Just Stop Oil activists vow to continue disruption until UK agrees to fossil fuel demands

Just Stop Oil activists say they will end their disruption if the government agrees to no new oil production

Activists from Just Stop Oil take part in a blockade at the Kingsbury Oil Terminal, Warwickshire. (PA)

Just Stop Oil activists have vowed to continue their efforts to disrupt oil infrastructure across the country amid mounting criticism and concern of fuel shortages ahead of the Easter Weekend.

“Supporters of Just Stop Oil have no choice but to continue to take action whilst our government refuses to end new fossil fuel projects,” the campaign said in a statement to The Independent Tuesday.

“The government can end the disruption immediately by making a statement that they will end all new fossil fuel licences and consents in the UK.”

The activists have been blocking oil infrastructure across the country since 1 April, with fuel campaigners reporting shortages last weekend.

Petrol shortages were reported in Sussex, Warwickshire, Cambridgeshire, Oxfordshire and Watford among other places. A government spokesperson said the protests had led to short-term disruption to fuel deliveries but urged people to purchase fuel as normal.

The shortages come ahead of what will be an extremly busy weekend on the roads. The RAC has estimated that drivers will make more than 21 million leisure journeys by car over the Easter bank holiday, the higest number since the RAC began tracking plans in 2014.

An empty fuel station in Ashford, Kent (Gareth Fuller/PA) (PA Wire)

The demonstrations have sparked criticism including from Priti Patel and the Labour party, which called on the government Monday to implement an immediate nationwide ban to block the Just Stop Oil protests. Labour said they had caused “misery” for millions of motorists unable to access fuel.

However, a government spokesperson described Labour’s claims as “nothing more than irresponsible scaremongering.”

“The police are working to remove protestors from sites so normal deliveries can resume,” the spokesperson said. “We are working closely with industry to ensure that supplies are maintained.”

Just Stop Oil accused Labour of having “forgotten its history” of “struggle and resistance.”

The activists say they don’t want to disrupt people’s lives but that they cannot be bystanders as the government greenlights more extraction of oil and gas from the North Sea.

Last week Boris Johnson announced plans to build more nuclear power plants, boost renewable energy and extract more oil and gas from the North Sea to help the country reduce its need for Russian fossil fuels following the invasion of Ukraine.

The energy security strategy came days after a report by the United Nations found that global greenhouse gas emissions need to peak by 2025 to avert a “catastrophic” temperature rise.

Unveiling the report, UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres called investing in new infrastructure relating to fossil fuels, which are behind the continuing rise in planet-heating greenhouse gases, “moral and economic madness”.

“Climate activists are sometimes depicted as dangerous radicals,” he said. “But the truly dangerous radicals are the countries that are increasing production of fossil fuels.”

Just Stop Oil said the government could end queues and closures at petrol station forecourts ahead of the Easter holidays by committing to halt all new oil licences and consents.

“Ministers have a choice: they can arrest and imprison Just Stop Oil supporters or agree to no new oil and gas,” the coalition said in a statement. “While Just Stop Oil supporters have their liberty the disruption will continue.”

A government spokesperson said the UK was gradually driving down demand from fossil fuels but said it could not have a “cliff edge” by turning off our domestic source of gas overnight.

“This would put our energy security, British jobs and industries at risk and simply increase foreign imports, not reduce demand,” the spokesperson said.

Just Stop Oil have said they aren’t requesting that the government turn off the taps overnight but are asking for no new licences and consents.

Their ctions come as Extinction Rebellion starts its April rebellion. On Tuesday, Extinction Rebellion blocked the entrance to Lloyd’s of London in protest at the insurance sector’s backing of the fossil fuel industry.

At the same time, an independent climate activist, Angus Rose, is on hunger strike outside the Houses of Parliament as he calls for lawmakers and the cabinet to be briefed so they can better understand the science behind the climate emergency.

More than 75 leading scientists, including a former government chief scientific advisor, have signed an open letter in support of his call for the briefing.

The array of climate protests come as the UK holds the COP presidency following the Glasgow climate summit last year. Scientists have repeatedly warned that the world is on the road to climate disaster if we don’t act now.