On November 7, in the middle of the morning rush hour, the M25 ring road in London was dead. Climate activists from the Just Stop Oil group had climbed onto scaffolding at the top of the roadway. The police had to close the road because of this.
Just Stop Oil is demanding that the government in London immediately end the granting of new licenses for the production of oil and gas. Two people have been arrested for disturbing public order in connection with the protest. One of the protesters: Jan Goodey. He was tried for this on Tuesday. With the verdict: six months in prison! This is reported by the British newspaper Guardian.
In court, the journalism teacher at Kingston University had pleaded guilty to co-responsibility for the protest against the blockade of the highway. Before this action he had escaped with a black eye on 27 September. He was already on trial for a climate blockade, but got away with a suspended sentence. Not this time.
‘I don’t know what the courts could have done differently’
The conviction must serve as a “deterrent” and demonstrate that such behavior has consequences. “I don’t know what else the courts could have done to warn you that this kind of behavior goes beyond what is legitimate and acceptable as peaceful protest,” the judge said at the sentencing. Goodey deliberately caused the highway to come to a standstill, disrupting people’s lives. In addition to the prison sentence, the activist was fined 187 pounds (213 Swiss francs).
During the action on November 7, a police officer was injured in an accident. The official had initiated a road closure because the climate activists were on the bridge. The two trucks collided with a police officer on a motorcycle.
The action group Just Stop Oil reacted indignantly to the harsh verdict. “This shows that our government would rather detain peaceful protesters than cut new oil and gas supplies,” a spokesman said, according to the Guardian. (jmh)