A group of Just Stop Oil protesters have avoided jail after their failed attempt to cause "unprecedented disruption" at Heathrow Airport last July.
The nine activists were convicted of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance following their protest at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 on July 24, 2024. However, at Isleworth Crown Court today, they received either suspended sentences or were deemed to have already served their time.
Judge Hannah Duncan said: "No breach of the perimeter fence occurred. No disruption at all occurred. No actual harm was caused."
However, the judge criticised the group for treating their trial as an "extension of the protest," telling them: "A courtroom is not a street or a town square, and it is run at considerable cost.
"It's where allegations of crimes are tried, where often the most vulnerable people in society find themselves as defendants or as witnesses.
"Victims of crime sadly have to wait a long time for their cases to be heard, to receive justice for the wrongs that have been done to them before they can move on.
"There are women and children who have been abused, sexually assaulted or raped who are waiting for courtrooms. You used one for seven weeks. Some of you dragging it out as much as you could at every opportunity, lying about your actions and intentions that day all to get more publicity.
"It does not add a single day to your sentence but it demonstrates your lack of remorse until now and it exposes the lie of accountability."
Judge Duncan added that it had been clear airports were targets for climate protesters in 2024, highlighting organised meetings and recruitment drives.
She said: "The phrase 'unprecedented disruption' featured in the promotion and explanation for this campaign.
"The assertion by some of you during the trial that this is nothing but hyperbole and only minor disruption was the aim is dishonest and disingenuous."
During the protest, activists sat in Terminal 5's departures area behind fire extinguishers after covering floors, departure boards, and windows with orange paint—just one day after similar protests took place at Gatwick.
However, their protest failed to cause any significant disruption to passengers at the start of the summer holidays.
The demonstration began at 8.35am and was swiftly ended by police, who arrested the protesters by 8.50am. Heathrow later confirmed the airport "continues to operate as normal."
