Cressida Gethin, 22, a Cambridge University music student and Just Stop Oil activist, has been found guilty of causing a public nuisance after climbing a gantry over the M25 motorway.
The protest took place on July 20, 2022, the day the UK recorded its highest temperature ever at 40°C. Gethin scaled the gantry to draw attention to the urgent climate crisis and to urge the government to take stronger action on environmental issues.
At Isleworth Crown Court, the jury convicted Gethin by a majority of 10 to 2 under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. Evidence presented showed that her protest caused delays affecting nearly 4,000 British Airways passengers.
BBC presenter Chris Packham provided significant testimony, stating he was stuck in traffic for four to five hours due to the disruption caused by the protest.
Gethin admitted her involvement but argued that the disruption did not warrant criminal charges, questioning whether the inconvenience was justified by the potential impact on government policy.
Judge Hannah Duncan ruled that evidence related to climate change was not relevant to the case and barred it from being presented at trial, instructing the jury to focus solely on the nuisance charge.
The 22-year-old is scheduled to be sentenced on May 3. This case has ignited debate over the balance between protest rights and public safety amid the ongoing climate emergency.
Originally published by UKNIP.
