Just Stop Oil supporters are slow marching in Charing Cross and Marylebone today. They are demanding that the government halts all new licences and consents for oil, gas and coal projects in the UK. [1]
At 15:50 a group of 28 Just Stop Oil supporters set off marching down Marylebone Road. Police issued a Public Order Act (Section 12) notice by 16:15, forcing the procession off the road. A further march is expected later this afternoon.
Today’s marches come as it was confirmed that this June was the hottest in recorded British history, with the same expected for the current month of July.
Kate Nisbet, 59, a carer from Leeds who was on the road today, said:
“I am doing this for my grandchildren, so they and others across the world have half a chance of a safe home to live in, free from drought, crop failure and massive social unrest.”
“I have learnt the hard way that you must stand up to a bully. This government is removing all of our civil rights to speak out against them; instead of talking about our very reasonable demand to stop looking for more oil to burn. Their actions are genocidal, against the European Court of Human Rights and against their own science advisors. This must be resisted.”
The Met Office says the extreme temperatures the UK is facing are the “fingerprint” of the climate crisis. June 2023 was the hottest on record, both in average temperature and hottest recorded temperature, also being drier than average. Records date back to 1884, and this year broke records by a “considerable margin”. [2]
Mike Holmes, 49, a father and sales manager from Warrington was in the road today. He said:
“In the face of inaction by the government, I could no longer be a bystander and hope that other people would drive change. I wanted to support Just Stop Oil in calling for an end to new oil and gas licences, so here I am slow marching.”
“The impact of challenges we will face, food shortages, droughts, and the collapse of the NHS, can be reduced if we all take action now. We need to put real pressure on our government to own the situation, tell the truth, and make plans for meaningful change.”
“We have a moral obligation to do what’s right, it really is time to pick a side. What will you do?”
Just Stop Oil supporters have completed up to seven marches a day, six days a week since the 24th April. Over 600 ordinary people from all over the UK have taken part. Including arrests at the Coronation and cultural and sporting events there have been around 225 arrests this year.
Since the Just Stop Oil campaign launched on 14th February 2022, there have been over 2,200 arrests and 138 people have spent time in prison, many without trial. Just Stop Oil supporters Morgan Trowland and Marcus Decker are serving three-year prison sentences for resisting new oil, gas and coal in the longest sentences for peaceful climate action in British history.
Time’s up for new oil, gas and coal. It’s time everyone got on the streets, marching every day to demand change. Join us to march from the 16th-23rd July. Sign up for action at juststopoil.org.
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.
