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Just Stop Oil protests: Terminal operations suspended and arrests made

PA Media An activist is led away from the blockade of the Tyburn fuel depot in BirminghamPA Media
An activist is led away from the blockade of the Tyburn fuel depot in Birmingham

An oil company has temporarily stopped operations at four fuel terminals amid a series of co-ordinated protests.

ExxonMobil UK, one of the country's largest privately-owned underground oil pipeline distribution networks, said it had shut down four of its sites.

Campaign groups Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion said they had blocked 10 "critical" sites including Birmingham, London and Southampton.

Essex Police said it had arrested 13 people at three sites.

Seven activists were also arrested at a site in Tyburn, Birmingham, and taken into custody, said West Midlands Police.

While at Buncefield Oil Depot in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire Police said it had arrested 17 people and expected to arrest a further 10 once they had been safely removed.

Others have been led away by police officers from protest sites in Purfleet in Essex and Hamble near Southampton.

PA Media Protesters in BirminghamPA Media
West Midlands Police advised drivers to avoid the area near the Birmingham depot

Earlier, the Essex force said it remained at the sites of several protests in Thurrock where officers were trying to bring the protests to a "swift and safe conclusion".

Assistant Chief Constable Rachel Nolan said: "We are working to minimise the disruption at Navigator Fuel Distribution Centre, Askew Farm Lane [both in Grays], and at a depot in London Road, Purfleet."

The 13 had been arrested on suspicion of disruption, she said.

"This is an extremely dangerous situation for the protesters to be in. We are being clear on the risks, and are continuing to engage with them to try and bring this to a conclusion."

Extinction Rebellion Police and protesters at BP's Hamble oil terminalExtinction Rebellion
Protesters were led away from BP's Hamble oil terminal near Southampton

Football matches have recently been disrupted by Just Stop Oil activists, who ran on to a pitch and tied themselves to goalposts in recent weeks.

Extinction Rebellion spokesman Andy Smith said the group had "held" three locations of strategic importance to the UK's energy network:

  • Esso West, near Heathrow Airport
  • Esso Hythe, Southampton
  • BP Hamble, also near Southampton

Campaigners from the Just Stop Oil group said they were protesting at six other sites:

  • Inter Terminals UK, Grays, Essex
  • Navigator Terminals Thames, Grays, Essex
  • Esso Birmingham
  • Purfleet Fuels Terminal, Essex
  • Kingsbury Oil Terminal, Warwickshire
  • BP Depot, Tamworth

Operations had been halted at Hythe, Birmingham, Purfleet and West London terminals, said ExxonMobil.

At about 15:20 BST, the firm said it was "grateful" for the police's assistance as it had "now restored normal operations at the majority of our fuel supply terminals, and we anticipate that all terminals will be open later today".

The company said its terminal at Avonmouth, Bristol, was not affected by the demonstrations.

It apologised for any inconvenience.

The entrance to BP's Hamble terminal has been cleared by police.

Protesters at Purfleet, Essex
Protesters locked themselves to a tanker outside Esso's Purfleet terminal in Essex

The climate change protest groups claimed more than 30 people had climbed on top of tankers at Navigator Oil Terminal, Thurrock.

A specialist West Midlands Police team led away some of those taking part in the Birmingham protest shortly before 11:00 BST.

Among those taken away were two people who had climbed on to the roof of a tanker.

PA Media Police team at the Birmingham protestPA Media
A specialist police team removed climate change protesters from the roof of a tanker
Police and climate change campaigners in Purfleet
Access was blocked to the London Road terminal in Purfleet

BBC Essex reporter Richard Smith, at the scene in Purfleet, said teams of police officers had removed several protesters who had been obstructing access to and from Esso's fuel terminal on London Road.

Demonstrators who had locked themselves to a gate had been led away, but five were locked to the roof of a fuel tanker, he said.

Four fuel tankers earlier waited on London Road as if to enter the site, but left after a short while, he added.

Protesters Christine and Steve at the Purfleet site
Campaigners Christine and Steve said they were trying to protect the planet for future generations

At the Purfleet site, one campaigner, Christine, said she was demonstrating against the "government's continuing opening of new oil fields," which she described as "criminal negligence".

She added she was prepared to be arrested because her 18-year-old son deserved a future.

Also at the terminal, Steve, from south London, said: "I feel like I've got to do everything I can, it's a moral issue really at this point. I'd rather be doing other things but I've got two grandchildren and I'm really frightened about what kind of world they are going to actually grow up in."

South Beds News Agency ProtesterSouth Beds News Agency
Protesters were blocking the entrance to the Buncefield Oil Depot in Hemel Hempstead

At a demonstration at the Buncefield Oil Depot in Hemel Hempstead, campaigners blocked the entrance to the site on Green Lane.

Hertfordshire Police urged people to avoid the area while it dealt with the situation.

Extinction Rebellion Boat blocking entrance to Hythe terminalExtinction Rebellion
Demonstrators had used a pink boat to block the entrance to the Hythe terminal near Southampton

Just Stop Oil said in a statement: "The Just Stop Oil coalition is demanding an end to the government's genocidal policy of expanding UK oil and gas production and is calling on all those outraged at the prospect of climate collapse and suffering from the cost-of-living crisis to stand with us.

"Ordinary people can no longer afford oil and gas, it's time to just stop oil."