Extinction Rebellion Trials and Hearings This Week (7th to 11th October)
October 08, 2019 by Zoe Blackler
- 20 Extinction Rebellion defendants on trial this week
- Three trials for Section 14 offences during the April Rebellion; the trial of the Petroleum 9, for trespass and criminal damage in February, to hear a verdict on Thursday
- The Amazonia 6 to attend a preliminary hearing at Southwark Crown Court charged with trespass and criminal damage exceeding £5,000
- A further 50 people are expected to be called for plea hearings on Friday at City of London Magistrates Court
- Extinction Rebellion continues to raise money for defendants legal costs with its Crowdjustice campaign
- Trials are set to continue into January and beyond
Trials and hearings this week:
Monday (Oct 7th), City of London Magistrates Court: Four on trial for public order offences during the April Rebellion, including Maggie Freegard, 65, a retired GP from St Keverne, Cornwall and Stephen Haynes, 35, a maths and guitar teacher from Bristol.
Tuesday (Oct 8th), City of London Magistrates Court: Three on trial for public order offences during the April Rebellion.
Wednesday (Oct 9th), City of London Magistrates Court: The Amazonia 6 to attend a preliminary plea hearing at Southwark Crown Court for criminal damage over £5,000 and trespass on diplomatic premises. The charges relate to a peaceful protest against the burning of the Amazon outside the Brazilian Embassy in August. Defendants include Sian Vaughan, 54, a retired primary school headteacher from Pembrokeshire.
Thursday (Oct 1st), City of London Magistrates Court: Verdict due in the trial of the Petroleum Nine for trespass and criminal damage during a peaceful protest against the International Petroleum conference in February. Defendants are: Cathy Eastburn, 52, musician and mother, originally from Cornwall, now lives in South London; Jack Harries, 26, film-maker and Instagram influencer from London; Joel Instone, 29, workers’ co-op cafe worker from Lancashire; Sam Knights, 23, actor and writer, from London; Mark Ovland 36, Buddhist teacher from Somerset; Jeremy Parker, 51, IT consultant, originally from Birmingham, now lives in London (also on trial at Hendon Magistrates Court on Tuesday); Yaani Postelnik, 54, Buddhist teacher/minister, from New Zealand, now lives in Devon; Serena Schellenberg, 58, TV producer and animal welfare charity worker, originally from Yorkshire, now lives in London; and Trudi Warner, 64, a retired social worker from London.
Thursday (Oct 3rd) City of London Magistrates Court: Four on trial for for public order offences during the April Rebellion, including Daisy Gibbs, 34, a waitress from St Just, Cornwall.
Friday (Oct 4th) City of London Magistrates Court: Approximately 50 charged defendants expected to attend plea hearings for public order offences during the April Rebellion.
For more information, images and interviews with defendants or lawyers, contact Zoë Blackler on 07918 165 046.
Extinction Rebellion’s Crowdjustice campaign to raise money to help defendants with their legal fees can be found here: https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/extinction-rebellion-central
Email: press@risingup.org.uk
Phone: +44(0)7918165046
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Notes to Editors
About Extinction Rebellion
Extinction Rebellion is a global movement that uses non-violent civil disobedience in an attempt to halt mass extinction and minimise the risk of societal collapse – both of which are seen as inevitable if rapid action is not taken to rein in human-induced climate change and biodiversity loss.
Extinction Rebellion believes it is a citizen’s duty to rebel, using peaceful civil disobedience, when faced with criminal inaction by their Government.
International Rebellion
Starting on October 7th, Extinction Rebellion is calling an International Rebellion: https://www.facebook.com/events/2428146964128308/
Together, we will peacefully occupy the centres of power and shut them down until Governments act on the Climate and Ecological Emergency.
Extinction Rebellion’s Demands are:
- Government must tell the truth by declaring a climate and ecological emergency, working with other institutions to communicate the urgency for change.
- Government must act now to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025.
- Government must create and be led by the decisions of a Citizens’ Assembly on climate and ecological justice.
More Resources
Extinction Rebellion in Numbers
This Is Not A Drill: An Extinction Rebellion Handbook
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