| Supporters of Just Stop Oil have blocked the road in front of New Scotland Yard on the fourteenth day of action during October. They are demanding that the government halts all new oil and gas licences and consents. [1] At 14:30, 31 Just Stop Oil supporters established a roadblock in front of New Scotland Yard, by sitting in the road and gluing themselves to the tarmac. One supporter has sprayed the iconic, triangular Metropolitan Police sign with orange paint. Lora Johnson, 38, whose arrest video on Westminster bridge last week had more than 11 million views, said: “Last week I said I am doing this for my son, that is still true. Today I want to say to those who arrested me, and others, for those who have imprisoned over 100 people acting to protect humanity that we are not prepared to watch while everything we love is destroyed. We’re done with begging. We are acting to stop new oil and gas because it is the right thing to do. “As a citizen, a mother, a daughter I have every right under British law to protect myself and those I love.This is the moment, we are the last people that can solve this. Will you step up and join us? Together we can do this. We can Just Stop Oil.” A spokesperson for Just Stop Oil said: “The climate crisis is the greatest threat to law and order, the police should stop arresting non-violent people seeking to protect humanity and either join us or start arresting those planning our deaths. The government and the fossil fuel companies are guilty of genocide, we know who they are. These are the people who should be in prison” Just Stop Oil supporters have been making their demands known outside Downing Street every day from 11am. Today’s actions follow thirteen days of continuous disruption by supporters of Just Stop Oil in which they have experienced over 385 arrests. On Thursday, there were 21 arrests of Just Stop Oil supporters, who blocked roads leading to St George’s Circus in Southwark. Since the campaign began on April 1st, Just Stop Oil supporters have been arrested over 1,700 times, with 5 currently in prison. [2] This is not a one day event, expect us every day and anywhere. 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] High quality images & video here: https://juststopoil.org/press-media Website: https://juststopoil.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JustStopOil/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/just.stopoil/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JustStop_Oil Youtube: https://juststopoil.org/youtube 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. Just Stop Oil is a member of the A22 Network of civil resistance projects. Climate Emergency Fund is Just Stop Oil’s primary funder for recruitment, training, and capacity building. [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. |
