‘Just Stop Oil’ ends disruptive protests after securing UK oil ban

Just Stop Oil (JSO), the U.K.-based climate activist group known for its disruptive protests over the past three years, announced it will end its campaign of direct action following a final demonstration at Parliament Square in London on April 26, 2025.

The group declared that it is “hanging up the hi-vis,” referring to their signature fluorescent orange vests, marking the conclusion of their high-profile stunts such as throwing soup on Van Gogh’s paintings, spraying paint on Stonehenge, and blocking roads.

JSO stated that their initial demand to end new oil and gas licenses has now been adopted as U.K. government policy, making them one of the most successful civil resistance campaigns in recent history.

They claim to have kept over 4.4 billion barrels of oil in the ground and highlighted court rulings that declared new oil and gas licenses unlawful.

Despite ending disruptive protests, JSO emphasized that this is not the end of civil resistance.

The group acknowledged the harsh consequences faced by their supporters: over 3,300 arrests and 180 imprisonments during their campaign, including several activists serving multi-year sentences for peaceful protest actions.