Just Stop Oil protest spray university in Cornwall orange

The graduates say they are demanding the UK government immediately halt planned new oil and gas projects and are calling on students and faculty staff to march with Just Stop Oil in London this November.

At around 11am this morning, Ethan Paul, aged 22, a renewable energy engineering graduate from Exeter, used buckets of paint and spray cans to cover the walls of the University of Exeter’s Stella Turk building at Penryn. At the same time, on the opposite side of the road, Holly Astle, 28, a Falmouth illustration alumna, used a fire extinguisher to paint the Falmouth Link Building.

The graduates say they are demanding the UK government immediately halt planned new oil and gas projects (Image: Supplied)

Police were called to the scene and are now investigating. 

Speaking ahead of his action, Ethan Paul said: "Universities have had 30 years of IPCC reports and COP conferences to sort this out and they have catastrophically failed my generation because they refuse to stand up to our government. They have wasted the one chance we had to prevent the greatest threat our species has ever faced."

"I joined the University of Exeter to study renewable energy engineering because I was terrified about the climate crisis. I realise now that we already have all the technical solutions we need, but until people at educational institutions stop taking millions from fossil fuel companies our government will continue committing genocide." 

"Join me in civil resistance – it may be our last chance of securing any kind of future."

Police have reportedly been called to the scene.  (Image: Supplied)

Also speaking before taking action, Holly Astle, 28, who lives in Falmouth, said: "Universities are meant to have a duty of care over their students but are failing miserably as they set them up for a future that won't exist.

"What are they doing to prepare youth for the prospect of climate breakdown and civilisational collapse? Universities are responsible for sustaining a double reality of recognising the existence of the crisis, without feeling any incentive to act on it.

"We are angry that universities continue to prop up the government as they drill for new oil in an act of violence against the young. Students and staff alike must join us in civil resistance to stand up against this injustice.

"This is what students across the country are doing, step up and march with us in November. Sign up at juststopoil.org/students."

An image of the protest supplied by a member of the public (Image: Supplied)

A spokesperson for Falmouth University told The Packet: "This morning, there was a peaceful demonstration on Penryn Campus. We respect peaceful and lawful protest; however, this event was escalated by a small number of individuals who caused criminal damage to two buildings. This will now be investigated by police and through our internal processes."

One of the team members at the campus told the Packet: "It's absolutely heartbreaking because it takes us hours to clean the buildings and now we got to work extra hard to try and clean it off."

A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said: "Police were called at midday to Falmouth University following a report of paint being thrown as part of a possible protest.

"The protest was reported to have concluded peacefully and those involved have left the area.

"Officers will carry out enquiries in relation to this matter."

Just Stop Oil supporters say they are not prepared to stand by and watch while the government plans for millions to die (Image: Supplied)

This week, students and graduates have taken action at universities right across the UK. Following Bristol on Monday and Exeter and Oxford yesterday, Birmingham, Sussex, and University College London have also been targeted today. 

Just Stop Oil supporters say they 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."

Supporters from all over the UK plan to march day after day in London from October 29 in support of the cause. 

Exeter University has been contacted for comment.