Just Stop Oil

Just Stop Oil targets think tank over role in protest crackdown

Spread the love

Original article by Adam Bychawski republished from OpenDemocracy under  a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International licence.

Activists targeted Policy Exchange after openDemocracy revealed it received Big Oil funding and helped draft law

Just Stop Oil target Policy Exchange
Protesters said they targeted the think tank because of its Big Oil funding. | Just Stop Oil

Just Stop Oil activists have targeted a think tank that helped draft “draconian” new laws cracking down on climate protesters.

Two members of the direct action group threw orange paint on the headquarters of Policy Exchange, a right-wing think tank that the prime minister last month credited with helping draft a controversial bill that handed new anti-protest powers to police.

The protesters said they took action against Policy Exchange after openDemocracy revealed the think tank secretly received funding from oil giant ExxonMobil prior to recommending restrictions on climate protests. 

One of the protesters, Ella Ward, 20, an environmental science student from Birmingham, said: “We have painted the Policy Exchange because they have been instrumental in implementing laws to restrict climate protesters. 

“The prime minister praised Policy Exchange for their draconian and anti-democratic lobbying. They criminalise peaceful protesters for exercising their right to march for a liveable future. Meanwhile, the criminals in Parliament and in board rooms are getting away with murder.

“Policy Exchange received thousands of pounds from fossil fuel companies, that is unacceptable.”

Although Policy Exchange does not declare its donors, openDemocracy found ExxonMobil Corporation donated $30,000 to its American fundraising arm in 2017.

Two years later, a report by the influential think tank titled ‘Extremism Rebellion’ said the government should implement new laws to target environmental protest group Extinction Rebellion (XR).

In June, Sunak confirmed at the think tank’s summer party that its report “helped us draft” what became the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. The prime minister worked at Policy Exchange before becoming an MP, and some of its supporters also donated to his leadership campaign.

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, which has been condemned by civil rights groups, gave police new powers to restrict the duration and noise level of static protests, or shut them down if they cause a “serious disruption”. 

Policy Exchange, which was co-founded by housing secretary Michael Gove and others in 2007, has also received $1.4m from the National Philanthropic Trust, a funder of climate denial groups in the US, through its US fundraising arm.

Several leading UK oil and energy companies, including the industry lobby group Energy UK, have also given donations to Policy Exchange to sponsor events at the Conservative Party’s annual conferences.

The think tank has been approached for comment.

We’ve got a newsletter for everyone

Whatever you’re interested in, there’s a free openDemocracy newsletter for you. HAVE A LOOK

Original article by Adam Bychawski republished from OpenDemocracy under  a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International licence.

Continue ReadingJust Stop Oil targets think tank over role in protest crackdown

Student paints University of Exeter during graduation ceremony

Spread the love
Just Stop Oil activist Eddie Whittingham protests at University of Exeter graduation ceremony.
Just Stop Oil activist Eddie Whittingham arrested following protest at University of Exeter graduation ceremony.

A Just Stop Oil activist has disrupted his graduation ceremony at the University of Exeter as a call for students to take action against the UK Government’s plans to licence new oil and gas projects.

At 1:15pm, Eddie Whittingham, 25, was tackled by security as he sprayed a university courtyard orange with a paint-loaded fire extinguisher, while his graduating cohort looked on. Shortly beforehand he had received his BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. He was arrested at the scene.

Eddie is known for high-profile Just Stop Oil actions, including the interruption of the World Snooker Championship in April 2023, where he climbed a snooker table at The Crucible Theatre and released orange-coloured powder.

Speaking before his action today, he said:

“My name’s Eddie, I’m 25 years old and I’m about to disrupt my own graduation ceremony. Exactly 3 months ago, I disrupted the snooker world championship. I’m taking these actions because our government has failed young people like me.”

“They have failed to cut greenhouse gas emissions in line with science. They have failed to prepare us for the inevitable disruption that they have caused. They’re driving our society towards collapse by continuing to allow new oil, gas and coal. This is a violation of the advice of the International Energy Agency, the United Nations and thousands and thousands of climate scientists all around the world, who have been warning us for years: new fossil fuels means death.”

“As a result, 1 billion people may be displaced from their homes by 2030. That’s 7 years away. We face a future of mass-starvation and unimaginable suffering, including here in the UK. And all of this is happening so a small handful of extremely rich people can carry on getting even richer.”

“Universities, rather than preparing young people for this inevitable disruption, are instead upholding a status quo that is going to kill millions, if not billions of people. That’s why I’m calling on students everywhere to join us in resistance against this criminal government.”

“What use is a university degree if you can’t feed yourself? What use is an “education” if society is collapsing around you? Each one of us has a choice: die quietly or get into resistance. It’s now or never.”

