!['A nightmare for climate activists' UN's rapporteur left shocked by Just Stop Oil trial](https://cdn.magzter.com/1588175106/1720839471/articles/Ec7WPPfDw1720847054226/A-NIGHTMARE-FOR-CLIMATE-ACTIVISTS-UNS-RAPPORTEUR-LEFT-SHOCKED-BY-JUST-STOP-OIL-TRIAL.jpg)
But he may not have seen anything like the events that have unfolded at Southwark crown court over the past two-and-ahalf weeks, where five Just Stop Oil activists were convicted on Thursday of conspiring to cause gridlock on the M25 in 2022.
On the days Forst visited, he witnessed three of the five defendants being arrested in court and dragged to the cells, protesters outside attempting to warn jurors they were not hearing the full case and a judge desperately trying to maintain control over his courtroom.
Judge Christopher Hehir had ruled that information about climate breakdown could not be entered into evidence and could only be referred to by defendants briefly as the "political and philosophical beliefs" that motivated them - which he would tell the jury were in any case irrelevant to their deliberations.
But the defendants had other plans. They sought to turn Hehir's court into a "site of civil resistance", causing as much disruption as necessary to ensure that if jurors could not see their evidence on climate breakdown, then they could at least be in no doubt it was being kept from them.
By the time the jury retired to consider a verdict, police had been called into court no fewer than seven times, four of the five defendants had been remanded to prison and 11 others were facing contempt of court proceedings for protests outside the court.
Roger Hallam, 57, Daniel Shaw, 38, Louise Lancaster, 58, Lucia Whittaker De Abreu, 34, and Cressida Gethin, 22, were standing trial on a charge of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance, accused of being the "queen bees" behind a four-day series of climate protests on the M25 in November 2022.
Denne historien er fra July 13, 2024-utgaven av The Guardian.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra July 13, 2024-utgaven av The Guardian.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
![Wales made no excuses in Montenegro, says Davies](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1828197/CVia9BDI-1726031609999/WALES-MADE-NO-EXCUSES-IN-MONTENEGRO-SAYS-DAVIES.jpg)
Wales made no excuses in Montenegro, says Davies
Ben Davies has revealed that the Wales camp made a no-excuses pact before their Nations League victory in Montenegro.
![Kane strikes gold twice to decorate his century](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1828197/w5b43b_pG1726031496016/KANE-STRIKES-GOLD-TWICE-TO-DECORATE-HIS-CENTURY.jpg)
Kane strikes gold twice to decorate his century
If at first you do not succeed, try again.
![The £30m 'bargain': Newey deal statement of intent from Aston](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1828197/RvIfpjaK41726031407586/THE-30M-BARGAIN-NEWEY-DEAL-STATEMENT-OF-INTENT-FROM-ASTON.jpg)
The £30m 'bargain': Newey deal statement of intent from Aston
The departing Red Bull designer has an unmatched record in modern motor sport
![England leave Lawrence out for tour of Pakistan](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1828197/zCAv2eXvz1726031326810/ENGLAND-LEAVE-LAWRENCE-OUT-FOR-TOUR-OF-PAKISTAN.jpg)
England leave Lawrence out for tour of Pakistan
Essex's uncapped Cox to provide batting cover for three-Test series in October
![BMW shares fall after recall of 1.5m vehicles over problem with brakes](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1828197/2JZx3YBvR1726031239548/BMW-SHARES-FALL-AFTER-RECALL-OF-15M-VEHICLES-OVER-PROBLEM-WITH-BRAKES.jpg)
BMW shares fall after recall of 1.5m vehicles over problem with brakes
Shares in BMW tumbled yesterday as the carmaker revealed it will have to recall 1.5m vehicles over a braking problem, costing it almost €1bn.
![Employment rights of Bolt drivers to be tested in tribunal](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1828197/bjOAnkmj01726031147733/EMPLOYMENT-RIGHTS-OF-BOLT-DRIVERS-TO-BE-TESTED-IN-TRIBUNAL.jpg)
Employment rights of Bolt drivers to be tested in tribunal
Drivers working for Bolt, the ridehailing app operator, are seeking to be classed as workers rather than selfemployed contractors in a London employment tribunal case.
![Apple told to pay Ireland €13bn in tax after losing EU court fight](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1828197/6JQ3J3ZpR1726031070485/APPLE-TOLD-TO-PAY-IRELAND-13BN-IN-TAX-AFTER-LOSING-EU-COURT-FIGHT.jpg)
Apple told to pay Ireland €13bn in tax after losing EU court fight
Apple has lost a high-profile, €13bn (£11bn) Irish tax battle with Brussels in a decision that will bolster the European Commission's efforts to clamp down on favourable \"sweetheart\" tax deals for multinationals.
!['Flooded with trash' Rise in migration via Darién Gap creates pollution crisis](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1828197/48-gY2Gr81726030931495/FLOODED-WITH-TRASH-RISE-IN-MIGRATION-VIA-DARIN-GAP-CREATES-POLLUTION-CRISIS.jpg)
'Flooded with trash' Rise in migration via Darién Gap creates pollution crisis
The Darién Gap's isolation has shielded the Indigenous communities who live there from the outside world for centuries.
![West Bank Israel says it is 'highly likely' that its troops killed activist](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1828197/gbFMvoLbD1726030876072/WEST-BANK-ISRAEL-SAYS-IT-IS-HIGHLY-LIKELY-THAT-ITS-TROOPS-KILLED-ACTIVIST.jpg)
West Bank Israel says it is 'highly likely' that its troops killed activist
Israel's military has said it was highly likely its troops fired the shot that killed Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, the American-Turkish woman killed at a protest in the occupied West Bank.
![At least 19 killed in airstrike on Gaza 'humanitarian zone'](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1828197/xj5aUgZb91726030799066/AT-LEAST-19-KILLED-IN-AIRSTRIKE-ON-GAZA-HUMANITARIAN-ZONE.jpg)
At least 19 killed in airstrike on Gaza 'humanitarian zone'
Israeli airstrikes on al-Mawasi \"humanitarian zone\" in the Gaza Strip have killed at least 19 people and injured a further 60, according to witnesses and medical officials in the blockaded Palestinian territory.