Supporters of Just Stop Oil are peacefully marching through central London, in defiance of new anti-protest legislation and following the announcement of further record profits by oil companies. The supporters state they will get off the road the moment the government makes a meaningful statement to end licensing and consents for any new fossil fuel projects in the UK. [1]
From around 7:30am, over 33 Just Stop Oil supporters in two different groups, began marching from Gloucester Gate and St. Pancras Way in Camden. Just Stop Oil supporters have been slow marching in the capital every day since the 24th of April.
On Wednesday, 23 Just Stop Oil supporters were arrested for peacefully marching from Downing Street to Parliament Square. This is following the granting of extra powers to the police, as part of the ‘Public Order’ act, which gained royal assent on Wednesday. These additional powers were previously rejected by the House of Lords, however, the controversial introduction of secondary legislation has enabled the home secretary to bypass the democratic process, in a bid to stifle legitimate dissent. [2]
Amongst a number of other draconian measures, described as ‘deeply troubling’ by the U.N High Commissioner for Human Rights, the police now have the power to engage in suspicionless stop and search, as well as the ability to stop demonstrations before they even begin. [3]
One of those taking action today, Quenton Kelley, 64, a dock worker from Portsmouth said:
“A wall is being built around our city to keep the sea out. The government is still subsidising oil. It makes no sense! The government takes £3.5 million from the fossil fuel lobby. Then they encourage more fossil fuel extraction, ban onshore wind and channel £236 million a week of taxpayers money into the pockets of Shell and BP, who just announced obscene profits.”
“The corruption and criminality is plain as day and this is the price they are putting on our childrens’ heads. Now they take away our right to speak out about it and imprison anyone who resists. This is fascism plain and simple. I will not be silenced and neither should you. Go to juststopoil.org to sign up to march, as is our democratic right, established in international law.”
It was recently reported that the Conservatives received £3.5 million from polluters, fossil fuel interests and climate deniers during 2022. Meanwhile BP have just announced first quarter profits of $5 billion in the first three months of the year, outstripping analysts’ forecasts of $4.3bn. It’s competitor Shell has been accused of a “profiteering bonanza” after it made record first-quarter profits of more than $9.6bn. [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 two Just Stop Oil supporters and four Insulate Britain supporters serving prison sentences for resisting new oil, gas and coal.
We stand with these political prisoners, with the 1,800 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. This is the moment for us to come together and resist the destruction of everything we care about, something that is being imposed on us by a few, who only seek to enrich themselves. [7][8]
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 Oil is calling on everyone to pick a side. We need everyone to get off the sidelines and join in civil resistance against new oil and gas.
The time is now. Join us and slow march while you still can. Our indefinite campaign of civil resistance is underway and will not end until our government ends new oil, gas and coal.
Join Just Stop Oil on a slow march at midday every Saturday, at Parliament Square until we win. [9]
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.
Just Stop Oil ‘Blue Lights’ policy: our policy is, and has always been, to move out of the way for emergency vehicles with siren sounding and ‘blue lights’ on.
[5]https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/may/04/shell-makes-record-quarterly-profits-of-nearly-10bn
[6] https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/may/02/bp-profits-energy-windfall-tax-oil-gas
[7] 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, with 1,800 people in prison without trial for at least a year. https://www.fairtrials.org/articles/news/highest-number-of-people-on-remand-in-england-and-wales-for-over-50-years/
[8] 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. https://www.globalwitness.org/en/press-releases/deadly-decade-land-and-environmental-activists-killing-every-two-days/
[9] Excluding May 6th.
