Just Stop Oil protesters breach injunction by blocking Kingsbury oil terminal

A further group of Just Stop Oil protesters are set to be arrested today after breaching an injunction by standing in front of an oil terminal holding placards saying ‘dangerous radicals’ and ‘if only they listened to petitions’.

The 16 activists outside Kingsbury oil terminal in Warwickshire said police approached them to say they would be arrested for breaching an injunction which stops them demonstrating at Britain’s largest inland oil storage depot.

The group of protesters held white signs saying ‘investing in new fossil fuels is moral and economic madness’; ‘oil is stealing my future’; ‘don’t stop us – stop oil’; ‘we are breaking the injunction’; and ‘dangerous criminals’.

Valero Energy, the Texas-based company which owns the Kingsbury oil terminal, secured a first injunction on April 11 which stops anyone from damaging the land at its sites or ‘affixing themselves to any other person or object’.

Three days later on April 14, a second injunction was granted in the High Court for North Warwickshire Borough Council, Warwickshire County Council and Warwickshire Police, which gives the authorities more powers of arrest.

Just Stop Oil, which is linked to the wider Extinction Rebellion group, said any arrested protesters are likely to face a charge of contempt of court – and could then face an unlimited fine or up two years in prison if found guilty. 

Warwickshire Police confirmed the protesters arrived at 7.30am and said at 11am that ‘a number of arrests have been made’. The force could not yet give a confirmed number because the activists were being processed. 

One former NHS doctor at today’s protest said: ‘I’m not a criminal, I’ve worked 32 years in the NHS as a doctor. But I’m risking arrest and imprisonment simply by standing here today breaking an injunction against protesting about new fossil fuels. It’s not a big ask that our Government, one of their climate pledges, stop new UK oil.’

Another protester added: ‘I’m here because we are receiving warnings like ‘it’s now or never’, ‘code red for humanity’, ‘direct existential threat’, things like that – and we are extremely concerned that we are expanding production of fossil fuels. So we’re here to demand that we stop doing that, it’s very simple.’

The organisation has been blocking oil terminals and tankers across England including in Birmingham, Essex and Hampshire since April 1 and said nearly 1,000 arrests have now been made over the past month. It said disruption would continue ‘until the Government makes a statement that it will end new oil and gas projects in the UK’.

Just Stop Oil protester Amy Pritchard, 37, a care worker from London, said prior to the demonstration at Kingsbury today: ‘If my imprisonment helps wake people up to the seriousness of the situation, it’s worth it. 

‘The UN Secretary-General clearly states ‘fossil fuels are a dead end’ and ‘delay means death’. No new oil and gas is not a controversial demand. I want to have children and I want them to have a future.’

She was quoting a statement by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in February in which he said ‘fossil fuels are a dead end – for our planet, for humanity, and yes, for economies’.

Sarah Webb, 51, a special educational needs tutor from Oxfordshire, was also involved in the demonstration today.

Speaking prior to the action, she said: ‘I’m injunction breaking at Kingsbury and risking two years in prison, to stand peacefully on a grass verge, not blocking anything. 

‘Our Government and judicial system have now effectively outlawed peaceful protest. Is this Russia, is this China? No, it’s the UK.

‘It’s down to us ordinary people now. Can you trust the government to do what is right and end new fossil fuel licences? Can you trust the fossil fuel companies to stop drilling and start building wind turbines? No, me neither. So we all need to stand up and force the government to take action.’

Warwickshire Police’s Assistant Chief Constable Dave Gardner said: ‘The High Court injunction remains in place and I would strongly advise against people coming to Kingsbury to conduct any protest activity.

‘Although the force respects the right to the peaceful protest, we will always take action against anyone found to be acting outside of the law.

‘If you are believed to be in breach of the order, officers will arrest you and you will be taken into police custody until you have to appear before the courts.

‘A number of arrests have been made this morning and our priority continues to be to minimise any disruption to the community and the local road networks, while ensuring the terminal can go about its day-to-day operational activity.

‘A heightened police presence will remain in the area as we deal with the protesters and continue to protect the public from harm.

‘I would like to thank the local community for their continued patience. It remains a challenging time but we are working in conjunction with our partners to minimise any disruption.’