Just Stop Oil has boasted about being in negotiations with the Met Police over their ongoing demonstrations throughout London, however, the force has shut down these claims.
The eco-zealots announced that they met with officers today at 109 Lambeth Road, to discuss relations between the two organisations going forward.
The group caused significant disruption across the UK last year, which the group claims resulted in Commander Kyle Gordon requesting that “Just Stop Oil come forward and speak with us, so we can actually work with them”.
In a press release distributed today, Just Stop Oil co-founder Sarah Lunnon said: “We met with Metropolitan Police to present evidence that by developing new oil and gas projects, the activities of the British Government constitute an act of ‘genocide by oblique intent’, as defined under Article 30 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
Just Stop Oil brag about NEGOTIATIONS with Met Police over chaos inflicting protestsJSO
“Public Order Commander Karen Findlay requested a copy of our evidence and told us she will be taking this information to the Commissioner and Specialist Operations – which covers genocide crimes. We have offered a pause on disruptive Just Stop Oil actions if this investigation is to go ahead. Negotiations are ongoing.
“Just Stop Oil is calling on the police to investigate and charge the real criminals who are responsible for this unfolding genocide – they can start with PM Rishi Sunak, Shell CEO Wael Sawan, Lloyd’s London CEO John Neal, Barclay’s Chair Nigel Higgens, and Telegraph owner Fred Barclay.”
However, the Met did not confirm they were in negotiations with JSO, emphasising their impartiality in a new statement.
The force said they embraced the opportunity to meet with members of the environmental group, they were keen to stress that it was not the Met’s role to enforce any changes to laws, as JSO aims to do.
They said: “We welcomed the opportunity to meet with representatives from Just Stop Oil. We ask to meet with all protest organisers, however JSO had declined our previous requests.
“We emphasised that the Met will remain impartial and operationally independent at all times in the policing of protest and that it is not the responsibility of the police to direct government policy or decision-making.
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Just Stop Oil activists caused widespread disruption across the UK last year
Just Stop Oil“We were clear that the disruptive nature of their protests has put significant pressure on the Met – both in taking officers away from policing communities across London and the impact on our budget.
“We also reminded organisers of their legal responsibility to notify us about any future protests in advance as this means we can plan our response and potentially reduce the number of officers who need to be deployed.”
The group confirmed to the force that if new oil and gas licenses are granted, then public disorder can be expected to continue.
“How will they uphold public order when there’s no food on the shelves?” the group said, referencing floods, fires and famines that could happen due to climate change.
Yesterday, JSO warned of violent protests breaking out after accusing the Metropolitan Police of “eco-terrorism” in a new statement.
The activist group, which consistently calls itself peaceful, released its statement yesterday ahead of its meeting with officers from Scotland Yard.
It suggested there remains “potential” for a violent response if officers continue to clamp down on Just Stop Oil’s activities.
It said: “Just Stop Oil is committed to nonviolence, now and in the future.
A Just Stop Oil protester is taken away by policePA
JSO has called for the Met Police to investigate Rishi Sunak
PA“However if politicians don’t act to defend us, if they continue to increase flood risk, drive 1000s of people from their homes, destroy our ability to travel and reduce the country’s ability to feed itself, then the police are right, there is the potential for a violent response.
“The route to avoiding this is to end new oil and gas and mobilise the country to deal with climate breakdown.
"It is a tragedy, but eco-terrorism is alive and well, we felt its impact this week – devastation and disruption across the country, in Shropshire, in Nottingham, in Worcester.
“Evacuated families, crops written off, businesses shuttered, roads and railways closed.”
Just Stop Oil’s latest update came in response to the Metropolitan Police’s Force Management Statement 2023.
Directly addressing the challenges posed by Just Stop Oil, Scotland Yard said: “The strategic protest landscape continues to evolve at pace, both in terms of capability and tactical development by protest groups, particularly in Environmentalism-related protest undertaken by Just Stop Oil.
“These protests are occurring with increasing regularity over protracted periods of time resulting in significant command demand, resourcing abstraction, and cost for policing.
“In addition, the unique international dimension of London as a capital city, and the location of diplomatic premises and the seat of Government, means geo-political issues manifest in increased demand.”