Two Just Stop Oil supporters have been sent to prison for taking part in the blockade of 10 oil depots on April 1st of this year as part of a coordinated action with Extinction Rebellion to demand an end to new oil and gas in the UK [1][2]
El Litten, 35, from Luton was sentenced to 28 days in prison, while Barry Mitchell, 74, from Telford recieved a sentence of 21 days for aggravated trespass at the site. Both El and Barry have already spent time in prison this year for taking action with Just Stop Oil. [3]
Seven Just Stop Oil supporters arrested as part of the four days of action on the M25 during November appeared at Guildford and Maidstone Crown Courts today. Isabel Rock, 41 from South London, was released on bail having been held on remand for 30 days since taking part in the M25 gantries action on 9th November. Phoebe Plummer, 21 from South London, who appeared via video link at Maidstone Crown Court was also ordered to be released on bail having spent 29 days on remand at Bronzefield prison since 10th November. [3]
Six weeks of continuous disruption and civil resistance by supporters of Just Stop Oil during October and November resulted in over 700 arrests. Since the campaign began on April 1st, Just Stop Oil supporters have been arrested over 2,000 times, with 24 supporters currently in prison. [4]
Just Stop Oil continues to peacefully resist the government’s plans to licence over 100 new oil and gas projects by 2025, and its failure to fulfil its promise to help people with their skyrocketing energy bills. By continuing to encourage new oil and gas they are complicit in the death of millions and are facilitating the collapse of the ordered society that allows democracy to function.
Solidarity Event: Join us this Saturday (10th December), in Parliament Square from 12pm as we march and rally in solidarity with our 24 supporters in prison, with the 2,000 victims of our broken criminal justice system imprisoned for over a year without trial and with the 1,700 murdered across the global south, for protecting all our lives. We are not prepared to just watch while they destroy everything we love. As citizens, as humans, as parents and children we have every right under British law to protect ourselves and those we love. This is the moment, we are the last generation that can solve this. Will you step up and join us? If we all come together we can do this. We can Just Stop Oil. [5][6]
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.
[3] https://juststopoil.org/2022/09/15/51-just-stop-oil-supporters-jailed-after-mass-civil-resistance-in-court/
[4] A total of 7 supporters including 2 on remand appeared at Guidford and Maidstone Crown Courts today, both remand prisoners were released on bail:
Guildford: Isabel Rock, Niculina Tirpoca, Rachel Payne, Jesse Prince.
Maidstone: Gaie Delap, Paul Sousek and Phoebe Plummer.
[5] There are now 24 Just Stop Oil supporters in prison on remand or serving sentances for taking action to demand that the government halts new oil and gas licences. They include El Litten, Barry Mitchell, Abigail Percy Ratcliffe, Adelheid Russenberger, Alexander Wilcox, Callum Goode, Catherine Rennie-Nash, Daniel Shaw, Ian Bates, Jan Goodey, Roger Hallam, Karen Matthews, Lucia Whittaker, Mair Bain, Molly Berry, Nick Onley, Paul Bell, Paul Bleach, Tim Hewes, Joshua Smith, Louis McKechnie, Morgan Trowland and Marcus Decker. Elliott Cuciurean is also in prison for taking action against HS2.
[5] Fair Trials reports that the number of people being held in prison without trial in England and Wales is at its highest for over 50 years.
[6] 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.
