Supporters of Just Stop Oil are causing disruption across central London this morning by marching slowly on major roads on the first day of an indefinite campaign of civil resistance to demand an end to new UK oil and gas projects. [1]
At 7am, over 160 Just Stop Oil supporters set off from seven different locations in the West End, Westminster and South London. They are marching in solidarity with the UK’s political prisoners including those wrongly imprisoned for resisting the government’s genocidal plans to licence over 100 new oil and gas projects by 2025. Slow marching remains legal despite government attempts to outlaw the tactic. [2]
At 1pm today, hundreds more will set off from parliament square, marching to the Shell building with supporters of Extinction Rebellion and other groups to demand an end to the fossil fuel era.
Last week Morgan Trowland and Marcus Decker received draconian 3 year jail sentences for climbing the QE2 Bridge as part of Just Stop Oil’s campaign of disruption in the capital during October and November 2022. In addition there are currently five Insulate Britain supporters serving jail sentences for public nuisance after vowing to continue in civil resistance. [3]
A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said:
“Asia is baking in extreme heat, threatening the lives of a third of the people on earth, but this government of criminals and bullies does not care. They are actively making it worse, licensing new oil and gas while silencing dissent and jailing those who resist.
“More oil and gas means more heatwaves, more crop failure and more death. It is the greatest criminal act in human history. The government has lost its legitimacy. They are knowingly planning the murder of hundreds of thousands of UK citizens.
“In the face of this obscenity, as an act of service and love, we have chosen to act. Civil resistance is our only hope. This is life or death, survival or collective suicide. It’s time to pick a side. We won’t stop until our genocidal government ends new oil and gas.”
Pia Bastide, 29, from London and a full-time volunteer with Just stop Oil, who is on a march this morning said:
“I feel that civil resistance is my moral duty. I was brought up to know the difference between right and wrong, and what this murderous, corrupted government is doing is plain wrong.”
“Putting my freedom on the line is the least I can do to ensure my loved ones and I have a liveable future. We need to stand up to a government that does not have our best interests at heart and that is determined to sell our futures, one new oil licence at a time.”
Marcin Wawrzyn, 42, a construction worker from London who is on a march this morning said:
“I work in construction and I am here because the British government is messing with laws of physics. New oil and gas is genocide and they know it! I was 10 years old when I first heard of climate change. That was 30 years ago. I won’t be sitting around and waiting for another three decades.”
“I’m back to work in two weeks’ time and I will get stuck in this traffic myself. And it’s worth it. And I would tell these people: This is bigger than World War 2, the Miners’ strike, and the Berlin Wall, bigger than the Poll Tax Riots. We need a human tipping point. It’s time to pick a side. We can win this. Join Just Stop Oil on a slow march, every Saturday at midday from Parliament Square.”
Resisting new oil and gas expansion has never been more urgent or more necessary. The resumption of Just Stop Oil’s campaign comes after news that Thailand experienced heat index temperatures of 54C at the weekend prompting warnings from authorities for people to remain indoors to avoid death from heatstroke. The severe heatwave that has swept across much of Asia, causing deaths and school closures in India and record-breaking temperatures in China, has been described as the worst April heatwave in Asia history. It is reported to have affected one in three people on the planet. [4][5][6]
Since the Just Stop Oil campaign began on April 1st 2022, there have been over 2,100 arrests and 138 people have spent time in prison, many without trial. There are currently 2 Just Stop Oil supporters and 5 Insulate Britain supporters serving prison sentences for resisting new oil and gas.
In moments of emergency, we must stand up and be brave, we must stand up for good over evil, life over death, right over wrong. Just Stop all is calling on everyone to pick a side. Either you are actively supporting civil resistance fighting for life or you are complicit with genocide. The time is now. Join us and slow march while you still can. Our indefinite campaign of civil resistance begins today and will not end until our government ends new oil and gas.
Join Just Stop Oil on a slow march from midday every Saturday at Parliament Square until we win.
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.
[6] https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/asia-heatwave-india-china-thailand-b2323666.html
