Just Stop Oil supporter detained and forcibly removed from Heathrow for holding ‘Oil Kills’ sign

A Just Stop Oil supporter has been detained by police and forcibly removed for holding a sign at Heathrow Terminal Five. Just Stop Oil is working with groups internationally to demand governments establish a fossil fuel treaty, to end the extraction and burning of oil, gas and coal by 2030. [1]

At around 10:20 am, a Just Stop Oil supporter entered Terminal Five and held a sign which read ‘Oil Kills’. By around 10:40, a large group of police and security had surrounded the Just Stop Oil supporter and two people filming the incident, demanding personal details. They were moved into a side corridor and informed they were in breach of an injunction, a private law bought by a corporation. The police then forcibly removed all three from the airport. 

The Just Stop Oil supporter taking action today said:

“While the earth broke the record for the hottest day on record, not once, but twice this week, the UK police and judiciary are continuing to arrest and imprison those raising the alarm. Our governments care little about our lives and our future as a species. We need our leaders to protect our communities and commit to an international, legally binding treaty to end the extraction and burning of oil, gas and coal by 2030.” 

A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said:

“Governments and fossil fuel companies are waging war on humanity. Innocent people already face unlivable conditions and scientists are warning us we are on course for large parts of the world becoming uninhabitable, as greater levels of carbon in the atmosphere lead to irreversible runaway heating. Politicians are prepared to allow hundreds of millions to die in order to protect the wealthy corporations that are destroying everything.”

“This summer, we’re joining an international uprising taking nonviolent collective action at airports to protect our families and communities. We demand that our governments stop extracting and burning oil, gas and coal by 2030, and that they support and finance other countries to make a fast, fair and just transition. They must sign a Fossil Fuel Treaty to end the war on humanity before we lose everything.”

Meanwhile, from 10am this morning, Fossil Free London have been staging a demonstration outside the Department of Transport, demanding a stop to the expansion of London City Airport. They join demonstrations taking place around the world at airports in Austria, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Canada and USA. [2] [3]

This week, 13 groups over 10 countries have taken part in ‘Oil Kills’, an international uprising demanding governments establish a fossil fuel treaty to end the extraction and burning of oil, gas and coal by 2030. They are Letzte Generation in Germany, Folk Mot Fossilmakta in Norway, XR Finland, Futuro Vegetal in Spain, Just Stop Oil in the UK, Drop Fossil Subsidies and Act Now – Liberate in Switzerland, Letzte Generation Austria, Extinction Rebellion and Scientists Rebellion, Sweden and Last Generation Canada, XR Boston and Scientist Rebellion Turtle Island, USA. [4]

The ‘Oil Kills’ international uprising comes as it was announced on Wednesday that the record for the world’s hottest day has been broken twice in one week. On Monday, the global average surface air temperature reached 17.15C, breaking the record of 17.09C set on Sunday. This beats the record set in July 2023. [5]

Dr Joyce Kimutai, climate scientist at Imperial College London, said: “This is exactly what climate science told us would happen if the world continued burning coal, oil and gas. It will continue getting hotter until we stop burning fossil fuels and reach net zero emissions.” [6]

As long as political leaders fail to take swift and decisive action to protect our communities from the worst effects of climate breakdown, Just Stop Oil supporters, working with other groups internationally, will take the proportionate action necessary to generate much needed political pressure. This summer, areas of key importance to the fossil fuel economy will be declared sites of civil resistance around the world. Are you in? Sign up to take action at juststopoil.org.

ENDS

Press contact: 07762 987334

Press email: [email protected]

High-quality images & video here: https://juststopoil.org/press-media

Website: https://juststopoil.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JustStopOil/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/just.stopoil/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JustStop_Oil

YouTube: https://juststopoil.org/youtube

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@juststopoil

Oil Kills:  https://oilkills.org/

Oil Kills Twitter:  https://x.com/_oilkills

Notes to editors:

[1] Just Stop Oil is a member of the A22 Network of civil resistance projects.

Critical seed funding for Just Stop Oil was provided by Climate Emergency Fund and Adam McKay in 2022 and 2023. Just Stop Oil is now largely backed by small donations from the public, although the Climate Emergency Fund continues to contribute.

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. 

We take all possible steps to ensure that no-one’s safety is compromised by our actions.

Our Demand: An end to oil, gas and coal by 2030.

Our governments must work together to establish a legally binding treaty to stop extracting and burning oil, gas and coal by 2030 as well as supporting and financing poorer countries to make a fast, fair, and just transition.

This can be accomplished by endorsing the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative and seeking a negotiating mandate to establish the treaty.

[2] https://actionnetwork.org/events/they-fly-we-choke-stop-the-expansion-of-london-city-airport

[3] https://x.com/_oilkills/status/1817135266487750980

[4] https://oilkills.org/news-press/

[5] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crg7pen1xj7o

[6] https://news.sky.com/story/truly-staggering-world-breaks-hottest-day-record-for-second-day-in-a-row-13184110