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Roger Hallam (activist)

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Roger Hallam
Hallam in 2020
Born
Julian Roger Hallam

1965 or 1966 (age 58–59)
OccupationEnvironmental activist
Known forCo-founding Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil
Conviction(s)Conspiracy to cause a public nuisance
Criminal penalty5 years' imprisonment
Websiterogerhallam.com

Julian Roger Hallam[1] (born 1965/1966)[2] is an environmental activist who co-founded Extinction Rebellion,[3][4] Just Stop Oil,[5] Insulate Britain,[6] the cooperative federation organisation Radical Routes,[7] and the political party Burning Pink.[8] In April 2024, Hallam was given a suspended two year sentence for attempting to block Heathrow Airport with drones. In July 2024, Hallam was convicted of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance for organising protests to block the M25 motorway two years prior, for which he was sentenced to five years' imprisonment.[2]

Biography

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Early life

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Hallam was raised by a Methodist family.[9]

In 1987, he lived on South Road in Hockley, working as a voluntary worker. He appeared at Bow Street magistrates for daubing anti-nuclear peace messages on the Ministry of Defence building on Ash Wednesday in 1987.[10] In 1988, he appeared at Birmingham Crown Court for daubing feminist messages on car advert display boards saying 'This oppresses women' in July 1987 on an Austin Maestro advert in Hockley Circus.[11]

In 1990, he was part of a cooperative that opened a vegetarian cafe in Saltley.[12] From May 1993, he was part an organic food cooperative on South Road in Hockley, after living in West Virginia.[13] He lived in a communal-type house, with around six people, with division of labour.[14]

He was previously an organic farmer on a 10-acre (4-hectare) smallholding near Llandeilo in South Wales; he attributes the destruction of his business to a series of extreme weather events.[15][16]

Between at least 2017 and early 2019, he was studying for a PhD at King's College London,[17] researching how to achieve social change through civil disobedience and radical movements.[18]

Political activity

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Later in 2017, Hallam was a leading member of activist group Stop Killing Londoners,[19] an anti-pollution campaign[20] of mass civil disobedience that they hoped would result in the arrest and imprisonment of activists.[21] Hallam with Stuart Basden, Ian Bray and Genny Scherer were prosecuted and some pledged to go on hunger strike if imprisoned.[22]

Hallam is a co-founder of environmental pressure group Extinction Rebellion, with Gail Bradbrook and Simon Bramwell.[3][18][23][24] He stood unsuccessfully in the 2019 European Parliament election in the London constituency as an independent, winning 924 of the 2,241,681 votes cast (0.04%).[25]

In September 2023, Hallam was ranked thirty-fourth on the New Statesman's Left Power List of influential left-wing figures in the UK.[26]

Views on genocide and sexual offenses

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In an interview with Die Zeit on 20 November 2019, Hallam said that genocides are "like a regular event" in history and he also called the Holocaust "just another fuckery in human history".[27][28] He made this comment in the context of a broader discussion about genocides which have been committed throughout human history, in which Hallam compared the Nazi Holocaust to the atrocities in the Congo Free State in the late 19th century; as he stated, the "fact of the matter is, millions of people have been killed in vicious circumstances on a regular basis throughout history" and he also stated that the Belgians "went to the Congo in the late 19th century and decimated it."[29] Hallam's controversial comparison drew support from African activists the Stop the Maangamizi: We Charge Genocide/Ecocide! Campaign, who were critical of the tone of his language, but lauded him for his honesty and his willingness to highlight the crimes which colonial powers committed in Africa.[30] However, his comments about the Holocaust, perceived by some as anti-Semitic, resulted in his expulsion from Extinction Rebellion in 2020.[31]

In a self-published pamphlet which he wrote in prison in 2019, Hallam wrote that the climate crisis would lead to mass rape, and he featured a story in which the reader's female family members are gang raped and the reader is forced to watch. The pamphlet was condemned by Farah Nazeer, CEO of Women's Aid.[31] When Der Spiegel replied to Hallam that "You can't blame the climate change for the rape of women during war", Hallam's response was "No, climate change is just the tubes that the gas comes down in the gas chamber. It's just a mechanism through which one generation kills the next generation".[32]

Criminal damage charges

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In January 2017, in an action to urge King's College London to divest from fossil fuels, Hallam and another person, David Durant, using water-soluble chalk-based spray paint,[16] painted "Divest from oil and gas", "Now!" and "Out of time" on the university's Strand campus entrance.[33][17] and were fined £500.[34] In February they again spray painted the university's Great Hall causing a claimed £7000 worth of damage and were arrested.[33]

