Who are Just Stop Oil? Climate protesters

Just stop the oil are hitting the headlines again for recent protests in which protesters from the group threw orange paint at luxury car dealers in London, including Bugattis and Ferraris.

The group first gained attention through a series of protests in March, including one protester storming the field during a football match and tying himself to the goal post.

Since then, its activists have been in the headlines gluing myself together to a copy of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper”, poured human faeces over the memorial to Sir Captain Tom Moore and pouring tomato soup on Van Gogh’s sunflowers painting in the National Gallery.

But who are Just Stop Oil and what do they want?

Who are Just Stop Oil?

Just Stop Oil is a new protest group working to pressure the government to end future fossil fuel deals.

The group is managed by experienced organizers from Extinction Rebellion and Isolate Britainwho in recent years have attracted attention with destructive protests, including sticking to main roads.

In their own words, Just Stop Oil is “a coalition of groups working together to ensure that the government commits to ending the licensing and production of new fossil fuels”.

What does Just Stop Oil want?

The group is calling on the UK government to stop the licensing and production of all new fossil fuels to avoid the potential effects of climate change.

On their crowdfunding page, the group said: “Allowing new oil and gas development in the UK is an obscene, genocidal policy that will kill our children and condemn humanity to oblivion. It just has to stop.”

They added that the government “actively supports the fossil fuel industry through obscene subsidies and tax incentives for new fossil fuel production” and warned that their acts of civil disobedience and non-violent resistance would continue until their demands were met.

What protests have they led so far?

In March, Just Stop Oil protestors disrupted football matches by tying themselves to the goalposts stormed the Baftas beating drums and firing rocket missiles.

In April, members of the group teamed up with Extinction Rebellion to block entrances to oil facilities across the UK and damage to petrol pumps which led to many arrests.

They also stuck to the famous paintings of J. M. W. Turner and Van Gogh in Manchester and London and stormed the track during the British Grand Prix.

The group kicked off a month of action by vowing to cause disruption through protests throughout October.

Activists have stuck to the roads and sat down on the asphalt with banners to block traffic around the capital, spark clashes with drivers.

Two protesters climbed the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge over Dartford Crossing on Monday, causing police to close the route. Activists have vowed to remain suspended from the bridge until the government promises to halt all new oil and gas licences.

They eventually left peacefully on Tuesday afternoon.

Other Just Stop Oil campaign participants sprayed paint on the interior of the Aston Martin in London and bottling tomato soup on “Sunflowers” by Van Gogh painting during the month of action in October.

Its activists too threw down the state building on Monday.

During the last protest, activists doused luxury car dealers with orange paint London – including Bugatti and Ferrari.

A Bentley showroom in Mayfair has also been hit by action from the climate group.

Regarding their protest methods, Just Stop Oil says: “Civil resistance is a powerful way for people to non-violently demand their rights, freedom and justice.

When people engage in nonviolent civil resistance, they use tactics such as strikes, boycotts, mass protests, and disruptions to refuse to cooperate with the state.”

The group warned that their protests will continue until their demand is met by the UK government.

Who funds Just Stop Oil?

On its website, the group says most of its funding for recruitment, training, capacity building and education comes from the Climate Emergency Fund, which pools donations to support disruptive activism.

“We are also receiving donations from members of the public who support the campaign, as well as from foundations and groups who are as frightened as we are by the unfolding climate crisis,” the statement added.