An Extinction Rebellion protester who says she pleaded guilty for a public order offence for blockading Waterloo Bridge in April has published the statement she read out to the court.
Anthea Lawson, a 44-year-old researcher and editor from Totnes, was among nine protesters appearing at City of London Magistrates’ on Friday, August 2 for sitting on the bridge and refusing to move.
“I have not done this lightly,” she said in a blog post entitled ‘A statement to the court by a first-time lawbreaker.’
Anthea Lawson, 44, is researcher and editor from Totnes, Devon. She said “I’ve never felt as clear about anything as I did when I was sitting on Waterloo Bridge."
Over the summer, every Friday, XR rebels will face trials at court in London. Thank you for acting now. #HumansOfXR pic.twitter.com/s8bNLyOilf
— Extinction Rebellion London ? (@XRLondon) August 2, 2019
“I have felt extremely uncomfortable throughout the process of protesting, arrest, custody and now standing here before you.”
“But what I did feels like the only thing left to try. I am talking here about the existential threat posed by climate change and species extinctions to life as we know it,” she added.
The sentence was a six month conditional discharge plus court costs, she said.
April’s action saw hundreds of green protesters arrested by officers for blockading the bridge, as reported by the News.
Extinction Rebellion calls for the government enact legally binding policies to go carbon neutral by 2025 and to establish a ‘Citizen’s Assembly’ to deal with the climate change emergency.