Four Just Stop Oil supporters were given conditional discharges today after pleading guilty to “interfering with the use of key national infrastructure” by slow marching in 2023 to demand an end to new oil and gas licensing.[1]
Ben Larsen, Tabitha King, Cathy Archer and Poppy Jabelman had joined a slow march at Hendon Way on 13 November 2023. They were not charged until June 2025, when they were accused of interfering with key national infrastructure under Section 7 of the Public Order Act. They pleaded guilty at Westminster Magistrates Court on 25 June 2025 and were sentenced today. [2]
In pronouncing the sentence, the Judge agreed that a serious offence had been committed but took into account the defendant’s conscientious motivation, guilty pleas and the long delay between the offense and being charged. All four were given a 12 months conditional discharge, costs of £85 each and victim compensation charge of £26.
Poppy Jabelman said:
“Power to the people! Just Stop Oil’s demand has been met keeping 4.4 billion barrels of oil in the ground, that’s 1.3 million barrels of oil for each of our arrests. Direct action works.”
Over 100 people took action at Hendon Way on 13th November 2023, the third week of Just Stop Oil’s relentless autumn 2023 campaign of slow marching everyday in London. Police were overwhelmed with insufficient officers and vans to arrest everyone.
Nearly two years down the line and the courts are now full of Just Stop Oil supporters who joined the slow marches. Also taking action that day was Dr. Juliette Brown, a 53 year old doctor from London who appeared in Southwark Crown Court today to plead not guilty to the Section 7 charge along with Jake Causely, Alfie Hewitt, Charlotte Omiotek and Lia Lazarus. Their trial date has been set for November 2027, four years after the action.
In 2023, Dr. Juliette Brown said:
“Democracy doesn’t start and end at the ballot box. Whether it’s marching for a ceasefire in Palestine or taking action with Just Stop Oil, I feel driven to act by government policies that are threatening the lives of countless millions of ordinary people.”
The section 7 offence of interfering with key national infrastructure (such as roads, airports and railways) was introduced in April 2023 with the Public Order Act, specifically to stop Just Stop Oil’s slow marching tactics. It carries a penalty of up to 12 months imprisonment. It was used for the first time in October 2023 and at the time of publication over 250 Just Stop Oil supporters have been charged with the offence, many of whom have yet to face trial. [3][4]
In 2024 Just Stop Oil successfully won its original demand of ‘no new oil and gas’ and on March 27th 2025 announced an end to the campaign of action. However, our supporters will continue to tell the truth in court, to speak out for our political prisoners and to help build what comes next.
ENDS
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Notes to Editors
[1] Just Stop Oil is a member of the A22 Network of civil resistance projects.
April 26th 2025 was the last Just Stop Oil action, but our supporters will continue to tell the truth in the courts, speak out for our political prisoners, and call out the UK’s oppressive anti-protest laws.
Just Stop Oil continues to rely on small donations from the public to make this happen.
[3] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-acts-to-stop-highly-disruptive-slow-walking-tactics