Just stop oil nutters

[soulman101]

The German have got it right.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...aos-roads.html

[Dubbag]

Really?

[Omegstrat6]

I think it important that people in this Country still have the right to protest and I guess I suppose how that is viewed depends on an individual's own take on the issue being protested about. One of the reasons for such protests is to raise awareness and get themselves listened to when the more traditional routes (news letters/ applications to parliament etc) do not seem to work and I get that but:

In the case of the Suffragette movement, for example, a break away group, dismayed by the slow progress through legal means, chained themselves to railings, broke shop windows, burnt churches, went on hunger strikes and one famously threw herself in front of the kings horse at Epsom. Doubtless many were enraged by their actions (Queen Victoria certainly was) but the moot questions are 1) was their cause just? 2) Was the escalation to such protests justifiable and 3) Did the protests work ? In the case of the suffragettes the answer to all 3 is likely "yes".

The Stop Oil protesters may be a different matter though. Is their cause just? Personally, I'm sure that their concerns are valid. Are the escalation of their actions justifiable? I doubt it. Unlike the Suffragette movement, they have a far greater range of platforms to get their voice out there these days aside from parliamentary approaches such as Social Media. Will the protests work? Again, I doubt it as their disruption of the lives of a great many ordinary people is having the reverse effect as they are turning public opinion against themselves rather than gaining support.

As an aside, the clothing/fashion industry accounts for around 9% of the global carbon footprint and oil is used in a huge range of both clothing and footwear. Judging by the clothing and footwear worn by the protesters I have seen, most seem oblivious to the use of oil in the very things they choose to wear.

Aiming to get a proper discussion on oil/fossil fuels is, IMHO, not a bad thing at all, but the Just Stop Oil protesters come increasingly across as more extremist zealots who would not listen to other viewpoints in any case.

[kettering_baggie]

Good post Strat, it is important that protests are not stifled because some areas of society, even a large majority, find it inconvenient. You’re on a slippery slope when protests are banned, just look at Russia; not suggesting that we are anywhere near that stat of affairs, though, but there is something called the thin end of the wedge!

[DaveP67 is back!]

We are such an odd bunch on here, lauding the French for the level of their protests then moaning when a few greens block the odd road for half an hour…

[tomkya]

They really annoy me what do they really stand for oil is used in countless ways in the products which these idiots use on a daily basis.
I'm all for protesting for a worthy cause such as crimes against humanity.
It just protests for protest's sake why haven't the youngsters amongst them got jobs and actually make a positive contribution to society instead of the negativity they are so good at?