Military Space News
CAR TECH
UK climate activists jailed over motorway protest plot
UK climate activists jailed over motorway protest plot
by AFP Staff Writers
London (AFP) July 18, 2024
Five Just Stop Oil activists, including the climate group's founder, were given between four and five years in jail in the UK on Thursday for conspiring to plan protests that blocked a motorway.

Roger Hallam, the co-founder of JSO and Extinction Rebellion, was handed a five year sentence -- thought to be the longest such sentence handed in the UK for a non-violent protest.

The others, Daniel Shaw, 38, Louise Lancaster, 58, Lucia Whittaker De Abreu, 35, and Cressida Gethin, 22, were sentenced to four years imprisonment each.

The activists were found guilty of conspiracy intentionally to cause a public nuisance last week after meeting on a Zoom call and agreeing to cause disruption to traffic by climbing onto the gantries over the M25 motorway.

The protests took place across four days in November 2022 with dozens climbing gantries over the motorway which encircles Greater London and is one of the country's busiest.

Sentencing them at Southwark Crown Court in south London, Judge Christopher Hehir said: "The plain fact is that each of you some time ago has crossed the line from concerned campaigner to fanatic.

"You have appointed yourselves as sole arbiters of what should be done about climate change."

The climate campaign group, which wants the phasing out of all oil and gas use, said the sentences were "an obscene perversion of justice" given for "nothing more than attending a Zoom call".

- 'Appalled' -

At the start of the trial, Michel Forst, the UN Special Rapporteur for Environmental Defenders, issued a statement in response to complaints about the "persecution, penalisation and harassment" of Shaw.

In it, Forst warned that sentencing Shaw to more than two or more years could "violate" the UK's commitments under international law.

During the trial, Just Stop Oil, which has carried out a number of high-profile protests, claimed that the judge had ruled that climate issues were "irrelevant and inadmissible".

The group quoted David King, who was the government's chief scientific adviser between 2000 and 2007, as saying the sentences were "disgraceful".

The UN previously criticised the "severe" sentences handed to climate protesters, after two JSO activists were jailed for two and three years after scaling the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge over the River Thames at Dartford, east of London.

In a letter to the government, UN special rapporteur for climate change Ian Fry warned the sentences could stifle protest and were "significantly more severe than previous sentences imposed for this type of offending in the past".

Related Links
Car Technology at SpaceMart.com

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
CAR TECH
Ford to invest $3 bn in Canada on 'Super Duty' pickup production
New York (AFP) July 18, 2024
Ford announced Thursday it would invest $3 billion to expand production of its "Super Duty" pickup trucks at a Canadian factory, at which it has previously pushed back plans for electric vehicles. The announcement gives the US carmarker a third manufacturing center in North America from which to produce the giant pickup trucks, which have been a major profit driver in recent years. Under the plan, the Oakville Assembly Complex in Ontario will manufacture up to 100,000 more units of the vehicles ... read more

CAR TECH
U.S. announces 'significant' $2.2B package of air defense systems for Ukraine

Europe finalizes joint acquisition of Mistral 3 air defense system

US to fast-track Ukraine anti-air missile deliveries

Romania to send Patriot missile system to Ukraine

CAR TECH
Kremlin warns Russia could target Europe if US deploys missiles

Scholz says US long-range missiles in Germany to help 'securing peace'

Scholz says US missiles help secure the peace as Kremlin says the Cold War returns

Zelensky urges NATO leaders to lift all limits on striking Russia

CAR TECH
MARSS to Demonstrate Advanced NiDAR AI C4 System at Red Sands Counter-UAS Event

Russia defence ministry says destroyed 38 Ukrainian drones

Russia defence ministry says destroyed 50 Ukrainian drones

Taiwan says China military drone spotted near remote island airport

CAR TECH
Airbus Secures Major Contract for Bundeswehr's Advanced Military Satellite System

Airbus nets 2.1 bn euros satellite deal with German military

Gilat to support critical connectivity requirements for the US DOD

Frontier Technology Chosen for $1B Military Satellite Software Contract

CAR TECH
UK launches armed forces review after NATO summit

Lithuania moves to quit convention on cluster munitions

New UK defence minister pledges fresh Ukraine support in Odesa trip

Will NATO disappoint Ukraine again in Washington?

CAR TECH
Russia grants house arrest to general on fraud charge

Dubai crown prince named UAE defence minister

Austrian arms lobbyist acquitted in 'slush fund' case

NATO is spending more on defence, but it's likely not enough

CAR TECH
China's leaders to meet, with all eyes on struggling economy

China says conducting joint military drills with Russia

Russian, US defence chiefs discussed lowering escalation in call: Moscow

Turkey's Erdogan warns against NATO-Russia conflict

CAR TECH
Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2026 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.