LONDON (Reuters) - Environmental activists accused of criminal damage cannot rely on their political or philosophical beliefs as a defence, London’s Court of Appeal ruled on Monday, raising the prospect of more protesters being convicted for direct action.
Various groups have targeted companies and political parties in Britain, causing damage to property in order to raise awareness of climate-change issues.
The rise in the use of direct action has prompted a wider crackdown on protest movements in Britain and across Europe, particularly in relation to environmental groups.
Monday’s ruling effectively prevents environmental protesters from relying on their beliefs about the dangers of climate change as a defence to criminal damage.
If the courts are ineffective to combat polluters, and the state is ineffective to combat polluters, and the politicians are ineffective to combat polluters, it becomes the people’s job to combat polluters.
But what if we solve the problem by making it illegal for the people to combat polluters?
Calling for violence is against the subreddit rules so I’m afraid I cannot answer this question.
You’re on Lemmy, but it’s probably against rules here too…
Sublemmy rules*
I’ve been 3 day banned and comment deleted for it here before so I won’t say it.
We blow shit up (by which I mean, of course, have a big balloon party)