Also arrested was Kostja Junglas, 27, a PhD student at Oxford University. They were tackled by University of Exeter security for attempting to hold up a banner to the crowd of graduates.

In 2022, the University of Exeter began a new partnership with Shell Oil, building on decades of collaboration between the university and the company. The stated aim of the project is ‘Carbon Sequestration’, a speculative technology that would allow Shell to continue producing fossil fuels whilst reducing their carbon emissions. However, experts that don’t stand to gain from Shell profits have declared carbon sequestration unviable: “Many international bodies and national government are relying on carbon capture in the fossil fuel sector to get to net zero, and it simply won’t work,” according to Bruce Robertson, the author of an Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis report on the topic. Students are campaigning for the university to cut ties with Shell under the name ‘Shell Out’.

The first week of July 2023 is believed to have been the hottest in the history of humanity, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. The highest temperature in recorded history has been set repeatedly in the last few weeks, and this pattern is expected to continue. “We are in uncharted territory and we can expect more records to fall as El Niño develops further and these impacts will extend into 2024,” said Christopher Hewitt, World Meteorological Organisation director of climate services, adding “This is worrying news.”  The impacts of this climate crisis are already devastating, and will only multiply in the short term.

Since the Just Stop Oil campaign launched on 14th February 2022, there have been 2,200 arrests and 138 people have spent time in prison, many without trial. Just Stop Oil supporters Morgan Trowland and Marcus Decker are serving three year prison sentences for resisting new oil, gas and coal.

Just Stop Oil is calling on everyone to get off the sidelines and join in civil resistance against new oil, gas and coal.

juststopoil.org/students juststopoil.org

Continue ReadingStudent paints University of Exeter during graduation ceremony

Twenty one Just Stop Oil supporters arrested

Spread the love

Just Stop Oil are demanding that the UK government halt any new licensing or consents for oil, gas and coal extraction in the UK.

In an escalation of resistance from previous weeks, 180 Just Stop Oil supporters, in fourteen groups, began marching on key roads in central London. They marched in groups of between 5 and 25 supporters, carrying placards reading “new oil = murder”, “ hottest June ever” and “can’t eat oil”.

Police followed numerous groups before marches began and stopped and searched dozens of people. Police began issuing Public Order Act (Section 12) notices at 8:10am, just minutes after the first march set off. Three Just Stop Oil supporters were arrested after 15 minutes of marching on Liverpool Street. Around twenty Just Stop Oil supporters were arrested as they attempted to leave Lambeth bridge, however 11 of these were de-arrested. The team in Victoria was removed by 8:35. Police were seen following marchers on the tube at 9:00am. Another two were arrested on Liverpool Street at 9:45. At 10:30 two were arrested on Victoria Street.

Frances Davis, 20, from Norwich spoke to the camera as she was held in handcuffs:

“I’ve been marching for just under 15 minutes and I’m under arrest for demanding the same thing as the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), the United Nations and the government’s own scientific advisors have been demanding- and we’ve just been ignored. We’ve tried everything else and now I’m in handcuffs, just for going on a march.”

This morning’s marches come as extreme heat continues to ravage Europe and now 110 million people have been issued extreme heat warnings in the US, as a heat dome over the US south-west has translated into coast to coast alerts. Temperature records could be broken in as many as 38 cities. In Las Vegas security guards can be seen guarding the fountains of upscale casinos and hotels to prevent people from jumping in, whilst mobile clinics are reporting treating homeless people suffering from third-degree burns.

Since the Just Stop Oil campaign launched on 14th February 2022, there have been over 2,200 arrests and 138 people have spent time in prison, many without trial. Just Stop Oil supporters Morgan Trowland and Marcus Decker are serving three-year prison sentences for resisting new oil, gas and coal in the longest sentences for peaceful climate action in British history.

Juststopoil.org.

Continue ReadingTwenty one Just Stop Oil supporters arrested

Just Stop Oil responds to The Last Leg’s call for disruption of every event.. With disruption of The Last Leg

Spread the love
Just Stop Oil disrupt Channel 4's live comedy show 'The Last Leg' 14 July 2023.
Just Stop Oil disrupt Channel 4’s live comedy show ‘The Last Leg’ 14 July 2023.

Three Just Stop Oil supporters have disrupted the TV comedy talk show, the Last Leg on Channel 4. They are demanding that the UK government halt any new licensing or consents for oil, gas and coal extraction in the UK.

At around 10.00pm, three Just Stop Oil supporters ran onto the set of the Last Leg, during the live show, in a cloud of confetti and jigsaw pieces blasting the song ‘Hit Me Baby One More Time’ by Britney Spears- in reference to the viral video featured on the program last week. The three supporters thanked the Last Leg presenters, Adam Hills, Josh Widdicome and Alex Brooker for their support and gifted them their own hi-vis vests.

