Just Stop Oil M25 blockade case#M25 protests
{{Short description|2024 British court case on climate protesters}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox court case
|name = R v Hallam
|court = Southwark Crown Court
|image = Roger Hallam, 2020 (cropped).jpg
|imagesize =
|imagelink =
|imagealt =
|caption = Roger Hallam in 2020
|full name = Rex v Hallam and others
|date decided = 18 July 2024
|citations =
|ECLI =
|transcripts =
|judges = Christopher Hehir
|number of judges =
|decision by =
|concurring =
|dissenting =
|concur/dissent =
|prior actions =
|appealed from =
|appealed to =
|subsequent actions =
|related actions =
|opinions =
|italic title = false
}}
R v Hallam was a 2024 British court case involving five activists from the climate protest group Just Stop Oil. The activists were convicted of conspiracy to cause public nuisance after they organised protests to block the M25 motorway in November 2022. Roger Hallam, co-founder of Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, while his fellow activists Daniel Shaw, Louise Lancaster, Lucia Whittaker De Abreu and Cressida Gethin were sentenced to four years each. The activists have been collectively referred to as the "Whole Truth Five" in Just Stop Oil's social media posts.{{cite web | url = https://news.sky.com/story/just-stop-oil-co-founder-among-five-protesters-jailed-for-m25-disruption-13179407 | title=Five 'fanatic' Just Stop Oil protesters jailed for plot to block M25 | date=2024-07-18 | newspaper=Sky News }}
The severity of the sentences sparked widespread criticism from various quarters. They are thought to be the longest sentences ever given in the UK for non-violent protest. Among the critics are UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Türk, the United Nations special rapporteur for environmental defenders Michel Forst, Amnesty International and former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams.
Background
Just Stop Oil is a British environmental activist group focused on the issue of human-caused climate change. It was founded in February 2022 with the primary objective of convincing the UK government to stop licensing new oil and gas projects.{{cite web | url=https://juststopoil.org | title=Just Stop Oil website}} Just Stop Oil has often received criticism for using illegal and disruptive tactics in its protests, such as vandalism and traffic obstruction, although the group is committed to non-violence.{{cite news |last=Gayle |first=Damien |access-date=2024-08-18 |title=Inside Just Stop Oil, the youth climate group blocking UK refineries |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/apr/01/down-to-earth-just-stop-oil-protest |date=1 April 2022 |website=The Guardian |archive-date=17 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221017000236/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/apr/01/down-to-earth-just-stop-oil-protest |url-status=live }}
M25 protests
On 7 November 2022 dozens of Just Stop Oil activists climbed onto gantries over London's orbital motorway, the M25.{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-63539967 | title=Just Stop Oil: Dozens of activists arrested over M25 protest | work=BBC News | date=7 November 2022 }} This resulted in police stopping the traffic, causing gridlock. The protests continued for four consecutive days, ending on 11 November, and involved 45 activists in total.{{cite news |last=Stedman|first=Harry|access-date=2024-08-18 |title=Five Just Stop Oil protesters jailed for conspiracy to block M25 |date=2024-07-18 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/roger-hallam-m25-just-stop-oil-court-of-appeal-police-b2582094.html |website=The Independent}} Later at the trial, the prosecution alleged the protest caused economic losses of £765,000, and cost the Metropolitan Police more than £1.1{{nbsp}}million. They also alleged it caused over 50,000 hours of vehicle delay, affecting at least 700,000 vehicles.{{cite news | url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/just-stop-oil-m25-conspiracy-prison-sentence-appeal-b1176214.html | title=Just Stop Oil activists in bid to appeal jail terms for conspiracy to block M25 | newspaper=Evening Standard | last1=Pilgrim | first1=Tom | date=2024-08-13 }}
Trial
The trial was held at Southwark Crown Court under Judge Christopher Hehir and lasted for two and a half weeks.{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/jul/11/just-stop-oil-activists-found-guilty-of-conspiring-to-block-m25-traffic | title=Just Stop Oil activists found guilty of conspiring to block M25 traffic | newspaper=The Guardian | date=11 July 2024 | last1=Gayle | first1=Damien }} All the defendants represented themselves during the trial, although three instructed counsel to speak on their behalf during mitigation.{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/law/article/2024/jul/19/just-stop-oil-jail-terms-questions-harsh-treatment-protesters | title=Just Stop Oil jail terms raise questions over harsh treatment of protesters | newspaper=The Guardian | date=19 July 2024 | last1=Siddique | first1=Haroon }}
The court heard that Roger Hallam, Daniel Shaw, Louise Lancaster, Lucia Whittaker De Abreu and Cressida Gethin had spoken on a Zoom call organised to recruit potential volunteers for the M25 protest.{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jul/12/contempt-gagging-un-intervention-uk-wildest-climate-trial-just-stop-oil | title=Contempt, gagging and UN intervention: Inside the UK's wildest climate trial | newspaper=The Guardian | date=12 July 2024 | last1=Gayle | first1=Damien }}
On the second day of defence evidence, eleven people were arrested for alleged contempt of court after protesting outside the court holding signs saying "jurors have the right to hear the whole truth". By the final day there were more than 80 protestors outside the courtroom. The court dropped its proceedings against the eleven arrested.
