Over 1.5 Degrees is a Global Tempest!- Just Stop Oil supporters disrupt Sigourney Weaver’s West-End show

Two Just Stop Oil supporters have disrupted a performance of the Tempest, starring legendary actor Sigourney Weaver. They are demanding the UK government phase out fossil fuel burning by 2030. [1]

At around 8pm, two Just Stop Oil supporters climbed onto the stage at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, stopping the performance. The pair could be seen holding a sign which read ‘Over 1.5 Degrees is a Global Shipwreck’, referring to the recent announcement that 2024 was the first full year over the 1.5 degree safe limit for global temperature rise. World Leaders stated they would aim to keep the world below 1.5 degrees of warming at the Paris Agreement in 2015.

Scientists warn that surpassing 1.5 degrees over pre-industrial levels will trigger catastrophic feedback loops that threaten the stability of all life on earth. [2]

One of those taking action this evening is Hayley Walsh, 42, a lecturer and mum of three from Nottingham, who said:

“I am scared for my children, I can’t sleepwalk them into a future of food shortages, life-threatening storms and wars for resources. Years of writing to MPs, going on marches and teaching my students to be more sustainable, hasn’t seen the urgent change needed.”

“1.5 degrees is a global shipwreck we can’t ignore. Wildfires in California, deadly floods in Valencia and hundreds of thousands without power in the UK this weekend. This isn’t a distant, future problem. We need a global treaty to stop fossil fuel burning and a global emergency response.”

Also taking action this evening is Richard Weir, 60, a mechanical engineer from Tynemouth, who said:

“I started my career in the shipyards of Tyneside and I watched management inaction lead to the collapse of UK manufacturing. Now I see similar failures of leadership as politicians refuse to take action to protect us and our loved ones.”

“We’re already seeing the damage this crisis is doing to crops, homes and entire neighbourhoods. Unless we come together and demand a move away from fossil fuels by 2030, we will go the same way as manufacturing in the UK. Just Stop Oil be taking action outside parliament this April. Join us.”

Today’s action comes after a weekend of chaos as a ‘generational bomb-cyclone’ hit the UK and Ireland, cutting power to over 700,000 homes. “I’ve not seen anything like it in my career,” said BBC weather presenter Judith Ralston. Scientists are continuing to warn that rapidly accelerating climate breakdown is leading to super-charged storms that seriously threaten lives and infrastructure. [3]

In 2024 Just Stop Oil successfully won its original demand of ‘no new oil and gas’. Non-violent civil resistance works. Just Stop Oil will once again be stepping into action this April to demand that governments commit to an international treaty to phase out the extraction and burning of oil, gas and coal burning by 2030. You can help make this happen by coming to a talk and signing up for action at juststopoil.org.

ENDS

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Notes to Editors

[1] Just Stop Oil is committed to nonviolent direct action to resist the destruction of our communities as a result of climate breakdown. We do not consent to plans that will result in 3C of warming and mass death.

We demand an emergency plan to Just Stop Oil by 2030. Our government must work with other governments to end the extraction and burning of all oil, gas and coal by 2030.

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. 

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

There are currently 18 supporters of Just Stop Oil imprisoned for taking non-violent action to protect lives.

[2] https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abn7950

[3] https://www.accuweather.com/en/news/trending-now