At 3pm yesterday (Friday 1 March), five women from Extinction Rebellion who broke glass at the European HQ of JPMorgan – the world’s worst climate bank [1] – on 1st September 2021 [2] received guilty verdicts at Inner London Crown Court.

The verdicts came after Judge Silas Reid cast doubt on the existence and severity of the climate crisis in his directions to the jury [3] and threatened jurors with criminal charges if they brought their conscience to bear on their deliberations. [4] [5]

Of the eight people who undertook this direct action, only five were summoned to answer charges of Criminal Damage to the value of £306,000. [6]

Sentencing of the five has been scheduled to take place on Friday 7th June, also at Inner London Crown Court.

Quotes from the defendants are available on request.

Contact: press@extinctionrebellion.uk | Bells +44(0)7901674715 | Press team +44(0)7756136396

Images:
01.03.24: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1kA1Qmj1dVL0VKQj3wwg92MUz4lLN0G11?usp=sharing
01.09.21: https://show.pics.io/xr-global-media-breaking-news/search?collectionIds=612f22cd49d6920012aa40e5

Defendants
Stephanie Aylett, 29, a former medical device representative from St Albans
Pamela Bellinger, 66, a vegetable grower from Leicester
Amy Pritchard, 38, a student from Liverpool
Adelheid Russenberger, 32 PhD student from Richmond, London
Rosemary (Annie) Webster, 67, a retired cook and beekeeper from Dorchester, Dorset

People not charged
Jane Augsburger, 58, a carer from Gloucestershire.
Sally Davidson, 36, a teacher from Dorset
El Litten, 37, a computer programmer from St Albans

Notes to Editors

[1] Rainforest Action Network: Banking on Climate Chaos: https://www.bankingonclimatechaos.org

[2] IN CASE OF CLIMATE EMERGENCY, BREAK GLASS: Extinction Rebellion women break windows at ‘World’s worst bank’ JP Morgan: https://extinctionrebellion.uk/2021/09/01/in-case-of-climate-emergency-break-glass-extinction-rebellion-women-break-windows-at-worlds-worst-bank-jp-morgan/

[3] Judge trying climate defenders questions existence and severity of climate crisis as UN urges courts “to listen to what environmental defenders have to say”: https://extinctionrebellion.uk/2024/02/29/judge-directs-jury-to-suspend-reality-as-un-urges-courts-to-listen-to-what-environmental-defenders-have-to-say/

[4] JUDGE THREATENS JURY WITH CRIMINAL CHARGES IF THEY APPLY CONSCIENCE TO CLIMATE TRIAL: https://planb.earth/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/PR-Judge-Reid-March-24.pdf

[5] Judge shuts down eco-mob’s favourite excuse to cause havoc:  https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1872240/extinction-rebellion-jp-morgan-lloyds-london-climate-change

[6] Three trials of people who took action to defend lives to begin next week: https://extinctionrebellion.uk/2024/02/12/three-trials-of-people-who-took-action-to-defend-lives-to-begin-next-week/

About Extinction Rebellion

Extinction Rebellion (XR) is a decentralised, international and politically non-partisan movement using non-violent direct action and civil disobedience to persuade governments to act justly on the Climate and Ecological Emergency.

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Time has almost entirely run out to address the climate and ecological crisis which is upon us, including the sixth mass species extinction, global pollution, and increasingly rapid climate change. If urgent and radical action isn’t taken, we’re heading towards 4˚C warming, leading to societal collapse and mass loss of life. The younger generation, racially marginalised communities and the Global South are on the front-line. No-one will escape the devastating impacts.