Hundreds have gathered in Parliament Square in solidarity with the 21 political prisoners currently incarcerated for demanding an end to the fossil fuel era, as well as all political prisoners fighting for change in the UK and abroad, including two imprisoned for taking action with Palestine Action. In recent weeks Just Stop Oil has been taking action 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 midday, supporters of Just Stop Oil, Extinction Rebellion, Defend our Juries and Fossil Free London, gathered at the Gandhi statue in Parliament Square. The crowd heard speeches from a range of speakers, including comedian Robin Ince and Areeba Hamid from Greenpeace. The crowd also heard messages from those currently in prison. Attendees could be seen holding signs which read ‘You can’t lock up the Truth’ and ‘No Justice when Juries are Denied the Truth.’ After the rally, many attendees joined the Palestinian solidarity march in London, in resistance to the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said:
“As ministers warn us of overflowing prisons, we have seen the number of nonviolent political prisoners imprisoned for taking action on the climate, rise to 21 in recent days. The state will always find space to imprison those who threaten the interests of fossil capital, whilst releasing violent offenders to make room. This demonstrates where their priorities lie.
However, in doing so, those who are incarcerating the people raising the alarm about the catastrophic threats humanity faces, are demonstrating their ignorance of the mechanics of social change. Those who study history will tell you that where you imprison one for demanding necessary change, ten will take their place.
The repression that Just Stop Oil is facing is a demonstration of our efficacy as a movement. We have won our initial demand of ‘no new oil and gas’, and demonstrated to the world that nonviolent civil resistance works. It is time for every one of us to consider our priorities and take action to demand world leaders act to protect our loved-ones from the worst effects of climate breakdown. We need to demand a fossil fuel treaty- an international legally binding agreement to phase down fossil fuel extraction and burning by 2030.”
The crowd heard words from some of those incarcerated including Cressie Gethin, 22, who wrote from her cell:
“…For everyone here today I want to ask you a question. What are you outraged about?…We are in prison because we dared to point the finger at the real source of the harm- our profit-hungry economic system, driven by fossil fuels. People at the bottom of the ladder are turned against one another. Guards recruited to exercise power over people just like them. Citizens policing each other. Whilst the elites who benefit from this destructive economic system are subject to no accountability at all.
That system has been to trial and found guilty, but it has never been sentenced. I wouldn’t wish punishment on anyone, including the elites perpetuating destruction. But for there to be no accountability, no means to compel change, when every piece of evidence, every expert and our intuitions are screaming out for it; be outraged about that…”
One of those speaking at the rally today was Raj Chada, a lawyer who has represented many of these 21 political prisoners in court. He said:
“This is about the nature of our democracy, in which peaceful protestors are routinely being imprisoned now. In the Supreme Court, a few years ago, they said that ‘protest was the lifeblood of our democracy.’ Our democracy is on its knees then, because they are not paying attention to protest.”
“I have been doing this job now for 20 years and until 3 years ago, I hadn’t had one client imprisoned. Something has changed in the establishment. In the shadow of this [Gandhi] statue, it shows the importance of nonviolent action and what it can achieve and why it should be so important. We will continue that fight for as long as we possibly can.”
Penny, the mother of Lucia Whittaker De Abreu, who was recently sentenced to four years in prison said:
“There should be no room for doubt about what the science is telling us…the TRUTH of what is to come and is already a reality in many parts of the world. None of us are immune, the evidence is overwhelmingly stark.
The UN Special Rapporteur for Environmental Defenders – Michel Forst witnessed for himself the aggressive trial of the Whole Truth Five who were silenced on speaking the TRUTH of the impending environmental and societal collapse as have others in their wake. The judge dismissed it as “irrelevant”. The UK, as a solution, has chosen an oppressive path to chuck our TRUTH TELLERS into prison with ever increasing sentences and punishment.
It will not deter us, it will make us stronger. Legislation and being growth-centric is not going to get us out of this one.”
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
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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.
