Seven climate camp activists against the widening of the M1(1*) had the
case against them dismissed from Sheffield Crown Court today. Charged
with conspiracy to cause a public nuisance Judge Robinson said that:
"there was not a jot of evidence" for a jury to infer an endangerment
of any member of the public.

Arrested over a year ago the protesters had their houses raided with
property such as computers and phones taken and held for the duration
of the investigation.

This ruling in the midst of a crack down (2*) on green protest sets a
precedent for policing of environmental demonstrations. The Judge
resoundingly rejected the prosecution's argument that the hanging of
banners over the motorway would constitute a public nuisance.

He went on to say: "that all of the available material (presented to
the court) is consistent only with peaceful protest."

Campaign spokesperson Dr Julie White, a GP from Sheffield, said: "this
is victory for the right to protest in the face of government policy
of expanding roads, runways and coal-fired power stations in a time of
climate crisis."

The activists say that the experience has not deterred them from
taking action against the root causes of climate change and will be
attending the Camp for Climate Action(3*) at Kingsnorth coal-fired power
station in Kent this August.

Contact Julie White on 0779851073.


NOTES FOR EDITORS
1*) The Department of Transport have decided against widening the M1 any further:  http://www.nowideningm1.org.uk/

2*) this month the Sunday Herald reported that protestors in Scotland
had been harassed by police after peaceful demonstrations:
 http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.2210574.0.protesters_police_treated_us_like_terrorists.php

3*)The Camp for Climate Action went to Heathrow last summer over the building of a third runway this year it will pitch up at Kingsnorth over the potential building of the UK's first new coal-fired power station for 30 years:
 http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/