Four Just Stop Oil supporters free because a judge took the climate crisis seriously

A court has handed four Just Stop Oil supporters conditional discharges after they pleaded guilty to “interfering with the use of key national infrastructure” by slow marching in 2023 to demand an end to new oil and gas licensing.

Just Stop Oil: sentenced for the ‘serious offence’ that is slow marching

Ben Larsen, Tabitha King, Cathy Archer, and Poppy Jabelman had joined a slow march at Hendon Way on 13 November 2023. Police did not charge them until June 2025, when they accused them of interfering with key national infrastructure under Section 7 of the Public Order Act. They pleaded guilty at Westminster Magistrates Court on 25 June 2025. On 23 July, a judge handed them their sentences.

In pronouncing the sentence, the judge agreed that they had committed a serious offence, but took into account the defendant’s conscientious motivation, guilty pleas, and the long delay between the offence and being charged. The judge gave all four a 12 months conditional discharge, costs of £85 each, and a victim compensation charge of £26.

Poppy Jabelman said:

Power to the people! Just Stop Oil’s demand has been met keeping 4.4 billion barrels of oil in the ground, that’s 1.3 million barrels of oil for each of our arrests. Direct action works.

Courts full of slow marchers

Over 100 people took action at Hendon Way on 13 November 2023. This was amid the third week of Just Stop Oil’s relentless autumn 2023 campaign of slow marching everyday in London. The marches overwhelmed police – who had insufficient officers and vans to arrest everyone.

Nearly two years down the line and the courts are now full of Just Stop Oil supporters who joined the slow marches.

Also taking action that day was Dr. Juliette Brown, a 53-year-old doctor from London. She appeared in Southwark Crown Court today to plead not guilty to the Section 7 charge, along with Jake Causely, Alfie Hewitt, Charlotte Omiotek and Lia Lazarus. The court has set their trial date for November 2027, four years after the action.

In 2023, Dr. Juliette Brown said:

Democracy doesn’t start and end at the ballot box. Whether it’s marching for a ceasefire in Palestine or taking action with Just Stop Oil, I feel driven to act by government policies that are threatening the lives of countless millions of ordinary people.

The repressive Public Order Act: Just Stop Oil supporters won’t be silenced

The previous Conservative government introduced the section 7 offence of interfering with key national infrastructure (such as roads, airports, and railways) in April 2023 with the Public Order Act. It specifically aimed at stopping Just Stop Oil’s slow marching tactics. The offence carries a penalty of up to 12 months imprisonment.

The Met police used it for the first time in October 2023. At the time of publication, police have charged over 250 Just Stop Oil supporters with the offence. Many of these protesters have yet to face trial.

In 2024 Just Stop Oil successfully won its original demand of ‘no new oil and gas’. As a result, on March 27 2025, Just Stop Oil announced an end to the campaign of action. However, its supporters will continue to tell the truth in court, to speak out for our political prisoners, and to help build what comes next.

Featured image supplied