An eco-zealot from Just Stop Oil has been accused of faking injuries after claiming her foot was 'rammed' over by a driver when one activist stood in front of the moving vehicle to block it.
The group have caused chaos across London for more than a week, holding slow marches in the middle of the capital's busy roads in protest, calling on the Government to halt all new oil and gas consents and licences.
Yesterday a video emerged that appears to show a driver making their way down the road, regardless of the protesters in the street.
One of the eco warriors tries to block the car from getting past but the driver continued to drive down the road regardless, with the activist falling onto the ground.
The group accused the driver of having 'gone over their foot', claiming the vehicle had 'rammed into a peaceful protester' - but the footage has since been branded by some critics as 'terrible acting'.
One man on Twitter found the video laughable. He wrote: 'Rammed into? I have seen better acting from preschool children.'
Another added: 'Just Stop Oil should definitely be prosecuted for wasting police time.
'And the "victim" should be prosecuted for their absolutely abysmal acting skills.'
A third shared a photo of the injured protester, not appearing to be in distress while while lying on the ground, adding: 'Video emerges of Just Stop Oil activist faking injury'.
Others were more sympathetic towards the protester. One said: 'Whatever you may think of the tactics of Just Stop Oil, it is abhorrent behaviour to drive into a protestor.
'I hope the individual injured sought medical treatment and is recovering well.'
Another said he was 'happy no one was hurt'.
It comes as one of the groups' activists compared their protests to those tactics used by the Suffragettes, when trying to get the women's vote through.
Speaking on Nick Ferrari's LBC show this morning, 67-year-old grandmother and spokesperson for the group Fiona Atkinson continued to defend the groups action.
When asked how the foot of protester involved in the run-in with the car was, she said: 'I understand that it is okay, painful but okay.'
Talking about the Government's new laws to tackle disruptive protests, including stopping the slow marches taking place across the capital, the protester continued to defend the groups action.
When asked if Just Stop Oil had gone too far, she said: 'People said that to the Suffragettes didn't they and they weren't given the vote easily, they weren't popular, people hated them, they did all sorts of disruptive things.
'What's really scary about this government is not only the way they are rushing to protect the rich with these laws but they are rushing to stop all of us, not just stop oil, but all of us from taking to the street which is our democratic right especially when our leaders are as incompetent as this lot.'
Ms Atkinson said the group had no choice but to 'carry on' with their mayhem adding that they are 'a very loud, noisy fire alarm' that the Government need to wake up to.
Met Police told MailOnline yesterday regarding the car 'ramming' incident: 'Police are appealing for witnesses and dash cam footage after a person was involved in a collision with a vehicle on Holloway Road, Islington, whilst engaged in a protest, at around 10:00hrs, today Tuesday 2 May.
'The incident was brought to police attention after being circulated on social media and shows the person being involved in collision with a grey Renault Megane.
'If you were the person or have any information about the incident please report by calling 101, tweeting @MetCC or online at www.met.police.uk.'
This footage has emerged as the eco group has caused chaos across London by slow marching every day since April 24, frustrating drivers and bus passengers trying to get around the capital.
On Monday Scotland Yard told a group that it had imposed a condition on the march under Section 12 of the Public Order Act - ordering them to get on the pavement.
But the activists argued with police, saying the order had to be imposed on an area rather than the march itself - and asked to speak to the Metropolitan Police officer behind it, Chief Inspector Chris Scammell, who turned up to explain the decision in more detail.
In a separate video a grinning Met Police officer said it was 'nice to meet' the protesters before asking how they were.
The officer had turned up to the slow march protest on Regent Street to impose section 12 - ordering the large group of activists to get onto the pavement.
The footage then shows a member of the public approaching Just Stop Oil encouraging their action.
He said: 'I just want to say what you are doing is brilliant, keep it up.'
The group continued to demonstrate yesterday and this morning.
Today, the activists met in Waterloo to stage yet another day of protests, including slow marches. Met Police have said they are present at the scene.
A Section 12 order under the Public Order Act 1986 relates to 'imposing conditions on public processions'. It states:
On Bank Holiday Monday Just Stop Oil on its Twitter page began with a police officer telling a protester: 'A Section 12 condition has been imposed on this march under the Public Order Act by Chief Inspector Scammell.
'So the condition that has been put on the march is that you have to march on the pavement.
'If you don't, people that are marching on the road will be liable for arrest. That was imposed at 10.27am.'
