JUST Stop Oil has said one of its supporters has received a “shock” six-month jail sentence for slow marching on a London road.
Father-of-three Stephen Gingell was arrested alongside 40 other people last month after blocking the road for about half an hour, according to the group.
Just Stop Oil has said that the 57-year-old pleaded guilty in November to breaching the Public Order Act and was sentenced on Thursday at a court in Manchester.
Metropolitan Police did not comment on the specific sentence, but confirmed details of the arrests on November 13 and said the group was arrested after they refused to disperse.
The police log states: “The protesters had been walking southbound on the A41. Suspects had been given a caution that if they do not remove themselves from the scene then they will be arrested.
“Failure to do so has led to their arrest.”
However, a statement released from a group called Lawyers are Responsible – released through Just Stop Oil – said: “This sentence demonstrates the increasingly repressive environment that people find themselves in when they take entirely peaceful action to express concern about the climate and ecological crisis.
“Our legal system has become completely detached from the real threat to our futures posed by the climate and ecological emergency.
“People should not be criminalised for standing up for our futures.”
The group’s latest stunt came on Thursday, when it turned up at Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer’s (below) home to sing climate-themed Christmas carols.
Although police attended, no arrests were made.
Regarding Gingell’s arrest, a Just Stop Oil spokesperson said: “How many fathers will be imprisoned before those planning to kill us are stopped?
“New oil and gas will see millions upon millions lose their homes, livelihoods and lives.”
