Just Stop Oil, an activist organisation has taken the UK up in a storm, a storm of orange that is. On the 31st of October, activists spray-painted the walls of the Bank of England in the capital’s financial district. The activist said, “the buildings were chosen to represent the pillars that support and maintain the power of the fossil fuel economy — government, security, finance and media”.
Just Stop Oil is an environmental activist organisation demanding action against the UK government's plans to licence more than 100 new oil and gas projects by 2025. The organisation became more vigilant with its steps after former Prime Minister, Liz Truss vowed to allow new drilling for offshore fossil fuels, to counter a surge in energy prices triggered by Russia’s war in Ukraine. One of the spokespersons of Just Stop Oil said, “We are not prepared to stand by and watch while everything we love is destroyed, while vulnerable people go hungry and fossil fuel companies and the rich profit from our misery. The era of fossil fuels should be long gone, but the creeping tentacles of fossil fuel interests continue to corrupt our politics, government and media as they have for decades.”
This wasn't the first attack the group did, they started their rebellion in mid-March by tying themselves to goalposts at football games. They then continued by protesting in particular locations which resulted in disrupting the oil supply. Since then they have been protesting, rebelling and spray-painting different parts of the UK.
They also invaded the Silverstone racetrack during the British Grand Prix. They even threw soup at famous Van Gogh paintings and glued themselves to various other treasured paintings. They claimed to take these actions to bring attention to the extraction of fossil fuels. Following their actions, the UK police have made 1,900 arrests since April and 637 protesters have been arrested in the past 4 weeks alone. And now on the 1st of November, Just Stop Oil has officially issued an ultimatum to the UK government.
“From today Just Stop Oil will pause its campaign of civil resistance. We are giving time to those in the government who are in touch with reality to consider their responsibilities to this country at this time. If, as we sadly expect, we receive no response from ministers to our demand by the end of Friday 4th November, we will escalate our legal disruption against this treasonous government. Our action will be proportionate to the task of stopping the crime against humanity which is new oil and gas.”
Will Rishi Sunak's new government be able to give the activists what they want? Or will the acts of rebellion go on? Only time will tell.
© Vygr Media Private Limited 2022. All Rights Reserved.
