In Britain, climate activists are sentenced to even harsher penalties. Celebrities are also against the five-year prison term for the founder of the Elokapina movement.
21:13•Updated 21:13
LONDON The long prison sentences of climate activists for non-violent attacks are causing consternation in Britain.
23 years old Phoebe Plummer was sentenced to two years in prison for throwing tomato soup Vincent van Gogh On top of the Sunflowers painting in London at the National Gallery two years ago. 22 years old Anna Holland received a 20-month sentence.
The masterpiece from the 19th century was not damaged because it was under glass, but the damage to the frames cost more than 11,000 euros.
A couple of hundred protesters awaited the verdict outside Southwark Courthouse on the south bank of the River Thames. They sat on the ground silently, holding pictures of jailed climate activists and historical political prisoners. According to the protesters, the jailed activists are political prisoners.
Just a couple of hours after the verdicts, three activists repeated the duo’s rapture. They again threw soup over two van Gogh paintings in London’s National Gallery. This time too, the artworks were not damaged, and the activists were arrested.
The organization has published about the latest attack video on his X account.
The new order law imposes harsh sentences
Behind the harsh sentences is a change in the British public order law. More than 40 protesters have already been jailed in Britain since the public order law was tightened last year. Most of the prisoners are climate activists.
Never before have such harsh sentences been handed down for non-violent protests in Britain.
– The verdict is completely inappropriate for climate defenders. No one should end up in prison for a non-violent crime. This is shameful. It is a political decision, criticized the Just Stop Oil activist Graham Buss in front of the court to .
The founder of the Elokapina and Just Stop Oil stores received the harshest sentence so far Roger Hallam. In July, he was sentenced to five years in prison for organizing the shutdown of Britain’s busiest M25 motorway in 2022. Four other organizers of the protest received four-year sentences for causing damage.
According to the prosecutors, the stoppage of the highway caused financial losses of nearly one million euros. Hundreds of thousands of cars had to stop when traffic was blocked for four days.
According to the judge the protesters had turned from campaigners to bigots with no regard for the rights of other citizens. The judge did not accept climate change information as evidence for the defense.
Stopping traffic, disrupting the movement of other people and locking oneself in structures is illegal according to the new public order law.
Celebrities calling for convicts to be freed
In addition to climate activists, prison sentences have recently been given to participants in the Gaza protests, among others. The harsh sentences made possible by the law change are now attracting opposition.
60,000 people have signed a petition to free climate protesters. It’s included 1,200 public figures. The petition has been signed by, among others, the singer of Coldplay Chris Martinlead singer of the band Pulp Jarvis Cocker and a musician Annie Lennox.
The former Archbishop of Canterbury is included Rowan Williams. The wide group also includes actors, writers, lawyers, teachers and researchers. In the petition, they demand the chancellor of justice to take action to stop the detentions.
Also the UN Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has characterized the verdicts as deeply disturbing.
According to activist Grahame Buss, the activists are not going to stop their activities because of the steepening of the sentences.
– The effect of the law is that some people no longer want to participate in activities or they do something for which they are not arrested. Others continue with activities that may lead to imprisonment, says Buss.
A Finnish-British citizen who participated in the demonstration Lex Korte also plans to continue protesting against climate change.
– This makes people sad. It can cost a lot. They may have to sell their house or belongings or lose their freedom. But people know that we have a very diverse crisis at the moment, says Korte.
The majority opposes both strikes and harsh sentences
Social Change Lab according to a poll conducted in August, 59 percent of respondents consider prison sentences too harsh.
According to a Yougov poll last year more than two-thirds of Britons oppose Just Stop Oil’s brash antics, but they don’t support the jail sentences the protesters get. 82 percent of respondents considered climate change to be an important issue for Britain.
Acts like the vandalism of the Finnish parliament building have been fairly common in Britain. The Just Stop Oil organization has sprayed paint on the prehistoric stone arch of Stonehenge and on the facade of London’s police headquarters, Scotland Yard. It has stopped the Wimbledon tennis championships and the country’s busiest thoroughfare, the M25 motorway around London.
With its attacks, the organization seeks attention to climate change, which is accelerated by the use of fossil fuels.