Just Stop Oil accused of criminal damage after spray-painting energy department
Protesters said they targeted the department after it issued more than 100 new oil and gas licences in the UK.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps has accused Just Stop Oil protesters of “illegal criminal damage” after two activists filmed themselves spraying his department’s building with orange paint.
Matthew Cunningham, 25, and Imogen May, 24, took responsibility for the direct action on the property in Victoria Street in Westminster.
The organisation said it spattered the department with paint after it issued more than 100 new oil and gas licences in the UK.
The targeting of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero was one of a number of protests carried out by Just Stop Oil in London on Wednesday.
According to the Metropolitan Police, slow-marching demonstrators were cleared by officers from Westminster Bridge, Victoria Street and Vauxhall Bridge Road, as well as from roads in Marylebone and Kensington.
It is illegal criminal damage and I will leave that to the authorities
Mr Shapps, responding to questions about the paint protest on LBC during a round of broadcast interviews, said: “It is illegal criminal damage and I will leave that to the authorities.”
A video posted on Twitter by JSO appeared to show two protesters using a spray canister to spread orange paint over glass panels covering Mr Shapps’ Whitehall department.
Mr Cunningham, in another video posted by JSO, said: “This department oversees our energy policy and we know from last month that the Climate Change Committee, the Government’s independent watchdog for climate change policy, denounced the Government’s efforts against climate change.
“They said that they were far less sure that the Government would achieve net zero than it had been just one year ago.
“And they specifically said that the Government needs to stop issuing new oil and gas licences because it is not compatible with a net zero future.”
Ms May said the department is “failing on their only purpose” and that the climate situation is “getting really dangerous”.
Conservative Party chairman Greg Hands, posting a picture on social media of Westminster Bridge being blocked by JSO supporters, called the demonstration “unacceptable”.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.