Just Stop Oil supporters have blocked roads in Knightsbridge, London today causing delays and disruption for the eleventh day running. They are demanding that the government halts all new oil and gas licences and consents. [1]
At 10am, 32 Just Stop Oil supporters established 3 roadblocks on Knightsbridge and Brompton Road stopping traffic in either direction. They are sitting in the road, and some have glued themselves to the tarmac, making it more difficult for police officers to remove them.
Holly Exley, 34, a freelance illustrator from Bristol said:
“The reality is that there can be no new oil and gas if we want a safe future, but the UK government wants to extract and sell “every last drop” from the North Sea. Their plans will make climate breakdown, mass suffering and loss of life inevitable unless good people rise up and resist. Right now a very small group of people are making huge sacrifices, risking their wellbeing and their liberty to resist new oil and gas. It’s time for everyone to stand up and pick a side. ”
Naomi Goddard, 58, a Parish Clerk from Hebden Bridge said:
“I work in a conservative, law-abiding profession so the decision to take direct action with Just Stop Oil was not an easy one. The reality is that we have less than 3 years to avoid climate catastrophe, but our government is failing to act and now Liz Truss is planning to grant over 100 new fossil fuel licences rather than encouraging renewable energy.
“I just couldn’t keep my eyes tight shut against what was happening any longer. I know that I risk losing my freedom, my job and my friends by doing this but I also know deep in my heart that taking action at this time is absolutely the right thing to do.”
Graham Lowe, 68, an artist and art tutor from Lancaster said:
“I have no choice but to resist, this government is once again putting profit before people. After a summer of global drought, record temperatures and millions made homeless by unprecedented floods in Pakistan, we have to stand up to the government and say no to new fossil fuels. There is no greater threat to the wellbeing of billions of people than complacency at this time. ”
Kathy Dolan, 48, a council worker from Trafford, Greater Manchester said
“I can’t stand by while our government chooses destructive self-interest over a liveable future, and, for the global south, a liveable present. We’re out of time. I will resist, my conscience won’t let me do anything else.”
Today’s actions follow ten days of continuous disruption by supporters of Just Stop Oil in which a total of 309 arrests have been made. On Monday, 31 arrests were made, including 23 on The Mall after a group established a roadblock and 7 outside Downing Street after they marched in the road with banners. Since the campaign began on April 1st, there have been over 1,500 arrests of Just Stop Oil supporters.[2]
This is not a one day event, this is an act of resistance against a criminal government and their genocidal death project. Our supporters will be returning – today, tomorrow and the next day – and the next day after that – and every day until our demand is met: no new oil and gas in the UK.
We will not be intimidated by changes to the law, we will not be stopped by private injunctions sought to silence peaceful people. Our supporters understand that these are irrelevant when set against mass starvation, slaughter, the loss of our rights, freedoms and communities.
Stand with our supporters in prison, with the 1700 murdered across the global south, for protecting our futures. We will not die silently, it will be ordinary people, like you, your friends, colleagues and neighbours who do what our government cannot. It will take all of us.
ENDS
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Notes to Editors
[1] Just Stop Oil is a coalition of groups working together to demand that the government immediately halt all future licensing and consents for the exploration, development and production of fossil fuels in the UK. More information here: https://juststopoil.org/
[2] There are now 5 Just Stop Oil supporters in prison on remand or serving sentences for taking action to demand that the government halts new oil and gas licences. They are Simon Milner-Edwards, Margaret Reid, Michelle Charlesworth, Joshua Smith and Louis McKechnie. Also in prison are Madelaine Budd for the ‘Captain Tom’ action, Scott Breen for taking action against the Southampton to Heathrow pipeline and Elliott Cuciurean for taking action against HS2.
