https://nitter.poast.org/JustStop_Oil/status/1810975992363565331#m
https://juststopoil.org/2024/07/10/paint-the-town-orange-just-stop-oil-wins-first-demand/





‘Paint the town orange!’ – Just Stop Oil wins first demand
Press / July 10, 2024

Four Just Stop Oil supporters have painted Parliament Square orange to celebrate winning Just Stop Oil’s original demand, that the UK Government commit to ending all new licences and consents for fossil fuel exploration and extraction. [1]

At around 8:30 this morning, four supporters began pouring orange cornstarch-based children’s powder-paint across three intersections leading into Parliament Square. Cars proceeded to drive through the paint spreading it around the road that encircles the square.

One of those taking action this morning is Sheila Shatford, 69, an NHS nurse and grandmother from Bristol, who said:

“Just Stop Oil has won their demand for no new oil and gas, however this is not enough. Now we must demand internationally coordinated action to phase out fossil fuels. Labour must commit to cancelling all oil and gas licences granted by the Tories in their final arson spree before they left office.”

“To our new government: we have put our trust in you to keep us safe. It’s time to work with other countries to sign an international, legally binding treaty to end the extraction and burning of oil, gas and coal by 2030. Oil Kills. It’s time to protect our country and our communities. Sign the treaty!”

Today’s action comes in the wake of the new governments’ commitment to end new oil and gas licensing, in line with Just Stop Oil’s original demand, which was first issued to the UK government on 14th February 2022. During April and August 2022, Just Stop Oil supporters engaged in two rounds of disrupting the flow of oil out of key terminals around the country, causing many service stations to run out of petrol and diesel. By the 25th September 2022, the Financial Times reported Keir Starmer had pledged to end new oil and gas. This was reaffirmed on the 24th Oct 2022 when Just Stop Oil supporter, Fiona Atkinson, spoke to Keir Starmer on Nick Ferrari’s program on LBC, where the Labour leader re-stated his commitment to ending new oil and gas. Throughout 2022, mentions of ‘Just Stop Oil’ were up 400% and the campaign reached 92% name recognition nationally by November 2022. [2][3]

Throughout 2023, the saliency of the topic continued to increase, with press mentions of ‘new oil and gas’ increasing a further 23% during the year. This culminated in Rishi Sunak committing to ‘max out’ North Sea oil and gas- a story which made the front pages of The Guardian, Mirror, Telegraph, Times and The Metro on 1st Aug 2023, with the Mirror running “Just Stop Sunak” as their main title. By November 2023, polling demonstrated that Just Stop Oil actions create a positive ‘radical flank’ effect, by building support for more moderate groups, through the use of radical tactics. [4][5]

Throughout the past 2 1/2 years evidence has continued to mount that disapproval of disruptive tactics utilised by climate defenders, has had no negative impact on support for the cause itself, whilst forcing the issue to the top of the political agenda, through a process known as ‘agenda seeding’. [6]

Also taking action today is Deborah Wilde, 68, a retired teacher from London who said:

“The evidence is in, and disruptive civil resistance gets the goods! For two and a half years, Just Stop Oil supporters have been taking action to force the debate around new oil and gas up the news agenda and to the forefront of voter’s minds. We appreciate the new governments’ commitment to ending new oil and gas, but there is already enough carbon in the atmosphere to wreak havoc to our society and economy in the coming years. Labour must cancel all fossil fuel licences green-lit by the Tories and sign the fossil fuel treaty to end burning of oil, gas and coal by 2030.”

Civil resistance works. In the past year we have seen victories in Sweden and the Netherlands and now the UK. However, as long as political leaders fail to take swift and decisive action to protect our communities from the worst effects of climate breakdown, Just Stop Oil supporters, working with other groups internationally, will take the proportional action necessary to generate much needed political pressure. This summer, areas of key importance to the fossil fuel economy will be declared sites of civil resistance around the world. Sign up to take action at juststopoil.org. [7][8]

ENDS

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Notes to Editors

[1] Just Stop Oil is a coalition of groups working together to demand that the government immediately halt all future licensing and consents for the exploration, development and production of fossil fuels in the UK. Just Stop Oil is a member of the A22 Network of civil resistance projects.
Just Stop Oil ‘Blue Lights’ policy: our policy is, and has always been, to move out of the way for emergency vehicles with siren sounding and ‘blue lights’ on.
[2] https://www.ft.com/content/331a0465-4125-49d7-bf79-d4eaf90ce60c
[3]


[4] https://www.tomorrowspapers.co.uk/uk-front-pages-1st-of-august-2023/
[5] https://www.socialchangelab.org/_files/ugd/503ba4_a184ae5bbce24c228d07eda25566dc13.pdf
[6] https://theconversation.com/just-stop-oil-do-radical-protests-turn-the-public-away-from-a-cause-heres-the-evidence-192901
[7] https://juststopoil.org/2024/05/08/swedish-just-stop-oil-ally-group-restore-wetlands-declare-victory-in-huge-win-for-civil-resistance/
[8] https://diem25.org/can-extinction-rebellions-surprise-success-in-the-netherlands-be-replicated/