Just Stop Oil protesters friends or foe?

The moment these protesters stopped an ambulance and a fire engine from allowing to pass their glued on the floor road block, was the moment they lost the majority of the public’s support.

We all acknowledge the vital importance of urgently addressing climate change. Fracking-unacceptable, fossil fuels-a huge concern for our planet, the list goes on and it is important that these issues are addressed. I’m sure the majority of our society accept this, actually I’m sure that so many people across the country are more environmentally friendly that these protesters who happily throw their much loved glue bottles down drains, a very climate friendly action indeed.

These protesters and their campaigners claim their protesters are non violent and peaceful. Gluing yourself to a road is not peaceful, it is an act of passive aggression that clearly demonstrates that these protesters are not peaceful.

On BBC radio 4 one protester told the presenter that their tactics were to ‘disturb everyday life’ and ensure that ‘everyone is aware of the very very serious threat of climate change’.

As these protesters repeatedly glue them selves to roads across London sparking fury from motorists, across the country there are many everyday people doing vital work for our planet. Teachers educating children on the importance of respecting the planet, not throwing litter, planting trees, respecting nature. Campaigners teaching local community groups the vital issues of energy saving, reducing heat sources, turning off lights when possible. Cycling groups encouraging youngsters to cycle to school, rather than going by car. Clean air campaigners who do many talks on how we can all play our part in stopping pollution. The list is long and these take place across London and the country everyday and make a big impact in our community educating people and really changing their lives.

Just Stop Oil protesters let me ask you this-what have you actually achieved after four weeks of endless chaos across London?

It would appear that the public are so thoroughly fed up with your tactics of impacting our life that they have resorted to dragging you out of the road themselves, alongside tourists who have now joined in. By targeting everyday people and undertaking the methods you have, you have lost support from the public and actually achieved the opposite results. The climbing of the Dartford Crossing caused a huge environmental nightmare for that area and its neighbouring areas that saw huge traffic tailbacks for five hours.

I’m sure these protesters are aware that we are in the midst of a cost of living crisis. Pensioners are sitting at home wearing their coats as they cannot afford to heat their home. People are desperately trying to make a living however they can to put food on the table for their family. By halting people from going to work, you are and have added huge stress to people already stressed by so many other factors impacting their life.

Over 600 arrests have been made, huge amounts of police officers have been taken from our communities to deal with you. You are aware of course that there is shortage of officers in our community? That officers struggle to cover all parts of London at times due to brutal cuts in police numbers? Officers are being taken from all sectors to deal with you, which means somewhere again today a person in desperate need will have to wait even longer as their officers are having to pick up your limp lettuce like colleagues who have once again glued themselves to a road. Also be aware that many of these officers that you clearly don’t like, are life saving heroes who now suffer high levels of PTSD due to the endless horrific scenes they face on our streets.

If you asked the majority of the public if the oil giants should face windfall tax and further measures to save the planet, they would agree, but you don’t target them, you target everyday people already seriously stressed.

You can go home happy that you have achieved endless disruption across our capital, that you have used many police officers who belong in our community, have caused an environmental nightmare in Essex, have caused a great deal of stress to everyday people trying to make a living, have allowed the government to increase their anti protest laws making it harder for others who do wish to peacefully protest and most importantly, you have not helped the planet in the slightest. Those everyday people you wanted to target in our community have actually achieved great measures for saving the planet quietly out there day in and day out, whilst you have sat glued to a road.