Just Stop Oil: Protesters attacked and hit by cars during Portsmouth "slow march" demonstration

Members of the Just Stop Oil movement walked hand in hand in front of cars in Anglesea Road, Landport, heading south, at midday on Saturday, September 9. The “slow march” demonstration was in response to the UK government’s refusal to “stop licensing all new oil, gas and coal projects”.

Angry onlookers who were caught in the disruption pushed, shoved, shouted at and even drove their cars into the protesters while others can be heard encouraging the violence in footage captured by the group.

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Pictures from the scene showed cars and a bus being held up by the demonstration. Following the shocking scenes, local Just Stop Oil members have stressed they are not apologetic and the protest was necessary – not “just for the sake of it.”

A statement from the Portsmouth division said: “We weren’t out there marching on a sunny Saturday afternoon because we wanted to be there. We weren’t disrupting people’s days just for the sake of it. We were engaging in civil disobedience because all other tactics have failed. Our government has ignored the climate crisis and is still expanding fossil fuels. We are terrified for our future.”

A spokesperson added: “None of us enjoy doing what we do, especially when faced with the violence we received on Saturday. We will always apologise to the public for being caught up in our protest, though not for the protest itself, and we always ask people to look within themselves to question what makes ordinary people pit themselves in harms way, rather than just regurgitate what they've seen on the likes of GB News.”

A Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary spokesperson confirmed that officers were in the area to monitor the protest, prevent crime and disorder and minimise disruption for the wider public – but no police reports were recorded in connection with the demonstration.

Alongside its marches, Just Stop Oil is known for stunts involving the use of orange paint deployed on buildings and artwork.

You can watch the video here.