Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion protesters block 10 oil terminals

Oil terminals suspended operations after access roads were blocked by environmental protesters Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion.

ExxonMobil UK, one of the country’s largest privately-owned underground oil pipeline distribution networks, said it had shut down three of its sites.

Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion said they had blocked “10 critical oil terminals” in the Midlands and southern England on Friday morning.

Activists are sitting on roads preventing tankers from leaving the sites.

It listed the locations as:

– Inter Terminals UK, Grays, Essex
– Navigator Terminals Thames, Grays, Essex
– Buncefield Oil Depot, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire
– Esso Birmingham Fuel Terminal, Birmingham, West Midlands
– Esso West London Terminal near Heathrow Airport, west London
– BP’s Hamble Oil Terminal, Southampton, Hampshire
– ExxonMobil’s Hythe Terminal, Southampton, Hampshire
– Esso’s Purfleet Fuels Terminal, Purfleet, Essex
– Kingsbury Oil Terminal, Kingsbury, Warwickshire
– BP Oil Depot, Kingsbury, Warwickshire

Just Stop Oil claimed that more than 30 young people climbed on top of tankers at Navigator Terminals Thames, Grays, Essex.

Essex Police arrested 13 people on suspicion of obstructing the highway.

Assistant Chief Constable Rachel Nolan said the force is “working to minimise the disruption”.

She went on: “This is an extremely dangerous situation for the protesters to be in.

“We are being clear on the risks and are continuing to engage with them to try and bring this to a conclusion.

“My hope is that this will be resolved safely and swiftly, so that our officers can get back to protecting and serving the people of Essex.”

Hampshire Police said: “Officers are currently on the scene to facilitate the protesters’ right to peaceful protest, to ensure the health and safety of those involved and to minimise the impact on the local community and businesses.

“No arrests have been made at this stage.”

Just Stop Oil said in a statement: “The Just Stop Oil coalition is demanding an end to the Government’s genocidal policy of expanding UK oil and gas production and is calling on all those outraged at the prospect of climate collapse and suffering from the cost-of-living crisis to stand with us.

“Ordinary people can no longer afford oil and gas, it’s time to Just Stop Oil.

“It’s funding war and killing people in the global South, while destroying the future for young people everywhere.”

A protester at the Esso Birmingham Fuel Terminal, Francis Brewer, 29, told the PA news agency: “We’re blocking oil from leaving the site and blocking any trucks from coming in to re-fuel.

“I think we’ve gone so far now with the climate crisis, and had so many years of criminal inaction from our Government, that we have to start taking these drastic measures.”

ExxonMobil UK wrote on Twitter: “Small protests are currently under way outside our Hythe, Birmingham and West London fuel terminals.

“While we respect the right to peaceful protest, our priority is the safety of our people, our neighbours, the protesters and our operations.

“We are working with the police to ensure that safety is maintained.”

The firm said it had temporarily suspended operations at the locations mentioned, but its other terminals at Purfleet and Avonmouth were not affected.

Just Stop Oil supporters have disrupted several Premier League football matches in recent weeks, including by running onto pitches and tying themselves to goalposts.

Extinction Rebellion announced on Friday that it will launch daily “mass participation” protests from London’s Hyde Park from April 9.

Spokesman Andrew Smith said the group will be “more disruptive than ever”.

He added: “We’re expecting huge numbers from the ninth.

“In London we won’t have pink boats, we won’t have pink tables, we will just have people power.

“In the tradition of non-violent civil disobedience, we will disrupt business as usual until the Government and big business make change.

“We need everyone to join us.”