Eco protesters converge on Parliament Square for mass demo

2022-07-23

Environmental protesters from Just Stop Oil and Insulate Britain converge on Parliament Square for mass demo against fossil fuels and cost-of-living crisis

The eco-zealots arranged to meet at a total of 11 locations in the capital before heading to Parliament Square
Event, dubbed We All Want to Just Stop Oil, says on its website that it wants to create ‘mass civil resistance’
They have listed five demands, including giving free energy ‘to everyone’ and taxing billionaires to pay for it

A coalition of eco-zealots including Just Stop Oil and Insulate Britain have descended on central London to take part in a ‘mass swarming march’ that they hope will bring the capital to a standstill.

The event, dubbed We All Want to Just Stop Oil, says on its website that it wants to create ‘mass civil resistance’ in a bid to achieve five ‘sensible’ demands that address both climate change and the ongoing cost of living crisis.

The protesters are calling for an ‘end new oil and gas licences, to insulate our homes, to give everyone enough free energy to cover the basics like heating, cooking, and lighting, and to provide cheap public transport.’

They are also demanding that the government ‘tax big polluters and billionaires’ to help fund the programme, ‘including retraining of workforces in new green jobs.’

The eco-mob had arranged to meet outside three London stations – Euston, Paddington and Victoria – and at least eight other locations before following different routes to meet in Parliament Square at 1pm.

They aim to pick up supporters on the way before staging a ‘symbolic mass sit down’ and ‘heading off to St. James Park for small group discussions.’

Pictures taken this morning showed small groups gathering as they started their separate marches, with one holding up a banner calling for the cancellation of the pioneering High Speed 2 rail network.

Others held up signs simply reading: ‘Oil free London’ and ‘people not profits.’

Indigo Rumbelow from Just Stop Oil said: ‘Tuesday’s extreme heatwave was a warning about what we will face as the climate collapses – thousands of deaths, homes lost to wildfires and emergency services stretched to breaking point – we are so unprepared for extreme heat and it’s only going to get worse.

‘It’s clear that the politicians won’t save us. That’s why we want to bring together the broadest coalition we can to stop new oil and gas licensing and implement an emergency plan that will reduce our carbon emissions and put money back in people’s pockets.

‘We are encouraging everyone to step up and join us on Saturday to help build the movement.’

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn voiced his support for eco-warriors ahead of their action today.

He said: ‘It’s too hot and everything is too expensive. That’s the crisis. You can’t separate out the cost of living and climate crises. The whole system, which creates billionaires and starves hundreds of millions, is the crisis. It can’t be resolved, it must be overcome and transformed.

‘Movements are the motor of change in history. When we come together, we can transform the world.

‘And we must because those in power – the fossil fuel giants, the billionaires and the governments they own – are picking our pockets and stealing our future.’

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