‘Shame And Silence’: Radical Climate Org’s Toxic Culture And Alleged Abuse Cover-Ups Exposed

The radical climate protest group Just Stop Oil (JSO) is facing internal chaos after a whistleblower accused its leaders of covering up sexual assault allegations, describing the organization as consumed by a “toxic culture of shame and silence,” The i Paper, a British outlet, reported Monday.

The claims, first circulated in an email sent Sept. 28 to more than 100,000 members, alleged that JSO’s HR department was aware of accusations against two male activists — including “grooming, coercion, sexual assault and rape” — dating back to 2022 but failed to act, according to the outlet. The message, sent by a whistleblower from the group’s official account, claimed that protecting the movement’s image was prioritized over the allegations.

“Our well-intentioned culture of radical trust proved inadequate, and in its place, a toxic culture of shame and silence was allowed to develop — one that protected the abusers, not the victims,” the message read, according to The i Paper.

Founded in 2022, JSO has made international headlines for blockading roads, vandalizing iconic artworks and landmarks, and storming major sporting events. Behind the activism, however, the whistleblower says the group fostered an environment that shielded alleged predators and discouraged women from reporting abuse.

“By the time organizers started to understand how bad things were, the story was so painful that it presented an impossible dilemma. Do you blow the whistle and wound the campaign while supporters were serving multi-year prison sentences?” one whistleblower told The i Paper, adding that many victims were young female volunteers who feared going to the police after being arrested in protests themselves.