Climate activists on trial in the UK: 'Do not jail those who tell the truth'

16 members of the British climate activist group 'Just Stop Oil' appeared in court in London due to the protests they organized to draw attention to the climate crisis. Activists who went to the front of the courthouse before the hearing began protested the trial.

The 16 activists, who were sentenced for actions including blocking highways, blocking highway bridges, blocking tunnels, and throwing soup at famous painter Vincent Van Gogh's 'Sunflowers' painting, appeared before the Court of Appeal at 10:00 local time (13:00 TSI).

Before the hearing, climate and environmental organizations held a protest in front of the courthouse to support the 16 activists.

Participants in the protest, organized by groups such as Just Stop Oil, Greenpeace, and Extinction Rebellion, carried banners reading 'Do not jail those who tell the truth', 'The jury deserves to hear the whole truth', and 'Protect the right to protest'.

'WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN FARMLAND DISAPPEARS?'

Explaining that he aims to make the world a better place for his grandchildren, 73-year-old activist Paul Sousek stated that in addition to the 16 people appearing in court today, 200 more activists are waiting to be tried.

Sousek, who received a 20-month prison sentence for blocking the M25 motorway but was released with an electronic tag, said the following:

''I participated in an action to stop the M25 for 3-4 hours in 2022. We did this to draw attention to climate change. No one was taking stopping climate change seriously. If it is not stopped, it will lead to bigger problems.''

Stating that climate change will cause famine and the end of the human race, Sousek said, "We cannot allow this to happen."

Explaining that he is a farmer, Sousek continued his words as follows:

''While coming from Cornwall to London for the hearing, the train could not continue due to a landslide. Therefore, the train went back 65 kilometers. I had to come another way. As you can see, climate change is always with us. Throughout my journey, I saw lands flooded due to storms. This is a phenomenon exacerbated by climate change.''

Noting that future generations will be affected more by climate change, Sousek added:

'If we continue like this, floods and storms will be 5-10 times worse than they are today. No one realizes this. Today you can repair the damages of climate change, but what will happen when it gets worse, when farmland disappears, and when enough food cannot be delivered to everyone? It will be a catastrophe and millions of people will have to migrate.'

ACTIVISTS RECEIVE SENTENCES

In a written statement regarding the hearing at the Court of Appeal, Just Stop Oil reported that their founders Roger Hallam and 4 people who organized an online meeting to plan the action on the M25 were each sentenced to 5 years in prison.

The statement noted that a total of 41 years of imprisonment was given to 16 activists, some of whom were being tried while in custody, and emphasized that 78-year-old Gaie Delap was sentenced to 20 months in prison.

The statement, which mentioned that Delap was called to prison before the Christmas holiday because an electronic tag suitable for her ankle could not be found, reported that Phoebe Plummer, who threw soup at the Van Gogh painting, was sentenced to 2 years in prison, and Anna Holland was sentenced to 1 year.

The case at the Court of Appeal is expected to be concluded within 8 weeks.

Activists who painted the thousands-year-old standing stones at the famous Stonehenge site orange last year will appear in court in the city of Salisbury.

News Source: AA