Just Stop Oil supporters are back out marching in central London today, demanding an end to all new oil, gas and coal projects in the UK. [1]
At 8am, 39 supporters in five groups started marching slowly on roads in Islington, Marylebone and the City. Three of the marches were “mini marches” composed of between two and five people, carrying placards reading “We march for survival” and “I have grandchildren”.
Two larger groups walked towards each other on opposite carriageways of Marylebone Road, a major traffic artery, causing long tailbacks. Police issued Public Order Act (Section 12) notices on four of the teams and arrested six marchers at Marylebone Road before they could leave the road. All five teams moved off the road by 9am. Further marches are expected later this morning.
Just Stop Oil supporters have been marching every day since the 24th of April.
One of those taking action this morning Jane Thewlis, 61, a carer from Bradford, said:
“A report yesterday says we already have millions living in conditions unsuitable for human survival, and that over one fifth of humanity will face dangerous heat within decades. We are not seeing enough action from our politicians, whose job it is to safeguard our future. This is mass murder. That’s why I am taking nonviolent action with Just Stop Oil. It’s time to pick a side.”
“The criminals in government are intent on breaking every law they can, whether it’s breaking the ministerial code to dodge speeding tickets, or annihilating the future of human civilisation by greenlighting 100 new fossil fuel projects- they just don’t care! It’s like a horror film, but it’s happening now, for real. That’s why I am taking action. I want everyone in the world to have a liveable future. That’s Just Stop Oil’s modest demand: no new oil, gas or coal.”
Another of those taking action this morning, Tommy Burnett, 30, a taxi driver from Kendal, said:
“I’m marching in London because I feel this is the most effective action I can take to express my concerns about the urgency of the climate crisis, and get the government to stop licensing new fossil fuel projects. It makes me very uncomfortable disrupting people’s journeys, but I know we all need to disrupt business as usual in order to get the change desperately needed.”
“I’m an aspiring fruit & vegetable grower and I’m very worried about starting a career in this area when the climate is becoming increasingly unstable and extreme weather events such as droughts and flooding are becoming much more common. I’m demanding an end to new oil and gas for my own future, as well as everybody else currently affected and those who will be in the future.”
Today’s marches came in the wake of a new report that warns the world is on track for 2.7C of heating above pre-industrial levels with current action plans and this would mean 2 billion people experiencing average annual temperatures above 29C by 2030, forcing billions of people out of the “climate niche” in which humanity has flourished for millennia. Each rise of 0.1C in global temperature above the 1.2C of human-caused global heating already seen today, will result in an extra 140 million people driven outside the niche. [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 the UK’s 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. Normal people must come together to resist this criminal government and hold them to account for their genocidal policies. [3][4]
Just Stop Oil is calling on everyone to get off the sidelines and join in civil resistance against new oil, gas and coal.
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 makes a meaningful statement halting new fossil fuel projects in the UK.
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.theguardian.com/environment/2023/may/22/global-heating-human-climate-niche
[3] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-023-01132-6
[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/
