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| Just Stop Oil: What is it and what does it want? | Just Stop Oil: What is it and what does it want? |
| (30 days later) | |
| Just Stop Oil has repeatedly hit the headlines in recent months after a series of high-profile protests. | Just Stop Oil has repeatedly hit the headlines in recent months after a series of high-profile protests. |
| The group is campaigning for more action on climate change but its tactics - which have included blocking major roads - have faced criticism. | |
| What is Just Stop Oil? | What is Just Stop Oil? |
| Just Stop Oil is an environmental activist group founded after Extinction Rebellion and Insulate Britain, with organisers from both at the helm. | Just Stop Oil is an environmental activist group founded after Extinction Rebellion and Insulate Britain, with organisers from both at the helm. |
| The movement first came to attention following a series of protests in March 2022. This included pitch invasions at several Premier League football grounds, with one activist tying himself to a goalpost. | The movement first came to attention following a series of protests in March 2022. This included pitch invasions at several Premier League football grounds, with one activist tying himself to a goalpost. |
| There have been other notable protests since then, including disruption at oil terminals and on some of the country's busiest motorways. It has also targeted major sporting events. | |
| What does Just Stop Oil want? | What does Just Stop Oil want? |
| The group wants the government to halt new licences for the exploration of oil and other fossil fuels in the UK. | The group wants the government to halt new licences for the exploration of oil and other fossil fuels in the UK. |
| It describes itself as "a coalition of groups working together to ensure the government commits to halting new fossil fuel licensing and production". | It describes itself as "a coalition of groups working together to ensure the government commits to halting new fossil fuel licensing and production". |
| The government plans to license more than 100 new oil and gas projects by 2025. | The government plans to license more than 100 new oil and gas projects by 2025. |
| Unlike Extinction Rebellion, which campaigns on the single big issue of climate change, Just Stop Oil's protests have a more specific focus. | Unlike Extinction Rebellion, which campaigns on the single big issue of climate change, Just Stop Oil's protests have a more specific focus. |
| As well as calling for an end to fossil fuels, the group wants greater investment in renewable energy, and better building insulation. | As well as calling for an end to fossil fuels, the group wants greater investment in renewable energy, and better building insulation. |
| A really simple guide to climate change | A really simple guide to climate change |
| Where does the UK get its energy and electricity? | Where does the UK get its energy and electricity? |
| Is the UK on track to meet its climate targets? | Is the UK on track to meet its climate targets? |
| What are Just Stop Oil's tactics? | What are Just Stop Oil's tactics? |
| Just Stop Oil activists have staged a series of high-profile protests in recent months. Many of these closed roads, including the M25 motorway. | Just Stop Oil activists have staged a series of high-profile protests in recent months. Many of these closed roads, including the M25 motorway. |
| They have also: | They have also: |
| disrupted the first morning of the second Ashes Test, at Lord's cricket ground, in London | |
| thrown soup at Vincent van Gogh's Sunflowers, at the National Gallery in London | |
| glued themselves to other paintings | glued themselves to other paintings |
| interrupted play at the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield | |
| attempted to disrupt the British Grand Prix | attempted to disrupt the British Grand Prix |
| targeted the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London | |
| The snooker match between Robert Milkins and Joe Perry, at the Crucible, in Sheffield, was abandoned after the interruption | The snooker match between Robert Milkins and Joe Perry, at the Crucible, in Sheffield, was abandoned after the interruption |
| Like Extinction Rebellion and Insulate Britain, Just Stop Oil activists claim to be willing to use "non-violent civil resistance" to make their point in public spaces. | Like Extinction Rebellion and Insulate Britain, Just Stop Oil activists claim to be willing to use "non-violent civil resistance" to make their point in public spaces. |
| The group says it is committed to ending its protests as soon as the government comes up with a solution to end fossil-fuel production. | The group says it is committed to ending its protests as soon as the government comes up with a solution to end fossil-fuel production. |
| Is it legal for Just Stop oil to block roads? | Is it legal for Just Stop oil to block roads? |
| No. The maximum penalty for the wilful obstruction of a highway is 51 weeks in prison. Offenders can also be fined. | |
| Several transport bodies, including National Highways and Transport for London, have sought High Court injunctions to prevent protesters disrupting major roads. | Several transport bodies, including National Highways and Transport for London, have sought High Court injunctions to prevent protesters disrupting major roads. |
| Those in breach of an injunction can be held in contempt of court and could face imprisonment, an unlimited fine and seizure of assets. | Those in breach of an injunction can be held in contempt of court and could face imprisonment, an unlimited fine and seizure of assets. |
