A group of protestors with a group called "Just Stop Oil" seeking to force greater action on climate change conspired to block the M25—basically the London beltway—in November 2022. The protestors were prosecuted for their efforts, and have now been sentenced to several years in jail. The BBC reports:
Five environmental activists who organised protests that brought part of the M25 to a standstill over four days have been jailed. . . .
Judge Christopher Hehir said Roger Hallam, 58, Daniel Shaw, 38, Louise Lancaster, 58, Lucia Whittaker De Abreu, 35, and Cressida Gethin, 22, had "crossed the line from concerned campaigner to fanatic".
At Southwark Crown Court, Hallam was sentenced to five years' imprisonment while the other defendants each received four-year jail terms.
Obstructing a highway is not simple political expression, and it is far from "peaceful protest." It involves the physical obstruction of others' freedom of movement. It is also disruptive and potentially tortious conduct that can have severe consequences. In this case, those seeking to "just stop oil" have done little to advance their cause (traffic congestion results in worse fuel economy and increases emissions), but and managed to cause significant harm to others. From the BBC report:
