A Judge has ruled that Shell’s anti-protest injunctions against Just Stop Oil supporters will be allowed to continue for another year, following an annual review hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice last week.[1]
Two Just Stop Oil supporters, Charles Phillip Laurie and Emma Ireland had challenged the continuation of Shell ‘s anti-protest injunctions, which were originally granted for a period of 5 years, with annual reviews. They are among 13 Just Stop Oil supporters who have refused to sign undertakings not to take action at oil terminals, petrol stations and Shell’s HQ in future.[2]
The hearing before Mr Justice Eyre related to three Shell injunctions – private laws – which were initially secured in May 2022 following Just Stop Oil’s historic resistance at oil terminals and petrol stations. That campaign led to over 1000 arrests and had a significant impact on fuel availability at petrol pumps across the South East and the Midlands. [3][4]
In their submissions, lawyers acting for the £154bn oil giant Shell argued that the continuation of the injunctions for another year was necessary despite Just Stop Oil having suspended its campaign in March 2025 after winning its original demand of ‘no new oil and gas’. They argued that there had been ‘no material change’ in circumstances since the injunctions were granted and that the orders remained ‘necessary’ and a ‘proportionate’ restriction on the right to protest, intended to prevent trespass, obstruction, and damage to Shell’s sites. In particular Shell argued that the Just Stop Oil website remains live and is “soliciting recurring donations for a new campaign” and that materials demonstrate that the campaign is being “retooled—not retired.” [5]
One of the people challenging the injunction was Emma Ireland. In her opening remarks, Emma addressed the court saying:
“I begin this by reminding the court and Shell Oil, via their legal representatives, that we are in a climate and nature crisis. These crises are fueled by the burning of fossil fuels. The business of Shell Oil is the discovery, development and distribution of fossil fuels, ready for burning. Climate scientists around the world agree that all new oil and gas needs to stay in the ground if we are to have any chance of a livable future. Protest acts as a way to raise the alarm. ”
Speaking after the ruling, Charles Phillip Laurie, a father of three, Quaker and retired Civil Engineer said:
“In 1988 Shell released a report detailing the predicted climate impact of continued fossil fuel usage. It summed up the position by stating that by the time the impact was detectable it might be too late to avert disaster. Well we are well beyond that now. By granting injunctions in favour of Shell, the court is absolving Shell of responsibility for their actions. They are insulating them from criticism and from protest. However, they can never be wholly immune from the consequences of the climate crisis and there will always be those that want to hold them to account.”
A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said:
“Shell’s lawyers are right. For as long as the UK government continues to allow the extraction of fossil fuels and the export of weapons to genocidal states like Israel and treats its own citizens of conscience like criminals and terrorists, there will be resistance. For as long as climate criminals like Shell are allowed to hide behind private laws instead of facing justice in the International Criminal Court, there will be resistance. Just Stop Oil may have ended but our supporters will continue to tell the truth in court and challenge the UK’s oppressive anti-protest laws.”
Shell’s own internal research shows that the company understood the link between fossil fuels and climate change as far back as the 1980s. A confidential 1988 report warned that burning oil and gas was a major cause of rising carbon dioxide levels and predicted severe environmental and social impacts if emissions were not reduced. Despite this knowledge, Shell went on to publicly cast doubt on climate science and continued expanding fossil fuel production. Documents later published by the Union of Concerned Scientists revealed that Shell and other oil companies took part in coordinated efforts to mislead the public about the dangers of fossil fuels and to block government action on climate change.[6] [7] [8]
More recently, a report by the United States Senate Budget Committee found that Shell’s actions continue to contradict its public climate pledges. The investigation noted that although Shell promotes “net-zero” goals, its internal communications and investment plans show an ongoing commitment to oil and gas expansion. The report cited Shell executives acknowledging that the company intends to extract fossil fuels “for as long as possible” and highlighted Shell’s plan to keep production levels stable until at least 2030 while investing tens of billions of dollars in new oil and gas projects. The Committee concluded that such strategies are incompatible with the targets of the Paris Agreement. [9]
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.
[2] 10 April 2022: Fuel shortage grips Britain: One in three petrol stations in the South are CLOSED after eco mob cause ten days of chaos at oil terminals https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10704779/Petrol-stations-fuel-shortage-Just-Stop-Oil-Extinction-Rebellion-protest-block-oil-depots.html
[3] 5th May 2022: Shell obtains injunctions against UK climate protests https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/shell-obtains-injunctions-against-uk-climate-protests-2022-05-06/
[4] Petrol station actions 26 August 2022 https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/aug/26/just-stop-oil-protesters-blockade-central-london-petrol-stations
[5] All legal documents here: https://www.noticespublic.com/
[7] https://www.climatefiles.com/shell/1988-shell-report-greenhouse/
[8] https://www.ucs.org/resources/climate-deception-dossiers/
[9] https://www.budget.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/fossil_fuel_report1.pdf