Arrest made as orange paint sprayed over King’s College, Cambridge, in Just Stop Oil protest
An arrest has been made after orange paint was sprayed over the gatehouse of King’s College, Cambridge, today (Thursday, October 12).
Just Stop Oil claimed responsibility for the act, saying an activist used a fire extinguisher to spray the neo gothic facade of the Victorian gatehouse as part of the climate campaign group’s ongoing action at universities this week.
A police spokesperson said: “We were called at 12.13pm today (12 October) with reports of criminal damage in King's Parade, Cambridge.
“Officers attended and a 24-year-old from Cambridge was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage. They remain in custody."
King’s said it was working on an initial clean-up and assessing whether there had been longer-term damage.
Just Stop Oil is protesting at universities that it says have shown their “willingness to collaborate” with the government, which it accuses of acts tantamount to “genocide” following decisions to approve a new Rosebank oil and gas field in the North Sea.
The group noted that UK universities have taken £40million in fossil fuel funding since 2022, of which Cambridge has received £2.8m.
And it pointed to the independent report by Nigel Topping, former UN climate champion for COP26, that said that since 2016 Cambridge has received £19.7m in research funding and philanthropic donations from Shell and BP.
The university’s ongoing relationship with Schlumberger, the oilfield services company, has also come under fire from climate activists.
A student Just Stop Oil spokesperson said: “University leaders have demonstrated their willingness to collaborate with a government that is engaging in genocide. As students and young people, whose lives are most affected by the criminal decisions being made by this government, we will take the necessary and proportionate action to defend ourselves against those who are destroying our lives. To allow what is happening to go unopposed would be a dereliction of our moral and civic duty.
"In recent days we have witnessed the British government committing to destroying our generation, by green-lighting Rosebank, a project that will emit more carbon into the atmosphere than 28 countries, and will lead to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. The decisions of this government will bring about the wholesale destruction of ordered society, an end to democracy, and the breakdown of the rule of law.
"We are angry that universities continue to prop up the government as they drill for new oil in an act of violence against the young. Students and staff alike must join us in civil resistance to stand up against this injustice.”
The University of Cambridge is the first university in the world to adopt a science-based target for carbon reduction, committing it to absolute zero by 2048.
Earlier this month, Cambridge Zero director Professor Emily Shuckburgh took centre stage in New York at the biggest climate event of its kind to talk to global leaders of government, business and philanthropy about Cambridge’s efforts to tackle climate change.
A spokesperson for King’s College told the Cambridge Independent: “King’s College is one of many institutions targeted by Just Stop Oil this week. The college is concerned about climate change and respects the right to freedom of speech and non-violent protest, but draws the line at criminal damage. Initial clean-up is under way and the site is being assessed for any longer-term damage.”
The university was also contacted for comment.
