Public misunderstanding, heavy prison sentences … The ecological organization Just Stop Oil ceases its shock actions – Liberation

Mission accomplished? The British environmental organization just stop oil announced this Thursday, March 27, that she was going « From the end of April » put an end to his shock actions. « Just Stop Oil’s initial request to end oil and gas exploitation is now a government policy, which makes us one of the most successful civil resistance campaigns in recent history », Indicates the organization in a press release, therefore justifying the end of its shocking actions by a victory in the fight against fossil fuels. Although the United Kingdom is one of the countries the most committed in the world in the decline in its greenhouse gas emissionsthe production of electricity from gas and oil remains the prerogative of the country.

In reality, the British collective simply follows the path of its European comrades. In the past two years, other environmental collectives of civil disobedience have abandoned the punching actions-this is the case of rebellion from the United Kingdom, from Letzte Generation in Austria or even food response in France. Road blockages, airports, interruptions of sports competitions, plays, shareholder meetings … In 2022, the multiplication of these actions (Faced with the ineffectiveness of the climate steps) had shocked the general public. The most media of them is precisely the fact of Just Stop Oil: that year, in November, two activists had sprayed the tomato soup on the Sunflower van goghat the National Gallery in London (the canvas was protected by a window). Other works of art will take it for their rankincluding The Mona Lisa. Indignation is international.

With hindsight, activists who follow this kind of practice make the observation, especially in Release, that they had been misunderstood from the general public. Finally, the movements stop one after the other these shots. It must be said that in the United Kingdom, criminal repression is severe: in early March, prison terms inflicted on ten militants from Just Stop Oil, including those who had attacked Sunflowerwere confirmed on appeal by justice: two years in prison. Six other activists, five of whom had been condemned and imprisoned for planning a motorway blocking action at an online meeting, saw their sorrows reduced by the London Court of Appeal. Among them was The founder of Just Stop Oil, Roger Hallamwho saw his sentence reduced by five to four years in prison by the court of appeal.

Faced with these observations, « It is therefore the end of the soup on van gogh, cornstarch on Stonehenge and slow steps in the streets », concedes the movement in its press release of the day. « But this is not the end of the trials, placement under electronic surveillance, fines, testing and years in prison ». Just stop oil « Will continue to tell the truth before the courts, defend our political prisoners and denounce the oppressive anti-manifestation laws of the United Kingdom ». Contacted by AFP, the organization confirmed the end of its shock actions, explaining working on a « New project », on which she did not wish to give details. In the process, Greenpeace praised the work of the organization, believing that its activists « Had paid a heavy price ».