[ad_1]
Just Stop Oil activists have now taken London commuters hostage on Cannon Street in a bid to raise awareness of the climate impact of gas and oil licences. The blockade of the arterial road is disrupting traffic on the A22 network, with drivers forced to find alternative routes to their destination. The climate protesters have been on the road since 9 am this morning on Thursday, disrupting Cannon St, Queen Victoria St and Garlick Hill near Mansion House tube station.
Among the protesters is Tommy Burnett, a 30-year-old taxi driver from Kendal.
He reportedly said: “I’m taking action because the status quo needs to change; we cannot continue using fossil fuels when we know it is causing increasingly severe weather and making areas of the world uninhabitable.
“I’m in civil resistance because I believe people’s health, & the health of our planet, is more important than the wealth of a few.”
Two hours into their blockade, Just Stop Oil shared an update on their social media.
The environmental group wrote: “Police have retreated at Mansion House
“Strange lull at Mansion House at the moment—no arrests so far and most police who were here just left
“Looks like they either don’t want to, or don’t have capacity to arrest ordinary people demanding a better future for all.”
Though Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has reinstated the fracking ban – performing another U-turn on Liz Truss’ policy – the move did not respond to Just Stop Oil’s demands.
Standing by the 2019 Conservative manifesto, Mr Sunak said he would place a moratorium on fracking in England following opposition from environmentalists and local communities.
Fracking is what ultimately brought Liz Truss’ Government down after Labour tabled an opposition motion that turned into a vote of no-confidence on the former Prime Minister.
When asked what message she would send to Rishi Sunak’s Government, an activist protesting on the streets of the City of London said: “Stop making an enemy of my future and of my child’s future.
“Listen to the science that’s been established for decades and to do their job, which is to look after the members of our society.”
READ MORE: Eco mob strikes again with 31 activists blockading major junction
[ad_2]
