‘Sick to the back teeth!’ Thousands of ‘militant protesters’ prepare for blockade as Just Stop Oil plans high-profile disruption spree
Just Stop Oil has announced plans for a major wave of protests this spring, vowing to “blockade” Parliament for weeks with “thousands and thousands” of activists.
The eco-group, which has been less active recently following the imprisonment of many leading members, aims to pressure the Government into ending fossil fuel extraction and burning by 2030.
The planned demonstrations will see protesters block Westminster “week after week” in what critics warn could severely disrupt daily life in the capital.
The group intends to overwhelm the legal system “in a way that’s never been done before” through mass arrests that will put unprecedented strain on police stations and courts.
In preparation for the protests, JSO leaders are seeking monthly donations ranging from £8 to £500 from supporters. The funds will be used to finance training, transport and essential protest equipment including super glue and D-locks.
Critics have condemned these tactics as extremist, warning they could endanger both law-abiding citizens and MPs. Recent YouGov polling shows public sentiment firmly against such disruptive protests, with nearly three-quarters of Britons believing previous JSO activists’ jail sentences were either appropriate or not harsh enough.
Even among those who believe the Government isn’t doing enough on climate change, 58 per cent support strict sentencing for protesters who break the law.
Shadow justice spokesman Robert Jenrick condemned the planned protests, stating: “The country cannot be brought to heel by militant protesters. The Government must ensure law-breakers are served swift justice.”
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Tory MP Richard Holden highlighted existing police powers to counter such demonstrations, saying: “In Government, we gave police powers to stop these protests which challenge democracy, cost the economy millions and stopped people going about their daily lives.”
Anthony Glees, a security expert at the University of Buckingham, expressed public frustration with the activists: “Ordinary British people are sick to the back teeth of having their lives disrupted by organised groups of fanatics.”
The demonstration plans were unveiled during a six-hour event in Birmingham on Saturday, where activists read poems written by their jailed colleagues at HMP Styal in Cheshire. The gathering also featured participants sharing “stories of resilience” as the group prepares for its most ambitious protest campaign yet.
A JSO insider revealed the group could be planning to target high-profile cultural and sporting events, with Wimbledon 2025 potentially in their sights.
According to a YouGov poll, while only 10 per cernt think it would be acceptable for climate protestors to disrupt public transport like trains and buses, this figure is no different when it comes to action against less climate friendly forms of transport, for instance by blocking vehicle traffic on motorways (11 per cent) or preventing flights from taking off at airports (11 per cent).
Again, even among those Britons who feel that the government needs to take more urgent action on climate change, there are clear misgivings about these forms of protest.
Responding to concerns, a JSO spokesman told the Mail: “It’s time to reclaim Parliament from the moneyed interests that have bought our politicians… non-violence is the core of what we do so we won’t be putting MPs in danger in any way.”