In 2023, Just Stop Oil (JSO) escalated its climate activism across the UK, using disruptive methods to highlight the urgency of the climate crisis. These protests, which included slow marches and large-scale public disruptions, not only impacted over 700,000 drivers but also led to significant financial costs, with the Metropolitan Police spending £20 million on related operations. JSO’s actions, designed to provoke confrontation and media attention, resulted in 735 arrests and harsh legal consequences for some protesters. Two activists received lengthy prison sentences for scaling a bridge over the M25, raising international concerns about the erosion of civil liberties in the name of public order. These measures highlight the tension between climate activism and governmental responses, which some view as prioritizing control over addressing the climate emergency.
Winning Image
Recipient of the 'Best News Single' Award from Falmouth University, judged by South West News Service.
The photographs in this collection were taken during a Just Stop Oil protest on Holloway Road in London, a site of intense public and police interaction. These images capture the heart of this conflict, exposing both the deep injustices of climate inaction and the curtailment of civil liberties faced by those fighting for change.
The collection was exhibited at The Chintz in Falmouth Cornwall in February 2024.
