Supporters of Just Stop Oil began action in the early hours of Friday morning at refineries near London, Birmingham and Southampton, climbing on tankers and getting stuck in the streets. Despite at least 34 arrests, activists continued to disrupt oil terminals on Saturday morning and said they had access to other locations. The group announced on social media that it had blocked Navigator terminals in Essex, posting photos of protesters in high-aesthetic jackets over a tanker and others blocking a road with a banner reading “Just Stop Oil”. Protesters said they had blocked access to Titan Truck Park and revealed a secret underground tunnel network leading to the site. The development means that the main and emergency access roads to the critical oil terminals are closed. “We need the government to stop financing new oil projects and we need it now! “Our only means of highlighting this issue is mass political resistance,” they said in an Instagram post. The group is urging the government to end the expansion of new oil and gas projects. Just Stop Oil said this week’s campaign led them to move from using political disobedience tactics to political resistance. Explaining what the change would look like, one supporter told the Guardian last month that it would mean “stopping pointing out what the government should or should not do.” [and instead] by actively stopping the government from doing what it should not do. “ The campaign, which involved protesters getting stuck in the streets, hanging on bamboo tripods and locking themselves in oil barrels, is taking place in defiance of a Supreme Court ruling temporarily banning demonstrations outside petrol stations. Outside Kingsbury and on the roads leading to the site, posters read: “Interim Supreme Court order in force. It is strictly forbidden to block, slow down, obstruct or obstruct traffic on this road as part of protest activities by the Just Stop Oil, Extinction Rebellion, Insulate Britain and other affiliated movements. Failure to comply with the order could lead to imprisonment. “ As a result of the blockades, the ExxonMobil UK oil distribution network closed three of its terminals. Police from at least five forces were developed to deal with demonstrations, making arrests for offenses such as burdensome violation, criminal damage and obstruction of the motorway.
