A Just Oil activist, involved in the oil protests staged across the UK this morning, refused to apologise on GB News for causing disruption to Brits.
Today, climate change activists blocked critical oil facilities across the UK including Essex, Hertfordshire, Birmingham and Southampton to demand that the Government stops new oil and gas projects in the UK.
At least six arrests were made as activists sat on roads preventing tankers from leaving the sites.
The group claimed that more than 30 young people climbed on top of tankers at Navigator Oil Terminal, Thurrock.
GB News presenter Anne Diamond said to activist Miranda: "Many families won’t have a lot of sympathy that your actions today may push up prices in the short term, causing shortages of fuel at the petrol pumps and stopping them getting to work and doing their jobs.
"How do you answer them that in the short-term you’re increasing that suffering?"
Miranda, who was speaking while standing on top of an oil tanker in Thurrock, refused to apologise.
Activists from Just Stop Oil during one of their blockades at the Esso depot in Wood Lane, Birmingham early on Friday
Matthew Cooper
Miranda, one of the Just Oil protestors demonstrating at a Navigator Oil Terminal in Thurrock
GB News
She said: "I think our action is directed at the UK Government who are putting in £25million a day into the oil industry.
"We’ve seen the effects of what oil is doing around the world. It’s rapidly accelerating the climate crisis, but it’s also fueling wars.
"In this country, we’re seeing people being forced to choose between heating and eating because we’re relying on a source that’s so volatile and non-renewable and we need to transition away from this system that is so addicted to fossil fuels."
Miranda noted that the group "know" their protests cause disruption but called on the Government to "do their moral duty".
She added: "We are terrified about our future...If we do not make changes, physics is going to take control and we won't have any time left to make these changes."
Just Stop Oil said in a statement about the protests: “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.”
Just Stop Oil of their activists during their blockade of Esso Birmngham Fuel Terminal early on Friday
Just Stop Oil
Exxon Mobil UK wrote on Twitter: “Small protests are currently underway 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 protestors 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.
West Midlands Police are responding to activists at a site in Tyburn, Birmingham.
The force said: “We are working to deal with this as quickly as possible.”