When one protester asked, 'Is the chief inspector not able to come and give it to everyone?' the officer said: 'No.'
Another activist then said: 'I'm sorry, but our trust right now in the Metropolitan Police is very low, I don't know if you've heard, so I'd like the Bronze Commander to issue the Section 12.'
Another officer then said: 'Whether you've got trust or not, that doesn't really matter.'
The protester replied: 'I understand, but the Bronze Commander is over there.'
But the officer insisted: 'Bronze doesn't have to come and tell you that in person.'
The protester said: 'But how do I know that a Section 12 has been issued?'
And the officer said: 'I told you that, I just told you. I gave you the name of the inspector who's authorised it. I can give you a time of it.'
When the protester said: 'Which borough is it for, what is the jurisdiction?' the officer replied: 'At the moment it's for this street.'
The Public Order Act 1986 states that conditions can be imposed by police 'as to the route of the procession or prohibiting it from entering any public place specified in the directions'.
Pressed for further details, the officer added: 'The order is you can protest. But you can only protest on the sidewalk.
'If you protest in the middle of the road you are liable for arrest, that's what it is. It's been authorised at 10.27 this morning.'
The video then cut to Chief Inspector Scammell turning up at the scene. He said: 'I'm Chief Inspector Scammell, OK. We've assessed your march from cameras and TfL, there's been significant disruption.
'It's reached the point where I've now put a Section 12 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act. Your procession must proceed on the footway.'
The 1994 law quoted by Chief Inspector Scammell - Section 12 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act - relates to 'escort arrangements and officers' for young offenders, so he is thought to have meant to refer to Section 12 of the Public Order Act 1986, which relates to 'imposing conditions on public processions'.
This issue of the exact law was not mentioned by the protesters, but one asked him: 'What borough does this cover and until what time?'
Chief Inspector Scammell replied: 'It's this procession for now.'
But the protester said: 'It doesn't cover the procession, it covers an area.'
However, Chief Inspector Scammell insisted: 'No, this procession needs to go on the footway. We have evidence of everyone in this procession.'
Another protester said: 'I understand the procession element, but it has to be linked to an area.'
But Chief Inspector Scammell said: 'No, it's just the procession. I'm not putting any directions on your procession, just where it marches, because we don't know where you are going to go. So it's this procession.'
They then had a similar back and forth where Chief Inspector Scammell insisted he was not banning the group from marching - just not on the road.
Today, Just Stop Oil activists continued their marching as they call for the Government to stop licensing new fossil fuel projects in the UK.
In a press release it quoted one of the marchers, Sarah Benn, 56, a former NHS GP of 32 years from Birmingham, saying: 'As a doctor I have dealt with many emergencies, and the first thing you do in that situation is to urgently remove what is causing or worsening the situation.
'We face a climate and ecological emergency, yet our Government sits on its hands and mouths platitudes - instead of taking the no-brainer first step of ending new fossil fuel licences.'
'My youngest starts GCSEs this week, but instead of being home supporting and encouraging him, I'm here slow marching with Just Stop Oil - because I'm terrified for him. Good exam grades are pointless in the face of uncontrollable flooding and wildfires, crop failures, food shortages, the collapse of the NHS and everything we love.'
The group also quoted another marcher, Noah Crane, 18, an A-Level student from Norfolk, who said: 'We have seen time and again that words are not sufficient to bring about necessary social change. The people who are both the most powerful and the most greedy in the world are making billions from selling our futures; they aren't going to stop just because we ask nicely. We have to demand it.
'If, throughout all of human history, there has ever been a time to take action, it is now.'
Just Stop Oil said that since its campaign began on April 1 last year, there have been more than 2,100 arrests and 138 people have spent time in prison.
It added that there were two Just Stop Oil supporters and four Insulate Britain supporters serving prison sentences for resisting new oil, gas and coal.
Karen Findlay, Commander of Major Operations and Public Order at Scotland Yard, tweeted yesterday: 'We are aware as of 7.40am of a group of about ten Just Stop Oil protesters in Parliament Square slow walking in one lane.
'Officers immediately on scene. All protesters directed to the pavement and cleared off the carriageway within 12 minutes. Traffic moving normally.'
She added soon after: 'We are aware of a further two groups of Just Stop Oil protesters slow marching in Parliament Square (different group to previous one) and Grosvenor Square. Police are on scene. Sec 12 conditions and directions to get immediately on to the pavement issued.'
Just Stop Oil and the Met Police have been contacted for a statement.