Just Stop Oil supporters were arrested in Parliament Square this morning as they marched to demand an end to any new fossil fuel projects in the UK. [1]
At 8 am, around 41 Just Stop Oil supporters set off from Charing Cross, marching down the Strand. Within 20 minutes, police threatened to impose conditions under the Public Order Act (Section 12) and so the march continued on the pavement. The supporters returned to the road again on Whitehall for a time, before again being ordered off the road. They returned to the road for a third time at Parliament Square at which point police arrested around 13 supporters for breach of Public Order Act (Section 12).
Yesterday, a blanket ‘section 12’ notice was placed on the entirety of London’s roads, banning Just Stop Oil supporters from peaceful processions on any road in London. No paperwork has been provided.
A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said:
“Your government has taken away your right to peaceful protest. If you are not outraged by this, you are not paying attention. If we tolerate the crushing of peaceful dissent, regardless of whether we agree with each other or not, we no longer live in any sort of functional democracy.”
One of those taking action this morning, Sai Fingerhood, 35, veterinary pathologist and lecturer, from Guildford, said:
“The current and increasingly severe global climate catastrophe will overwhelmingly impact poorer, less well-resourced communities. Knowing this, I feel it’s my moral obligation to do what I can to mitigate this catastrophe; part of that is actively demanding an end to new oil licences and investment in alternative energy sources.”
“We are responsible not for what has happened, but for what can happen. I know that change is hard, but eventually it won’t be possible. The future is now, and what we do today is all that matters.”
Another of those taking action today, James Sebley, 38, IT Engineer, from Fareham, said:
“I am taking action with Just Stop Oil because we need to keep the climate crisis at the top of the agenda, and because of how serious a threat it is to my children’s future and our entire civilisation.”
“I feel sickened by the impacts and suffering of millions around the world, mainly in the global south, primarily due to our actions in the global north. It makes me angry to think of the death and destruction caused by the corporations, the politicians who work for them and large swathes of the press that manipulate the public.”
Today’s march comes after news of more extreme weather events impacting communities around the world. Flash flooding struck large parts of southern England yesterday, which led to a major incident being declared in Somerset. Some areas saw more than two weeks’ worth of rainfall in the space of just a few hours. In Canada, Alberta has declared a state of emergency after wildfires have spread across the western province, driving nearly 25,000 people from their homes. [2][3]
Since the Just Stop Oil campaign launched on 14th February 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 serving three year 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. [4][5]
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.
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.
[2] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-65542510
[3] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65515446
[4] 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/
[5] 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/
