The “Just stop oil” collective wants a halt to new oil and gas drilling. In 2022, they say, restarting fossil fuel production is “an absurditywhich is accelerating climate change.
Created in the United Kingdom in February 2022, “Just Stop Oil” is defined as “a nonviolent resistance movement“and if its activists attack paintings in museums, it is obviously to create an electric shock. One of the spokespersons, Alex De Koning, explains in an interview with Euronews that “the general public is much more outraged over a tomato soup poured on the protective glass of a Van Gogh than over the 33 million Pakistanis displaced by the floods” or that for “drought affecting crops and 36 million people in Africa“.
@gbnews Mark Steyn and Just Stop Oil spokesman Alex De Koning clash over the environmental group’s ongoing protests. #GBNews #MarkSteyn #JustStopOil ♬ original sound – GB News
The young man, who has put his doctorate on hold, does not refuse any set. He is even a regular guest on the very conservative GB News. “Even if citizens do not agree with our methods, he said, they can’t disagree with our message. We will stop when our governments commit to ending fossil fuels.”
The profile of activists? Rather qualified, rather young ecologists, generally in their twenties, even if we have also seen people in their forties and retirees spraying orange paint on buildings or stores. All act openly, respond willingly to journalists and claim their actions on social networks.
Phoebe, a 21-year-old student, posted this video on Instagram after throwing the famous tomato soup on the Sunflowers by Van Gogh at the National Gallery in London on October 14.
“VShas created a lot of debate and controversy. So we invite you to come and talk to us, to understand why we did it. These actions may seem insane. But honestly, nothing is more insane than seeing the government continue to exploit fossil fuels, because they are aware of the destruction that this will cause us“. The group also organized a zoom videoconference on Thursday, October 27, to also discuss alternative solutions: insulation, free public transport, switching to renewable energies…
Prior to the artwork attacks that propelled them onto the media scene, ‘Just Stop Oil’ activists have already blocked oil terminals, occupied bridges in London, disrupted sporting events like the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Silverstone. Earlier this week they also crushed a large chocolate cake on the wax statue of King Charles III at Madame Tussaud, the Grévin museum in London.
UNITED KINGDOM: After Van Gogh a week ago and Claude Monet yesterday, environmental activists from “Just Stop Oil” have just encrusted the wax statue of King Charles III at the famous Madame Tussauds museum in London.pic.twitter.com/XJetw28OAQ
— French Info (@InfosFrancaises) October 24, 2022
“Just stop Oil” has been emulated in France, Germany, Canada and the United States. In Germany, “Letzte Generation” activists stuck to the ground between cars in a Porsche brand showroom. The dealership manager left them in the dark and without heat for 42 hours before calling the police.
Many aspects of our @ScientistRebel1 action at @Autostadt @VW have been misinterpreted and its overall goals neglected. Here’s a hopefully clarifying thread. Report in fullhttps://t.co/WwYsrBuifu 1/ pic.twitter.com/GnsI8AD6ML
— gianluca grimalda (@GGrimalda) October 24, 2022
“Just Stop Oil” is financed by donations, in particular the Climate Energy Fund, the American network created in 2019 of which Aileen Getty, the goddaughter of oil magnate J. Paul Getty, is a member: she openly declared that she applauded the demonstration on the Van Gogh. “Unfortunately, what we do, in the face of a multi-billion dollar industry, is very costly. We need people to fund us, otherwise we won’t go anywhere” recognize Alex DeKoning. But “we don’t care about people’s past – we only care about what’s going to happen now“.