Over the course of the trial, the defendants caused disruption by refusing to leave the witness stand and speaking out of turn. By the end of the trial, four of the five defendants had been remanded to custody after police were called to court seven times to make arrests. As punishment, Judge Hehir reduced the time given to each defendant from one hour to twenty minutes. Furthermore, he prohibited them from using climate crisis as a defence for their actions.{{cite news | url=https://bylinetimes.com/2024/07/18/just-stop-oil-sentencing-m25/ | title=Just Stop Oil Protestors Receive Harshest Jail Terms Yet in Case that 'May Violate Human Rights Law' | date=18 July 2024 | last1=Spray | first1=Stuart | newspaper=Byline Times }}
On 11 July, the jury unanimously found the defendants guilty of conspiracy to cause public nuisance under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and the Criminal Law Act 1977. Seven days later, Judge Hehir sentenced Hallam to five years' imprisonment, while co-defendants Shaw, Lancaster, Whittaker De Abreu and Gethin were sentenced to four years apiece.{{ cite web | url=https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/R-v-Hallam-and-others.pdf | title=Rex v Hallam & ors - sentencing remarks}} These are thought to be the longest sentences ever given in the UK for non-violent protest.{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jul/18/five-just-stop-oil-supporters-jailed-over-protest-that-blocked-m25 | title=Five Just Stop Oil activists receive record sentences for planning to block M25 | newspaper=The Guardian | date=18 July 2024 | last1=Gayle | first1=Damien }} The previous longest sentences were received by Just Stop Oil activists Morgan Trowland and Marcus Decker, who were jailed for three years and two years and seven months, respectively, for scaling the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge on the Dartford Crossing in October 2022.
Reactions
UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Türk described the sentences as "deeply troubling".{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/tracey-emin-dale-vince-roger-hallam-archbishop-philip-pullman-b2584335.html | title=Hundreds of celebrities condemn 'injustice' of Just Stop Oil sentences | newspaper=The Independent | date=2024-07-23 | last1=Speare-Cole | first1=Rebecca}} Michel Forst, the United Nations special rapporteur for environmental defenders, attended two days of the trial and was critical of the proceedings, stating that such severe sentences for non-violent protest are "not acceptable in a democracy".{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jul/19/not-acceptable-un-expert-condemns-sentences-given-to-just-stop-oil-activists | title='Not acceptable in a democracy': UN expert condemns lengthy Just Stop Oil sentences | newspaper=The Guardian | date=19 July 2024 | last1=Gayle | first1=Damien | last2=Horton | first2=Helena | last3=Quinn | first3=Ben }} Forst stated "Mr. Shaw may reasonably expect to face a prison sentence of up to two years (or more) for, in essence, his participation
in a Zoom call to discuss a proposed peaceful environmental protest. The imposition of such sanction is not only
appalling but may also violate the United Kingdom’s obligations under international law."https://unece.org/sites/default/files/2024-06/ACSR_C_2024_26_UK_SR_EnvDefenders_public_statement_24.06.2024.pdf Amnesty International UK's human rights adviser, Tom Southerden, described the sentences as "draconian" and urged the government to repeal the sections of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 that legislate the offence of public nuisance used against the defendants.{{cite web | url=https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/uk-lengthy-jail-sentences-environmental-protesters-draconian | title=UK: Lengthy jail sentences for environmental protesters is 'draconian' | date=2024-07-18 | website=Amnesty International }}
