Nine Just Stop Oil supporters have been sentenced for conspiracy to cause a public nuisance in connection with a planned protest at Heathrow Airport — despite the protest never actually taking place.
Today, five members of the group were handed immediate jail terms of up to 15 months, while four others received suspended sentences following a trial at Southwark Crown Court. The charges relate to an action planned for 24 July 2024, on the first day of the so-called Oil Kills International Uprising.
The supporters were arrested in the vicinity of Heathrow Airport, where police believed they were preparing to disrupt air travel to protest against fossil fuel use. No actual disruption occurred.
Protesters Convicted for “Intent to Disrupt”
The Crown Prosecution Service argued that the group’s preparations—allegedly including plans to access Heathrow’s runways—constituted a serious threat to public order and airport operations.
In March 2025, all nine were convicted of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance, despite the fact that the action was intercepted before being carried out.
Since their arrest, the nine activists have spent a combined total of 44 months in prison on remand, prompting criticism from civil liberties groups.
Sentencing Sparks Legal and Public Debate
Supporters of the activists have slammed the court’s decision as “disproportionate and repressive”, while others, including government ministers, have welcomed the verdict as a “necessary deterrent”.
A spokesperson for Just Stop Oil said:
"These individuals are being punished not for what they did, but for what they might have done. This is a terrifying precedent for peaceful protest and democratic dissent."
The maximum jail term handed down was 15 months. The names of those sentenced have not been publicly released at time of publication.
Context: Climate Protest Crackdowns in the UK
The sentencing is the latest in a series of tough legal actions taken against climate activists under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, which expanded police powers to restrict protests and impose harsher penalties.
The case underscores growing tensions between climate justice campaigners and UK authorities, with several recent cases involving pre-emptive arrests and remand without trial.
More from: climate protest · conspiracy to cause public nuisance · Crown Court sentencing
