Record Sentences for Non-Violent Protest

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The chapter discusses the unprecedented jail terms given to five activists from the Just Stop Oil coalition in the UK for engaging in a non-violent protest that disrupted traffic for four days. Despite not directly participating in the protest, the activists received four to five years in prison, sparking outrage and concerns over the disproportionate sentencing in comparison to other crimes. The chapter also highlights the limitations faced by climate activists defending themselves in court under changes in the law.

Last week, five supporters of the Just Stop Oil climate campaign who conspired to cause gridlock on London’s orbital motorway were sentenced to lengthy jail terms by a judge who told them they had ‘crossed the line from concerned campaigner to fanatic’. Columnist and campaigner George Monbiot tells Ian Sample why the sentences are so significant, how they fit into a crackdown on protest in the UK in recent years, and what impact they could have on future climate activism in the UK. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod