Five individuals arrested following disruption of Les Miserables performance by anti-oil protesters

A group of protesters from Just Stop Oil disrupted a performance of the popular musical Les Miserables in the West End, leading to the arrest of five individuals. The incident was captured in a video shared by the group, which showed them storming the stage and urging the audience to join their cause. The Metropolitan Police were called to the theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue at around 9:00 PM in response to the protest. Just Stop Oil is known for staging demonstrations at public events, and have recently targeted tennis matches at Wimbledon. During the performance of the song "One Day More," the protesters appeared on both ends of the stage, holding up orange banners displaying their logo. The cast of the show attempted to continue, but were eventually escorted offstage. Just Stop Oil later revealed on social media that four protestors had locked themselves to the stage. They also referenced Les Miserables' storyline, invoking the character of Valjean who steals bread to feed a starving child, questioning how long it will be until everyone is forced to resort to such measures. The group stated that the fossil fuel industry must be halted. Audience members can be heard booing and telling the demonstrators to leave in the footage of the incident. The performance was ultimately stopped, and the theatre was evacuated. William Village, the CEO of Delfont Mackintosh Theatres, which owns the theatre where Les Miserables is currently running, explained that safety protocols had to be followed, leading to the audience being asked to leave and the involvement of the Metropolitan Police. He expressed regret that there was not enough time to continue the performance, stressing the importance of respecting the audience's right to enjoy the event they had paid for. In another video, a member of Just Stop Oil named Hanan explained their decision to target the musical. Hanan highlighted that Les Miserables portrays the June Rebellion, where ordinary people rose up against a government that ignored their wellbeing. She criticized Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for approving numerous gas and oil licenses despite the detrimental impact on the environment and society. Just Stop Oil states on their website that their ultimate goal is to demand that the UK government stops granting licenses for new oil, gas, and coal projects.