Man Behind 'Just Stop Oil' Protest Speaks Out After He Tied Himself To Goalpost

The protestor who tied himself to a goalpost during Thursday night's Premier League clash between Everton and Newcastle has opened up about the incident.

Louis Mckechnie, a 21 year-old supporter of youth led climate movement Just Stop Oil, caused an eight-minute stoppage of play after he used a cable tie to fasten himself to the goalpost at Goodison Park.

Wearing a Just Stop Oil t-shirt, Mckechnie looked on emotionless as ground staff used a huge pair of bolt cutters to eventually free the mechnical engineering student.

Just Stop Oil have since released a video of Mckechnie speaking about the situation outside of Goodison Park ahead of kick-off. "I am about to disrupt a football match," he says. "And I am terrified..."

You can see the clip below.

Mckechnie is also quoted as saying the following: "It's 2022 and it's time to look up, time to step up and not stand by. It's time to act like it's an emergency.

"Report after report is telling me that my future is going to be dire, and my government is telling me not to worry and pay into a pension.

"But we have a choice. We can choose to highlight that our climate is breaking down, we can choose to resist this government that is betraying us, we can choose to step up and not stand by.

 "Our government is betraying us by funding new oil fields in the North Sea. New oil means destruction of our children's future. It means war on small island states. And it means suffering now for the poorest and most marginalised in all regions.

"We must #JustStopOil. It's a no-brainer."

Earlier this week, another Just Stop Oil protestor, Kai, interrupted Liverpool's win against Arsenal to tie himself to the goalpost.

"Sorry to have interrupted your game, but no one listens unless we do crazy shit like this," Just Stop Oil's Twitter account said following the incident at the Emirates on Wednesday.

"This beautiful game, like your lives, will be disrupted by increasingly extreme weather events in the years to come."

Kai is also quoted as saying: "If we lose control of our climate, which is exactly where we're headed at the moment, then we put everything and everyone at risk. My generation won't have a future.

"The government is encouraging more investment in oil and gas, despite the danger of climate collapse — I want the government to do all they can to avoid this. They need to get a grip, more oil and gas will not help people with their energy bills but will kill more people now and in future."

The account added: "Just Stop Oil. It's a no-brainer. Stop the harm. We need to face the facts and do what is needed. Don't be a bystander — attend one of our online or in-person talks to join us in resistance."