Just Stop Oil protesters have blockaded petrol stations and smashed petrol pumps across London this morning. The action began at 6am today in the west and south of the city. Some protesters have been pictured sitting in the street with banners, while others have blocked entrances. Teams have broken the screen glass and covered the pumps with spray before sitting down to “wait for the catch”. The pumps have been decommissioned after Just Stop Oil said 51 campaigners flocked to petrol stations. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police told Metro.co.uk: “Police were called at 06.29am. on Friday August 29 to reports of protesters damaging pumps at a petrol station in Talgarth Road, Hammersmith. “Officer attended and within about 10 minutes arrested four men and one woman on suspicion of criminal damage. They remain in custody at a west London police station. “Investigations are ongoing.” Protesters have called for government action against oil and gas projects (Image: Leon Neal/Getty Images) Just Stop Oil at a BP filling station on the A40 in Perivale, west London (Image: Ben Cawthra/LNP) To view this video, please enable JavaScript and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Today’s action was timed with Ofgem’s announcement of an increase in electricity bills for October. The energy price cap will jump to £3,549 on October 1, a move that will pile cost-of-living pressure on families. Tez Burns, 34, a cycle engineer and physics graduate from Swansea who is taking action today, said: “We are suffering the worst cost of living crisis for 40 years and we are facing climate collapse due to our dependence on oil. Yet the government is allowing energy companies to drive us into poverty with skyrocketing energy bills and failing to protect us from the consequences of climate collapse. Police speak to protesters this morning (Image: Leon Neal/Getty Images) Just Stop Oil, a branch of Extinction Rebellion, targets petrol stations (Image: Ben Cawthra/LNP) Protesters clashed with police early this morning ( Image: Just Stop Oil / SWNS) “That’s enough”. Just Stop Oil launched the action to support their demand that the UK Government end new oil and gas projects in the UK. Jade Calland, 29, from Lancashire, is also in action today. He said: “Today we are resisting the government’s plans to allow more oil and gas. “We want to end the misery imposed on millions by rising energy bills, food poverty, poorly insulated homes and a society that works for the benefit of fossil fuel companies and the rich.” Today’s actions will put further pressure on petrol and diesel supplies for the South East ahead of the August Bank Holiday weekend. Today’s action coincided with Ofgem announcing a rise in electricity bills for October (Image: Leon Neal/Getty Images) Police say inquiries are continuing into the arrests made this morning (Image: Ben Cawthra/LNP) This morning’s protest is the latest in Just Stop Oil’s campaign (Image: Just Stop Oil / SWNS) Earlier this week, protesters formed a human chain along the main route used by tankers traveling between the ring road and the Navigator oil terminal in Grays, Essex. Footage showed protesters climbing over a high iron fence along the nearby InterTerminals facility as security personnel with a guard dog tried to hold them back Activists had to be forcibly removed and at least 18 were arrested after the action. The group also claimed to have dug tunnels under roads outside each facility. Contact our news team by emailing us at [email protected] For more stories like this, check out our news page.
