Just Stop Oil supporters have climbed onto motorway gantries around the M25 as part of their campaign to demand that the government halts all new oil and gas licences and consents [1]
From 7:00 this morning, approximately 15 supporters of Just Stop Oil climbed onto the overhead gantries of the M25 in multiple locations, both clockwise and anti-clockwise causing police to halt traffic.
Charlotte Kirin, 53, a social worker, carer and parent from Bury St Edmunds said
“In order to survive, we need to take action to stop new oil and gas. For as long as the government pretends this isn’t the priority, I will do what I can to demand a response. History shows us that we have to challenge unjust laws. What is being done to people all over the globe in the name of profit is the greatest imaginable injustice. I will not turn my back on people whose lives are being destroyed for rich mens’ profit.”
Edred Whittingham, 25, a student from Cambridge said
“Politics is broken in this country, and it’s up to everday people to fix it. We are living in a time when millions of people are literally going hungry or freezing to death in their homes, while fossil fuel companies are making record profits. We can change this, but we need to resist.Climate change will destroy the global food system while displacing hundreds of millions of people from their homes, leading to starvation, war and social unrest. For our government to be still approving new fossil fuel projects is an act of genocide.”
Molly Berry, 70, a retired lip-reading tutor from Hertfordshire said:
“The climate crisis is not left wing or right wing, it’s not an opinion or a point of view or a cause. It’s real, and it’s happening now, and it is getting very close to destroying absolutely everything we love. When my friends show me photographs of their grandchildren it breaks my heart to think of what they will face in their lifetimes. That’s why I am willing to put my liberty on the line to demand that the government halts all new oil and gas.”
Yesterday, 15 supporters of Just Stop Oil climbed gantries on the M25 and disrupted traffic on the M25 at 12 locations.[2]
Today’s action follows four weeks of daily disruption and civil resistance by supporters of Just Stop Oil during which the police have made over 700 arrests, including 25 on Monday. Since the campaign began on April 1st, Just Stop Oil supporters have been arrested over 2,000 times, with 5 supporters currently in prison.[3]
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 1,700 murdered across the global south, for protecting all our lives. [4]
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. 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]https://juststopoil.org/2022/11/07/just-stop-oil-disrupts-the-m25-in-multiple-locations/
[3] 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 Joshua Smith, Louis McKechnie, Michelle Charlesworth, Morgan Trowland and Marcus Decker. There are also 3 Belgian supporters of Just Stop Oil currently in a Dutch prison for gluing to a painting and Elliott Cuciurean is also in prison for taking action against HS2.
[4] A recent report from Global Witness says that more than 1,700 people have died while trying to prevent mining, oil drilling or logging on their lands.
