Press Release Thursday 13th October, 09:15
For immediate release
Supporters of Just Stop Oil have blocked a key south London roundabout today on the thirteenth day of action during October. They are demanding that the government halts all new oil and gas licences and consents. [1]
At 9am, 26 Just Stop Oil supporters established a series of roadblock on the roads adjoining St. George’s Circus in Southwark. They are sitting in the road with banners and some have glued themselves to the tarmac.
Jane Thewlis, 60, a retired social worker from Bradford said
My life’s work has been to look after people and I can’t bear to see the suffering caused by climate breakdown. People are being forced to visit food banks and unable to heat their homes. I have been seriously depressed to see this government add to their suffering while giving tax handouts to the wealthy. Just Stop Oil gives a simple message: no more oil and gas licences. Let’s start creating a world where we care for everyone!
Manny McKenzie, 63, a retired child psychiatrist from West Yorkshire said:
“I am taking action for the first time because it is clear to me that, given the urgency of the worsening climate crisis, and the inaction, paralysis and denial we are seeing from our political leaders, there is now no alternative.
“Ending new oil and gas projects seems to me to be such a no-brainer. Allowing more oil and gas to be burned is going to fuel climate and ecological disaster with billions of people facing death and starvation, while decarbonising energy, transport and farming will protect us, increase our quality of life through greater resilience, community and healthier environment, and set an example for others to follow.”
Sally Hayes, 66, a grandmother and shop owner from Hebden Bridge said:
“We have two to three years left to take decisive action to prevent complete catastrophic climate breakdown. This government is behaving with criminal irresponsibility in granting licenses for more fossil fuel extraction against all scientific advice.
I can’t just stand by and watch the destruction of this wonderful world and all our children’s lives. I can’t bear to think of the life my lovely little granddaughter has before her. We’ve had our lives, and bear collective responsibility for this catastrophe. How can we do this to our children?”
Today’s actions follow twelve days of continuous disruption by supporters of Just Stop Oil in which they have experienced over 337 arrests. On Wednesday, there were 2 arrests of Just Stop Oil supporters, and 25 people from Insulate Britain were arrested. The group, which is part of the Just Stop Oil coalition, returned to the road after an absence of 13 months and established a roadblock on Parliament Square. Since the campaign began on April 1st, Just Stop Oil supporters have been arrested over 1,600 times.[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
Press contact: 07762 987334
Press email: [email protected]
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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.
