Breaking: Just Stop Oil Protester Attacked by Partner of Pregnant Woman 🛑

Germanshepherdsmum

My way of life has changed as far as it’s likely to in spite of, not because of, these people. I am not an idiot who needs to be educated about climate change but presumably we are all considered idiots. How exactly are any of us, as individuals, able to ‘just stop oil’? For a start, many people who live rurally, as I do, are wholly dependent on oil for heating their homes. There’s nothing they can do about that. I have a modern house which relies solely on electricity but I’m in the minority. And charging points for electric cars are like hens’ teeth in the sticks. You’ll be delighted that I haven’t flown for many years though - not because of the antics of this bunch or any others though.

I agree, we're not idiots who need education. I also don't need to use fuel oil for heating but for many people there is no alternative.
We did look into getting an electric car but for many of us who need to make longer journeys they are just not practical. My son has one and usually has to charge it at a supermarket for some hours when he is away from home. Other friends have them but the early models they bought had a very limited range and needed to be replaced after just four years due to battery and other problems. Obviously the new models are better in this respect, but what do you do if you are on a long journey at the limit of your range and are diverted off the motorway, as so often happens?
We don't fly either, but very little is really said about the many millions of people who fly off on holiday once or twice a year.

Grandmagrewit

I'm with you Marmin and all those GNs who support what the protesters are trying to do. I believe their primary aim is not to upset the general public but to protest through peaceful disruption that may eventually force our government to make the climate crisis far more of a priority. There have been many strikes in recent weeks which have caused disruption - to travel, hospital operations, schooling, etc, and the strikers always claim their protest is against the government not the public. They are striking for their own gain, and many of us have supported them. Why, then, do we revile a group who, unlike the strikers, are not protesting just to benefit themselves but for all of us who currently inhabit this world, as well as the generations to come? Whatever we do as individuals to address the climate crisis is good but we should be attributing any anger we have about these protests to our government's totally inadequate climate policies. The film "Don't Look Up" is a portrayal of government indifference to the climate crisis. It's satirical but becoming more realistic by the day.

I think for those trying to earn a living/get around London, for other things, might have a different view.

Just Stop Oil are damaging their own cause.

My solution is Just Stop Reproducing Humans.

But not many people would go along with that😬

I certainly don’t. Therefore I’m not a supporter. I too would like to hear constructive ideas from supporters of JSO etc.

I'm with you Marmin and all those GNs who support what the protesters are trying to do. I believe their primary aim is not to upset the general public but to protest through peaceful disruption that may eventually force our government to make the climate crisis far more of a priority. There have been many strikes in recent weeks which have caused disruption - to travel, hospital operations, schooling, etc, and the strikers always claim their protest is against the government not the public. They are striking for their own gain, and many of us have supported them. Why, then, do we revile a group who, unlike the strikers, are not protesting just to benefit themselves but for all of us who currently inhabit this world, as well as the generations to come? Whatever we do as individuals to address the climate crisis is good but we should be attributing any anger we have about these protests to our government's totally inadequate climate policies. The film "Don't Look Up" is a portrayal of government indifference to the climate crisis. It's satirical but becoming more realistic by the day.

Whitewavemark2

Doing your “bit” will do nothing. It needs something major which can only be achieved by a major player in the form of the state and international cooperation.

Well, yes, except JSO doesn’t seem to have any ideas as to how everyday life would work when oil is stopped. Maybe because it just wouldn’t?

Just Stop Living?

I’ll ask again. Do any of the supporters on this thread have a solution?

A bus driver has found a way to move them on, without hurting them...gentle nudging with his bus:

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12318861/Just-Stop-Oil-eco-zealots-blasted-angry-bystander-rails-Theyve-never-days-work-life-fed-motorists-steal-moment-overtake-slow-marchers-moved-way-ambulance.html

Wong

Where do they find the time to carry out all these protests? They obviously don't work, even the younger ones. They seem to think they have the right to ruin people's days by disruption. Do they ever think about all the pollution they are causing with cars idling along behind them and police cars having to race to the scene of the protest. They should be made to clean up the mess they cause with their paint and powder. Perhaps we should go round to their houses and spray paint red,for our anger at having to endure these idiots. Losing a lot of support by their actions.

No, they appear to be a mixture of pensioners, students and young people with wealthy parents.

The workers wouldn't have time for all this.

Where do they find the time to carry out all these protests? They obviously don't work, even the younger ones. They seem to think they have the right to ruin people's days by disruption. Do they ever think about all the pollution they are causing with cars idling along behind them and police cars having to race to the scene of the protest. They should be made to clean up the mess they cause with their paint and powder. Perhaps we should go round to their houses and spray paint red,for our anger at having to endure these idiots. Losing a lot of support by their actions.

I don’t think JSO’s tactics are ever going to win hearts and minds. Climate change deniers and people who just couldn’t care less aren’t going to be persuaded - in fact their views are going to be further entrenched if they can tell themselves that the protestors are just out to disrupt the lives of everyday folk. Those people who are generally supportive are likely to turn against them if operations are cancelled and lives/livelihoods are endangered. Most of us are in any case well aware of the issues around climate change and many are trying their best to make a small difference by their own lifestyle changes. But without drastic action being taken by governments, the huge changes we need are not going to happen. Relentlessly lobbying the powers that be seems to me to be the only way forward.

