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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Bill McLoughlin

Just Stop Oil: Activists block traffic in Baker Street for 8th day of protests

Just Stop Oil activists have blocked traffic in Baker Street as part of their latest protest in London.

According to a statement from the group, approximately 40 people have established road blocks on the Edgware Road, Gloucester Place and Station Approach.

Due to the blockade, the group claimed they had caused severe traffic disruption on Marylebone Road.

Some have even glued themsleves to the road in order to hinder attempts to remove them. Just Stop Oil activists also joined members of Animal Rebellion to march down Pall Mall in a bid to draw interest to the climate change crisis.

At least 24 people have been arrested so far today in relation to the Just Stop Oil protests, police said.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: “Three people, one 26-year-old man and two women, aged 28 and 22, were arrested in Berwick Road, W1 after a proactive vehicle stop at 10.20am this morning on suspicion of possession of an article to cause criminal damage, namely fire extinguishers full of paint.

“So far today, there has been a total of 24 arrests related to the Just Stop Oil protests.

“The two locations that were blocked by protesters were Edgware Road/ Upper Berkley Road and Marylebone Road/Baker Street. Both roads have now reopened.”

It is the eighth day that the group has carried out protests in the capital to force the Government into action to take greater steps in tackling climate change.

A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said: “We will continue in Civil Resistance because it is the right thing to do, and today, Animal Rebellion will also be non-violently resisting on the streets of London.

“We recognise that the need to end new oil and gas will also require us to transition away from high carbon animal agriculture, and that this must be done while supporting farmers and their communities.”

Jayne Wade, 40, a mother and copywriter from Bristol said: “The UK government is calling mothers like me ‘extremists’ for trying to protect the lives of our children.

“Yet the UN secretary general Antonio Guterrres has said that the real extremists are the governments continuing to pursue fossil fuel extraction.

“Liz Truss is set to issue 100 new gas and oil licenses – and in doing so she is handing our children a death sentence. Nobody is talking about our kids having a bright future – the question is whether they’ll have a liveable one.

“And I didn’t bring my daughter into the world only for her life to be cut short by the actions of greedy oil giants and corrupt genocidal governments like ours. All I want is for my daughter to have a chance. All I want is for her to be safe.”

Around 25 supporters of Just Stop Oil took part in the action on Friday morning after the group protested throughout the week.

Just Stop Oil has vowed to protest everyday this month after the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) started the 33rd round of offshore licences.

It estimates more than 100 licences may be granted.

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