Just Stop Oil supporters are continuing to march in London today to the point of arrest. They are demanding the government immediately halt all new oil, gas, and coal projects in the UK. [1]
At 9am this morning around 45 Just Stop Oil supporters from the Midlands and East of England began marching on Cromwell Road in West London. After approximately 10 minutes, Metropolitan Police officers arrived on the scene and called for backup, demanding that protestors leave the road. Within the next 22 minutes, approximately 40 of the marchers were arrested under Section 7 of the Public Order Act 2023.
On Monday, 62 Just Stop Oil supporters were arrested, with arrests starting after 10 minutes of marching around Parliament Square. Most refused to cooperate with the police, by ‘going floppy’ on arrest and several refused to give their names to the police, forcing police to hold them in custody overnight and present them at a magistrates court. 31 people have now been charged, 14 have been remanded into custody, while a further 17 have been bailed to court.
One of those taking action this morning, Rachel White 53, a mental health worker from Rochford said:
“I have tried standing as a candidate for the Green Party, I have tried signing petitions, writing to MP’s, attending COP 26, but nothing’s changed. In fact it’s gotten worse, and so I can no longer be a bystander. I want my granddaughter and grandson to know I tried to do something. I want them to know their grandmother was not complicit with the crimes of this government.”
“MPs are well informed and they know that the scale of suffering that has begun is an unprecedented crime against humanity, and that the suffering will only worsen if we do not stop oil & gas emissions, yet they’ve just green-lit Rosebank, which will emit more carbon into the atmosphere than 28 whole countries.”
Also marching today is Rebecca Narracott, 46, a teacher from Norwich, who said:
“I have three brilliant teenagers who I want to see grow and thrive in a healthy and safe world, but on our current trajectory, this will not be their reality. I am taking action this week because I am privileged enough to be able to, therefore it is my moral obligation to at least try.”
“I am speaking out against our morally bankrupt and broken system of politics and governance; people have power and we must use our voices and bodies to say ‘not in our name.’ It’s time to take to the streets, join us on a slow-march, sign up at juststopoil.org.”
This morning’s marches come ahead of the UK touchdown of Storm Ciarán later today. Storm Ciarán is being called a “bomb cyclone” and is predicted to be the strongest storm Britain has experienced since records began 200 years ago. The UK is forecast to experience winds touching 100mph, causing widespread disruption and threat to life.
Ciaran’s impending arrival has prompted the Environment Agency to issue over 70 flood warnings. Ciaran’s arrival, hot on the heels of Storms Babet and Agnes, underscores the escalating pattern of extreme weather events associated with global heating. Record sea surface temperatures are driving the rapid intensification of the storm which is expected to bring record rainfall, high winds and a high storm surge across the south coast of UK and Northern France. [2][3][4]
The march this morning was joined by a person, not pictured, who marched peacefully alongside with a banner that promoted her website.
We are not prepared to watch while the government plans for millions to die and destroys everything we love. 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.
Throughout November, Just Stop Oil is calling on everyone to join us to march in London until the government comes to its senses and ends new oil and gas. Sign up for action here: https://juststopoil.org/take-action/
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.
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] Met office issues more than 70 flood warnings https://www.independent.co.uk/weather/northern-ireland-uk-storm-ciaran-flooding-amber-alert-b2438820.html
[3] Storm Ciaran a danger to life
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/storm-ciaran-uk-tracker-map-weather-warning-b2439508.html
[4] https://www.axios.com/2023/10/30/storm-ciaran-to-hit-uk-france-winds-rain
