For immediate release
People have taken action in Canada, the United States, and Belgium today following actions and demonstrations in Switzerland, Austria, the UK, and the Netherlands this morning. They are acting in support of Oil Kills – an International Uprising to end oil, gas, and coal by 2030. [1] [2] [3]
In downtown Montreal, large numbers of action takers have taken to the streets with banners reading ‘Oil Kills’ and ‘Sign the Treaty’, with some pouring ‘oil’ onto themselves. The demonstration started at around 1pm EDT, when Last Generation Canada supporters met in Phillips Square in downtown Montreal with banners saying ‘Oil Kills.’ Then, at around 2pm, three supporters entered the intersection of René-Lévesque Blvd. and Robert-Bourassa Blvd. and poured an oil-like substance on themselves.
Joining the Oil Kills International Uprising for the first time, five supporters of Deurne Dicht In Antwerp used lock-on devices to block the entrance to the private jet terminal at Deurne Airport. All were arrested at the scene.
In the United States, a supporter of Last Generation America stood alone at Sacramento Airport reading a sign that read “OIL KILLS”. This echoes a similar action undertaken by a Just Stop Oil supporter in Heathrow Airport this morning, which saw her detained by police and forcibly expelled from the area.
Jonathan Tijerina, who took action in the United States today, said:
“I’m protesting at the Sacramento International Airport today because hundreds of thousands of people are dying from extreme heat and unnatural disasters caused by burning fossil fuels every year. It’ll soon be in the hundreds of millions. The planet is on fire. Scientists and experts are predicting global social collapse, mass scale famine and starvation, economy-ending mass migration and most likely human extinction. The government — promoting oil, coal and gas — becomes more suicidally insane with each passing day. We must end fossil fuels by 2030 if not before, because they are about to end us all.”
21 groups across more 10 countries have staged a range of interventions at 17 international airports so far, causing serious disruption and global impact. They include Letzte Generation Germany, Folk Mot Fossilmakta and Scientist Rebellion in Norway, XR Finland, Futuro Vegetal in Spain, Just Stop Oil in the UK, Drop Fossil Subsidies and Act Now – Liberate in Switzerland, Letzte Generation Austria, Extinction Rebellion and Scientists Rebellion in Sweden, Doe Deurne Dicht in Belgium, Last Generation Canada, XR Boston, Last Generation Sacramento, and Scientist Rebellion Turtle Island from the USA.
A total number of 109 people have taken action, with 51 arrested so far, and hundreds joining demonstrations. 8 remain in custody.
The A22 Network and Stay Grounded have affirmed their support for the coalition of groups taking action today. [5] [6]
Inês Teles, 34, a spokesperson for Stay Grounded:
“It’s past time to end fossil fuels. Flying is the fastest way to fry the planet so it’s key to start by cutting pointless and unfair flights like private jets or short haul flights. The actions today and yesterday, disrupting airports, should be a shock to the system that is driving us towards climate catastrophe”.
Today’s actions are just the start. Governments and fossil fuel producers are waging war on humanity. Even so-called climate leaders have continued to approve new coal, oil and gas projects pushing the world closer to global catastrophe and condemning hundreds of millions to death. We need an emergency international response to save lives. As long as political leaders fail to take swift and decisive action to protect our communities from the worst effects of climate breakdown, we will remain in resistance. Our work remains essential, morally right and ever more urgent. The link between oil, gas and coal, and human lives is now crystal clear: Oil Kills.
ENDS
Press contact:+44 7762 987334
Press email: [email protected]
High-quality images & video here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1JPirDH2_rF9M47r7_UWldjOJuvvw95wE?usp=sharing
Website: https://oilkills.org/
Twitter: https://x.com/_oilkills
Groups supporting the international uprising to end fossil fuels:
Just Stop Oil, UK [email protected] +44 7762 987334
Letzte Generation Austria [email protected] +43 680 4027795
Letzte Generation Germany [email protected] +493023591611
XR Netherlands [email protected] +31642020897
DROP Fossil Subsidies, Switzerland [email protected] +41 77 486 59 46
Act Now, Switzerland [email protected] +41 79 727 99 29
Last Generation Canada [email protected] +15144304545
Folk Mot Fossilmakta, Norway [email protected] +47 48416001
XR Boston [email protected] +1 (941) 809-8189
XR Finland [email protected]
Futuro Vegetal, Spain [email protected] +34 687558436 (English, French, Italian, German, Spanish)
Scientist Rebellion, Sweden [email protected].
Extinction Rebellion, Sweden [email protected]
Stay Grounded, International [email protected] +351912656904
Notes to editors:
[1] Oil Kills is an international uprising to end fossil fuels – an unprecedented coalition of civil resistance groups from over 10 countries across Europe and North America. We are taking nonviolent collective action at airports – a key pillar of the fossil fuel economy – to demand an end to oil, gas and coal by 2030.
Our demand in full: Our governments must work together to establish a legally binding treaty to stop extracting and burning oil, gas and coal by 2030 as well as supporting and financing poorer countries to make a fast, fair, and just transition.
This can be accomplished by endorsing the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative and seeking a negotiating mandate to establish the treaty.
Our recruiting, training, and capacity building is supported by the Climate Emergency Fund, which strategically supports ultra-ambitious organizations demanding solutions to the climate crisis at emergency speed.
Safety notice: Supporters receive training in nonviolence and will undertake all possible steps to ensure that our actions do not compromise the safety of those using airports, as well as those in the air. This includes avoiding going on any active or inactive runways.
[2] The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative is a diplomatic initiative working with a global network of thousands of civil society organisations and first mover governments who are spurring international cooperation to end new development of fossil fuels, phase out existing production within the agreed climate limit of 1.5°C and develop plans to support workers, communities and countries dependent on fossil fuels to create secure and healthy livelihoods.
[4] Stay Grounded is a network of 200 initiatives to counter aviation for a just mobility system. They stand up against greenwashing climate strategies like carbon offsetting and the largely illusory promise of so called Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF).
[5] A22 Network is an international network racing to save humanity. We have a recipe for effective civil resistance. Support us. Join us. You are needed.