Three Just Stop Oil supporters coated a giant screen with orange paint at major games expo EGX 2023. They are demanding the UK Government halts all new oil and gas projects, and are calling on gamers to march with Just Stop Oil in London this November. [1]
Today at 15:48pm, cosplaying as ‘Ghostbusters’ characters, the three used adapted water pistols to target a viewing screen for the Tekken 7 tournament winner’s final being held at ‘The Arena’ stage in London’s Excel conference centre. They were escorted out by venue security, before being arrested for Criminal Damage by the Metropolitan Police.
A Just stop Oil spokesperson said:
“Video games let us escape into new and exciting dimensions, but real world physics are about to deliver the deaths of billions. Put more carbon into the atmosphere at this point and it’s game over. Gamers co-operate to win, and we need these skills to survive. Everyone must step up and join in civil resistance against new oil and gas, because this isn’t a game. Let’s unite to make this world safe, so that we can get back to exploring cyber worlds. Join Just Stop Oil on a slow march through London from 29th October”
Idris, a 20 year old artist from London, was one of those taking action today. They said:
“It is vital that we draw as much attention as possible to the genocidal decisions the government is making. I won’t stand aside while billions are sentenced to death and neither should you.”
“When I hear about the climate crisis and the number of people who will be displaced and die I can’t fit the numbers into my head. Instead, I think of my Mam, Dad, Brother, and friends. All the people I love who are threatened by the climate catastrophe are the reason I am committed to civil disobedience.”
EGX 2023 is sponsored by Barclays Bank, who have been described at the “Europe’s number 1 financier of the climate crisis”. They have financed around $167 billion in fossil fuels. Moreover, Shell sponsors popular game Fortnite as well as gaming influencers. Children and teen players are directed to fuel up at digital Shell stations, in a promotion for a new petrol product. Shell’s planned emissions from 2018 to 2030 are estimated to account for close to 1.6% of the global carbon budget. [2] [3] [4]
Another of those taking action today was Luke Watson, 32. The handyman from Essex said:
“There’s been 30 years of consensus on what needs to be done and we’ve done almost nothing in that time. Hope is something you have to earn and we haven’t done enough. If you believe in hope what will you do?”
“The Dutch have just had a massive win using civil disobedience, we can do the same. We just have to live and act as if something depended on it because everything does.”
Just Stop Oil supporters are not prepared to stand by and watch while the government plans for millions to die and destroys everything we care about. It’s up to all of us now to come together and resist. We cannot let them divide us. Together we can be the real opposition this country needs and we will win. We will stop new oil and gas. People are coming together from all over the UK to march day after day in London from 29th October. It’s People vs Oil!
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://marketforces.org.uk/barclays/
[4] https://www.clientearth.org/projects/the-greenwashing-files/shell/
