Co-Founder of Extinction Rebellion Sentenced to Jail for M25 Blockade
Roger Hallam received a five-year jail sentence for crossing the line from a ‘concerned campaigner’ to a ‘fanatic,’ as determined by a judge.
The co-founder of Extinction Rebellion (XR) and four activists from Just Stop Oil (JSO) were imprisoned for causing significant disruption on the M25.
JSO protesters Daniel Shaw, Louise Lancaster, Lucia Whittaker De Abreu, Cressida Gethin, and XR co-founder Roger Hallam were convicted of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance last week.
Judge Christopher Hehir had previously warned of “long, long prison sentences” after their guilty verdict on July 11.
Mr. Hallam was sentenced to five years in prison, while the other four defendants received four-year prison terms.
Last November, they obstructed a critical section of the British motorway network by climbing on motorway signs to protest the government’s insufficient readiness for climate change.
Zoom Call
All five defendants participated in a Zoom call in November 2022 to discuss planned protests and recruit others, as shared by prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward in court.
An undercover journalist from the Sun newspaper recorded the call and provided it to authorities without the activists’ knowledge.
Judge Hehir acknowledged the detailed planning and sophistication revealed in the Zoom call, calling it compelling evidence of a conspiracy.
Judge Hehir criticized the activists, stating they had transitioned from concerned campaigners to fanatics and self-appointed decision-makers on climate change actions.
To Mr. Hallam, the judge noted his role as a theoretician and the senior figure in the conspiracy.
Injunctions
On the same day, three airports obtained High Court injunctions against environmental activists protesting at their facilities: Leeds Bradford Airport, London Luton Airport, and Newcastle International Airport.
According to Timothy Morshead, KC, representing the airports, organizations like JSO and XR posed a serious threat to passengers, leading to a real and imminent risk of disruption.
Mr. Morshead explained the ripple effects of flight delays, stating that chaos ensues as a result, making airports more vulnerable due to increased security measures.
PA Media contributed to this report.
