Extinction Rebellion founder jailed for five years!

Awhile back I missed an appointment because of taxi drivers blocking a bridge protesting about something I don’t remember any of them being hauled off and arrested. People obviously think blocking traffic is the worst crime imaginable. There was a huge demo in London a couple of weeks ago demanding greater protection for the environment. Very peaceful march. It had zero publicity meanwhile, a couple of people threw orange cornflour at Stonehenge and it was all over the papers. Maybe the media are as much to blame for fuelling such protests?

IMO, they shouldn’t be jailed, as it makes them martyrs - they should be heavily fined, given ASBOs, made to do voluntary work, etc. most of they are very well heeled.
It is dreadful what they do, and don’t tell me that they never, ever use any petroleum and its products directly or indirectly!

Maybe they should stage their protests on the drilling oil rigs out at sea, not on public road, causing mayhem to ordinary people who are doing their best in this world.

Great news.

I doubt if these protesters would receive the high level of tolerance they enjoy on dry land were they to attempt to disrupt the dangerous and skilled work carried out on the oil rigs.

My point exactly easybee, not a cushy number ber in the middle of the North sea for these lovvies 🥶

Grammaretto

It makes me truly sad that so many of you grans are so at odds with my views.

Why send them to jail when our jails are overflowing?

They haven't attacked anyone. It's non violent.

I am totally in agreement with Chris Packham

This paves the way to jail any peaceful protesters in the future.

Be careful what you wish for.

UN special rapporteur.

“Today is a dark day for PEACEFUL protest in the U.K.”

It has been clear from the start that Roger Hallam is an anarchist whose main aim is to destabilise and beakdown society by any available means and the climate change cause provided him with a means on a plate.

It has been clear for sometime that he is the eminence gris behind a series of protest groups who have tried to foment disruption as a means of destropying civil society. Read his Wikipedia entry en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Hallam_(activist) .

He is a clever and deeply dangerous man and he has been sent to imprison not just for protesting but for the detailed planning and organisation that went before the event, that showed the anarchist nature of his intentions.

Roger Hallam and his inner circle have not been sent down merely because they sat on gantires and stopped the M25. They have been sent down because of the nature of their conspiacy behind these demonstrations and their intentions to breakdown and undermine the rule of law in this country.

Urmstongran

Let's all cancel Chris Packham while we're at it. He's a graduate Zoologist, not a Climate Scientist, yet pontificates on matters of which he knows little. A presumptuous little twerp, holier than thou, and a lot richer to boot.

absolutely this, I agree with every word

Excellent sentence from an excellent judge, not long enough

Thanks MOnica for broadening this debate. I attended many a protest in my younger days. Greenham Common anyone?
My last March was on the not in my name protest against the invasion of Iraq. Thousands marched in London, we went north to Glasgow, a huge peaceful protest. We walked with a group of American veterans of the Vietnam war . It’s a great pity that Parliament didn’t listen.
Peaceful protest is important in any society, central to democracy.
No one can continue to deny the dangers of climate change. The financial cost of the protests these people have been imprisoned for were huge. The economic and social disruption imo can’t be justified.
I remain uncertain about the long prison sentences. I accept they pose a risk the public needs protecting from but at what cost

I think Chris Packham should be sent fo my flat, so I can deal with him

iam64 that is exactly where I am on the debate.

But I am very uncertain about the draconian sentence and need to give it more thought.

MissAdventure

I think Chris Packham should be sent fo my flat, so I can deal with him

Rude!😊

I know.

I think the five year sentence would be quite appropriate in an ideal world, but then other prison terms would need to be addressed.

It's a far from ideal world, though.

Urmstongran
Let's all cancel Chris Packham while we're at it. He's a graduate Zoologist, not a Climate Scientist, yet pontificates on matters of which he knows little. A presumptuous little twerp, holier than thou, and a lot richer to boot

Voice of reason ( as always 😊 )

eazybee

I doubt if these protesters would receive the high level of tolerance they enjoy on dry land were they to attempt to disrupt the dangerous and skilled work carried out on the oil rigs.

Remember the sit-ins on oil rigs by Greenpeace? But it got the publicity they needed...

Oh yes, Urms, CP is one of my most unfavorite people. He pontificates about the perils of oil et., yet takes flights and no doubt uses a car made mostly of plastic, or using petroleum products to manufacture it. He would like us all to live in caves using stone implemets and eating only vegetables, wearing goodness know what as fur not would be permitted. Winter, what winter?

I will be watching to see what Keir Starmer does, it wikl be a good test of his leadership as PM.Does he stand up for us all and the law of the land or does he cave in to far left pressure to get their sentences overturned or vastly reduced.👀

A judge gave these sentences and judges are only allowed to give recommended sentences for the crime. There are strict guidelines about sentencing and any mitigating factors, if there are any, have to be considered. Neither Keir Starmer, nor anyone else, should be interfering in the justice system.
The crime has been committed. The judge has given his/her judgment. It’s not for others to agree or disagree. None of us, unless we have a Gransnetter who is a judge in criminal law, are qualified to dismiss this judgement.

Well said maddy.

Good post, maddyone.

The Rule of Law applies to everyone and of course Starmer will be well aware of that, so posters suggesting that he would step in to alter the sentences are being ridiculous.

Of course, our previous government showed so little regard for the Rule of Law at times that perhaps people have become indifferent to its importance...

I do think that the sentences are disproportionate, though.

So because these self-important protesters do not use violence to totally disrupt people's lives their protests are considered peaceful, therefore not worthy of a prison sentence.
They are breaking the law.

To me, these long custodial sentences seem wrong. Those people do have to be punished, but 5 years seems excessive, particularly while our jails are full.
I think that extended community sentences would have been a better alternative. (Fines would be useless, they could crowdfund or ask Chris Packham to pay them.)

They won't serve their full sentences.