Just Stop Oil protesters blocking traffic in Aldwych, central London, last November
(Picture: PA Media)Just Stop Oil has refused to rule out disrupting the King's Coronation and vowed to escalate disruptive action this year.
Leaders of the environmental protest group said they are planning further large scale disorder in 2023.
Spokesman Alex De Koning told LBC: "Unfortunately we're probably having to do more, because we need more change and we need it faster... why would we slow down now?"
When asked whether this meant increasing the level of disruption, Mr De Koning said “it could”, adding: “When two people threw soup at the Van Gough painting, that got more people talking about the climate crisis than when 33million people in Pakistan got displaced because of the floods".
The group has said it could potentially target the King’s Coronation on May 6 in London or the local elections taking place across the UK the same week.
"It's not being ruled out," the group said.
More than 2,000 Just Stop Oil activists were arrested in 2022 after a number of high profile protests, including throwing soup at aVan Gough masterpiece in the National Gallery, climbing a gantry on the M25 and various go-slow walking demonstrations in London during rush hour last month.
It comes as Extinction Rebellion UK dropped a large banner from Westminster Bridge on Wednesday morning announcing a 100 day countdown to a huge demonstration outside Parliament on April 21.
Anna Hyde of Extinction Rebellion UK, said: “The climate, ecological and biodiversity emergencies are not distant threats – they are happening right now, unevenly affecting many – ultimately affecting everyone, and life on Earth is at stake.”
The climate protest group, also known as XR, said recently announced it was shifting tactics from the disruptions it has become well-known for, such gluing themselves to public roads.
Rishi Sunak is expected to announce new powers for police to stop eco protesters from disrupting traffic.
The Prime Minister has promised to give police forces "whatever they need" to put an end to the campaigns that bring vehicles to a standstill.
