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Just Stop Oil protesters have blocked the famous Abbey Road crossing in the same pose as The Beatles as they block traffic in London in their latest climate stunt.
Members of the eco-crowd took to the crosswalk in north-west London at 1 p.m. today as they continue to wreak havoc on the capital’s roads.
Video shows four protesters walking onto the zebra crossing performing the pose made famous by The Beatles on the cover of their Abbey Road album.
However, the group then sat down on the tarmac and blocked the road for traffic through Maida Vale.
Video shows at least one vehicle driving onto the sidewalk to evade protesters, who are calling on the government to stop issuing new oil and gas permits and permits.
The Met has dispatched four police vans and dozens of police officers to the scene and the road has been closed as they attempt to remove the activists.
It marks the 23rd consecutive day of protest from the group, which has wreaked havoc on the roads of London and South East England in recent weeks, and has performed several high profile stunts.
Last week supporters of the cause blocked part of the Dartford Crossing, one of the busiest roads in the country for a day and a half after climbing a bridge, while also blocking traffic on multiple London roads.
And last weekend, two eco-fanatics caused worldwide outrage after throwing soup at Vincent van Gogh’s masterpiece ‘Sunflowers’ at the National Gallery.
Four Just Stop Oil protesters blocked Abbey Road in London earlier this afternoon, mimicking The Beatles’ famous pose
Protesters unfurled a banner with the words ‘Just Stop Oil’ on it as they lead the demonstration on Sunday, October 23
Cars appeared to take to the sidewalk as they circled protesters earlier this afternoon after eco-fanatics blocked the road
The four protesters marched into the crosswalk at 1 p.m. as they demanded an end to the government issuing permits and permits for oil and gas
In a statement released this afternoon, Just Stop Oil parodied some of The Beatles’ most famous lyrics.
“Four Just Stop Oil supporters block Abbey Road, London,” it reads.
“They are demanding that the government stop all new oil and gas licenses and permits.
The four alighted at 1pm at the iconic crosswalk on Abbey Road, made famous as the cover of Beatle’s Abbey Road album. After recreating the famous crossing, they made the following statement, before sticking to the level crossing.
“Let’s come together as we face fractured politics, blinding utility bills and the loss of our freedoms, rights and democracy. Stand side by side with Just Stop Oil supporters in prison, with the 1,700 murdered in all the south of the world, with the 33 million displaced in Pakistan, with those who are creeping famine across Africa.
‘We’ll figure it out, we have to stop new oil and gas, burning more will make our situation worse, life-threatening. New oil and gas is a toxic Truss policy proposed by a prime minister that wrecked the economy in less than 40 days, tried to make the rich even richer and left families too poor to heat a can of soup.
“Imagine if our government wanted to protect us rather than harm us. We will not allow broken politics to destroy our only home and destroy everything we hold dear, schools, hospitals, transportation, the ability to grow food, orderly civil society is at stake.
‘Because we will not die quietly, it will be ordinary people like you, your friends, colleagues and neighbors who are doing what our government cannot do. It will cost us all.’
The Metropolitan Police tweeted: ‘We are aware of Just Stop Oil protesters in Abbey Road, NW8 blocking the road in both directions. Agents are on the scene and are acting… Continue to follow.’
The group recreated the Beatles’ famous Abbey Road album cover in 1969 (pictured) before hitting the road today
Police stood in front of protesters after they sat down in the middle of the road and clasped hands
One of the protesters, who identified himself as Shaun Davies, a musician from Manchester, quoted George Harrison as defending his actions.
The 32-year-old said: “We are the result of our past actions now, and in the future we will be the result of the actions we are taking now,” said George Harrison.
‘Never did his words sound truer than today; so here we are, in his spirit, saying that what we do in the next three years will determine the future of humanity.
‘Let’s not sleepwalk in the oven; let’s face our fears and act with love and courage to save all the wonderful culture mankind has created.”
Another protester, Eben Lazarous, from Brighton, said: ‘I’m a musician, I don’t want to disturb the most iconic venue here associated with a band I admire and love.
But unless we tackle the climate crisis, we will lose everything that has been created, everything that will be created, everything that brings joy and comfort to millions.”
The 22-year-old added: “Music is one of the most powerful tools available to mankind. It can bring people together, comfort us, save us. We risk losing everything. We need everyone to come together and face this atrocity.”
It comes a day after protesters clung to a road in Islington, leading police to make 17 arrests for deliberately blocking the highway.
Since the campaign began on April 1, Just Stop Oil supporters have been arrested more than 1,800 times, with 7 supporters currently in prison.
The group warned that “this is not a one-day event” and added: “expect us every day and wherever… Our supporters will return – today, tomorrow and the next day – and the next day after that – and every day until our demand is met: no new oil and gas in the UK.’
The group received a lot of backlash, especially after being accused of ‘blood on their hands’ after two women died on a highway during the Just Stop Oil protest at Dartford Bridge.