Insulate Britain activists are all JAILED: Judge sends eight eco-warriors to prison for four months for breaking injunction... and locks up ninth for six months after he defiantly told court: 'jail me or I'll block motorway AGAIN'
Nine Insulate Britain eco zealots were today jailed at the High Court after admitting breaching an injunction designed to prevent the group's road blockades on the M25 which caused two months of misery for motorists.
Two activists were jailed for three months, a further six were imprisoned for four months and the ninth, Ben Taylor, 27, received six months after telling the judge he would immediately block the motorway again.
Ben Buse, 36, Ana Heyatawin, 58, Louis McKechnie, 20, Roman Paluch, 28, Oliver Roc, 41, Emma Smart, 44, Tim Speers, 36, James Thomas, 47, and Mr Taylor all said they stood by their actions before they were sentenced.
Insulate Britain began a wave of protests in September, demanding the Government makes plans to insulate Britain's homes. They blocked roads around London as well as in Birmingham, Manchester and Dover.
The demonstrations saw activists glue themselves to the road before they were removed by police. At least 161 activists have been involved on 19 days of protests so far and there have been at least 860 arrests.
It comes after Taylor told the court yesterday that if he is not in prison he will 'go and block the motorway at the earliest opportunity and will continue to do so until the Government makes a meaningful statement and acts on it'.
Six of the nine Insulate Britain activists arrive at the High Court in London for sentencing this morning
Insulate Britain activist Ben Taylor (left) arrives at the High Court in London for sentencing this morning
Insulate Britain activist Emma Smart (left) waves as she arrives at the High Court in London for sentencing this morning
Insulate Britain activist Tim Speers receives a hug as he arrives at the High Court for sentencing this morning
Labour MP John McDonnell (left) talks with Insulate Britain activist Oliver Roc (right) at the High Court in London today
Insulate Britain said the protesters were expected to serve at least half of their sentence. They had been facing a maximum penalty of two years in prison or an unlimited fine for contempt of court.
An Insulate Britain spokesman said today: 'This morning our Insulate Britain supporters have been sentenced. We are being failed and betrayed by our government. Our nine chose not to standby and be complicit in genocide.'
During yesterday's hearing, Taylor said: 'If you somehow manage to stop all non-violent protests, then things will only turn violent.' And Smart told the court she was there to 'ensure future survival'.
She said: 'I am doing everything I can to protect the most vulnerable people in society. We are all vulnerable in a climate crisis. No-one is immune and no-one is safe.'
She compared watching the climate crisis to seeing a child trapped in a burning house, and added: 'I cannot stand by and watch. I would run to them.'
Speers described the country's democracy as 'steeped in lies' and said 'good people have a duty to breach bad laws'.
He said: 'In this world, those trying to avert catastrophe are vilified. On a tradition of non-violent protest, in response, the Government said they will 'do everything to we can to stop them.'
'That was from Grant Shapps, who had a second job under another name.'
Roc invited the court to observe a minute's silence 'to imagine what the climate crisis means for the future'.
He said: 'I'm proud of our actions and I stand by what we have done, we have not done this for personal gain. I take responsibility for my actions and I did that in an attempt to mitigate the suffering of people in this country who cannot afford to adequately heat their homes.'
The only defendant to have a lawyer was Dr Ben Buse, a Bristol University researcher. Owen Greenhall told the court Dr Buse was active in his local church and a highly regarded member of the community.
Myriam Stacey QC, representing National Highways, told the court the message that the defendants are 'proud of their conduct' and 'will continue to defy the injunction order made' is 'loud and clear'.
She added: 'No apology has been made in relation to the breach of the order.'
Ms Stacey said the group had emailed National Highways in September saying the protests would continue 'unless the Government make a meaningful statement that they will start the process of decarbonising homes in Britain'.
Insulate Britain activist Ana Heyatawin arrives at the High Court in London today for sentencing this morning
Insulate Britain activist Roman Paluch (right) walks into the High Court in London for sentencing today
Insulate Britain has released photographs of some of the faces among its 32 activists who face up to two years in prison for contempt of court. They are (left to right, first row): Ruth Jarman, Dr Diana Warner, Rowan Tilly, Jess Causby, Steve Gower, Liam Norton, Greg Frey, Reverend Sue Parfitt, (second row) Mark Latimer, Dr Ben Buse, Gabby Ditton, Arne Springorum, Tony Hill, Theresa Norton, Stephanie, Emma Smart (third row) Emily Brockelbank, Biff Whipster, Amy Pritchard, Paul Sheeky, Louis McKechnie (bottom row) Roman Paulch, Ben Taylor, Ana Heyatawin, David, Oliver Roc, Tracey Mallaghan and Tim SpeersMs Stacey said further committal proceedings will be issued against other Insulate Britain protesters by the end of the week, relating to protests on October 27.
She also said evidence is being gathered to bring proceedings in relation to protests on October 29 and November 2. All nine defendants were sentenced by Dame Victoria Sharp and Mr Justice Chamberlain.
An emotional Mr Roc told LBC radio yesterday: 'I feel terrified - I'm c***ping myself this morning, and I feel like crying. I've got all these emotions coming out of me. It seems ridiculous that we're in this situation.
'What we're asking the Government to do is just an extremely practical no-brainer thing that they should be doing, and they're choosing instead to potentially lock us up, fine us, seize our assets.
'I'm expecting that we might get sentenced maybe today, probably tomorrow. We've been told that quite probably we'll get custodial sentences, so there's a high likelihood that by this evening I'll be in a prison cell somewhere.'
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