A ‘John Lennon lookalike’ and RE student asked for water as they were chained to oil terminal pipes for more than 38 hours – as Priti Patel was urged to crack down on hipster eco-activists and their ‘guerrilla tactics’.
Pictured is Louis McKechnie talking about the need to reduce men’s heights
Louis McKechnie 21, stated that they were the last standing men at Grays oil depot, Essex.
In a previous video, McKechnie and Nathan McGovern, 22, said that they had chained themselves to pipes high up at the site on Sunday afternoon.
McGovern studies religion and has tried before to tie his hands to a post during matches between Tottenham and West Ham.
McKechnie, an engineering student, also interrupted a football match between Everton & Newcastle last month.
McKechnie was one of the ‘Highway Nine’ Insulate Britain protesters jailed for blocking the M25 last year and served a three month prison sentence.
Cressida Gohin, a privately educated daughter of an orchestral agent who was also a cellist with the London Symphony Orchestra, is also part of their group. The 20-year old chorister is currently studying music at Cambridge University.
Other members include Miranda Whelehan, 21, a pharmaceuticals expert’s daughter who grew up in a £1million, five-bedroom house in Weybridge, Surrey. According to figures compiled by Business Department, fuel stock at England’s forecourts dropped from 5.4 percent to 36% during the Just Stop Oil protests.
Labour demanded that the Home Secretary seek national injunctions against ‘guerrilla techniques’ used to shut down oil terminals. Photographed: Two protesters
Last night, Priti Patel felt pressure to act against eco-activists who disrupt fuel supply.
Labour called for the Home Secretary’s nationwide injunctions, to prevent ‘guerrilla techniques’ from being used to close down oil terminals.
They would be similar to the ones used to prohibit Insulate Britain fanatics blocking roads. Police could make more arrests.
Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion activists – many of them young, middle-class students – have targeted 11 fuel depots in as many days, blocking trucks from making petrol and diesel deliveries to forecourts.
Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion activists – many of them young, middle-class students – have targeted 11 fuel depots in as many days, blocking trucks from making petrol and diesel deliveries to forecourts. McKechnie
Yesterday, Activists of the Just Stop Oil Group, from left to right: Miranda Whelehan (left), Nathan McGovern, Nathan McGovern. Claudia Penna Rojas, Cressida gethin and Miranda McKechnie at their central London press conference.
Pictured: Louis McKechnie and Nathan McGovern at Grays oil depot. After entangling themselves with pipes at high elevation on Sunday afternoon, they claimed that they were disrupting Grays Oil Depot in Essex.
Over the weekend, three terminals were hit. After protesters stuck themselves to the pipes, trucks couldn’t get to the Exolum storage unit in Grays.
The announcement came as Downing Street had accused eco-activists using “guerilla tactics that obstruct people going through their day-today business” and promised to crack down.
In the strongest statement yet on the eco-mob ‘Just Stop Oil’, Number 10 yesterday pledged that it would ‘not tolerate’ those obstructing people ‘going about their day-to-day business’.
Responding to Just Stop Oil’s tactics, No 10 spokeswoman stated: ‘We recognize the strength of sentiment and the right to demonstrate is a cornerstone our democracy. However, we won’t tolerate guerrilla techniques that obstruct people going to their day-today business.
She added, “We support the police for putting substantial resources into responding to demonstrations.”
Trois terminals were attacked over the weekend. Trucks couldn’t access Exolum Storage Facility in Grays (Essex) after protesters attached themselves to pipes high above the loading docks. Pictured: The march of protesters from Hyde Park to Science Museum, April 11.
Pictured: Just Stop Oil activists during one of their blockades at Kingsbury early on Friday April 1
Yesterday, a frustrated motorist revealed that they needed to travel 46 miles just to get fuel. Others claimed they didn’t have enough to make it to work.
One driver, recounting their nightmare journey, told MailOnline: ‘Every petrol station we tried was shut – we drove 11 miles to Aylesbury first and then 17 miles to Bicester before giving up and driving the ten miles back home.
“The next morning, we drove eight more miles to Winslow before getting fuel. This is total luck.
Britain was hit by another fuel crisis. Petrol stations were forced to shut down due to disruptions at the oil terminals.
The Campaign for Fair Fuel claims that around 1200 fuel stations in the south were made to stop motorists following the Just Stop Oil actions.
Extinction Rebellion activists demonstrated in central London on April 11. (pictured)
Eco protestors are targeting oil terminals in the South of the Country, such as those located in Warwickshire, Essex, and Hertfordshire. They lock themselves into pipes to prevent them from getting out.
The action has been blamed for shortages of both petrol and diesel at stations compounding misery for drivers already facing record prices at the pump, reported at over £2 a litre in some areas.
Priti Patel called protesters “selfish, fanatical, and frankly dangerous” while George Eustice (Environment Secretary) criticized their ‘extreme tactics.
Fair Fuel claimed that up to three quarters of the petrol stations are closed. But, photos show some still being shut. Climate activists of Extinction Rebellion, (XR), posed as rats to demonstrate yesterday in front the Science Museum in London (pictured).
Fair Fuel, a campaign group said that up to one third of all petrol stations had been closed. However, photos showed that some were still open yesterday.
