Jan behind bars this Christmas

The local weather activist and journalist Jan Goodey will spend Christmas Day in a jail cell after being sentenced to 6 months for disrupting site visitors on the M25 as a part of a Simply Cease Oil (JSO) protest.

Goodey, 57, from Brighton, has written information and evaluation for The Ecologist and the Resurgence & Ecologist journal. He’s anticipating to serve half of his sentence – so is probably not launched till early March 2023.

The Kingston College journalism lecturer is the primary particular person to be sentenced for a statutory offence enacted beneath the brand new Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act (PCSC) 2022.

Peaceable

JSO campaigners, joined by supporters of Animal Riot, climbed gantries on a number of elements of the motorway throughout rush-hour – inflicting disruption. 

Goodey’s arrest passed off after he climbed a gantry on Junction 16 on Monday, 7 November this yr. His listening to later passed off at Westminster Magistrates’ Court docket on Tuesday, 29 November 2022 the place he pleaded responsible to deliberately or recklessly inflicting a public nuisance.

The Justice of the Peace imposed a sentence of 9 months, decreased to 6 months for pleading responsible. Goodey is one in all round 30 Simply Cease Oil activists who’re at the moment serving or going through jail sentences for participating within the wave of disruptive actions. 

JSO reported that the Justice of the Peace spoke of wanting to make use of his sentencing as a deterrent towards additional disruption of extraordinary individuals going about their ‘lawful enterprise’.  

A spokesperson for JSO stated: “This reveals that our authorities would fairly lock up peaceable protesters than put an finish to new oil and fuel, which is able to destroy every thing we all know and love. We are going to proceed to do every thing non-violently potential to cease this horror. That is what Jan has achieved.”  

Freedoms 

JSO campaigners justify disruption as a part of a residents ‘authorized proper’ and ‘ethical obligation’ to behave towards nice hurt beneath the British legislation.

They stated: “The UK Authorities’s coverage to permit new North Sea oil and fuel outcomes, because the United Nations has identified, in there being ‘no credible path’ to remaining at or beneath 1.5C of heating.  

“This can end result within the collapse of ordered civil society, the lack of our rights and freedoms and the dying of numerous thousands and thousands of individuals. We is not going to stand by and permit this mass homicide to occur.”

Amy-Rose, 20, from Bromley, showing at South Crown Court docket, stated: “Should you really feel outraged by the actions of Simply Cease Oil supporters, ask your self how issues have gotten up to now? Think about how you’ll really feel if it was your son or daughter locked away for doing what’s proper.”

These Authors  

Yasmin Dahnoun is assistant editor of The Ecologist. Brendan Montague is editor of The Ecologist.