Just Stop Oil supporter from Lancaster arrested during march in London

They are demanding the government heed the advice of the International Energy Agency, the United Nations and a majority of the UK public and stop granting licences for all new oil, gas and coal projects immediately.

The Just Stop Oil supporters marched from Trafalgar Square to Westminster on Monday and across Waterloo Bridge on Wednesday.

They are expected to march again today (Friday), and to continue over the coming weeks.

On each occasion the Metropolitan Police issued a Section 7 order from the Public Order Act 2023 and arrested all the marchers.

One of those arrested this week, Caroline Cattermole, 71, a retired counsellor from Lancaster, said: “Fossil fuels are killing people now, and I can’t bear to just stand by and see the destruction of everything I love. People all across the UK are realising that our criminal government is failing to protect us and they’re coming together in civil resistance to protect life”

The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has pledged to “max out” the UK’s oil and gas reserves while announcing 100 new oil and gas licences.

Since then there has been near universal condemnation across parliament and civil society.

Fifty MPs and peers, from all major parties, have written to the energy secretary to demand a rethink.

Conservative MP and former Science Minister Chris Skidmore said that the decision was “wrong” while the rest of the world was experiencing record heatwaves and that history will not look favourably on it.

MP Chris Skidmore said he would ask the speaker for an emergency debate when parliament returns from its summer break.

The civil service union, PCS, has said that statements made by senior politicians which argue that increasing domestic fossil fuel extraction is compatible with the UK and global net zero commitments are not correct.”

They suggest that if the Prime Minister was a civil servant he would stand in breach of the Civil Service Code as his announcement was not rooted in evidence and is in fact misleading.

A spokesperson from Just Stop Oil said: “We are not prepared to watch while the government plans for millions to die and destroys everything we love. It’s up to all of us now to come together and resist. We cannot let them divide us. Together we can be the real opposition this country needs and we will win. We will stop new oil and gas.”

“From November 20, Just Stop Oil is calling on everyone to join us every day at midday in Trafalgar Square to march in London until the government comes to its senses and ends new oil and gas.”