Insulate Britain: Activists say jailing campaigners only inspires them to block more roads

Insulate Britain activists say that the imprisonment of nine of its members at the High Court today only encourages them to take further action.

The nine, aged between 20 and 58, were convicted of contempt of court for breaking the National Highways’ M25 injunction.

They were each sentenced to between three and six months in prison.

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

Over the last nine weeks, more than 150 people have taken part in protests blocking several roads in central London, including the Old Street roundabout.

Defiant campaigners said the prison sentences only inspired them to take more direct action - even if it risked incarceration.

Joshua Smith, a 28-year-old bricklayer from Manchester, told LondonWorld that he was inspired by the bravery of the group, nicknamed the Insulate Nine.

“It’s obviously quite upsetting as those are our friends going to prison but at the same time we all knew what we were facing when we came here,” he said.

“I’m inspired by their bravery, that they’re willing to risk their freedom just for a small chance to make a change.

“In the future, when things are getting really bad, I’ll look back at everything I did and even if I do go to prison I will have no regrets.

“I’ve been arrested 13 times, I’ve been glued to the road, faced a lot of abuse from the public, I’ve been spat at, had ink thrown over me.

“It’s been quite difficult to continue doing it but I’ve constantly been inspired by the bravery of these people to go through all of that and to just carry on going.”

The nine were sentenced today for breaching the High Court injunction, which prohibits the group from blocking traffic on any road network in England.

Dr Ben Buse, 36, Ana Heyatawin, 58, Louis McKenchnie, 20, Roman Paluch, 28, Oliver Roc, 41, Emma Smart, 44, Tim Speers, 36, James Thomas, 47 and Ben Taylor, 27 admitted to breaching the injunction but said they stood by their actions.

Following the sentencing, Smart announced her intention to go on hunger strike.

Stephanie Aylett, a former operating theatre trainer from St Albans, Herts, said that although she thinks that it is still important that they continue to act.

“I think they are incredible, they are so strong and we are all in this together,” the 27-year-old told LondonWorld.

“This is absolutely necessary and we have to act, there is no choice and we have no time left.

“Whilst I’m really saddened that they are going to jail and that they are going to be going through that it is so important that we act, this is the future of our children’s lives at stake.

“Insulation is the first easy step towards tackling the climate crisis.

“The sentencing today actually encourages us to do it more

“This is our lives, the whole of humanity’s lives at stake and this is how they react.

“I’ve been arrested 16 times and it’s absolutely necessary.”

Outside the High Court today a letter from the nine was read aloud by an Insulate Britain spokesperson.

It read: “Over the last nine weeks, 174 ordinary people have held the government to account, asking that they deliver on their most basic of duties, to protect the British people, the economy and all we hold dear in our society.

“Your government has now chosen to act.

“It has chosen to imprison us for this demand.

“By imprisoning us, the government shows its cowardice.

“They would rather lock up pensioners than insulate their homes.”

Commenting on the sentences, head of criminal defence at social-justice law firm Hodge Jones & Allen, Raj Chada said: “With these prison terms, the long and honourable tradition of civil disobedience is under attack again.

“Rather than leaving courts to imprison those that raise the alarm, it should be the Government that acts to protect us against the climate crisis”