Just Stop Oil thrown out of Parliament for trying to disrupt inquiry into Coronation policing
17 May 2023, 12:32 | Updated: 17 May 2023, 12:43
Just Stop Oil protesters interrupt Parliamentary committee
Eco-protesters were thrown out of a Commons inquiry in Parliament looking into how protests were policed during King Charles's Coronation.
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A small group of Just Stop Oil activists were removed from a Home Affairs Select Committee's meeting on Wednesday as they disrupted the hearing.
Five had been arrested on the day of the Coronation, their group said.
Live footage from Parliament showed one of the protesters in the camera's view, sitting on a bench at the back of the hearing and wearing a white t-shirt with "Just Stop Oil" splayed across it in large black letters.
Accompanied by four other protesters at the back, the group sat at the hearing for nearly 20 minutes before the man in view looked to his right, nodded and rose from his seat alongside the rest of the group.
Dr Kush Baker, 33, one of the activists who was removed, began to read a prepared statement which read: "We, as supporters of Just Stop Oil, are here today because our democracy is under threat" – at which point he was removed.
The camera cut away from the disruption to MP Tim Loughton, who rolled his eyes, visibly irritated, while another MP can be heard shouting "oh come on, come on officer, come on we're not having this".
The live feed was then temporarily suspended while the eco-group were removed.
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Read more: Republican protesters and Just Stop Oil activists arrested ahead of King's Coronation
Mr Loughton said once the feed was restored: "To be clear, they were Just Stop Oil protesters who tried to undermine the activities of this committee with our witnesses today."
Five activists went to the hearing, which was set to address how public protests were policed during the Coronation.
They had previously arrested on the King's Coronation day, which the group has labelled as "wrongful" and just for "wearing t-shirts".
Just Stop Oil demands an end to all new fossil fuel projects.
It comes after a string of "slow march" protests from Just Stop Oil activists in recent weeks, as Met Police say they have used 3,900 officer shifts to deal with the public disruptions.
The group is also holding slow marches in Parliament Square every Saturday, vowing to continue "until we win".
