Just Stop Oil activists are continuing their campaign of peacefully marching in the streets of London, to the point of arrest. They are demanding the government immediately halt all new oil, gas, and coal projects in the UK.
130 Just Stop Oil supporters from the North and South West of England began marching down Whitehall from Trafalgar Square this morning. A small number of Metropolitan Police arrived at 11:37am. By 11:52 am they has started arresting Just Stop Oil activists for allegedly breaching Section 7 of the Public Order Act 2023. They were unable to bring the march to a halt at this stage, and the supporters made their way to Parliament. By 12:13 there were more than 100 police present and all Just Stop Oil activists were arrested, with most peaceully refusing to comply with the police.
Today marked the start of a second week of slow marching. According to the Metropolitan Police, a total of 111 people were arrested last week, with 54 being people charged, 4 put on tag, and 3 held on remand at Wandsworth, Thameside and Bronzefield prisons. Last week, police officers arrested Just Stop Oil supporters for simply handing out leaflets on the pavement, causing one man to suffer a fit after being violently restrained.
Laura Fretwell, a 23 year old retail worker from Ilkeston said:
“I’m taking action with Just Stop Oil because if we don’t end new oil and gas, everything we know and love will be destroyed because of the greed of a select few. The government needs to take drastic action now to prevent climate chaos. Their refusal to do so condemns us all.”
“I will march, facing the threat of violence and arrest, because our children deserve better than to be living on a dying planet. We owe it to them to create a better world, as our elders have done for us.”
Justin Jago, 53, a registered blind guide dog user from Bristol said:
“I am marching in response to government plans to issue over 100 new oil and gas licences. I am angry that this government has failed to address the catastrophe that is killing people around the world and threatens the future of humanity without immediate action. Soaring temperatures and adverse weather conditions are causing forest fires and flooding, killing countless people and causing mass displacement of families.
“Historically civil disobedience has been the catalyst for positive change when governments have failed us, and I can’t ignore the facts. We owe it to children and young people facing a frightening future to act.”
Just Stop Oil is calling on people to join them everyday at midday in Trafalgar Square from 20th November to march in London until the government ends new oil and gas.