20th April 2022, 8am
We understand that this is a difficult time for the UK Judiciary and we trust that you will connect to our shared humanity as we come to ask you for help.
Last week one of your colleagues, Judge Stephen Leake, said in court that they were ‘inspired’ by Insulate Britain supporters who were pleading guilty to charges of Wilful Obstruction of the Highway relating to our campaign of civil resistance on the M25 last year. [1]
We want to be clear that at this time “reducing your own impact on the ‘planet’” is a completely inadequate response to a crisis that will destroy the law and order you are there to uphold. Those who hold positions of responsibility have an even greater responsibility to step up at this time.
For the tradespeople, retail workers, teachers, doctors and students who took part in our campaign this means giving up work or family commitments, and facing media rage, public fury and the discomfort of returning to the roads time and time again, knowing that doing so risks violence, arrest, prosecution, imprisonment, fines and criminal records.
For judges, lawyers and other members of the criminal justice system this means refusing to criminalise peaceful members of the public who are desperately trying to save lives of their families, in their communities, in their country and their global community. It is shameful that there are currently people in prison for doing what is right at this point in history. [2]
If a government insists on destroying the nation state, then that government is involved in tyranny. It is involved in an act of criminality of the highest order. It becomes the duty of all people of conscience to oppose that tyranny as an act of self defence. The criminalisation by the judiciary of ordinary people attempting to preserve lives and the very fabric of our society is abhorrent. We declare that the British legal system no longer has any legitimacy whatsoever in our eyes. The courts are now a site of nonviolent civil resistance which will continue for as long as it takes for you, the UK Judiciary, to do what is right.
History teaches us that when laws are unjust it is our obligation to challenge them.
When governments fail to protect people and when courts fail to reform bad laws, it is the absolute moral right and duty of people to be in resistance.
STATEMENT END
Insulate Britain warmly invites journalists to join our supporters in court. Please contact 07737 457105 in advance to arrange interviews.
APRIL 2022
Stratford Magistrates 9:30 on 22nd April
9:30 on 26th April
9:30 & 14:00 on 29th April
Crawley Magistrates 10:00 & 14:00 28th April
14.00 29th April
St Albans Magistrates 10:00 on 29th April 2022
MAY 2022
Stratford Magistrates 9:30 on 3rd May
9:30 & 13:30 on 6th May
9:30 on 10th May
9:30 & 13:30 on 13th May
9:30 on 17th May
10:00 & 14:00 on 20th May
10:00 on 27th May
9:30 on 31st May
Chelmsford Magistrates 9:30 & 13:30 on 26th May
9:30 & 13.30 on 27th May
Press contact: 07737 457105
Email: insulatebritainpress@protonmail.com
High quality photos and video footage available here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Kucq-NfhnZLGJWwLx1HX03cWR7M9Y2-m
Website: https://www.insulatebritain.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/insulatebritain
Twitter: https://twitter.com/insulatelove
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8N5mAeeCLbD-AFUqtPaF0g
Notes to Editors
[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-61085689
[2] https://juststopoil.org/2022/04/18/five-just-stop-oil-supporters-on-remand/
[3] 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.