A Just Stop Oil activist today suggested the eco fanatics could disrupt the King’s coronation, saying they will do ‘whatever is non-violently necessary to save us’.
Protester James Skeet was asked on Good Morning Britain whether they would do ‘something disruptive’ such as throwing an object at Charles and Camilla’s carriage.
And Mr Skeet, from Manchester, replied: ‘Just Stop Oil will do whatever is non-violently necessary. We’ll do whatever is non-violently necessary to save us’.
His comments come after the group raised fears they could target the event in London on May 6 by ‘liking’ a map of the procession route on social media.
On the ITV programme this morning, presenter Adil Ray asked Mr Skeet: ‘The King’s coronation is coming up, is that off limits? Would you do something disruptive there, will you throw something at the Queen’s, at the King’s carriage?’
Mr Skeet said: ‘Just Stop Oil will do whatever is non-violently necessary. We’ll do whatever is non-violently necessary to save us’.
Mr Ray then added: ‘Wimbledon’s coming up, will we see you on Centre Court?’
And Mr Skeet said : ‘I’m not a party to that information – I’ll probably find out when you do.’
Mr Ray continued: ‘But it’s an option, it’s an option? Are you going to glue your hands to the desk?’
Mr Skeet replied: ‘Look I know it’s unpleasant, I know it’s horrible to think about. But we are on course for civilizational collapse.
‘When crops fail, people die, civilizations collapse. We’ve got to emotional connect with the reality of the situation. We are in the most critical situation we’ve even seen.’
Just Stop Oil, which was behind the protest at the World Snooker Championships in Sheffield this week, never discloses its stunts in advance but there are fears that the coronation may now be in its sights.
Earlier this week the group liked a Twitter post with a map of the route that suggested it could be the ‘final boss level’ for Just Stop Oil.
Just Stop Oil raised fears they could target the coronation after ‘liking’ a map of the route
In response, Just Stop Oil said: ‘Don’t forget, in the UK you can now be arrested for planning a protest that’s deemed to cause too much disruption.’
But a spokesman for Just Stop Oil said the public ‘shouldn’t read too much’ into the coronation tweet being liked by the group online.
The anti-monarchy group Republic has also revealed plans to protest the Coronation at the beginning and end of the route.
Around 1,000 activists are expected to descend on the area around Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace, bearing signs saying ‘not my king’.
Republic claimed it had received assurances that its protest ‘will not be interfered with by the Metropolitan Police’.
Authorities are simultaneously having to contend with a rival threat from a coalition of left-wing groups, led by Extinction Rebellion (XR), who will be flooding central London with 30,000 supporters this weekend.
It is part of a four-day protest from tomorrow until Monday that includes an event which will ‘intersect’ the finishing line of the London Marathon where around 50,000 runners will be completing the race, many raising money for good causes.
Spectators have been urged to avoid the final stretch of the marathon route on Sunday, as a minister said XR ‘must be stopped’.
A Just Stop Oil protester after jumping on the table and throwing orange powder at the World Championship in Sheffield on April 17
Gareth Johnson, Tory MP for Dartford, said: ‘The King’s Coronation is a time for the whole country to come together in celebration. Any organisation trying to use it as an opportunity for protest and disruption will only create anger against them.
‘People do care about the environment but fanatical behaviour from protesters that upsets one of our country’s greatest traditions will only put people off environmentalism.’
It comes amid concern that Just Stop Oil will try to cause further chaos at forthcoming sporting fixtures after their snooker protest at the Crucible in Sheffield on Monday night.
This weekend will see two FA Cup games played at Wembley in front of tens of thousands of fans as well as the London Marathon, while the Wimbledon tennis tournament could also be another target for activists.
Race director Hugh Brasher advised the public to ‘watch the marathon from other locations and avoid the Parliament Square area on the day’, as the square and ‘immediate surrounding area’ will be ‘very busy’.
But Energy Secretary Grant Shapps XR wrote on Twitter: ‘The London Marathon is one of the UK’s biggest charity fundraisers.
‘Extinction Rebellion seem to think creating massive disruption is a good idea – which beggars belief! Those who idiotically put millions in marathon donations at risk must be stopped.’
Just Stop Oil has not ruled out trying to sabotage the marathon either and Mr Brasher revealed yesterday that he had been talking to the group to try to defuse any possible disruption.
The Metropolitan Police said officers have been in contact with XR ahead about the event and ‘will continue to engage with them’ in an ‘effort to avoid serious disruption and delays to London’s communities and the other events taking place in London’.
A spokesman said the force has a policing plan in place for the protests, adding: ‘People can expect a visible, engaging but firm policing presence to tackle any criminal or anti-social behaviour and disorder.
‘Alongside a significant policing response we will be using specialist officers to respond to any protesters who lock or glue themselves to street furniture or purpose-built structures.’
Just Stop Oil was approached for comment regarding the coronation.
A spokesman for the group said in response to potential plans surrounding the marathon: ‘We will continue to disrupt sports and cultural events until sporting and cultural institutions join us in civil resistance against new oil and gas.
‘We don’t answer questions about our plans. By the way, polling shows that about 60 per cent of the general public, which includes London Marathon runners and spectators, support our demand to stop new oil and gas.’
