At least five people have been arrested after Just Stop Oil protesters reportedly disrupted a performance of Les Misérables at the Sondheim Theatre in London’s West End.
Members of the Just Stop Oil group stormed the stage with banners, during a performance of the song Do You Hear the People Sing. In a video of the protest that is now making the rounds on social media, the performance came to a halt as one member shouted “just stop oil”, to boos from the audience.
Technical staff quickly came on stage, the safety curtain came down followed by the main curtain. According to a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the group of four protesters then locked themselves to the stage.
In the post on X, the group wrote: “4 people are locked to the stage of the French-revolution-themed show. Valjean steals bread to feed a starving child. How long before we are all forced to steal?”.
Read also: Coffee seeds that can withstand climate change effects now available
Hannah Taylor, of Just Stop Oil, was quoted as saying: “The show cannot go on. We are facing catastrophe. New oil and gas means crop failure, starvation and death. It is an act of war on the global south and an utter betrayal of young people.”
William Village, who is chief executive of Delfont Mackintosh Theatres, also confirmed to WhatsOnStage that the show was stopped and the theatre was evacuated following the protest. Tickets for the performance will be refunded.
In its reaction, the Metropolitan police said: “At about 21.00hrs on Wednesday, 4 October, police were called to a protest inside a theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue, WC1. Local officers were quickly on scene and five people have been arrested.”
Story was adapted from the Guardian.
