On July 18th, Five climate activists from the Just Stop Oil protest group were handed sentences of at least four years each for their involvement in a conspiracy to block London’s M25 motorway. These sentences are the longest ever imposed for a non-violent protest in Britain.
Among the sentenced was Just Stop Oil co-founder Roger Hallam. The activists were charged with conspiracy to cause a public nuisance for a November 2022 protest where they disrupted traffic by climbing motorway gantries.
The trial, held at London’s Southwark Crown Court, was marked by chaotic scenes, including the arrest of some defendants for defying the judge’s rulings. The sentences come amid a broader crackdown on protest movements in Britain and across Europe.
Judge Christopher Hehir cited “an unprecedented level of deliberate disruption” and criticized Hallam, who had been arrested three times, for attempting to turn the trial into a direct action protest. Prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward reported the protests incurred an economic cost of at least £770,000 ($1 million) and caused significant delays for thousands of commuters.
Hallam, 58, received a five-year prison sentence, while the other four defendants, aged 22 to 58, each received four-year sentences.
Source: Reuters
