by Mollie Somerville
In November 2023, just over 50 people were arrested for walking slowly over Waterloo Bridge in London as part of a series of protests organised by Just Stop Oil. The aim was to draw attention to the climate crisis, calling on the government not to issue new licences for the exploration of fossil fuels in the North Sea.
Arrested and charged under section 7 of the Public Order act 2023, seven of us were tried at Southwark Crown Court on the 22nd June 2026. The trial lasted until Friday 3rd July when the jury gave a majority verdict of “Not Guilty” to us all.
The prosecution had to prove that we significantly delayed the traffic crossing the bridge. Their evidence consisted of one and a half hours of CCTV footage from 4 cameras sited on or near the bridge. The prosecutor showed this without any commentary or explanation. The footage had no dates or times on.
In my statement following his presentation, I had the opportunity to tell the jury of my motivation for taking nonviolent direct action. I’d been a volunteer with the Catholic Institute of International Relations 1969 to 1971 and seen how reliant people were on the seasons. No rain in the rainy season meant no crops and no food.
Once home in the UK, I actively campaigned with J and P and other organisations to improve conditions for people and the environment in the Global South, writing to MPs, signing petitions, going on rallies and marches in London, Birmingham, Edinburgh and at COPs in Paris and Glasgow. Climate change over the years became climate crisis and climate breakdown but still governments weren’t listening to the science. I was at my wits end knowing how people in the Global South were already suffering the effects. I talked about Laudato Si influencing me and my decision to take non violent direct action with Just Stop Oil on that cold, wet November day.
I also told the jury that I had no intention of significantly delaying the traffic and that our walk over the bridge would have been less than 20 minutes in a London rush hour had the police escorted us rather than walking backwards in front of us and then arresting us all in the middle of the bridge, closing the opposite carriageway with their vans full of more than 50 officers, before loading us up and taking us to various police stations where we spent the night.
The other defendants all told their own varied histories of involvement. We were from different parts of the UK of different ages and beliefs but all committed to the same cause.
In his summing up, the judge no longer talked of climate change but of climate catastrophe. The jury took more than 7 hours to come to a decision. The prosecutor was helpful throughout and said his job was not to win but to make sure justice was done. He will be advising the crown prosecution service to drop the 10 or more similar cases still pending.
The whole experience was scary and wearing and it was the hottest week of the year with 37 degrees in London. I’m relieved to be home and thankful for all the prayers and support I’ve had.