A Lawful Excuse

Climate change is one of the biggest issues for demonstrators these days. Protest groups are staging rallies around the world is protest to all industry and effects climate. The Attorney General is asking the courts to “clamp down” on protesters on the issue of climate change. This comes after six Greenpeace activists were acquitted on charges of criminal damages to the Kingsnorth coal-fired power station in Kent Britain. "Ed Milliband wanted a social movement on climate change but this government doesn't seem to trust members of the public such as jurors to actually decide what's right and wrong on climate change," said Ben Stewart, who was one of the activists acquitted. They were protesting plans for a new generation station at the plant.

The big question on everyone’s mind is weather a “lawful excuse” can be used in defense to charges such as this one. The defense used maps and brought in scientists to prove that the introduction of this new station would cause great harm to the environment not only in Kent but around the world. The Prosecution argued that “allowance for demonstrations did not extend to breaking the law”

The problem is determining the difference between a demonstration that breaks the law, and one that does not. Protesters feel that demonstating peacefully does not get the message across, and the only way to do this is to take drastic measures.