Nine people from the Insulate Britain group have been given time behind bars.
Their sentences come as a result of widespread outrage at the activist group, which has been blocking the UK’s roads for months in hopes to force the government to insulate all social housing as part of its efforts against climate change and to reduce the country’s carbon footprint.
Today, nine Insulate Britain activists have been jailed for their part in the protests on the M25.
We will not stand by while these reckless and selfish criminals disrupt the freedoms and livelihoods of hard-working people. https://t.co/RjsKijhnXl
— Priti Patel (@pritipatel) November 17, 2021
Six people were given 4-month sentences, two others received 3 months in prison and one was given 6 months following his statement to a judge on November 16.
Dr Ben Buse, 36, Roman Paluch, 28, Oliver Roc, 41 and Emma Smart, 44, Tim Speers, 36, and James Thomas, 47, were all given 4 months behind bars, while Ana Heyatawin, 58 and Louis McKenchnie, 20, received 3 months. 27-year-old Ben Taylor received 6 months, according to LBC.
Each of the protesters has admitted to taking part in an October 8 roadblock on the M25, breaching a National Highways injunction. Myriam Stacey QC, who represents the government agency, said of the protest that they engaged an act of “civil disobedience”.
Taylor told Dame Victoria Sharp, president of the Queen’s Bench Division, that he would “go out and block the highway at the earliest opportunity” if he was not imprisoned.
“And I will continue to do so until the government makes a meaningful statement and f*cking acts on it,’” he continued.
“If you send me away to prison, 10 people will step forward in my place. If you send each of us away, 100 people will step forward and take our places. If you send 100 of us away, 1,000 people will step forward to take our place. If you somehow manage to stop all non-violent protests, then things will only turn violent.”
This morning our #InsulateBritain supporters have been sentenced.
We are being failed and betrayed by our government.
Our 9 chose not to standby and be complicit in genocide. https://t.co/VkPksPmKQX
— Insulate Britain (@InsulateLove) November 17, 2021
While walking out of the courtroom, the activists are said to have chanted:
“We are unstoppable, another world is possible.”
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