Five Insulate Britain activists jailed for breaching M25 injunction

Five Insulate Britain activists have been jailed for breaching the National Highways injunction by protesting on the M25.

Ben Taylor, Ellie Litten, Theresa Norton, Stephen Pritchard and Diana Warner were given jail terms lasting between 24 and 42 days.

Eleven others from the group received suspended prison sentences.

Insulate Britain began their wave of demonstrations last September, blocking the M25 and several roads in central London including the Old Street roundabout.

The activists’ civil disobedience was part of the campaign for the government to fund and take responsibility for the insulation of all social housing by 2025.

A number of High Court injunctions against the group’s road blockades were granted to National Highways and Transport for London to prevent their disruptive protests.

On Tuesday, four protesters walked out of court and glued themselves to the steps of the building.

They were removed and taken into police custody.

Last year, several other members of the environmental activist group were jailed for blocking traffic on major roads and motorways.

Ben Taylor, 27, said: “There is a lot I could say about this ridiculous and sad situation.

“That people are unnecessarily suffering in their millions and dying in their thousands in this country due to fuel poverty.

“Reducing CO2 emissions is something the government is legally obliged to do.

“Sir David King, the former chief scientific advisor to the government, said ‘What we do in the next three to four years will determine the future of humanity’.

Ruth Jarman, 58 said, “I admit that I broke the injunction - it was a choice I made because I answer to a higher authority, that of love and life.

“I felt that not joining the Insulate Britain protests would make me a bystander to violence and complicit in the breakdown of abundant and civilised life.

“I am sorry for the impact of our protests on the people who were affected.

“ I hate disrupting people and my actions were aiming to prevent the greater disruption of climate breakdown.

“So I do not regret breaking the injunction and I cannot promise not to do it again.”