Doing your “bit” will do nothing. It needs something major which can only be achieved by a major player in the form of the state and international cooperation.

My way of life has changed as far as it’s likely to in spite of, not because of, these people. I am not an idiot who needs to be educated about climate change but presumably we are all considered idiots. How exactly are any of us, as individuals, able to ‘just stop oil’? For a start, many people who live rurally, as I do, are wholly dependent on oil for heating their homes. There’s nothing they can do about that. I have a modern house which relies solely on electricity but I’m in the minority. And charging points for electric cars are like hens’ teeth in the sticks. You’ll be delighted that I haven’t flown for many years though - not because of the antics of this bunch or any others though.

Germanshepherdsmum

Do you applaud their methods Marmin?

Essentially, yes. It is difficult to see the alternative that would have the same impact. Asking people to change their way of life provokes resistance and even hostility. Peaceful protest and logical arguments have been a waste of time for decades.

They deliberately disrupt people’s lives in the belief that their tactics will bring about change. Given that so many people are well aware of climate change and try to do their bit, I don’t follow the logic of that belief. They hold up traffic (including ambulances) - causing more emissions. They disrupt sporting events - is that going to endear spectators to them? They prevent people getting to work (remember the case of the surgeon whose list had to be cancelled?) and to appointments - maybe for life-saving chemo. Yes, I do believe I am right to be angry and that this will lead to real violence.

Looking at the video, it looks as though the attacker’s car wasn’t being held up by the protesters who were on the opposite side of the road heading the other way! He didn’t seem to have any need to pull out in front of the van, causing damage to his car. His rage should possibly have been directed at himself!

pinkym

The police really are between a rock and a hard place aren't they? If they crack down on the protests the media scream police brutality, over-reaction, discrimination and the Police Commissioner must be called to account for all of that. If they don't crack down, the same media is screaming that the police stand by and do nothing, the Police Commissioner should be called to account. Damned if they do and damned if they don't!

Always, pinkym. Not just the media though - there are plenty of members of the public more than happy to put the boot in as well. There were 14 JSO slow marches on that day alone in London. How are our stretched to the max police expected to sort them all out (without laying a hand on anyone, of course, as that would be police brutality), as well as trying to deal with all the other incidents going on over the course of a normal day?

Germanshepherdsmum

Just Stop Oil and their ilk. Their tactics will not achieve anything but public outrage.

I think the public are very much in agreement with what they stand for.

The "tactics" on this thread seem to have blown out of all proportion. The demonstrator was attacked by someone even the Mail calls a hooligan. They did not do any attacking. No doubt we should prepare for more such thugish attacks propelled on by the right-wing client Media.

I'm sure you will believe your anger is righteous. The far-right has found yet another group that they can they can demonise and everyone can get angry about. We seem to have moved from the early 1930s and words of hate to the late 1930s and thuggery. Perhaps we should look forward to our own version of"Kristallnacht".

1. China is probably leading the world in green technology and alternatives to fossil fuels. 2. Never ever take anything the Mail prints as gospel 3. The normal protests work so well don’t they?! What can the mail and other complainers here suggest might lead to taking care of our planet?

Careful - criticising JSO could result in being de - banked.

Lathyrus

I just don’t think they’ve got any idea of how difficult it would be to just stop oil, here in Britain. We would starve just for starters with no overseas food imports.

I don’t buy into the “Well it’s up to the government to find a solution, not us,” If you want something to change surely you need to be able to suggest alternatives.

Sometimes there is no alternative but I’d be interested to hear the JSO vision of how it would work from any of its supporters.

Convince me🙂

I think they were be the first ones squawking if there was no oil.

It is used for so much - I bet they wouldn't like to live without their phones, cars etc.

And that's without the impact on food. 🙄

Catlover123

I agree with Tickingbird. Having watched the video I thought the boyfriend was far too violent and it was unnecessary, they should have been more careful trying to pull out into the traffic. No matter how annoying it must have been you can't condone punching and kicking someone.

I agree, but can you condone preventing them from getting to hospital? Isn’t that a passively harmful action that results in doing violence to a person?

I just don’t think they’ve got any idea of how difficult it would be to just stop oil, here in Britain. We would starve just for starters with no overseas food imports.

I don’t buy into the “Well it’s up to the government to find a solution, not us,” If you want something to change surely you need to be able to suggest alternatives.

Sometimes there is no alternative but I’d be interested to hear the JSO vision of how it would work from any of its supporters.

Convince me🙂

I agree with Tickingbird. Having watched the video I thought the boyfriend was far too violent and it was unnecessary, they should have been more careful trying to pull out into the traffic. No matter how annoying it must have been you can't condone punching and kicking someone.

Do you applaud their methods Marmin?

Here in the UK we are at least trying to do something about climate change. Reform is needed in countries that couldn't care less. That is where protesters should be. (Incidentally, how do these protesters get to their meeting places? Do they use horses, or cycles, or do they walk?)