| Several videos on social media have shown the anger of some motorists stopped from driving by Just Stop Oil activists. | Several videos on social media have shown the anger of some motorists stopped from driving by Just Stop Oil activists. |
| The man angrily confronted the protesters - Credit: Dominic Conquest | The man angrily confronted the protesters - Credit: Dominic Conquest |
| The man angrily confronted the protesters - Credit: Dominic Conquest | The man angrily confronted the protesters - Credit: Dominic Conquest |
| Business Secretary Grant Shapps called the M25 protests "completely outrageous". "Don't go disrupting other people's lives," he told LBC. | Business Secretary Grant Shapps called the M25 protests "completely outrageous". "Don't go disrupting other people's lives," he told LBC. |
| The Metropolitan Police has also highlighted the number of officer shifts spent policing Just Stop Oil protests. | |
| "These are officers who would otherwise be dealing with issues that matter to local communities, such as knife crime, safeguarding and responding to burglaries," Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said. | "These are officers who would otherwise be dealing with issues that matter to local communities, such as knife crime, safeguarding and responding to burglaries," Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said. |
| But the group's activists point to a Supreme Court ruling in 2021 which found there should be a "certain degree of tolerance to disruption to ordinary life, including the disruption of traffic", as a result of non-violent protest. | But the group's activists point to a Supreme Court ruling in 2021 which found there should be a "certain degree of tolerance to disruption to ordinary life, including the disruption of traffic", as a result of non-violent protest. |
| What else is the government doing about these protests? | What else is the government doing about these protests? |
| Dealing with these protests is proving very difficult for the authorities, despite several arrests and court action. | Dealing with these protests is proving very difficult for the authorities, despite several arrests and court action. |
| As a result, the government is trying to push through new anti-protest legislation. | As a result, the government is trying to push through new anti-protest legislation. |
| The Public Order Bill would grant new powers to prosecute someone who interferes with the operation or use of key national infrastructure in England and Wales - whether on the roads, railways, or air transport infrastructure. | The Public Order Bill would grant new powers to prosecute someone who interferes with the operation or use of key national infrastructure in England and Wales - whether on the roads, railways, or air transport infrastructure. |
| Under existing legislation, the police can generally restrict a protest only if they can show it may result in "serious public disorder, serious damage to property or serious disruption to the life of the community". | Under existing legislation, the police can generally restrict a protest only if they can show it may result in "serious public disorder, serious damage to property or serious disruption to the life of the community". |
| No 10 wants the police to be able to shut down a protest before it causes disruption. | No 10 wants the police to be able to shut down a protest before it causes disruption. |
| But the House of Lords removed this proposal from the bill. And ministers cannot reinstate it when the bill returns to the House of Commons. | |
| How will the Police and Crime Bill change protests? | How will the Police and Crime Bill change protests? |
| Just Stop Oil protesters in London in October | Just Stop Oil protesters in London in October |
| Why do motorways close when protesters climb gantries? | Why do motorways close when protesters climb gantries? |
| The M25 was disrupted after protesters climbed gantries at multiple locations in November. | The M25 was disrupted after protesters climbed gantries at multiple locations in November. |
| Part of the road was shut for the "safety of everyone involved", Surrey Police said. | Part of the road was shut for the "safety of everyone involved", Surrey Police said. |
| Former Metropolitan Police traffic sergeant Mike Rawson agrees that such closures are necessary: | Former Metropolitan Police traffic sergeant Mike Rawson agrees that such closures are necessary: |
| "It's a health and safety issue. The police cannot risk a demonstrator falling from the gantry and on to a vehicle beneath". | "It's a health and safety issue. The police cannot risk a demonstrator falling from the gantry and on to a vehicle beneath". |
| Who funds Just Stop Oil? | Who funds Just Stop Oil? |
| According to its website, most of the funding for Just Stop Oil comes from the Climate Emergency Fund - a US network set up in 2019 to fund climate activism. | According to its website, most of the funding for Just Stop Oil comes from the Climate Emergency Fund - a US network set up in 2019 to fund climate activism. |
| The Climate Emergency Fund is itself part-funded by Aileen Getty, a US philanthropist whose grandfather was petroleum tycoon J Paul Getty. | |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Extinction Rebellion | Extinction Rebellion |
| UK climate change protests | UK climate change protests |
| Climate change | Climate change |
| Insulate Britain | Insulate Britain |
| Just Stop Oil | Just Stop Oil |