Hi John,

 

Two climate activists have just been sentenced to up to a shocking two years in prison for taking peaceful action to protect our planet. [1] This sentence represents an attack on democracy, an attack on peaceful protest and an attack on our fundamental rights. 

 

But we’re not going to let these peaceful activists go down quietly. Right now, hundreds of people are outside Southwark Crown Court showing their support and outrage at their treatment. Can you join them and almost a hundred thousand people who’ve called on the government to stop the attack on peaceful protest? 

The anti-protest laws first passed by the Conservative government are draconian and should have everyone worried, no matter what side of the political spectrum you fall on. These bills give police powers to arrest people for marching down the street, round up people carrying placards, track protesters using 24/7 GPS, stop and search people without suspicion and much more. [2,3,4,5]

 

The climate protestors sentenced today participated in a non-violent, peaceful and disruptive protest but they're facing years in jail. This should be unacceptable to everyone. That's why hundreds of people from groups like Just Stop Oil, Defend Our Juries and more are outside the courthouse and have set up an exhibition showing political prisoners of the past - like Nelson Mandela and Gandhi - next to brave peaceful climate protestors who are currently facing months or years in jail. History will prove this government is wrong to jail these peaceful activists. 

 

The UN has called for the reversal of the Public Order Act and has described it as ‘deeply troubling’, while many long-established organisations like Amnesty and Liberty expressed serious concern about the crackdown on peaceful protest these bills represent. [7,8]

 

Can you join the chorus of people and organisations who are calling on the new Labour government to stop the attack on freedom of expression and protest? 

Protest is a part of British history - without it women wouldn’t have the right to vote, we wouldn’t be able to roam the countryside, our labour laws wouldn’t actually protect workers. We’re now so used to many freedoms won by peaceful protest that we often take them for granted. 

 

Only two months ago, other peaceful activists were given lengthy sentences for planning a peaceful protest on Zoom. [9,10] This is not normal - we must show the government that this is unacceptable in a healthy democracy. 

 

In love and solidarity,

 

Anthony 

Greenpeace UK

 

Notes: 

[1] UK Just Stop Oil duo jailed for throwing soup at Van Gogh's 'Sunflowers'

[2] The Public Order Bill: Explained

[3] The Policing Bill – What Happened, And What Now?

[4] Why you should be worried about the new Policing Bill

[5] Police make 630 arrests of climate protesters in London in one month

[6] The UK is backing away from oil

[7] UN Human Rights Chief urges UK to reverse ‘deeply troubling’ Public Order Bill

[8] ‘The nightmare after Halloween’: Groups urge Parliament to drop resurrected anti-protest proposals

[9] Does peaceful protest work?

[10] Five Just Stop Oil activists receive record sentences for planning to block M25

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