Just Stop Oil
Just Stop Oil is a climate activist group in the UK using civil resistance with the aim of ensuring the UK Government commits to halting new fossil fuel licensing and production.[1] It launched on 14 February 2022[2] and its ongoing oil terminal disruptions across England began on 1 April 2022.[3]
History
The group launched on 14 February 2022.[2]
On 13 March, members disrupted the 75th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs).[4]
On 20 March, two members attempted to disrupt a football match at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium in London, but were intercepted. On 21 March, one member stopped play at a football match at Goodison Park in Liverpool when he ran onto the pitch and zip-tied himself to a goalpost by his neck.[1][5][6] The following day, one protester briefly made it onto the pitch at Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton.[7] On 24 March six protesters attempted to disrupt a match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in north London. All were removed quickly, but the match was briefly stopped.[8]
Beginning 1 April, they have been conducting England-wide protests blocking 10 critical oil facilities, intending to cut off the supply of petrol to the southeast of England.[9][10][11] The affected sites were Exxon Mobil fuel terminals in Hythe, Birmingham and West London;[3] three sites in Essex (Navigator oil terminal in Thurrock;[12] Esso in Purfleet; and Askew Farm Lane, Grays);[3] Buncefield oil depot, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire;[3] Valero's Kingsbury Oil Terminal, Warwickshire;[13][14] BP Oil Depot in Tamworth;[3] and a site in Southampton.[15] On 1 April, Exxon Mobil temporarily suspended operations at some of its sites.[3] Some petrol forecourts were affected.[10] Just Stop Oil have said they are inspred by the UK lorry drivers' protests in 2000, that paralysed petrol distribution.[1] On 14 April, Just Stop Oil activists stopped and surrounded an oil tanker in London, causing congestion on the M4 motorway.[16] On 15 April activists targetted Kingsbury, Navigator and Grays oil terminals, blockading roads and climbing onto oil tankers.[17][18][19] The same day it was reported that Navigator Thames, ExxonMobil and Valero had secured civil injunctions to prevent protest at its oil terminals.[20][21] On 19 April, Just Stop Oil suspended its actions against fuel distribution for a week in the hope of action from the government.[22] On 28 April, about 35 Just Stop Oil activsts sabotaged petrol pumps at two M25 motorway service stations (Cobham services in Surrey and Clacket Lane services in Kent).[23][24][25]
References
- "Inside Just Stop Oil, the youth climate group blocking UK refineries". The Guardian. 1 April 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
- Ball, Tom. "Pressure group Just Stop Oil will target fossil fuel production". The Times.
- "Protesters block oil terminals forcing Exxon Mobil to stop operations". The Independent. 1 April 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
- "Environmental activists disrupt Bafta red carpet in London". The Guardian. 13 March 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
- "Just Stop Oil: Why protesters are tying themselves to goalposts". BBC News. 21 March 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
- "Just Stop Oil: Who are the protesters and why do they keep locking themselves to goalposts?". The Big Issue. 18 March 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
- Drury, Jonny. "Stewards thwart cable tie protestor in Wolves' defeat to Leeds". www.shropshirestar.com. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
- "Protesters hauled off pitch after trying to tie themselves to goalpost at Spurs game". LBC. Retrieved 2022-04-28.
- Smyth, Chris; Webster, Ben (April 11, 2022). "Just Stop Oil activists wrong to disrupt people's lives, says George Eustice". The Times. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
- "Whether there's a fuel shortage and why drivers are being urged to buy diesel normally". inews.co.uk. 12 April 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
- "Just Stop Oil protesters vow to continue until 'all are jailed'". The Guardian. 12 April 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
- "Activists storm Essex oil terminal in bid to cut petrol supply to southeast England". The Independent. 6 April 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
- "Kingsbury oil depot protests lead to more than 100 arrests". BBC News. 7 April 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
- "Just Stop Oil activists hacksaw into major UK terminal and chain themselves to pipes". The Independent. 7 April 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
- "Just Stop Oil protests: Terminal operations suspended and arrests made". BBC News. 1 April 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
- Davis, Barney (14 April 2022). "Just Stop Oil activists clamber on tanker bringing chaos to the M4". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
- Johnston, Neil. "Just Stop Oil protests: Lorry drivers clash with activists". The Times.
- Nanu, Maighna (April 15, 2022). "HGV driver tackles Just Stop Oil protester after they target wrong vehicle". www.telegraph.co.uk.
- "Dozens of arrests made as climate activists target oil terminals". The Independent. 15 April 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
- Reuters (15 April 2022). "Oil firms secure injunctions to stop UK climate protests". Reuters. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
- "Several oil firms secure civil injunctions aimed at stopping climate protests". The Independent. 15 April 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
- "Just Stop Oil calls one-week halt to protests in hope of action from No 10". The Guardian. 19 April 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
- "Just Stop Oil protests: Arrests after M25 services petrol pumps damaged". BBC News. 28 April 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
- "Just Stop Oil protesters sabotage petrol pumps on M25 motorway". The Guardian. 28 April 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
- https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/04/28/just-stop-oil-poster-boy-among-saboteurs-m25-petrol-pump-protest/