On April 25th, we take this question to Crown Court — and we need your help to get there.

Six environmental defenders, including a retired GP, an ecologist, and individuals who’ve experienced fuel poverty, are facing trial for taking nonviolent civil resistance to demand that the UK government gets real about climate change and eliminates fuel poverty. 

But this case is about much more than a protest - it’s about whether the legal system will allow environmental defenders a fair and meaningful voice.

Woolwich Crown Court has agreed to hear our legal argument: that we cannot receive a fair trial while the UK government’s own role in alleged climate crimes remains uninvestigated. As a consequence, governments have gone ahead with policies that will increase rather than reduce fossil fuel consumption and global heating.  We the defendants understand that, as citizens, we have a duty in law to prevent these climate crimes.

This is the first hearing of its kind.

We believe senior UK politicians may be responsible for climate genocide by oblique intent — setting in motion policies that knowingly fuel mass suffering and death through the climate crisis. These allegations, submitted to the Metropolitan Police in 2019 by the group Climate Genocide Act Now (CGAN) https://climatecriminals.uk/, have been ignored and deflected — despite  every counter-argument being successfully challenged.  The case is now in the queue for the International Criminal Court.

On April 25th 2025, Judge Grout will hear our challenge. This is a rare and crucial moment. It could set a precedent for how courts treat environmental defenders — and whether they are allowed to speak the truth in the face of state inaction.

We urgently need to raise £6,600 to pay for specialist legal representation to represent one of the defendants in court.

Your support can help make history.  It will help ensure that the legal system cannot turn a blind eye to those fighting for all our futures.

Donate now to stand with those who risk everything to speak up.

The six environmental defenders were taking part in the Insulate Britain https://theconversation.com/insulate-britain-blocking-roads-will-alienate-some-people-but-its-still-likely-to-be-effective-168021 campaign in 2021. They include Stephen Gower, Ana Heyatawin, Rowan Tilly, Dr. Diana Warner. However, this court hearing is not about the Insulate Britain actions but about the legal processes that are resulting from their actions.

Dr Warner will be arguing that as a citizen she acted out of duty to protect life using nonviolent civil resistance because politicians continue to apply policies which will inevitably aggravate climate change. More than this, she acted because of her legal duty as a registered medical doctor to protect the public’s health and wellbeing.

Rowan Tilly is hiring a specialist barrister to put the legal case that the trial should not go ahead. We are seeking to raise funds to pay for the barrister. 

Thank you for reading this and please contribute to the fund if you can. Any amount is welcome. Please also share with others. We think that this is a very important court hearing and the outcome will be of great interest. We will keep you updated.

Funds raised will go to Climate Action Support Pathway (CASP) a UK-based, non-partisan entity, supporting those who take nonviolent action for the climate. The funds will reimburse defendants for their payment of the legal costs for this hearing to date, and go towards projected future costs resulting from subsequent hearings. Any amount raised in excess of these costs will remain with CASP to support others who feel they have no option but to take civil resistance in the name of the climate emergency. 

Donate now to stand with those who risk everything to speak up.