FOUR Greenpeace activists who climbed onto the roof of Rishi Sunak’s North Yorkshire house said “justice and common sense had prevailed” at the end of their trial.
They vowed to continue their campaign to tackle climate change and called on the Tory leader’s successor as Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, to repeal what they called “draconian” laws against peaceful protest.
Former Parachute Regiment officer turned financial advisor Michael Grant, 64, spoke on behalf of the quartet outside York Magistrates' Court after district judge Adrian Lower threw out the case against all four of causing criminal damage to Mr Sunak’s roof. They had denied all charges.
Mr Grant said the time since they were arrested a year ago at the property in Kirby Sigston near Northallerton had been difficult and long.
All they had been doing during the demonstration was “trying to preserve a habitable planet”, he said.
"Every tiny fraction of a degree of future heating avoided is a life, a village, a species, a future saved somewhere in the world, and it is our moral duty to stand up and fight for it,” he said
He said they had chosen the house for their protest to “make it personal” for Mr Sunak.
“He made the decision to authorise 100 new oil and gas licences,” he said.
Mr Grant began his statement by saying: “Justice and common sense prevailed in court today. That hasn’t been the case for many of us recently.”
He said other climate activists engaged in peaceful protests had been jailed under what he called laws that “criminalise peaceful protest” passed by the last Government.
“The onus is on Keir Starmer’s Government to look at this draconian crackdown on peaceful protest and bring it to an end,” he said.
“Peaceful protest is a vital part of our democracy,” he said.
Mr Grant said the four had carefully timed their protest for a day when they knew none of Mr Sunak’s family were at home because the family had just gone by private jet to California.
They had knocked on the door when they arrived and “nobody was in the property”.
The four had then climbed onto the roof and unveiled their banner and black sheets.
Mr Grant’s fellow protestors were: ex-watchmaker and boatbuilder Amy Rugg-Easey, 33, a Newcastle resident originally from Milton Keynes, former EU Parliament worker Mathieu Soete, 38, of Antwerp and ex-NHS worker turned bar manager Alexandra Wilson, 32, of St Ives, originally from Beverley in Yorkshire.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article