
“And our government, they want more.
“It is an act of murder. And this is an act of self-defence.”
Touching on the extreme weather conditions which have hit all parts of the world this year, the protester said: “How many more people in Pakistan, in Nigeria, have to die before they listen, even in the UK?
“We will stop as soon as the government stops new oil and gas.”
She added: “Civil resistance is all we have left.”
The Met Police has since promised to launch a “significant” operation to identify and arrest the protesters, with three people being arrested on Sunday over accusations of planned public disruption.
A High Court injunction was also granted to prevent the protesters’ disruption on the M25.
The activist group has been ramping up its protests in the run-up to COP27, the annual climate summit where world leaders meet.
From the end of September through to the end of October, the group organised 32 days of disruption, which led to 677 arrests and 111 people charged, according to the Met.
The demonstrators also hit international headlines a few weeks ago for throwing tomato soup at Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers in the National Gallery.