Just Stop Oil To Halt Direct Action As Focus Shifts To Legal And Political Campaigning

After years of headline-grabbing stunts, motorway blockades, and acts of civil disobedience, British environmental group Just Stop Oil has announced it will no longer engage in direct protest. The activist group, synonymous with high-visibility vests and controversial demonstrations, says its decision comes in response to shifting government policy and an evolving political climate.

In a statement published on its website, the organisation declared it is 'hanging up the hi-vis' and stepping away from direct actions that have defined its climate resistance efforts in recent years.

Why Just Stop Oil Is Ending Its Protests

According to the group's official statement, the move is rooted in the belief that their primary demand—ending new oil and gas licences in the UK—is effectively now enshrined in government policy. Although the UK continues to issue some fossil fuel licences, the government has pledged to overhaul its windfall tax system and transition the North Sea into a renewable energy hub.

This policy shift, Just Stop Oil claims, is a direct result of the public pressure their protests have created. They allege that their actions have kept more than 4.4 billion barrels of oil in the ground and that recent court rulings have declared new oil and gas licences unlawful.

'As corporations and billionaires corrupt political systems worldwide, we need a different approach. We are creating a new strategy, to face this reality and to carry our responsibilities at this time. Nothing short of a revolution will protect us from the coming storms,' the group stated.

What Comes Next?

While Just Stop Oil's tactics are changing, their mission remains the same. Instead of protests, the group says it will now concentrate on legal battles, speaking out on behalf of climate-related political prisoners, and calling attention to what it describes as 'oppressive' anti-protest laws in the UK. Their operations will continue to be funded by public donations.

The group, which previously made global headlines for high-profile acts including the Van Gogh 'tomato soup' stunt and spraying Stonehenge with coloured cornstarch, insists that civil resistance is far from over.

'This is not the end of civil resistance. Governments everywhere are retreating from doing what is needed to protect us from the consequences of unchecked fossil fuel burning,' the organisation added.

They continued: 'As we head towards 2°C of global heating by the 2030s, the science is clear: billions of people will have to move or die, and the global economy is going to collapse. This is unavoidable. We have been betrayed by a morally bankrupt political class.'

To mark the end of their direct protest era, the group has called for a final public gathering at Parliament Square on 26 April.

Government Policy Is Catching Up—But Is It Enough?

The shift in Just Stop Oil's strategy comes as the UK government continues to develop its approach to oil and gas regulation. Earlier this week, officials invited feedback from industry stakeholders and the public on potential changes to the tax framework, including a new levy on 'excess revenue'. The consultation, open until 28 May, outlines that any revised tax would apply to post-hedging revenues, although specific price thresholds have not been confirmed.

Meanwhile, a Scottish court recently sided with Greenpeace and Uplift, overturning the approval of drilling in what would have been the UK's largest undeveloped oilfield—labelled a potential 'carbon bomb'. The legal victory is seen as a major step towards meeting the country's climate commitments.

In addition, the current Labour government increased the windfall tax on oil and gas firms from 35% to 38% in October 2024 and extended it until March 2030. This places the total tax burden on the sector at 78%, one of the highest globally.

The tax was originally introduced at 25% by the Conservative government in May 2022 in response to soaring energy prices after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It was increased to 35% later that year and extended again in March 2024.

From Disruption To Dialogue?

Just Stop Oil's evolution from street-level protests to courtroom advocacy marks a turning point in UK climate activism. While their controversial actions drew criticism from the public and politicians alike, they also kept fossil fuel debates in the national spotlight.

Whether this less confrontational strategy will prove more effective in holding governments and corporations accountable remains to be seen. But the group is clear: the urgency has not disappeared—only the tactics have changed.