A climate activist, part of Just Stop Oil, was sentenced to 30 months in prison at Minshull Street crown court in Manchester for conspiring to cause a public nuisance by intending to obstruct planes at Manchester airport. The activist, who pleaded not guilty and refused to show remorse, argues the harsh sentence is a deterrent because nonviolent resistance is effective and necessary to address the climate crisis, which they view as a matter of life or death.
I received a 30-month jail sentence for nonviolent resistance. Why so harsh? Because protest works
Climate crisisEnvironmentJust Stop OilManchesterUKGreater Manchester
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️A climate activist, part of Just Stop Oil, was sentenced to 30 months in prison at Minshull Street crown court in Manchester for conspiring to cause a public nuisance by intending to obstruct planes at Manchester airport. The activist, who pleaded not guilty and refused to show remorse, argues the harsh sentence is a deterrent because nonviolent resistance is effective and necessary to address the climate crisis, which they view as a matter of life or death.
Trending- 1 Nine months prior to sentencing: Activist spent time in prison on remand.
- 2 Last week (prior to June 3, 2025): Activist, Leanorah Ward, Margaret Reid, and Daniel Knorr sentenced at Minshull Street crown court.
- Imprisonment for climate activists
- Legal precedent for prosecuting environmental protesters
- Ongoing debate about civil disobedience and climate action
What: A climate activist received a 30-month jail sentence for conspiring to cause a public nuisance by planning to obstruct Manchester airport as part of Just Stop Oil.
When: Last week (prior to June 3, 2025) at Minshull Street crown court; nine months in prison on remand.
Where: Minshull Street crown court, Manchester; Manchester airport.
Why: The activist believes the climate crisis is a matter of life or death and that disruption is warranted to prevent disaster. The judge imposed a 'deterrent' sentence, believing the activist considered the cause to 'trump inconvenience to others.'
How: The activist, along with Leanorah Ward, Margaret Reid, and Daniel Knorr, was charged under the Criminal Law Act 1977 and the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 for intending to obstruct the public. They pleaded not guilty, arguing necessity to prevent harm, but this defense was ruled out.