Just Stop Oil Defiant as Court Hearings Ramp Up
This week, Southwark Crown Court is buzzing with the courtroom drama of 17 Just Stop Oil activists facing charges for their part in the M25 blockade last November. Nine of those arrested remain in custody as proceedings unfold in three separate hearings tied to the November 7th actions.
Brighton Duo in Court Over National Gallery Protest
Meanwhile, 23-year-old Hannah Hunt and 22-year-old Eben Lazarus from Brighton stand trial at a Magistrates’ Court for their July stunt. The pair glued themselves to the frame of Constable’s Hay Wain painting at London’s National Gallery, covering it with a reimagined version to highlight their environmental demands.
Fierce Words from Activists Inside the Courts
Amy-Rose Friel-O’Donnell, 20, from Bromley, appearing at Southwark Crown Court, didn’t hold back:
“Not in my name will millions have their lives ruined by the greed of the 1%. Not in my name will 33 million displaced Pakistanis be ignored. The government can’t get away with genocide. Climate breakdown hits the vulnerable hardest. So why punish those fighting to stop more suffering?”
She urged critics to consider the human cost:
“If you’re outraged by Just Stop Oil, ask yourself: how did it come to this? Imagine your child locked up for standing up for what’s right.”
Darcy Mitchell, 47, a parent from Devon, who’s already served prison time for peaceful protests, said:
“I’m ready to go back to prison because fossil fuels are killing people—and scientists agree: no new oil or gas licences. I’m not asking you to be jailed, but I am asking for your support. Act now or regret it later.”
Michelle Charlesworth, 56, from Oxfordshire, with 80 days behind bars this year for protesting Kingsbury Oil Terminal, added:
“Our government is betraying us, dragging us towards societal collapse. They’d rather imprison ordinary people than tackle climate wrecking fossil fuels. We’re not criminals—we’re defending our families and futures. Either we act now or lose everything.”
Mass Arrests but Movement Grows
Just Stop Oil’s six weeks of intense protests in October and November saw over 700 arrests. Since April 1st, activists have been arrested more than 2,000 times, with 26 still behind bars.
The group continues peaceful but fierce resistance against the government’s plan to hand out over 100 new oil and gas licences by 2025, condemning its failure to act on skyrocketing energy bills. They say by promoting new fossil fuel projects, the government is complicit in condemning millions to suffering and endangering democracy itself.
