Just Stop Oil

I was surprised at the length of the sentences however the charges brought were around public nuisance and defendants are not allowed to offer a 'lawful excuse' as a reason for their actions.
The 'justifiability' of their actions i.e. as a political gesture is not allowed as a defence. It is treated as a criminal act.
The law of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance, which was introduced in 2022, outlaws direct action that causes “serious harm” to a section of the public. This can include property damage, injury, serious distress, annoyance or inconvenience.
I understand that the judge's reasons was previous cases - M25/Dartford Crossing conviction precedent of 3 years - some had previous convictions and suspended sentences, they had shown no contrition in spite of the chaos caused including serious medical hold ups, and refused to agree not to interrupt or disrupt the proceedings.

That said, the sentences for non-violent protest should be weighed against those of suspended sentences given in cases of violence and the desperate low charge and convictions rate for cases such as rape.
However the public seems less inclined to support non violence protest [low cases of violence in the Palestine marches] if they produce a nuisance as they used to.

I wonder how many people would have signed a letter saying that the sentences were too short ?
I bet that Roger has been told to stfu or he will get a shoeing and poor Cressida cant believe what goes on 'within these walls'.

Nine Just Stop Oil activists arrested at Heathrow..

i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/24/10/87701877-13666983-image-a-33_1721813899076.jpg
Just Stop Oil activist Sean Callaghan, 29, being detained after attempting to cause disruption at Heathrow airport this morning

Nine Just Stop Oil activists have been arrested at Heathrow Airport but operations are continuing as usual, police have said.

They were detained near the airport and taken into custody on suspicion of conspiring to interfere with a site of key national infrastructure under the Public Order Act.

The Metropolitan Police said: “These arrests have prevented significant disruption to the airport and the travelling public.”

The group said “the international uprising begins” and that a number of people had been arrested “in two locations on the perimeter road around Heathrow”.

Footage shared on the Just Stop Oil (JSO) account on X, formerly Twitter, appears to show people cycling near a high barbed wire-topped fence close to passenger planes before dismounting and being approached by officers.


Much more info on the link below:

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13666983/Just-Stop-Oil-disrupt-summer-holidays-flops-activists-arrested-Heathrow.html

Protest is a difficult tool to manage especially when confronting the public, whilst trying to garner their support.
The British public is a strange beast and in the past was renowned for tolerating and having some sympathy for non violent protest but once the rule of law was broken, vandalism undertaken, sick people impacted etc support quickly waned. The other impact was how it affected the common person's lives. Greenham Common was an example, as was the protestor Swampy.

That now seems to be the case here. What started of as enlightened non violent protest is now seen as a pain in the arse. Further, now that the Conservative Government have stripped away some of the protection of protestors and the nuances of what can and cannot be done in a protest, the public have become fed up with seeing motorways gridlocked [there's enough of that at Dover in the Customs queues!], sports activities interrupted [short patience have sports fans] and vandalism or attempts at vandalism of artforms some of which are regarded as almost sacred, and finally seeing emergency service staff stuck in queues in life and death situations. The golden rule of letting ambulances through which most protests accept has been roundly ignored.

Finally the fact that most of the JSO supporters appear to be middle class people with too much time on their hands, who simply refuse to obey the principles of law, I believe has lead to sympathy for the cause [which is a significantly important cause! as recent stats have shown with ever increasing underlying average temperatures] falling significantly and providing support for anti climate change supporters.

When "that" bill was passed in the commons outcomes such as this were almost certain to happen.