It comes despite Metropolitan Police having "proactively" arrested Just Stop Oil protesters suspected of planning actions on UK motorways.
Parts of the M25 were temporarily closed after Just Stop Oil protesters climbed onto the bridge cranes and caused disruption to the main motorway around London. A spokesperson for the group said that "the action has continued in various locations on the M25".
Motorists were urged to avoid the area and look for alternative routes while various police forces dealt with the demonstrations. The disruption comes despite Metropolitan Police last night "proactively" arrested activists suspected of planning actions on UK motorways.
So far 23 people have been arrested. Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Matt Twist said the action was "criminal", not protest, and vowed to bring those involved to justice as quickly as possible.
Surrey police said a decision was made to close several sections of the M25 during rush hour on Monday morning "for everyone's safety" as officers removed the activists. The force said it had received reports of demonstrators climbing the tanks between junctions 6 and 7, 8 and 9, 9 and 10 and 11 and 12.
"We are here and we are dealing with and will solve this problem as soon as possible," he tweeted, later adding that the activists had been removed and arrested for disorderly conduct from all those sections of the highway, with the reopening of the lanes. A fifth protester, who had climbed an elevated bridge between junctions 13 and 14, was also removed and traffic resumed.
Hertfordshire police said they were facing similar action on the M25 at junctions 20, 22 and 23. "The road closure at junction 22 # M25 has now been lifted. All protesters have been removed and about five people have been arrested," the force tweeted. Essex police arrested three people, including a man and a woman, for attempting to climb a gantry at junction 30 of the motorway. The third person had locked himself in a porch at junction 27. They are now in custody and have been questioned on charges of traffic violations.
"At this stage, there are no more reported incidents on the Essex section of the M25 and the road is now fully reopened," the force said in a statement. The demonstrations took place at the start of the latest COP27 international climate change summit in Egypt.
The Met had previously claimed that its "significant" operation had led to the arrest of at least three people, that the military had "strong reasons to believe they intended to cause reckless and serious inconvenience to the public." In a statement released late Sunday, Twist said: "Acting on intelligence, this operation is moving fast and will continue this afternoon and into the evening with multiple investigations into the ongoing arrests."
“So far this afternoon we have made three arrests related to this activity. The suspects were arrested for allegedly conspiring to cause public disturbance, according to the metropolitan police".
Twist warned that "the possibility remains" that other suspects "still intend to cause an illegal disruption to the public." National Highways has obtained an injunction from the High Court to prevent Just Stop Oil protesters from disrupting England's busiest motorway.
The court has issued a new injunction aiming to stop illegal demonstrations on the M25, which surrounds Greater London, in an attempt to end the environmental group's disruption of the busy road. It means that any person who enters the highway and sticks to any object or structure on it, and any person who assists in such an act, can be outraged in court.
They could risk imprisonment, an unlimited fine and the seizure of assets. Just Stop Oil has attracted widespread attention and criticism in recent weeks for its stunts which involved spraying buildings with orange paint and climbing a bridge to force the closure of the M25 Dartford Crossing.
Climate change activists staged 32 days of riots from late September through October, which according to the Met resulted in 677 arrests with 111 people accused. Protesters called on the government to abandon plans to license more than 100 new oil and gas projects by 2025 and to do more to help people with skyrocketing energy bills.