Four Just Stop Oil Supporters have been acquitted of obstruction of the highway today, after the Crown Prosecution Service failed to provide any evidence against them. The Just Stop Oil supporters were demanding that the government halt licensing and consents for the development of any new fossil-fuel projects in the UK. [1]
Anna Berrill, Tim Byron, Grace Fairhurst, and Catherine Nesbit appeared before Judge Snow at Westminster Magistrates Court today, in relation to peacefully blocking Harleyford Street, near the Oval, on the 29th October 2022. [2]
One of those on trial, Catherine Nisbet, 58, a former scientist and journalist, said:
“I don’t want to disrupt lives or break the law, but to NOT take action would be condoning this government’s plan to continue the destruction of life on Earth. It would be indifference to the greatest crime ever. That so many upstanding, thoughtful citizens are risking such actions, shows how the law and our leaders are failing us.”
A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said:
“We welcome today’s result, however, once again we have yet another pointless trial attempting to criminalise good people for standing up to the criminals in government. Our leaders continually prioritise profit over the lives of the people.”
“Already we are seeing rationing in our supermarkets, as a result of disrupted weather patterns. How can those in the judiciary claim to stand for justice when imprisoning good people for speaking the truth, whilst our government enacts policies that will result in the breakdown of ordered society?” [3]
Since the Just Stop Oil campaign launched on the 14th February 2022, there have been over 2,000 arrests and 138 people have spent time in prison, many without trial. There are currently two Just Stop Oil supporters and one Insulate Britain supporter in prison whilst awaiting trial or serving sentences for actions taken with the campaigns.
We stand with these three supporters in prison, with the 1,800 victims of our broken criminal justice system, imprisoned for over a year without trial and with the 1,700 murdered across the global south, for protecting all our lives. [5] [6]
This is the moment for us to come together and resist the destruction of everything we love, something that is being imposed on us by a few, who only seek to enrich themselves.
We’re done with begging. We are going to stop new fossil fuel projects whether those in power agree or not. As citizens, parents and children, we have every right under British law to protect ourselves and those we love.
We are the last generation who can solve this. Will you step up? Join us and Just Stop Oil.
ENDS
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Notes to Editors
[1] Just Stop Oil is a coalition of groups working together to demand that the government immediately halt all future licensing and consents for the exploration, development and production of fossil fuels in the UK. Just Stop Oil is a member of the A22 Network of civil resistance projects. Climate Emergency Fund is Just Stop Oil’s primary funder for recruitment, training, and capacity building.
[2] Link to press release from 29th October 2022- https://juststopoil.org/2022/10/29/day-29-just-stop-oil-supporters-stop-traffic-in-central-south-and-west-london/
[3] Link to Guardian article from Feb 7th- https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/07/insulate-britain-activist-david-nixon-jailed-for-eight-weeks-for-contempt-of-court
[5] Fair Trials reports that the number of people being held in prison without trial in England and Wales is at its highest for over 50 years.
[6] A recent report from Global Witness says that more than 1,700 people have died while trying to prevent mining, oil drilling or logging on their lands.
