Just Stop Oil announces end of direct actions after years of mobilisation

LONDON – The British organisation Just Stop Oil, known for its high-profile actions against the oil and gas industry, has announced it will bring its direct interventions to an end. This decision follows the integration of its initial demand—halting oil and gas exploitation—into government policy, according to a statement issued on 27 March.

The organisation’s final public demonstration is scheduled for 26 April in Parliament Square, London. The group, several of whose members are currently imprisoned, confirmed to Agence France-Presse that this mobilisation will mark the conclusion of its civil disobedience operations. The organisation also indicated it is working on a new project, although no details have been disclosed.

A controversial approach

Since its inception, Just Stop Oil has stood out through widely broadcast actions on social media. Cultural venues such as the National Gallery, where activists threw soup at Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers, were among its targets. Sporting events including the Formula 1 Grand Prix at Silverstone and the Wimbledon tennis tournament were also disrupted. In January, the grave of Charles Darwin was defaced.

In 2022, repeated blockades of the M25 motorway encircling London caused significant traffic disruptions over several days. These actions led to legal proceedings and prison sentences for several members, which were upheld on appeal earlier this month.

Legal consequences and strategic repositioning

Currently, fifteen members of the organisation remain incarcerated. Ten had their sentences confirmed on appeal, including those responsible for the incident at the National Gallery. Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal in London has reduced sentences for six others involved in an attempted motorway blockade.

Just Stop Oil states its “resistance” will continue through the courts. The organisation claims it has been betrayed by what it calls an amoral political class. In its statement, it argues that only a revolution can address future systemic threats, though it has not clarified what form future actions might take.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer, through his spokesperson, welcomed the likelihood of fewer disruptions. Meanwhile, Greenpeace voiced its support for Just Stop Oil activists, citing the legal and personal consequences they have endured.