Just Stop Oil: Five charged after protesters disrupt Les Miserables

Five Just Stop Oil protesters have been charged with aggravated trespass after a performance of Les Miserables in London's West End was halted.

A video shared by the activist group showed demonstrators getting up on to the Sondheim Theatre's stage and asking the audience to "join the rebellion".

Audience members can be heard booing and telling the activists to "get off".

The show on Wednesday night did not resume - organisers instead offered refunds or tickets for another night.

Having arrested five people, aged between 18 and 28, the Metropolitan Police later confirmed that all had been charged. The force also released their names:

Catherine Francoise, from Buckinghamshire, was in the audience with a group of more than 30 people who she organises theatre trips for.

She said she had been sitting "in the centre of the front row" and that people who appeared to be protesters were seated at either end of the second row.

Ms Francoise said: "I could see out the corner of my eye something happening on the left, I noticed first, and I knew it wasn't part of the production.

"The cast were still going, the orchestra was still playing, and after about 15 seconds, somebody came on stage and moved the cast off.

"Meanwhile, security were on it trying to get the girls off that were on the left-hand side."

She said it appeared the protesters had locked themselves to parts of the set.

She said that the cast members were removed from the stage, shortly followed by the orchestra, with the audience being asked to leave about 15 minutes later.

"The audience were definitely making far, far more noise than the protesters," she said.

What is Just Stop Oil and what does it want?

The stage invasion happened during the show's famous protest song of Do You Hear the People Sing? It is often described as being about a revolutionary call to action and has been used all over the world by protest movements, including in the 2019 Hong Kong demonstrations.

Posting on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday, Just Stop Oil said:" Valjean steals bread to feed a starving child. How long before we are all forced to steal?" Jean Valjean is the protagonist in Les Miserables.

The post continued: "The fossil fuel show can't go on."

William Village, chief executive of Delfont Mackintosh Theatres - which owns the Sondheim - said "safety protocols" had to be followed and "the audience were asked to leave the auditorium and the Met Police attended".

"Regrettably, there was insufficient time to enable us to complete the rest of the performance," he said in a statement.

"Whilst we recognise the importance of free expression, we must also respect our audience's right to enjoy the event for which they have paid."

On its website, Just Stop Oil says its ultimate aim is to "demand that the UK government stop licensing all new oil, gas and coal projects".

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