Just Stop Oil's co-founder faces prison sentence for planning a protest to block a motorway
The sentencing of Roger Hallam, co-founder of the climate activist group Just Stop Oil, to five years in prison, has sparked widespread debate over the increasing use of harsh legal measures against peaceful protesters, the International Bar Association (IBA) reported.
Hallam was convicted of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance after planning a protest to block the M25 motorway via Zoom calls. His sentence is reportedly the longest in the UK for a non-violent protest.
According to the IBA, the case has highlighted a broader trend in Europe, where new laws increasingly target disruptive demonstrations, particularly those focused on climate activism. This trend has raised concerns among legal experts and human rights organizations about the potential erosion of civil liberties and the rule of law.
Hallam's case surpassed the previous record set by another Just Stop Oil protester, Morgan Trowland, who received a three-year sentence in 2023 for suspending himself from the Queen Elizabeth II bridge. Legal experts have pointed to these escalating sentences as indicative of a shift in judicial attitudes towards protestors, particularly those disrupting critical infrastructure.
Across Europe, several countries have implemented new laws that broaden police powers and increase penalties for protest-related offences. In the UK, legislation now criminalizes disruptions to essential infrastructure, such as roads or oil pipelines, often targeted by climate protesters. Legal Director Linda Lakhdhir from Climate Rights International argued that disruptions are inherent to protests and cautioned against framing them as criminal acts, noting, “The fact that there is disruption doesn’t mean it’s not a protected right.”
In Slovakia, a law passed in July imposes strict restrictions on protests near government sites, including the Presidential Palace. Lawyer Martin Provazník expressed concerns that such legislation represents a "growing problem" and could compromise the rule of law in his country.
Human rights organizations like Amnesty International have reported an increase in hostile rhetoric directed at demonstrators. Activists are frequently labelled as “extremists” or “foreign agents,” which experts warn could influence public opinion and justify harsh legal measures. Some European governments, including those in Germany, Italy, and Spain, have begun using terrorism-related provisions to prosecute activists.
In contrast, a recent legal challenge in the UK by the civil liberties group Liberty achieved some success. The High Court found that changes to protest laws reducing the threshold for police action were "unlawful." However, the suspension of the quashing order is pending an appeal, leaving activists still vulnerable to arrest under the contested rules.
Legal experts like Lakhdhir caution that these legal trends may have global consequences. “If countries in Europe, which pride themselves on upholding human rights, clamp down on protests, it sends a dangerous signal to more repressive regimes around the world,” Lakhdhir stated.