Howard Cox, Fair Fuel founder, stated that supplies were still ‘patchy’ with diesel especially affected but that overall it was better than the weekend.
The AA stated that there were no fuel shortages, and its 2,700 patrols have not had any difficulties getting fuel.
Meanwhile, the Petrol Retailers Association, which represents around 65% of independently owned forecourts, said: ‘We are aware of protests at several fuel supply sites; however, the majority are unaffected.’
London motorists are more affected by supply issues than anywhere else.
This chaos comes as 21.5 million motorists prepare to hit the road this Easter weekend. Pictured: Extinction Rebellion activists demonstrate in central London April 11
According to Gordon Balmer (executive director of Petrol Retailers Association), this is likely because the region has a higher number of people.
Just Stop Oil campaign was at its eleventh day in disruptive protests.
Grays oil depot activist captured a selfie from the inside of a pipe in a video that was posted yesterday at 3.30 AM.
He said, “We are still in the pipes. Still stopping oil. Still stopping anything we nonviolently can resist the collapse our living future.”
“We hope that we can make it up to 24 hours, and even beyond. That’s because this government is the only one who will hear us.
Just Stop Oil campaign group was in its 11th day of disruptive protests. Pictured: Activists from Just Stop Oil take part in a blockade at the Kingsbury Oil Terminal, Warwickshire on Sunday April 3
“This corrupt government pushes us towards not only a global catastrophe, but also a socio-economic crisis.
“We’re at the bottom of a cost to live emergency… We’re at the bottom of a legitimacy crises and, unless Boris Johnson continues his work and stops oil from being a problem, this legitimacy crisis will spread throughout the global system.”
Yesterday, George Eustice, Environment Secretary said that protests are important. However it shouldn’t be causing harm to other people’s lives. This is unacceptable and wrong.
“We all recognize that fossil fuels are a problem… This is the mainstream agenda. People don’t have to protest extreme measures to make their points heard.”
After 26 arrests on Sunday, nine additional Essex Police officers were arrested yesterday. Rachel Nolan, assistant chief constable, attacked the activists who trespassed in areas that contained flammable chemical substances. Pictured: Activists from Extinction Rebellion demonstrate at The Albert memorial in Kensington Gardens, central London on April 11
The country has seen mass protests which have led to more than 800 arrests and put a strain on the local police.
Protests have been exacerbated by increased demand following Covid lockdowns, and Russia’s continuing invasion of Ukraine.
Insulate Britain injunctions were applied at the High Court by National Highways and effectively prohibited protests along major roads.
Extinction Rebellion in the EssoWest oil facility, near Heathrow Airport in London (pictured).
It meant activists could be arrested for contempt of court for breaking the injunctions.
Labour suggested that ministers work closely with the local authorities to implement similar measures at 60 of the country’s oil terminals. Yesterday’s statement by Boris Johnson, Prime Minister, stated that the government will not tolerate disruptions.
This mayhem happens ahead of 21.5 million motorists who will be taking to the streets this Easter weekend. Steve Reed (Labour’s justice spokesperson) said that the Conservatives should stop being passive and fix this mess for motorists.
Pictured: Kent’s closed station at petrol pump on April 11. Many petrol stations face fuel shortages because climate protesters have blocked major fuel depots.
He explained that although we acknowledge the power and importance of protest, we don’t accept guerrilla tactics to stop people from going about their daily lives.
Following 26 arrests made Sunday by the Essex Police, 9 more were made yesterday.
Rachel Nolan, assistant chief constable, attacked the activists who have entered areas that contain flammable chemical substances.
She stated that “their reckless behavior cannot be permitted to occur in such crucial locations, which could prove catastrophic if accidental or deliberate actions were taken causing fire or leakage.” Just Stop Oil is an offshoot Insulate Britain, Extinction Rebellion that contains many members.
Although ministers planned to grant new powers for police to tackle eco-protesters in their plans, the House of Lords blocked the measure in January.
Miss Patel, at that time, accused Labour of supporting ‘vandals’ and ‘thugs’.
Proposed actions included the offense of “locking on” in an attempt to prevent protesters from resorting to common tactics like chaining themselves to vehicles and buildings.
Proposed new powers for stop and search were also made to enable police to hold protestors arriving with bicycle locks and other items that are difficult to remove.
The next Queen’s Speech will see ministers trying to revive the measures.
As Just Stop Oil protesters blocked a road to Warwickshire’s Kingsbury oil terminal, police arrived on the scene (pictured).
Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil fanatics claim to have built a tunnel underneath a tanker route in an attempt to stop deliveries to forecourts.
With average stock levels ending the week of April 3rd at 25%, the West Midlands region and East of England were most affected.
According to the UK Petroleum Industry Association (which includes Shell, BP, and ExxonMobil), disruptions can only be described as ‘localised, short-term, and not permanent’.
According to a government spokesperson, “We work closely with the industry to maintain supplies.”
The UK Petroleum Industry Association’s spokesperson said that disruptions were ‘localized and temporary only’. Pictured: A police officer talks to Just Stop Oil activists taking part in a protest outside the Esso Birmingham fuel terminal, in Birmingham on April 1