The co-founder of extremist climate activist groups Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion has been given a lengthy prison sentence alongside four other eco-warriors over highway disruptions in England.
One of Britain’s most radical environmentalist activists, Roger Hallam was found guilty of conspiring to block traffic over Just Stop Oil’s four days of blocking the M25 highway in 2022.
Hallam, the co-founder of Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil was given a record five-year prison sentence on Thursday after a judge determined that he had “crossed the line from concerned campaigner to fanatic,” The Telegraph reports.
Four other green warriors, Cressida Gethin, 22, Daniel Shaw, 38, Louise Lancaster, 58, Lucia Whittaker De Abreu, 35, were each given four-year sentences.
Prosecutors told the court that the series of highway disruptions cost the Metropolitan Police over £1.1 million and had an economic cost of at least £765,000, Sky News reports.
The court also heard that the disruptions from the Just Stop Oil activists had impacted over 700,000 vehicles, causing over 50,000 hours of traffic delays, and had left the M25 motorway “compromised” for more than 120 hours.
Announcing his sentence, Judge Christopher Hehir said: “The plain fact is that each of you some time ago has crossed the line from concerned campaigner to fanatic.
“You have appointed yourselves as sole arbiters of what should be done about climate change.”
Specifically addressing Hallam, the judge said: “You are the theoretician, the ‘ideas’ man. In my judgement, you sit at the very highest level of the conspiracy.”
The two organisations he co-founded, Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion, have been at the forefront of using novel tactics in Britain and in Europe to protest the supposed climate crisis, including glueing themselves to roads to throwing soup on priceless pieces of art.
There have already been calls on the government from supporters of the left-wing government to overturn the sentences, which are some of the longest for non-violent protests in recent memory.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.