A co-founder of Extinction Rebellion received a suspended prison sentence for causing significant financial damage to a government building.

51-year-old Gail Bradbrook was convicted by a jury for breaking a window during a protest at the Department for Transport in October 2019 against HS2.

According to a court employee, Bradbrook, originally from Stroud, Gloucestershire, was present at Isleworth Crown Court in west London on Monday. The judge sentenced her to a suspended prison term of 15 months, 150 hours of community service, and a 12-month supervision order.

In 2018, Bradbrook, along with her former partner Simon Bramwell and a few others, co-founded an environmental advocacy organization. After the court hearing, she was joined by a group of supporters, including actor Jerome Flynn from Game of Thrones. Some supporters were dressed as suffragettes.

According to a statement from XR following the hearing, Bradbrook stated that the courts are contributing to our journey towards a climate catastrophe.

Bradbrook stated that activists are being prosecuted for raising awareness about the urgent issue of climate change, while those who are responsible for causing destruction to the planet are not being held accountable due to the inadequacies of the legal system.

Moreover, courts dominated by corporations are enabling individuals involved in the fossil fuel industry to take legal action against governments that implement environmentally-friendly policies. Additionally, restrictive injunctions and laws, influenced by fossil fuel money, are being utilized to suppress our democratic system and our ability to peacefully protest.

Source: theguardian.com