Press Coverage
Interviews
Clive Dolphin from Defend our Juries and professor Richard Vogler on ‘Law in Action’ with Joshua Rozenberg.
Dr Juliette Brown and Natasha Devon discuss the Defend our Juries campaign on LBC
Articles
On Thursday 9 November, the eminent legal scholar, Professor John Spencer CBE, wrote an opinion piece for the Times, offering more invaluable support for the Defend Our Juries campaign: “Defying a judge is not always contempt of court – Jury equity could be seen as an important constitutional safeguard”
He argues that on a proper interpretation of the law, courts should giv[e] protesters some chance to explain the reasons for their actions” and not punish “those who try to make the jury aware of [the principle of jury equity]”.
He concludes by quoting E.P. Thompson in a stinging rebuke to those undermining trial by jury: “There are worse offences to the body politic than contempt of court; and these are contempt for our constitutional history and contempt for the people of this country.”
Judge threatens Dr Gail Bradbrook with trial without jury
On 1 November 2023, Dr Gail Bradbrook, a co-founder of Extinction Rebellion, was found guilty of criminal damage after the Judge at Isleworth Crown Court:
- Banned her from explaining why she did what she did
- Threatened to move to trial without a jury
- Directed the jury that she had no defence
- Prohibited her from telling the jury they have an absolute right to acquit
- Protests outside courts in England after activist charged over jury rights sign (Guardian, 25 September 23)
- A climate of injustice (The Ecologist, 25 September 23)
- Campaigners Risk Prison by Standing Outside Courts Telling Jurors of ‘Right to Acquit’ (Byline Times, 25 September 23)
- More than 250 climate activists protest with signs to jurors outside courts (Evening Standard, 25 September 23)
- Protesters gathered outside Truro Crown Court to ‘defend our juries’ (CornwallLive, 25 September 23)
- Silent Protest In Bristol After Activist Charged Over Jury Rights Sign (Bristol 24/7, 25 September 23)
August – September 2023
- Quakers risk prison to defend vital legal precedent (Quakers In Britain, 21 September 23)
- Fears over right to protest after woman with sign at climate trial prosecuted (The Guardian, 19 September 23)
- Climate activist to be prosecuted for contempt over court protest (The Times, 18 September 23)
- Activist Who Held Sign Outside Court Informing Jurors of ‘Right to Acquit’ Insulate Britain Activists Could Face Two Years in Jail (Byline Times, 18 September 23)
- Meet the Shadowy Network Vilifying Climate Protestors (DeSmog, 12 September 23)
- Courts to Face Wave of Protests as Climate Campaigners Say Right to Jury Trial ‘Under Attack’ (Byline Times, 6 September 23)
- Big Oil Billions and The Real Cancel Culture Threatening Brits With Prison for Telling the Truth (Byline Times, 25 August 23)
- Prosecute all of us, climate protesters urge (The Times, 17 August 23)
- Charge us with contempt too, say 40 people, if climate activist prosecuted (Guardian, 17 August 23)
May – July 2023
- Contempt threat against climate activist may undermine trial by jury, lawyers say (Guardian, 26 July 23)
- The climate trials (The Ecologist, 20 June)
- Climate activists risk contempt charges over placards outside court (The Times, 2 June 23)
- Judges join lawyers in the bear pit (Law Society Gazette, 23 May 23)
- Climate activists call crown court judge ‘unprincipled bully’ during protest (Independent, 15 May 23)
February – April 2023
- Climate activist who allegedly held sign directed at jurors may be charged (Guardian, 4 April 23)
- Protesters must be allowed to explain motives in court (The Times, 13 March 23)
- Activists jailed for seven weeks for defying ban on mentioning climate crisis (Open Democracy, 3 March 23)
- Insulate Britain activist jailed for eight weeks for contempt of court (Guardian, 7 February 23)