Activists Explain Why They Hid In Oil Storage Tunnel For Five Days

A pair of protesters who spent five days hiding in an oil storage tunnel have demanded that more people take action to prevent the climate 'emergency.' You can watch them explain why they took part in the extreme protest here:

Amy and Ben are among the dozens of Just Stop Oil activists who have been disrupting oil facilities across the UK over the past week.

Following protesters' attempts to stop oil tankers from entering an oil storage facility in Grays, Essex, the couple took to a network of tunnels within the facility, where they've remained in an attempt to block oil from being processed through the facility for the past five days.

In a video released through Just Stop Oil, Amy and Ben explained why they were sticking it out in the tunnel, despite being 'f**king shattered' and having had no food since they began their protest.

"Oil and fossil fuels are killing us... and they're destroying out futures," Amy said. "We want to have kids, that's one of the reasons why we're doing this."

Just Stop Oil

"I'm wondering...where is everyone, like, this is an emergency we're in," Ben added, claiming that 'oil is killing people right now, it's fueling the war in Ukraine'.

He added: "We need to just stop oil and we can only do it if we all step up together [and] step out of our comfort zones."

Amy said: "It's been a challenge and we need more people to join and help, and we need an emergency response to the situation that we are all in."

The couple say that their demand for ending their protest is a commitment to no more new fossil fuel projects, pledging that if that condition is met 'we'll get out of our tunnel and stop blocking.'

Anti-oil protesters (Alamy)

A statement from Just Stop Oil read: "[Amy and Ben] both left safely, however many now suffering the impacts of chaotic weather do not know if they should stay or if they leave where is safe to go."

Essex Police have since confirmed they have made 250 arrests in relation to the Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion demonstrations, including two protesters who were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and causing danger to other road users after 'voluntarily emerging' from a tunnel where they had spent the past several days.

"Regular welfare checks were carried out on them, both in terms of their health and the safety of them and those on scene," the police said in a statement.

More than 70 people were arrested in Thurrock, Essex following renewed protests today (6 April).