University of Birmingham Main Library defaced with orange paint by Just Stop Oil protest
Harrison Donnelly used buckets of paint and spray cans during the protest at around 1.30pm today
Just Stop Oil staged a protest at The University of Birmingham today, targeting The Main Library on campus.
Harrison Donelly targeted the university’s library at around 1:30pm this afternoon. Buckets of orange paint were used to deface the lower floor windows, alongside orange spray paint and dripping hand prints. Crowds of students gathered at the campus library entrance to spectate.
Campus maintenance arrived to clean the paint from windows whilst Donnelly, orange paint streaked on his cheeks, remained seated on the ground. Police community support officers were present at the scene.
The University of Birmingham remains one of the last Russell group universities to pledge divestment of its endowment in fossil fuel related industries. The Guild of Students at UoB previously announced a boycott of Fossil Fuels in February this year reducing the presence of oil gas and mining companies at career events.
The protest forms part of a chain of other university campus’s targeted this week, with students joining forces across the country to make a public call on the government to end new oil and gas projects. Protests took place on University of Exeter and University of Bristol campuses on Monday, whilst today the saw defacing of University buildings at University College London and University of Sussex.
A statement from Just Stop Oil published on their website following the string of protests today read: “Students are demanding that university leaders make a public statement calling on the government to end new oil and gas projects, and make a commitment to join their students in marching on the streets of London, if the government fails to respond.
“Just Stop Oil supporters are not prepared to stand by and watch while the government plans for millions to die and destroys everything we care about. It’s up to all of us now to come together and resist. We cannot let them divide us. Together we can be the real opposition this country needs and we will win. We will stop new oil and gas. People are coming together from all over the UK to march day after day in London from 29th October. It’s People vs Oil!”.
The University of Birmingham has been contacted for comment.
Featured image via Just Stop Oil.
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