In May 2019, after a three-day trial at Southwark Crown Court for criminal damage, they were cleared by a jury of all charges, having argued in their defence that their actions were a proportionate response to the climate crisis, with Hallam arguing his actions were lawful under an exemption in the Criminal Damage Act that permits damage if it protects another's property.[17][35] In March 2017, Hallam went on hunger strike to demand the university divest from fossil fuels—the institution had millions of pounds invested in fossil fuels but no investment in renewable energy.[34] Five weeks after the first protest, the university removed £14 million worth of investments from fossil fuel companies and pledged to become carbon neutral by 2025.[16][36]

Attempted closure of Heathrow airport

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Hallam and four other activists were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance on 12 September 2019, the day before a planned action to pilot drones in the exclusion zone around Heathrow Airport in order to disrupt flights.[37] Three days later, in an action organised by Heathrow Pause, Hallam was arrested in the vicinity of Heathrow Airport apparently in breach of bail conditions from the previous arrest requiring him to not to be within 5 miles (8 kilometres) of any airport or possess drone equipment.[38] He was remanded in custody until 14 October.[39]

On 5 April 2024, Hallam was given a 2 year prison sentence suspended for 18 months for plotting to close Heathrow airport using drones as a way of showing opposition to the opening of a third runway at the airport. Hallam and his co-defendants had claimed that the act was "merely a publicity exercise". However, this defence was rejected by the jury.[40]

M25 blocking

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Main article: Just Stop Oil M25 blockade case

On 11 July 2024, Hallam and four co‑defendants were found guilty of conspiring to block traffic on the M25 motorway, London's main orbital motorway. Hallam had been arrested in a dawn raid at his home on 18 October 2023.[5] Hallam's plan that was carried out resulting in multiple days of disruption on the motorway.[41] The jury trial took place in London and was marked by repeated outbursts from the defendants after a ruling from Judge Christopher Hehir prohibiting them from using climate breakdown as a defence for their actions.[42] At one point, Hallam refused to leave the witness box and was duly arrested for contempt and sent to the cells. In fact, police were called to court on seven occasions and made several arrests. The trial judge indicated that Hallam and his co‑defendants will face multi‑year prison sentences.[43]

The jury found Roger Hallam and his co-conspirators guilty of causing a public nuisance by unanimous verdict. On 18 July, at Southwark Crown Court, Hallam was sentenced to five years' imprisonment while the other four defendants each received four-year jail terms.[2] [43]

UN Rapporteur for environmental defenders, Michel Forst, spent time at the trial and was critical of the proceedings.[43] Prominent figures including TV presenter and environmentalist Chris Packham, TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, entrepreneur Dale Vince, Green Party peer Jenny Jones and Labour Party Norwich South MP Clive Lewis spoke out against the sentencing.[44] In contrast, Andrew Tettenborn, a professor of law at Swansea University, spoke out in favour of Hallam's sentencing.[45]

