Police called on Just Stop Oil protesters at graduation
Editor-in-Chief, Jamie Speka, reports on the Just Stop Oil protests that disrupted Monday’s graduation ceremony.
During Monday’s graduation ceremony chaos ensued as paint was splattered on campus and police arrested two individuals. Just Stop Oil has stated that they were tackled by the University’s security for attempting to hold a banner to the crowd of graduates.
Eddie Whittingham was arrested for suspicion of assault and criminal damage. Also arrested, on suspicion of breaching bail for similar charges, was Kosta Junglas, a PhD student at Oxford Univeristy.
Whittingham has commented prior to the demonstration “My name’s Eddie, I’m 25 years old and I’m about to disrupt my own graduation ceremony. Exactly three months ago, I disrupted the snooker world championship. I’m taking these actions because our government has failed young people like me[…]” he continues later in the statement “As a result, one billion people may be displaced from their homes by 2030. That’s 7 years away. We face a future of mass starvation and unimaginable suffering, including here in the UK. And all of this is happening so a small handful of extremely rich people can carry on getting even richer.”
As a result, one billion people may be displaced from their homes by 2030. That’s 7 years away. We face a future of mass starvation and unimaginable suffering, including here in the UK. And all of this is happening so a small handful of extremely rich people can carry on getting even richer.
Whittingham then goes on to focus on Universities: “Universities, rather than preparing young people for this inevitable disruption, are instead upholding a status quo that is going to kill millions if not billions of people. That’s why I’m calling on students everywhere to join us in resistance against this criminal government.”
The two protesters were taken to Exeter Magistrates’ Court where Whittingham has denied two charges of criminal damage such as causing criminal damage to a concrete floor and damaging the clothing and boots of a security guard for up to £221. He did however admit to breaching a bail condition which banned him from possessing a device that could discharge paint.
The University is not ready to make a comment at this time.
