Environmental Organizations to Support M25 Protesters’ Sentence Appeal

Permission has been granted for two environmental advocacy organizations to support an appeal challenging the prison sentences handed down to five climate activists involved in protests that obstructed the M25 motorway. Roger Hallam, the founder of Just Stop Oil (JSO), received a five-year prison sentence, while fellow activists Daniel Shaw, Louise Lancaster, Lucia Whittaker De Abreu, and Cressida Gethin were each sentenced to four years in July. These sentences were imposed for their involvement in obstructing motorway traffic during November 2022. Friends of the Earth (FoE) announced that both it and Greenpeace UK have received authorization to participate in the legal proceedings, offering their backing to the five individuals as they contest their prison sentences in court next month. FoE stated its intention to contend that the imposed sentences violate human rights laws. Additionally, the organization advocated for “proportionate” punishments for demonstrators. A jury at Southwark Crown Court found the five protesters guilty of conspiracy to intentionally cause a public nuisance. During the protests, approximately 45 demonstrators ascended gantries above the motorway over four consecutive days, on occasion causing the motorway to halt completely. According to prosecution barristers, this resulted in 50,000 hours of vehicle delays, an economic impact of no less than £765,000, and expenses exceeding £1.1 million for the Metropolitan Police. Katie de Kauwe, a senior lawyer with FoE, commented that the sentences demonstrated “the chilling effect of the previous government’s anti-protest laws”. “In what functioning democracy can it be right for those peacefully raising the alarm about the climate crisis to receive longer jail sentences than people who participated in racially motivated violence this summer, and deliberately targeted migrants, refugees and Muslim communities?” “Peaceful protesters shouldn’t be locked up, period.” Jack Robirosa, legal counsel for Greenpeace UK, stated that the previous government’s “draconian laws” have created a scenario where “conscientious people are getting five years in prison for discussing a planned peaceful protest”. He added: “This is not the sort of thing most people associate with an established democracy with respect for civil rights and a healthy culture of protest and free speech.” The appeals are scheduled to be heard towards the close of January. For more content, listeners can access the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London across Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk. This content is Copyright 2024 BBC, with all rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for material found on external websites. Further information regarding our policy on external linking is available.