Just Stop Oil campaign has been occupying the national headlines for weeks now. They have been seen protesting and getting arrested for their actions.
What is Just Stop Oil?
Just Stop Oil is a British climate activist group that organizes protests against further fossil fuel developments. Fossil fuels include oil, gas and coal projects.
Just Stop Oil is primarily funded by the US-based Climate Emergency Fund as well as individual donations.
The organisation is made up of volunteers and has sub-groups in all major UK cities. People willing to join the movement can join one of their many zoom meetings, where they explain who they are and what they are fighting for. Individual cities then also organise group meetings in person.
What are their aims?
The activist group demands the UK government stop funding new oil, gas and coal projects, which are a major contributor to climate change.
Earlier this year, the UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, had approved 100 new oil and gas licences for the North Sea oil fields. The licences will be awarded annually under the Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill, which (as of 13/12/2023) is in its second reading of House of Commons.
Just Stop Oil is fighting against these new licences, as they do not believe they are complying with the UK’s net zero goals. Net zero means not adding to the total amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The UK’s commitment is to reach net zero by 2050.
Rishi Sunak believes that the new licences are “consistent” with their net zero commitments.
How do they take action?
Just Stop Oil’s actions have been labelled controversial by some. The organisation says they use “non-violent” actions.
They have recently organised a slow march in London that started on 29th October and lasted three weeks. The activists were seen slow marching down streets and in result blocking them.
Police officers started to arrest activists within five minutes of them marching. Under the new legislation, police officers were able to start arresting activists much quicker. They arrested them under the Section Seven of the Public Order Act, which states a protester may be arrested if they interfere with “key national infrastructure”.
Previously protesters could only be arrested for “serious public disorder, serious damage to property or serious disruption to the life of the community”.
Some actions that have had a more negative response within media, have been the JSO’s throwing of tomato soup at Van Gogh’s Sunflowers at London’s National Gallery. The two protesters also appeared to glue themselves to the wall next to the painting.
A video of the protesters showed them shouting: “Are you more concerned about the protection of a painting or the protection of our planet and people?”
What do they have planned next?
Talking to the Just Stop Oil group in Newcastle, they have shared that after the end of their protests in London, they are planning to reflect.
They want to look back on their actions, evaluate how effective they are and start planning further action. In context of the Newcastle group specifically, they want to focus on the community of climate action fighters within Newcastle. They would like to see their group expand within the coming months.
The Newcastle group is on Instagram and frequently posts about their action as well as how anyone can get involved.