Tonight’s action comes after the presenters called for a disruption before every sporting event on last week’s show. 

A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said:

“Be careful what you wish for! Thanks to the Last Leg for their kind words of support. We have taken on board their suggestion to provide disruptions before every event, and have decided to begin with The Last Leg. We would like to extend an invite to Adam, Alex and Josh to join us on the streets next week, as we continue demanding an end to new oil, gas and coal licences in the UK.”

One of those taking action today, Kush Naker, 33, a doctor of infectious disease from London, said:

“I’d like to thank The Last Leg’s Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker for their support of Just Stop Oil’s action at Wimbledon last week, and their proposal to take time at every sporting event to highlight the climate crisis. We need to be taking non-violent action everywhere and all the time in order to force this cruel and inept government to make the only sensible decision which is to end all new oil and gas licences”

“I love The Last Leg, this action is not against them in any way, but in fact an opportunity to invite the hosts of the show and all its viewers to join us in civil resistance against this criminal government.”

William John Ward, 66, a retired civil engineer from Epsom, who gained notoriety by throwing a jigsaw and confetti at Wimbledon, last week, said:

“I don’t want my grandchildren, nieces and nephews to suffer. Right now, millions of people are being forced to live in conditions that are beyond those necessary to support human life.”

“I can’t let this happen. I’ve had five meetings with my MP, Chris Grayling, and he simply doesn’t get it. He doesn’t seem to understand the warnings from the United Nations, from the International Energy Agency and from the governments’ own climate change committee. I have no choice but to get the message out in whatever way I can. I’m retired and want to enjoy my retirement, but I feel I have no choice but to take action. I’ve tried everything else.”

Continue ReadingJust Stop Oil responds to The Last Leg’s call for disruption of every event.. With disruption of The Last Leg

Just Stop Oil disrupt the BBC Proms

Spread the love
Just Stop Oil disrupt the first night of the BBC Proms 14 July 2023.
Just Stop Oil disrupt the first night of the BBC Proms 14 July 2023.

Two Just Stop Oil supporters disrupted the first night of the BBC Proms. They are demanding that the UK government halt any new licensing or consents for oil, gas and coal extraction in the UK. 

At around 8:40pm, two Just Stop Oil supporters ran onto the stage at the Royal Albert Hall, sounding whistles, whilst holding a banner which read ‘Just Stop Oil.’ The pair attempted to address the audience before being quickly removed.

One of those taking action today, Kate Logan, 38, A mum of two from London, said:

“Many years ago I sang with a youth choir at the Albert hall, never imagining I would one day disrupt a performance here to draw attention to the planetary crisis we find ourselves in. But that’s what this has come to. Our leaders and the press have failed us for decades and now it’s up to ordinary people to demand the changes we need.”

“We cannot afford to fiddle while Rome burns, our children need us to drop everything and act like this is the emergency it truly is. We need the BBC and the wider media to change their tune, tell the truth and connect the dots. The BBC is there to serve the public, it cannot be a mouthpiece of this corrupt government and its big oil pals.”

Just Stop Oil disrupt the first night of the BBC Proms 14 July 2023.
Just Stop Oil disrupt the first night of the BBC Proms 14 July 2023.

Also taking action this evening, Pia Bastide, 29, a community worker from London, said:

“I’m sorry to harp on about it, but business as usual isn’t working anymore. We can no longer ignore this crisis, when extreme temperatures are scorching Europe right now. Last week, the Secretary General of the United Nations said that the climate crisis is ‘out of control’.” 

“I refuse to accept that my future is being sold away, one new oil licence at a time, and do nothing. The government is undertaking actions that will kill millions and the BBC is not doing enough to hold them to account. It’s the same old song and dance of false balance, the downplaying of the emergency and repeating government lies.”

Tonight’s action comes in response to the BBC’s underwhelming coverage of the climate emergency. In recent weeks the BBC has been accused of ‘false balance’ as well as uncritically regurgitating government and oil company propaganda. [2]

A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said:

“Humanity is at risk, and so is everything we have ever created. Our works of art, our music and our traditions – we’re terrifyingly close to losing everything. Our cherished institutions like the BBC, are failing us. Along with the billionaire owned press, the BBC has failed to communicate the perilous urgency of our situation and they have failed in their fundamental duty to identify and hold to account those who are responsible.” 

“We are calling on the BBC to do better. You cannot remain ‘neutral’ on the breakdown of civilization. You cannot see both sides of extinction. You are either fighting for human survival or you are complicit with genocide.”

“It is immoral for cultural institutions to stand by and watch whilst our society faces inevitable collapse. We call on everyone involved in media, arts, heritage and culture to join us in civil resistance.”

Continue ReadingJust Stop Oil disrupt the BBC Proms