Just Stop Oil is an organisation that only interested me after the news coverage broke.

Their most significant and attention-grabbing stunt was throwing tomato soup, covering Van Gogh’s `’Sunflowers’. The act, which falsely indicated the destruction of the £72.5 million painting, caused a wave of global reactions online. Now, Just Stop Oil has announced they may consider ‘slashing’ art pieces if the government does not meet their demands, according to The Guardian.

Before attending a protest in person, I was unconvinced that Just Stop Oil’s mission could be achieved through their activism style. I am still sceptical that destruction is the key to success when it comes to achieving a goal, however, being around the march and interviewing the people involved gave me a new perspective on Just Stop Oil’s mission.

On the 5th of November, thousands of people turned out for the `People’s Assembly Against Austerity in London. Endless groups protested multiple social justice and public issues at the heart of current political debate. From people protesting about the current government’s cost-of-living crisis, university prices and wages and the global warming issue, there were people who were passionate about issues across the board.

Just Stop Oils’s press criticism couldn’t be further from the truth. The assumption has been made that the group’s activists are prone to backing out when things get tough, yet as they marched in the rain and wind, not one person seemed to back out of the mapped out path ahead.

It’s fair to say that there are some valid criticisms over Just Stop Oil’s actions; however, you can’t deny that the publicity they have received is making people talk about the issues they want to advance. Being a part of the march was the first time I felt like I was a part of something greater than my personal wants and wishes. It felt liberating to be a part of something so inspirational, even though around 36 police officers were flanking Just Stop Oil on each side.

After marching to Charing Cross, the protest reached the end of the march route, Trafalgar Square. However, rather than commencing the march there, Just Stop Oil continued on and refused to end their protest. The organisation held up traffic by sitting down for five-minute intervals, showing their dedication to ending new oil and gas licenses. Sitting in puddles holding banners and chanting to anyone who could hear, it wasn’t until individuals were arrested that the organisation was forced to stop their efforts to halt traffic. 

The following weeks after the march, I found myself defending Just Stop Oil more and highlighting the good they were doing; however, I still can’t justify destructive activism. To me, what has always worked best is the ability to protest freely in a way that captures headlines without harming other people or things.

Disruptive protesting has always seemed better, as opposed to destroying things, which seems childish and irresponsible. I look to the great people, companies and organisations that created real change with peaceful protesting, paving the way for things to be done correctly.

Most notably is the Black Lives Matter movement which saw hundreds of people standing in protest with Covid masks on, distanced apart to keep in line with regulations. Yet, the silent stance of hundreds of individuals created such a haunting image that touched millions around the world without damage or harm.

At the rally, I interviewed multiple people, but one person I was desperate to talk to was one of the faces of Just Stop Oil’s campaign, Indigo Rumbelow. With only a short time available, I got to speak to her for a few seconds, getting to know more about her goals with Just Stop Oil and the day’s intention. 

“We need to cause damage to this system until we can get our demands met.” While marching around in circles with the rest of the organisation, she told me, “we’re causing disruption because, at the moment, our government is still ploughing ahead with over 100 new oil licences.”

This can be backed by multiple articles stating that the government has provided people with new oil licences as recently as October. Just Stop Oil’s website has a PDF explaining why the climate crisis is essential and mustn’t be ignored. It lists and details reasons such as rising sea levels and food crisis along with the extinction of several animals as only a few reasons why the government needs to act now rather than later. 

The organisation regularly argues that it is cheaper to be more environmentally friendly. However, is this truly the case? While being environmentally conscious may save you money in the long run, the initial cost of creating, installing, and maintaining sustainable energy sources may be unachievable and unrealistic for most households, especially during a cost-of-living crisis. 

Looking at solar panels as one of the easiest ways to become more environmentally conscious, we can easily see why it is unachievable for low-income and working-class households to take the climate crisis seriously. According to greenmatch.co.uk, standard 250-Watt solar panels cost around £400 to £500. The most common domestic solar panel will cost the average family around £6,400 to cover 29 square metres of roof. With this in mind, is it truly feasible for the government to pay for everyone in the UK to have solar panels during this time of financial crisis? I think it’s unrealistic even though it is idealistic.

While support for Just Stop Oil is a controversial topic for the public, it is undeniable that their end goals will benefit the people and the planet. Most of the work that Just Stop Oil does regarding their activism is news-generating and undeniably impactful; however, we have to question whether their methods justify the ignorant madness of onlookers. As someone from a working-class background, it is my job to examine the reality of everyday people becoming more renewable when it comes to their energy, as most families cannot afford to Just Stop Oil.

Words: Laura Parry | Subbed by a member of the news team