I can't help thinking that jailing a stop oil protestor for five years is excessive. This was the jail term handed out to Roger Hallam for blocking the M25 in 2022. Some of his fellow protestors were given similar sentences.
The protestors inconvenienced thousands of people but they did not injure or kill anyone directly . The protests were non-violent. Violent offenders have been given lesser sentences. They were protesting for political reasons, and it looks as if they are right to point out the dangers of climate change. Climate change has serious implications which could result in the starvation of thousands and huge migrations of people with all the attendant problems. The protestors believe that no-one is taking the dangers seriously, so they are obliged to take drastic action to get every one to take notice.
I don't believe that it was right to block the M25 motorway, as emergency vehicles could have been prevented from attending fires and serious accidents; dying people could have been stuck in ambulances. However, I don't believe it was just to jail them for so long; they could have been given suspended sentences, so that they they would be forced to contemplate that they would be jailed if they take further illegal action.
The jails are full and the authorities are having to release prisoners early, so what is the point of jailing non-violent offenders when they could be given suspended sentences?
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