A British court on Wednesday jailed nine climate change activists who repeatedly blocked roads and motorways, halting rush-hour traffic, after they flouted an order not to protest.
Eight of the activists from the Insulate Britain group, aged between 20 and 58, received prison terms ranging from three months to four months, after a hearing at the High Court in London.
A ninth was handed a six-month term after telling the court he will “block the highway at the earliest opportunity” if he was not jailed.
Insulate Britain, which wants the government to act to make homes more environmentally efficient to help cut carbon emissions, began their demonstrations in September.
They brought traffic to a standstill on the busy M25 London orbital motorway, and other major roads, by glueing themselves to the tarmac and sitting in the carriageway.
But they temporarily suspended the action in mid-October to give themselves and the public “a break”, only to restart shortly before the UN climate summit COP 26 in Glasgow this month.
With drivers irate and public opinion roused, the British government secured court injunctions to stop the protests, meaning repeat offenders could be jailed.
Emma Smart, who was jailed for four months, wrote that she was protesting for the future of children like her five-year-old niece Daisy.
“When I went to pack my prison bag she climbed into my bag and asked to come with me,” the 44-year-old wrote on Facebook.
“On our current climate trajectory, she’s unlikely to make it to 25.
“I don’t want her future to be one of war, disease and starvation where people fight in the streets for freshwater. This is what I’ll miss. But this is what I fight for,” she added.
Insulate Britain said in a separate statement that the government had “shown its cowardice” by jailing the protesters, and failing to enact policy to prevent cold and leaky homes.
“We knew we would face prison when we took this action, but we could not stand by while the government betrays the general public,” the group said.
