Just Stop Oil have sparked a fiery row on GB News after former Scotland Yard Detective Peter Bleksley branded the eco-zealots "stupid infantile cretins".
The climate activist group has triggered fresh discussion following their announcement that they will stop their controversial protests in the coming months.
In a statement, the group claimed: "Just Stop Oil's initial demand to end new oil and gas is now Government policy, making us one of the most successful civil resistance campaigns in recent history.
"We've kept over 4.4 billion barrels of oil in the ground and the courts have ruled new oil and gas licences unlawful."
Discussing the decision on GB News, former detective Peter Bleksley cast doubt on the announcement, claiming it is a "cynical ploy" by the group.
Bleksley explained: "This is a cynical ploy, because they then hope to put it forward to the judge as some form of mitigation - 'we've learned our lesson, please send us to jail for less than you would have done because we've abandoned our tactics'.
"It's a cynical ploy, the judge will see through it, and on May 16, I look forward to watching all those stupid infantile cretins getting sent rightfully to prison."
In disagreement with Bleksley, Director of Climate Media Coalition Donnachadh McCarthy hit back at the ex-detective and claimed Just Stop Oil's campaign has been "iconic".
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McCarthy told GB News: "I think it's been an iconic campaign. For example, throwing orange dust on a snooker table got global attention for their cause. Those people are not cretins, these people, who I think are heroes, are sounding the alarm to make sure that we act with the seriousness that we require.
"Peter unfortunately calls them cretins. Why would you call them cretins?"
Citing various examples of Just Stop Oil's controversial acts, Bleksley responded: "The morons of Just Stop Oil have proved fundamentally that they were enemies of the people.
"They started with obstructing the traffic, and the police were lamentably slow to deal with that. Then they chose the arts and culture - they disrupted theatre performances, and they tried to destroy priceless artefacts like the Magna Carta.
"Then they moved on to sporting events - the snooker, cricket and the suchlike - they fundamentally proved they were the enemies of the people, and the judiciary woke up to this and sentenced them accordingly to jail."
When pressed again by McCarthy on whether he believes it is the "responsibility of a Government" to protect against climate change, Bleksley made clear that he believes the behaviour of Just Stop Oil has been "appalling".
He concluded: "Last time I looked, I wasn't a scientist. I'm here to talk from a law enforcement perspective about the appalling behaviour of Just Stop Oil, and I think I've made my case very clear.
"Policing is not a matter of conscience, it's a matter of enforcing the law."
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The climate activist group has triggered fresh discussion following their announcement that they will stop their controversial protests in the coming months.
In a statement, the group claimed: "Just Stop Oil's initial demand to end new oil and gas is now Government policy, making us one of the most successful civil resistance campaigns in recent history.
"We've kept over 4.4 billion barrels of oil in the ground and the courts have ruled new oil and gas licences unlawful."
Discussing the decision on GB News, former detective Peter Bleksley cast doubt on the announcement, claiming it is a "cynical ploy" by the group.
Bleksley explained: "This is a cynical ploy, because they then hope to put it forward to the judge as some form of mitigation - 'we've learned our lesson, please send us to jail for less than you would have done because we've abandoned our tactics'.
"It's a cynical ploy, the judge will see through it, and on May 16, I look forward to watching all those stupid infantile cretins getting sent rightfully to prison."
In disagreement with Bleksley, Director of Climate Media Coalition Donnachadh McCarthy hit back at the ex-detective and claimed Just Stop Oil's campaign has been "iconic".
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McCarthy told GB News: "I think it's been an iconic campaign. For example, throwing orange dust on a snooker table got global attention for their cause. Those people are not cretins, these people, who I think are heroes, are sounding the alarm to make sure that we act with the seriousness that we require.
"Peter unfortunately calls them cretins. Why would you call them cretins?"
Citing various examples of Just Stop Oil's controversial acts, Bleksley responded: "The morons of Just Stop Oil have proved fundamentally that they were enemies of the people.
"They started with obstructing the traffic, and the police were lamentably slow to deal with that. Then they chose the arts and culture - they disrupted theatre performances, and they tried to destroy priceless artefacts like the Magna Carta.
"Then they moved on to sporting events - the snooker, cricket and the suchlike - they fundamentally proved they were the enemies of the people, and the judiciary woke up to this and sentenced them accordingly to jail."
When pressed again by McCarthy on whether he believes it is the "responsibility of a Government" to protect against climate change, Bleksley made clear that he believes the behaviour of Just Stop Oil has been "appalling".
He concluded: "Last time I looked, I wasn't a scientist. I'm here to talk from a law enforcement perspective about the appalling behaviour of Just Stop Oil, and I think I've made my case very clear.
"Policing is not a matter of conscience, it's a matter of enforcing the law."
Find Out More...