Ten major oil facilities blocked by eco-protesters as energy price cap rises

Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion protesters have stopped lorries from leaving fuel terminals across the UK in several protests as the energy price cap rises today.

Activists blocked the entrance to 10 oil terminals in the UK, including London and Birmingham, to prevent the government from ‘burning the future’.

Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion protesters said they blocked “key oil” terminals from around 4am this morning.

In a series of tweets, Just Stop Oil gave a number of other locations it will target later today in Essex and Hertfordshire.

Police forces rushed officers to protests already underway, with people wearing high-visibility jackets pictured sitting in front of trucks trying to leave affected sites, while others climbed onto tanker trucks.

In a statement, Just Stop Oil said: “Early this morning, hundreds of supporters of the Just Stop Oil coalition blockaded ten critical oil terminals near London, Birmingham and Southampton to demand that the UK government stop new oil projects and gas companies in the UK.

“The actions are led by supporters of Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion.

“Dozens of people sat on the road to prevent the tankers from leaving each site, while others climbed onto the tankers, including more than 30 young people at the Navigator oil terminal in Thurrock.

“The Just Stop Oil Coalition demands an end to the government’s genocidal policy of increasing oil and gas production in the UK and calls on all those outraged by the prospect of climate breakdown and suffering from the crisis cost of living to support us.

“Ordinary people can’t afford oil and gas anymore, it’s time to Just Stop Oil.”

Extinction Rebellion added: “The action takes place at a crucial time: the British public wakes up this morning to a 54% increase in the energy price cap, which charities say will prevent millions of people to pay their bills.

“The government is choosing to continue its reliance on fossil fuels as war rages in Ukraine, instead of accelerating the transition to a renewable energy future.

“Just months away from the ‘last chance’ of COP26, Boris Johnson is now saying the current crisis demands a ‘climate change pass’.

“All of this is happening despite recent polls showing the British public want climate action now in the face of the energy crisis.

“Extinction Rebellion is here to say: Not on our behalf.”

West Midlands Police have warned people near the affected site in Birmingham to expect delays due to the protests.

He tweeted: “We are currently responding to activists on a site of #Tyburn.

“We are working to resolve this issue as soon as possible. Delays are expected this morning on the following roads: Wood Lane, Bromford Lane and Tyburn Road.”

The West Midlands Fire Service added: “We have teams present at this incident in Tyburn Road, Birmingham, available to support our colleagues from @WMPoliceif necessary.

“Please avoid the area as much as possible, due to traffic delays, and follow @wmpolice for any updates.”

Last month protesters in the group tied themselves to the goal posts at Premier League games, interrupting play for several minutes.

The first happened at Goodison Park during the game between Everton and Newcastle when a man was wearing an orange t-shirt that read ‘Just Stop Oil’ and had a cable tie around his neck.

Another man protesting for the same cause tied himself to one of the Emirates goalposts during the match between Arsenal and Liverpool, as well as Tottenham v West Ham and Wolves v Leeds.

Just Stop Oil activists also staged a noisy protest near the Baftas red carpet.

Protester Louis McKecknie, 21, from Weymouth said: “I don’t want to do this, but our genocidal government gives me no choice.

“They know that oil is funding Putin’s war and pushing millions into fuel poverty while energy companies reap billions in profits.

“They know that allowing more oil and gas extraction in the UK is suicidal and will accelerate global warming. It means millions of people are dying of heat stress, losing their homes or having to fight for food.

“It’s the future of my generation, I quit when the oil stops.”

Demonstrations are expected across the country in the coming days over the cost of living crisis.

The People’s Assembly said it expects thousands of protesters to take to the streets across the UK on Saturday to highlight those suffering “real hardship” due to the combination of the rising fuel and food prices, inflation and low wages.

UPDATE: Six people have so far been arrested in Essex, police say.