Police are to be given more powers to deal with climate change protesters who have blocked parts of the M25 recently.
A court injunction has been granted to National Highways, meaning similar demonstrations could lead to imprisonment.
Insulate Britain has blocked parts of the M25 five times in the last week.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps tweeted "activists will face contempt of court with possible imprisonment if they flout".
A large number of Insulate Britain campaigners have already been arrested at previous protests, the first of which affected Essex, Hertfordshire and Kent on Monday, 13 September.
Protesters have also targeted other motorways, included the M11 near Stansted Airport in Essex and the M3 in Surrey.
The group has said it would continue protesting until the government took action on home insulation.
It has been calling for the installation of heat-saving measures in social housing by 2025, and all homes by 2030.
Insulate Britain spokeswoman Zoe Cohen told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that protesters "understand the risks they are taking are because we have tried everything else to make the government protect us from the predicted impacts of climate chaos".
"That involves the loss of all that we cherish, our society, our way of life and law and order," she said.
In a reply to Mr Shapps' tweet, Insulate Britain said the government "is reckless and is putting lives at risk with its inaction on #insulation".
The group questioned how many lives "have been lost already due to poorly insulated leaky homes" or because of climate collapse.
Home Secretary Priti Patel, who described protesters' actions as "selfish" last week, said the "important injunction" would mean "people can get moving again" on the London orbital motorway.
"We will not tolerate lives being put at risk," she said.
"Those who continue to do so risk imprisonment.
Mr Shapps told MPs he believed the injunction would bring an end to the demonstrations.
"It barely goes without saying, it's irresponsible, dangerous and completely counterproductive," he said.
"Earlier in the process there was a somewhat different approach being taken.
"Yesterday the police were on the scene much more quickly. The injunction will greatly strengthen their hand."
Mr Shapps added the government would be reviewing the powers, but it was "unacceptable for people to be able to walk on to not just a major highway but a motorway, stop traffic, be released the next day and do the same thing again".
"An injunction may just be an interim way of doing [stopping] that," he said.
Assistant Chief Constable for Humberside Police, Chris Noble, who is the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for policing protests, told the Today programme police "aren't anti-protest but we are pro-responsibility".
"This is not a benign supermarket car park that this is taking place on," he said.
He said police officers were most likely to come to harm as a result of the protests because they were having to run across motorways to try to remove the campaigners.
A court injunction has been granted to National Highways, meaning similar demonstrations could lead to imprisonment.
Insulate Britain has blocked parts of the M25 five times in the last week.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps tweeted "activists will face contempt of court with possible imprisonment if they flout".
A large number of Insulate Britain campaigners have already been arrested at previous protests, the first of which affected Essex, Hertfordshire and Kent on Monday, 13 September.
Protesters have also targeted other motorways, included the M11 near Stansted Airport in Essex and the M3 in Surrey.
The group has said it would continue protesting until the government took action on home insulation.
It has been calling for the installation of heat-saving measures in social housing by 2025, and all homes by 2030.
Insulate Britain spokeswoman Zoe Cohen told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that protesters "understand the risks they are taking are because we have tried everything else to make the government protect us from the predicted impacts of climate chaos".
"That involves the loss of all that we cherish, our society, our way of life and law and order," she said.
In a reply to Mr Shapps' tweet, Insulate Britain said the government "is reckless and is putting lives at risk with its inaction on #insulation".
The group questioned how many lives "have been lost already due to poorly insulated leaky homes" or because of climate collapse.
Home Secretary Priti Patel, who described protesters' actions as "selfish" last week, said the "important injunction" would mean "people can get moving again" on the London orbital motorway.
"We will not tolerate lives being put at risk," she said.
"Those who continue to do so risk imprisonment.
Mr Shapps told MPs he believed the injunction would bring an end to the demonstrations.
"It barely goes without saying, it's irresponsible, dangerous and completely counterproductive," he said.
"Earlier in the process there was a somewhat different approach being taken.
"Yesterday the police were on the scene much more quickly. The injunction will greatly strengthen their hand."
Mr Shapps added the government would be reviewing the powers, but it was "unacceptable for people to be able to walk on to not just a major highway but a motorway, stop traffic, be released the next day and do the same thing again".
"An injunction may just be an interim way of doing [stopping] that," he said.
Assistant Chief Constable for Humberside Police, Chris Noble, who is the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for policing protests, told the Today programme police "aren't anti-protest but we are pro-responsibility".
"This is not a benign supermarket car park that this is taking place on," he said.
He said police officers were most likely to come to harm as a result of the protests because they were having to run across motorways to try to remove the campaigners.
Insulate Britain: Injunction granted against M25 protesters
National Highways wins a High Court ruling against protesters who have been disrupting the M25.
www.bbc.co.uk
