Activists respond to protest report and plan urgent meeting

Activists have responded to a new report showing the extent of state and corporate crackdown on protest. And they’ll be discussing the implications at a central London meeting later on Tuesday 26 May.

As Abi Perrin has written for the Canary:

This report focuses on multiple responses to protest it describes as “grossly disproportionate”. This includes harsh sentences and “indiscriminate” use of remand – sending protesters to prison for many months before their cases are heard in court.

The report, Britain’s Political Prisoners, was co-published by researchers at the Centre for Climate Crime and Climate Justice at Queen Mary University of London and Defend Our Juries.

It found that repression especially targeted activists taking direct action against climate breakdown and the destruction of Gaza. Perrin adds:

It details evidence that the UK ministers have been under pressure from both the Israeli government and arms company Elbit to treat Palestine-related protests harshly. It also points to the influence of fossil fuel industry funded think tanks in the crackdown on climate protests.

Key findings from the report show that:

• The average detention period was 28 weeks, equivalent to more than six months.
• One in three protesters (34%) were jailed for six months or more.
• One in five (21%) were imprisoned for more than a year.
• In 60% of cases, final sentences were more lenient than the time already spent in custody on remand.
• The most common category of offence leading to imprisonment was contempt of court, accounting for 40% of recorded cases.
• Conspiracy offences accounted for 17% of cases analysed.

Pre-emptive punishment of activists

The report argues that the growing use of contempt of court proceedings and conspiracy charges has enabled courts to impose custodial sentences in ways that can limit access to jury trials and expand pre-emptive forms of punishment.

The analysis also found that Palestine solidarity activists experienced particularly lengthy periods of remand detention, with 60% held for longer than six months before sentencing.

Professor David Whyte of Centre for Climate Crime and Climate Justice at Queen Mary said:

This report documents a remarkable shift in how protest is being policed and punished in Britain. Our findings show the routine use of remand exceeding statutory time limits.

Exceptionally high levels of contempt proceedings and custodial sentencing in response to acts of civil disobedience and direct action show that the courts are progressively degrading the right to protest.

Tim Crosland of Defend Our Juries said:

This report strips away the illusion that the UK remains committed to democratic principles. It reveals that peaceful protesters are being jailed in ever increasing numbers, under pressure from the oil and arms industries, the Israeli government and their lobbyists.

Most shocking of all is the finding concerning the use of remand. In the majority of cases, final sentences are more lenient than time already spent in custody before people have been convicted of anything. It would be dishonest to present this as anything other than punishment without trial.

Zoë Blackler, founding director of radical events space Kairos, said:

In the face of this clampdown on the right to peaceful protest we need to come together in solidarity and defiance. Kairos exists to inspire imaginative thinking in response to the extreme challenges we face.

We encourage anyone shocked by the imprisonment of climate and anti-war protesters to join us on Tuesday evening in developing a strategic vision for how to resist.

To coincide with the launch of the report, central London events space Kairos is hosting an event at 6.30pm on Tuesday 26 May. It’ll discuss strategic ways forward for the climate and anti-war movements in the light of these revelations.

The event will include a series of short presentations by:

• Professor David Whyte of the Centre for Climate Crime and Climate Justice at Queen Mary University of London.
• Tim Crosland of Defend Our Juries.
• Huda Ammori, lead applicant in the judicial review against the government’s proscription of Palestinian solidarity (via video link).
• Amy Pritchard, previously jailed climate protester.
• Athene Dilke of the Public and Commercial Services Union.
• Guy Zilberman, author of the report.

After the presentations there’ll be an open mic session, supper and discussion.

Journalists can attend a briefing on the report at Kairos, 84 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 4TG from 5pm.

Featured image via Dan Kitwood / Getty Images