After weeks of uncertainty, and an unexpected move to another prison due to overcrowding, my early release has been organised. It comes with a 6:45pm to 6:45am stay at home curfew and ‘conditions’. The conditions state that I must not “associate with any person currently or formerly associated with Just Stop Oil” and that I should not “participate directly or indirectly in organising or contributing to any demonstration, meeting, gathering, or website without approval.”
These conditions are not measurable, clear or defined. Is this a sign of a stretched, poorly trained probation service or a deliberate attempt to crush our network of resistance? In some respects my freedom is greater when incarcerated. If I break my probation conditions, the punishment will be a recall to prison where I will once again be able to make calls and have visits from my mates.
It is worth noting that there are over 16,000 people currently locked up in our overcrowded prisons after being recalled, the majority of whom did not commit any further criminal offence but contravened their probation conditions.
I am not the first Just Stop Oil supporter to have received such authoritarian probation conditions – there are over 20 of us, who plan to challenge the conditions in court. One supporter was told that he would not be able to attend any meetings including meetings of the Labour Party. Another has been forbidden from meeting with his girlfriend, who is also a Just Stop Oil supporter. In this respect, Just Stop Oil supporters are routinely treated like extremists, with licence conditions that go way beyond the standard for other offenders. This is the judiciary bowing to the wishes of politicians who have always wanted climate defenders to shut up and disappear. While those arrested, fined, imprisoned and injuncted are facing up to the reality of climate destruction, politicians would rather we Just Stop being annoying and let business as usual carry us all to catastrophe.
It is understandable that probation would seek to ban me from taking part in disruptive protest, for which I have been imprisoned. But to seek to prevent me from expressing why I have been arrested, tried and jailed is an infringement of my freedom of speech and a direct attempt to silence me from speaking truth to power. It is patently bonkers that from prison I can call my friends, arrange two hour long visits with them and even publish articles in the press, but this is refused when I’m released.
99% of my campaigning on the climate emergency would be completely legal in normal circumstances. It involves holding public meetings, drafting letters, speaking to the press, liaising with the police and posting on social media. These are the best tools we have, against decades of misinformation and denial, billions of pounds spent on misleading advertising by fossil fuel companies and an army of think tanks polluting public discourse.
Silencing Just Stop Oil, proscribing Palestine Action is not the action of a strong and confident government, it is a sign of weakness. A strong government would enter into dialogue with us, would allow us our voice and it would listen to ordinary people and not those with the loudest voices and the deepest pockets.
Indigo Rumbelow is due to be released on Monday, she will be unable to communicate with Just Stop Oil supporters, post on social media, websites or the talk to the press for publication. It is unclear if she is allowed to attend birthday gatherings, political meetings, religious services or meet with family and friends in a park.
