Just Stop Oil activist ‘clipped on arm’ by motorist driving ‘recklessly’

A Just Stop Oil protester was clipped on the arm by a car overtaking the protest ‘in a reckless fashion’ on Saturday (May 20).

Protestors took to the streets of Oxford in a slow march to campaign against the continued use of fossil fuels.

The group marched along Cornmarket Street and Broad Street, then along Catte Street passing the Bridge of Sighs.

READ MORE: Police officer charged in connection with ‘racially-aggravated’ incident

They were carrying signs saying ‘Just Stop Oil’ and ‘Students vs Oil.’

Just Stop Oil protestors on a slow march through Oxford (Image: Just Stop Oil)

The alleged incident occurred on Cowley Road when car overtook the protest which was designed to slow traffic.

The wing mirror of the car made contact with one of the protestors.

Kate, 56 and mother of two, said about the incident afterwards: “We are all in a horrific situation.  Some violence is easily seen, but some is hidden.

“The hidden violence of approving over 100 fossil fuel licences, at a time when people are dying in floods and wildfires every week is extreme.

“Our government has chosen policies that are responsible for drownings, death by smoke inhalation, heat-stress and starvation.

“If we want a liveable future, our government has to immediately stop issuing new oil and gas licences.

“Slow marching is a legal method to non-violently object to the violent, genocidal government policies.

“If the public see a slow march, I would urge them to call the police who will deal with the situation.”

Spokeswoman for the group, Phoebe Plummer had spoken at an event at Oxford University’s Department of Earth Sciences prior to the march on Thursday evening.

Protestors were carrying banners demanding the ending of government contracts with fossil fuel companies (Image: Just Stop Oil)

Ms Plummer is known for throwing tomato soup at Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers at the National Gallery in London last year.

One of the supporters on the march, Kos, 27, a PhD student at Oxford University, said: “I’m on the streets today because I want the option of having a family in a world where my children have a future that is not dominated by famines, fires, and floods.

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“On the current path our government is taking, the climate emergency will become even more critical.

“The government is failing to protect our future.”

Since the Just Stop Oil campaign launched on February 14 last year, there have been over 2,100 arrests and 138 people have spent time in prison.

Just Stop Oil is a coalition of groups working together to demand that the government immediately halt all future licensing and consents for the exploration, development and production of fossil fuels in the UK.