this Latest revision, Inserted at the last moment the bill passes the House of Lords, is Take the lead Written by Priti Patel, Secretary of the Interior. They paid attention to the damage caused by activists from Insulate British, who blocked major highways before the COP26 climate summit.
Sections 319C to 319F are particularly disturbing. They will allow the police to intercept and search anyone suspected of being a potential “public nuisance” or “causing serious damage to two or more individuals or organizations.”Those who refuse to comply or adopt strategies such as locking and “deliberately blocking the highway” may face imprisonment Up to 51 weeks.
scare
The draconian bill has historical and contemporary similarities. For example, in “Green panicIn the United States in the 2000s, after the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) organized an arson attack on a ski resort in Colorado, environmental activists were criminalized and labeled as a national leader Threat of domestic terrorism.
The legal definition of terrorism is Even expand Including any damage or threat of damage to “any building, vehicle or other real or personal property” Interstate or foreign trade Or in any activity that affects interstate or foreign trade”.
The persons involved in the case will face up to ten years in prison.inside if Political theorist Steve Vanderheiden said that the U.S. government is targeting these groups with such a zealous attitude because they pose a viable threat to “profits and business ideas at all costs” rather than life. Threat.
Earlier this year, I signed a copy with more than 400 other experts Open the envelope Warns that governments around the world are increasingly criminalizing environmentalists.
Examples include new Anti-terrorism legislation In the Philippines, this led to police violent actions against climate protesters; Italy imposed huge fines on human rights defenders Mobilize against Trans-Adriatic pipeline; and New legislation In Queensland, Australia, environmental activities are ostensibly targeted in the name of “public order.” Environmentalists in Latin America not only risk being imprisoned, but also risk their lives. There are 277 Murdered in 2020 Alone.
Prosecute
While committing to net zero emissions By 2050, The British government tried to further hinder those who risk their lives and limbs to prevent the worst effects of climate and ecological collapse.
If Patel and others really want to “protect the public”, they will immediately begin to phase out 40 new fossil projects The UK is currently in preparation.
They will shift their energy to containment Top fossil company Deliberately cause more than one-third of modern greenhouse gas emissions.
Compared with the widespread loss of lives and livelihoods caused by not taking urgent action to deal with climate change, the damage caused by the blockade of roads by radicals is almost non-existent.
This is the age of despair. Disrupting the business as usual — and supporting those who do it — is our only hope.
This author
Heather Albero, Is a lecturer on global sustainable development Nottingham Trent University. This article is reproduced from dialogue Under a Creative Commons license.read Source article.
