FOUR climate activists have been convicted after halting a race at the UCI World Cycling Championships.
The group from This Is Rigged locked themselves to one another and glued themselves to the road, stopping the men’s elite road race for around 50 minutes.
Rebecca Kerr, Catriona Roberts, Romane Moulin and Ben Taylor all stood trial at Falkirk Sheriff Court on Wednesday after being charged with breach of the peace.
They were all convicted with Taylor receiving a £250 fine. The other three activists received a warning.
The action took place on the B818 country road near the Carron Valley Reservoir.
It occurred during three weeks of action by This Is Rigged in which the Grangemouth terminal was repeatedly shut down, disrupting 70% of Scotland’s fuel supply.
The group also spray-painted a portrait of the King, climbed the Kelpies and painted the Scottish Parliament red.
Kerr was represented by Aamer Anwar and Co, whilst Taylor, Roberts and Moulin were self-represented.
Following the trial, Kerr, 29, said: “As long as major oil and gas companies are allowed to operate freely, sponsoring events, recruiting at universities, lobbying politicians, then we will continue to fight back. This business as usual approach, is driving us towards a precipice, and has to be challenged wherever possible.”
The four activists welcomed that the Sheriff stated during the trial that the climate crisis is "incredibly relevant to the world" and that "as an individual - not as a sheriff - but as an individual, I accept what you're saying”
During the trial, Moulin, 26, said: “I took the action because I don't want to be passive anymore in front of climate collapse and the inaction of those in power.
“I don't want to look back and feel like we didn't do something when we still had time.”
Roberts, 21, added: “If your house is on fire and you scream in the street, stop the traffic and become rooted in fear, would you be arrested for breach of the peace? No, of course not.
“Well, our home is on fire, and just because you may be privileged enough to not feel it yet, does not mean we shouldn’t be screaming in the streets.”
This is Rigged has been taking action since the start of the year. Two activists from the group vandalised the display case containing the sword of William Wallace at the National Wallace Monument in Stirling.
Members also disrupted First Minister’s Questions on a weekly basis.
Speaking to the media outside the court after proceedings had concluded, Roberts said the group planned more activities and more action over the cost-of-living crisis and the ongoing climate crisis.
She said the group were prepared and that the experience in court did not put them off.
Roberts added: “In the future, we will be taking action on the appalling rates of food insecurity and the cost-of-living crisis.
“In admonishing me and my co-defendants today, the Sheriff has acknowledged that breach of the peace is not equipped to deal with the morality of protest cases and that the law is not always on the right side of history.
“Being admonished is a sure fire signal that we were not seen to be committing a violent offence.”