Prominent figures, including TV presenter and environmentalist Chris Packham, TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, entrepreneur Dale Vince, Green Party peer Jenny Jones, Green Party MP Siân Berry and Labour Party MP Clive Lewis spoke out against the sentencing.{{cite news |last1=Gayle |first1=Damien |last2=Horton |first2=Helena |title=Celebrities add voice to outcry over severity of Just Stop Oil sentences |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jul/19/chris-packham-celebrities-outcry-over-severity-just-stop-oil-sentences |work=The Guardian |date=19 July 2024 |access-date=19 July 2024}} Over 1200 artists, athletes and academics signed a letter to the Attorney General, calling for an urgent meeting to discuss "the jailing of truth tellers and their silencing in court". Among the signatories were former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, musicians Chris Martin and Annie Lennox, and author Philip Pullman. A spokesman for the Attorney General's office stated that "the Attorney General has no power to intervene in these cases".{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz9xr4q3rk6o | title=Just Stop Oil sentences condemned by celebrities | date=23 July 2024 | newspaper=BBC News | last1=Bell | first1=Bethan }}
In contrast, Andrew Tettenborn, a professor of law at Swansea University, spoke out in favour of the sentencing in an article in The Spectator.{{cite news |last1=Tettenborn |first1=Andrew |title=Just Stop Oil fanatics deserve their lengthy jail terms |url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/just-stop-oil-fanatics-deserve-their-lengthy-jail-terms/ |website=The Spectator |access-date=24 July 2024 |date=19 July 2024}}
The UK government refused to comment on the sentencing, with a spokesman for the prime minister stating that "it is not for politicians to intervene" in matters of judgement and sentencing.{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/07/19/former-justice-secretary-uncomfortable-just-stop-oil-prison | title=Starmer refuses to intervene over lengthy Just Stop Oil prison sentences | newspaper=The Telegraph | date=19 July 2024 | last1=Hymas | first1=Charles | last2=Penna | first2=Dominic }}
Punishments
58 year{{nbhyph}}old Louise Lancaster published her experiences of the trial and of life in a United Kingdom prison from July to December 2024 in a national newspaper.
{{cite news
| last1 = Lancaster | first1 = Louise
| title = I was jailed for four years for a non-violent climate protest – this is my prison diary
| date = 25 January 2025
| work = The Guardian
| location = London, United Kingdom
| issn = 0261-3077
| url = https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/25/just-stop-oil-jailed-four-years-non-violent-climate-protest-prison-diary
| access-date = 2025-01-27
}}
Appeal
On 13 August 2024 lawyers acting on behalf of the five activists announced they intended to appeal the ruling, arguing that the sentences were excessive.{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/just-stop-oil-roger-hallam-m25-climate-b2595480.html | title=Just Stop Oil protesters appeal record-breaking sentences for M25 disruption | newspaper=The Independent | date=2024-08-13 | last1=Bancroft | first1=Holly }}{{cite news | url=https://edition.cnn.com/2024/09/14/climate/uk-climate-protests-policing-laws-prison-intl/index.html | title=Climate protesters are taking action against Big Oil. UK courts are handing them prison terms akin to rapists and thieves | newspaper=CNN | date=2024-09-14 | last1=Fox | first1=Kara }} Appeal proceedings commenced on Wednesday 29{{nbsp}}January 2025 before the full bench of the Court of Appeal.
{{cite news
| last1 = Gayle | first1 = Damien
| title = Sixteen jailed UK climate activists to appeal against 'unduly harsh' sentences
| date = 29 January 2025
| work = The Guardian
| location = London, United Kingdom
| issn = 0261-3077
| url = https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/29/sixteen-jailed-uk-climate-activists-to-appeal-against-sentences
| access-date = 2025-01-29
}}