Dr. Diana Warner, an Insulate Britain supporter, who was named as a defendant on the super injunction granted to National Highways in October, plans to contest the injunction at the High Court today. She will argue that the injunction is a massive overreach by the government and infringes the right to protest which is enshrined in law. She will be joined by representatives from other groups affected by the ban including Liberty and Extinction Rebellion.
The government has sought multiple injunctions in the past two months as a way to deter those taking part in Insulate Britain’s ongoing campaign of nonviolent civil resistance asking Boris Johnson to get on with the job of insulating Britain’s leaky homes [1].
Dr Diana Warner said:
“I am objecting to this injunction because to face prison and large fines, without trial, for trying to protect people from climate collapse is plain wrong. If I lose I may have to pay the whole of the court and lawyers costs as I’m prepared to contest this on my own. But I believe it’s worth putting my home and pension on the line to preserve our fundamental right to peaceful protest.”
“Contesting the injunction was a big decision but what finally pushed me to do it was talking to a young person, who came back early from COP26 because he could not stomach being there any more. It is proving to be more of a failure than his worst expectations. We can’t stand by and watch our young people’s futures being thrown away.”
The strategic road network injunction being considered by the Court today is one of four temporary injunctions granted to National Highways and Transport for London in the past two months. The scope of the injunctions now covers the M25, all major roads in London, the Port of Dover and the entirety of the strategic road network in England. Liberty and other groups with ‘skin in the game’ are set to join supporters of Insulate Britain in contesting the terms and scale of these injunctions today and over the coming weeks, citing that they are an attempt by our government to bystep existing laws and legal process.
Tim Speers, 36 from London, also a named defendant, said:
“At COP 26 they are agreeing to carry on heating our world for at least the next 30 years. This level of warming means famine, wars, floods, extreme temperatures and people forced to leave their homes across the world on a mass scale. COP26 is, right now, sentencing millions, if not billion of people to death, including our kids here in the UK.
It is poignant that we stand here outside the Royal Courts of Justice on Armistice Day, when we remember those that sacrificed their lives for our rights and freedoms, our soldiers didn’t fight and die for this future!”
Steve Gower, 62 from Gloucester, also named on the injunction said:
“These injunctions cite ‘hearsay’ news articles as evidence to claim that Insulate Britain is dangerous and has endangered life. Blue lighted ambulances have always passed through our roadblocks, we are trying to ensure that fewer are needed. We’re asking the government to put an end to fuel poverty and the needless suffering of 8,000 people that this year will die because they can’t afford to heat their homes.”
Attendees at the High Court today will include some of the nine people who have been summoned to the High Court on 16th November for breaking a previous injunction by blocking the M25. The nine are; Emma Smart, James Thomas, Louis McKechnie, Ana Heyatawin, Ben Taylor, Roman Paulch, Dr Ben Buse and Oliver Roc. They face a charge of contempt of court and if found guilty could be subject to unlimited fines, seizure of assets and prison sentences of up to two years.
ENDS
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Notes to Editors
[1] About Insulate Britain
Insulate Britain is a new campaign group that is calling on the UK government to put in place policy and funding for a national home insulation programme starting with all social housing.
We demand the Prime Minister and the government to #getonwiththejob, face up to their responsibility and lead our country through the climate crisis.
We are ordinary British citizens with simple and achievable demands to #INSULATEBRITAIN
The UK government must immediately promise to fully fund and take responsibility for the insulation of all social housing in Britain.
We demand a national home insulation strategy that gives British people the justice they deserve: a future for our loved ones, lower energy bills and safer living conditions.
We are scared: our livelihoods are at risk and the futures of our children are uncertain
The Climate Crisis is a threat to all: we demand the government to act now.
Our Demands
1. That the UK government immediately promises to fully fund and take responsibility for the insulation of all social housing in Britain by 2025;
2. That the UK government immediately promises to produce within four months a legally binding national plan to fully fund and take responsibility for the full low-energy and low-carbon whole-house retrofit , with no externalised costs, of all homes in Britain by 2030 as part of a just transition to full decarbonisation of all parts of society and the economy.
Further information about Insulate Britain and our demands here: https://www.insulatebritain.com/
Technical Report on home energy efficiency here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jt5FI-kinEXoqZtPDrCvnAVQ2EFn8Aea/view
Insulate Britain ‘Blue Lights’ policy: our policy is, and has always been to move out of the way for emergency vehicles with ‘blue lights’ on.