Extinction Rebellion acquittal for damaging Shell HQ

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Bird on a Fire
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Extinction Rebellion acquittal for damaging Shell HQ

Post by Bird on a Fire » Fri Apr 23, 2021 4:47 pm

This is cool:
Six Extinction Rebellion protesters have been cleared of causing criminal damage, despite jurors being told by the judge there was no defence in law.

Climate activists targeted oil company Shell's London headquarters on 15 April 2019, claiming the company was directly contributing to climate change.

It was part of wider demonstrations across the capital on that day.

Judge Gregory Perrins said that even if the actions were "morally justified", that did not provide a lawful excuse.

The six acquitted at Southwark Crown Court were:

Simon Bramwell, 49 (co-founder of Extinction Rebellion) from Stroud, Gloucestershire
Ian Bray, 53 (co-founder) from Holmfirth, West Yorkshire
Jane Augsburger, 55, from Stroud
Senan Clifford, 60, from Stroud
David Lambert, 62, from Stroud
James "Sid" Saunders, 41, from Stroud

A seventh protester, Katerina Hasapopoulous, 43, from Stroud, earlier pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage.

The court had heard that each of the defendants deliberately sprayed graffiti or smashed windows at the Shell building in Belvedere Road, central London.

With the exception of the case of Mr Saunders - who claimed he honestly believed Shell's employees and shareholders would have consented to the damage he caused - the judge had told the jury: "They don't have any defence in law for the charges they face."

After deliberating for just over seven hours, the jury of seven women and five men cleared them of all charges.

The six, who represented themselves, were also cleared of individual counts of having an article with intent to destroy or damage property.


I wonder when Shell will face a criminal damage prosecution for covering up climate science for 40+ years.
We have the right to a clean, healthy, sustainable environment.

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