The government refused to comment on the sentencing, with a spokeswoman for the prime minister stating that "the judgments and sentencing is for independent judges to make". Similarly a spokesperson for the attorney general's office stated that "Decisions to prosecute, convict and sentence are, rightly, made independently of government by the Crown Prosecution Service, juries and judges respectively. The attorney general has no power to intervene."[46]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Jarvis, Jacob (16 September 2019). "Extinction Rebellion co-founder Roger Hallam charged following Heathrow protests". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 20 September 2019.
  2. ^ a b c Symonds, Tom (18 July 2024). "Just Stop Oil protesters jailed after M25 blocked". BBC News. Archived from the original on 18 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b Leake, Jonathan (25 November 2018). "Meet Dr Demo, the activist behind the road-block radicals". The Sunday Times. ISSN 0956-1382. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  4. ^ Knight, Sam (21 July 2019). "Does Extinction Rebellion Have the Solution to the Climate Crisis?". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  5. ^ a b Gayle, Damien (18 October 2023). "Greta Thunberg charged with public order offence after London oil protest". The Guardian. London, United Kingdom. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  6. ^ Dracott, Edd (24 June 2022). "Climate protesters will block roads 'day after day' in October, says XR founder". Evening Standard.
  7. ^ Albery, Nicholas (1992). The Book of Visions: An Encyclopaedia of Social Innovations. Virgin. ISBN 9780863696015. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
  8. ^ Taylor, Diane (25 June 2020). "Extinction Rebellion activists launch UK Beyond Politics party by stealing food". the Guardian. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  9. ^ "An interview with Roger Hallam — on radical politics, youth mobilization, Extinction Rebellion, and much more – mέta". metacpc.org. 1 October 2021.
  10. ^ Birmingham News Wednesday 18 March 1987, page 3
  11. ^ Birmingham Mail Monday 23 May 1988, page 11
  12. ^ Birmingham Mail Tuesday 20 March 1990, page 20
  13. ^ Birmingham News Thursday 6 January 1994, page 7
  14. ^ Birmingham Post Thursday 12 January 1995, page 32
  15. ^ Lewis, Anna (25 September 2019). "The Welsh farmer who became the mastermind of Extinction Rebellion". WalesOnline. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  16. ^ a b c "Extinction Rebellion founder cleared of vandalism by jury after arguing climate change justification". The Independent. 10 May 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  17. ^ a b c Laville, Sandra; agencies (9 May 2019). "Extinction Rebellion founder cleared over King's College protest". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  18. ^ a b Nye, Catrin (10 April 2019). "The climate protesters who want to get arrested". BBC. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  19. ^ Taylor, Matthew (27 December 2017). "'We don't have time to wait and see': air pollution protesters resort to direct action". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  20. ^ "Anti-Pollution Activists Shut Down Busy London Road During Rush Hour". HuffPost UK. 1 November 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  21. ^ Whipple, Tom (1 January 2018). "Clean-air activists hope to be jailed for protests". The Times. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  22. ^ Carrington, Damian; Taylor, Matthew (7 November 2017). "UK government sued for third time over deadly air pollution". The Guardian.
  23. ^ Taylor, Matthew (26 October 2018). "'We have a duty to act': hundreds ready to go to jail over climate crisis". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  24. ^ Goddard, Emily; Clifton, Jamie; Sturrock, Alex (20 February 2019). "Extinction Rebellion Is Telling the Terrifying Truth About Climate Change". Vice. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  25. ^ "European Election 2019: UK results in maps and charts | BBC News". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  26. ^ Statesman, New (17 May 2023). "The New Statesman's left power list". New Statesman. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  27. ^ Scheib, Katrin (20 November 2019). "Extinction Rebellion: Roger Hallam calls Holocaust "just another fuckery in human history"". Die Zeit.
  28. ^ Connolly, Kate; Taylor, Matthew (20 November 2019). "Extinction Rebellion founder's Holocaust remarks spark fury". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  29. ^ Scheib, Katrin (20 November 2019). "Extinction Rebellion: Roger Hallam calls Holocaust "just another fuckery in human history"". Die Zeit. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  30. ^ "SMWeCGEC & GAPP Statement on Roger Hallam's Shoah Comments & Their Relevance to the Maangamizi". stopthemaangamizi.com. 26 November 2019.
  31. ^ a b Boycott-Owen, Mason (3 November 2021). "Extinction Rebellion founder's repugnant rant: 'Climate crisis will lead to gang rape'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  32. ^ Backes, Laura; Thelen, Raphael (22 November 2019). "'We Are Engaged in the Murder of the World's Children'". Der Spiegel. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  33. ^ a b Humphries, Will (8 May 2019). "Eco protesters 'caused £7,000 damage to walls at King's College London'". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  34. ^ a b "A university student is on hunger strike to force action on climate change – and it's working". The Independent. 5 March 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  35. ^ Buus, Kristian (7 October 2019). "Extinction Rebellion: the arrestables – a photo essay". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  36. ^ Humphries, Will (10 May 2019). "Jury clears spray-paint activists from Extinction Rebellion". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  37. ^ Gayle, Damien (12 September 2019). "Heathrow third runway activists arrested before drone protest". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  38. ^ "Extinction Rebellion co-founder arrested at Heathrow protest". The Guardian. PA Media. 14 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  39. ^ Sharman, Jon (16 September 2019). "Extinction Rebellion co-founder charged over Heathrow drone plot – 'Airport expansion constitutes a crime against humanity,' says Roger Hallam". The Independent. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  40. ^ "Extinction Rebellion Heathrow activist sentenced over drone plan". BBC News. 5 April 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  41. ^ Gayle, Damien (11 July 2024). "Just Stop Oil activists found guilty of conspiring to block M25 traffic". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  42. ^ Siddique, Haroon (11 July 2024). "What restrictions are placed on defendants in climate protest trials?". The Guardian.
  43. ^ a b c Gayle, Damien (12 July 2024). "Contempt, gagging and UN intervention: inside the UK's wildest climate trial". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  44. ^ Gayle, Damien; Horton, Helena (19 July 2024). "Celebrities add voice to outcry over severity of Just Stop Oil sentences". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  45. ^ Tettenborn, Andrew (19 July 2024). "Just Stop Oil fanatics deserve their lengthy jail terms". The Spectator. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  46. ^ Gayle, Damien; Horton, Helena; Quinn, Ben (19 July 2024). "'Not acceptable in a democracy': UN expert condemns lengthy Just Stop Oil sentences". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
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