Cressie Gethin, a prominent supporter of the environmental group Just Stop Oil, is set to stand trial at Isleworth Crown Court starting today. Gethin faces charges of causing a public nuisance after she climbed a motorway gantry above the M25 on July 20, 2022, as part of a protest against fossil fuel projects.
The trial, presided over by Judge Duncan, is expected to last a week. Gethin was arrested alongside four other supporters of Just Stop Oil who climbed gantries in two other locations on the M25. Their demonstration aimed to demand the government cease licensing and consenting to new fossil fuel projects in the UK.
Two other Just Stop Oil supporters who were arrested on the same day have already pleaded guilty to causing a public nuisance and are scheduled to be sentenced by February 20.
In a statement ahead of her trial, 22-year-old musician Cressie Gethin, hailing from Hereford, expressed empathy for those affected by her actions. She emphasized that her protest was motivated by a sense of duty to raise awareness about the climate crisis, particularly in light of the extreme heatwave experienced in July 2022.
Gethin’s actions coincided with the UK experiencing unprecedented temperatures, with some areas recording temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius for the first time. The heatwave led to severe disruptions, including buckled railway tracks and an alarming increase in excess deaths attributed to the extreme temperatures.
The trial comes amidst criticism of the UK government’s handling of peaceful climate protests. United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on Environmental Defenders, Michel Forst, recently condemned the UK’s use of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 to prosecute peaceful protesters, warning of the potential for persecution and harassment.
Forst highlighted the severity of the penalties under the Act, which can result in up to 10 years imprisonment for the offense of public nuisance. He expressed concern over the erosion of civil liberties and the stifling of dissent through such legislation.
Just Stop Oil supporters maintain that their actions are necessary to combat climate breakdown and hold government officials accountable for their environmental policies. They assert that civil resistance is essential in safeguarding communities from the adverse effects of climate change.
As Gethin’s trial begins, it underscores the ongoing tensions between environmental activists and authorities, with the outcome likely to have significant implications for future climate protests in the UK.
