‘We haven’t gone away… we’re just getting STARTED’: Insulate Britain vow to inflict MORE road chaos on public – and reveal activists are planning ‘rave on the M25’ next Saturday
- Protest with slogan ‘staying alive on the M25’ is set to last from midday until 4am
- Total of 62 people have responded ‘going’, while another 172 clicked ‘interested’
- In a statement this morning, group of activists acknowledged they had ‘failed’
- But they vowed to continue regardless, adding: ‘We’re just getting started’
Insulate Britain have vowed to inflict more road chaos on the public and revealed that activists are planning a ‘rave on the M25’ next Saturday.
The protest, which has been shared as an event on Facebook with the slogan ‘staying alive on the M25’, is set to last from midday until 4am on February 20.
A total of 62 people have responded as ‘going’, while another 172 have clicked ‘interested’.
The event’s description mentions ’12 hours of mental partying’, referencing one hour for each alleged party held at Downing Street during the pandemic.
In a statement this morning, the activists acknowledged they had ‘failed’ and ‘lost another year’, but vowed to ‘continue their campaign of civil resistance’ regardless.
The group said they ‘haven’t gone away’, adding: ‘We’re just getting started.’
The announcement comes after five Insulate Britain eco-zealots were jailed for up to 42 days on Wednesday after causing mayhem on the M25 last year.
The protest, which has been shared as an event on Facebook with the slogan ‘staying alive on the M25’, is set to last from midday until 4am on February 20. Pictured: Insulate Britain activists blocking a carriageway of the M25 in September last year
An Insulate Britain protestor is carried by police after being unglued from the road in front of Parliament in Westminster in London on November 4 last year
In a statement this morning, the activists acknowledged they had ‘failed’ and ‘lost another year’, but vowed to ‘continue their campaign of civil resistance’ regardless
The group said they ‘haven’t gone away’, adding: ‘We’re just getting started.’ The announcement comes after five Insulate Britain eco-zealots were jailed for up to 42 days on Wednesday after causing mayhem on the M25 last year
Insulate Britain stated: ‘We failed to move our irresponsible government to take meaningful action to prevent thousands of us from dying in our cold homes during the energy price crisis.
‘We have failed to make this heartless government put its people over profit and insulate our homes to do our part in lowering the UK’s emissions.
‘We have failed to encourage our government to get up from their drinks parties, go to their desk and get on with the job.’
The group went on: ‘So our next campaign of civil resistance against the betrayal of this country must be even more ambitious.’
Wednesday’s ruling is the third time the High Court has handed out sentences to protesters over breaches of the court order, following hearings in November and December.
Nine of those in court had previously been committed for contempt in relation to the M25 order.
Theresa Norton, 63, Dr Diana Warner, 62, El Litten, 35, and Steve Pritchard, 62, who glued themselves to the steps of the Royal Courts of Justice in defiance of the proceedings on Tuesday, were jailed for between 24 and 42 days, while Ben Taylor, 27, was jailed for 32 days.
The remaining protesters were given suspended sentences, but will be jailed if they breach the injunction within the next two years.
A total of 62 people have responded as ‘going’, while another 172 have clicked ‘interested’ to the event which is set to be held on February 19
Theresa Norton, 63, Diana Warner, 62, El Litten, 35, and Steve Pritchard, 62, who glued themselves to the High Court’s steps (pictured) in defiance of the proceedings last Tuesday, were given between 24 and 42 days
Pictured: Insulate Britain protesters at the High Court last Wednesday, with Jessica Causby and others reading a speech after court proceedings
Who were the Insulate Britain activists in court last week and what did they get sentenced to?
JAILED:
- Diana Warner, 62: 30 days
- Ellie Litten, 35: 42 days
- Stephen Pritchard, 62: 24 days
- Theresa Norton, 63: 24 days
- Ben Taylor, 27: 32 days
SENTENCES SUSPENDED FOR TWO YEARS:
- Christian Rowe, 24: 60 days
- Gabriella Ditton, 28: 42 days
- David Nixon, 35: 42 days
- Indigo Rumbelow, 27: 42 days
- Stephanie Aylett, 27: 42 days
- Ben Buse, 36: 40 days
- Reverend Sue Parfitt, 79: 30 days
- Ruth Jarman, 58: 30 days
- Paul Sheeky, 46: 24 days
- Biff Whipster, 54: 24 days
- Stephen Gower, 55: 24 days
LET OFF:
- Arne Springorum, 49
- Liam Norton, 37
- Jessica Causby, 25
Labour councillor Norton, 63, retired GP Warner, 62, Litten, 35, and parish councillor Pritchard, 62, had glued themselves to the steps at the entrance to the High Court in defiance of the proceedings on Tuesday.
They sent a note to the judges saying: ‘The four of us feel we have to continue our resistance today because we don’t want to cooperate with a system which is causing so much death and hardship.’
The four were later arrested by officers and were cheered by fellow protesters as they were led away, with the last of the four being removed by about 5.15pm.
Earlier, High Court judges told three members of the eco-mob they were ‘free to go’ after concluding they had not breached the injunction during a protest at South Mimms roundabout by the M25 on November 2, 2021.
National Highways sought to bring contempt of court proceedings against Springorum, 49, Norton, 37, and Jessica Causby, 25, after they took part in a protest near the motorway on November 2 last year.
According to National Highways’ written submissions, Springorum and Causby glued themselves to the pavement during their protest action, while Norton allegedly ‘endangered the free flow of traffic’.
The demonstration was intended to block the M25 near Junction 23 at Bignells Corner, Potters Bar, but Lord Justice William Davis decided that area was not covered by the M25 injunction.
He said: ‘The application in their cases has been dismissed so there’s no further reference to them in these proceedings.’ The judge told the protesters that they were ‘free to go’.
Insulate Britain began a wave of demonstrations last September which included blocking the M25 and other roads in London, including around Parliament, as well as roads in Birmingham, Manchester and Dover in Kent.
A series of High Court injunctions against its road blockades were granted to National Highways and Transport for London to prevent their disruptive protests.
The 19 who faced court last week were: Ruth Jarman 58, Dr Diana Warner 62, Jessica Causby 25, Stephen Gower 55, Liam Norton 37, Ben Taylor 27, Dr Ben Buse 36, Gabriella Ditton 28, Arne Springorum 49, Paul Sheeky 46, Theresa Norton 63, Stephanie Aylett 27, Indigo Rumbelow 27, Ellie Litten 35, David Nixon 35, Christian Rowe 24. , Biff Whipster 54, Rev Sue Parfitt 79, Steve Pritchard 62
Supporters of nine Insulate Britain climate activists who were jailed take part in a protest on Lambeth Bridge in central London on November 20 last year
Those who breach them could be found in contempt of court and face a maximum penalty of two years in prison or an unlimited fine as well as seizure of assets.
The offshoot from the Extinction Rebellion is calling on the UK Government to implement policy and funding for a national home insulation programme starting with all social housing.
The group wants the UK government to promise to fully fund and take responsibility for the insulation of all social housing in Britain by 2025.
It wants it to produce ‘within four months a legally binding national plan to fully fund and take responsibility for the full low energy and low carbon whole-house retrofit, with no externalised costs, of all homes in Britain by 2030 as part of a just transition to full decarbonisation of all parts of society and the economy’.
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