UK Nature and Environment

872 readers

4 users here now

General Instance Rules:

No racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia or xenophobia.
No incitement of violence or promotion of violent ideologies.
No harassment, dogpiling or doxxing of other users.
Do not share intentionally false or misleading information.
Do not spam or abuse network features.

Community Specific Rules:

Keep posts UK-specific. There are other places on Lemmy to post articles which relate to global environmental issues (e.g. slrpnk.net). Research carried out in the UK that affects the UK as well as elsewhere is acceptable.
Keep comments in English so that they can be appropriately moderated.

Note: Our temporary logo is from The Wildlife Trusts. We are not officially associated with them.

Our current banner is a shot of Walberswick marshes, Suffolk by GreyShuck.

founded 2 years ago

MODERATORS

Kim@feddit.uk

GreyShuck@feddit.uk

Criminalisation of climate protesters in UK is counterproductive, research finds (www.theguardian.com)

submitted 5 days ago by GreyShuck@feddit.uk to c/nature@feddit.uk

4 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Criminalisation of climate protesters in UK is counterproductive, research finds

Study of 1,300 campaigners finds arrests, fines and jail terms increase determination of activists to take direct action Damian Carrington Environment editor Sat 25 Apr 2026 11.00 CEST Prefer the Guardian on Google

The criminalisation of direct action climate protests in the UK is counterproductive and increases the determination of activists to undertake disruptive demonstrations, according to a study of 1,300 campaigners.

New findings suggest arrests, fines and lengthy prison sentences given to nonviolent climate protesters who have blocked roads or damaged buildings may actually radicalise them. The repression of protest could even be one driver of recent covert actions such as the cutting of internet cables, they said.

Previous research found conflicting results on the impact of repression on protesters, some suggesting it deterred further action and some indicating it encouraged it. The new work found the emotional response of the activists determined their reactions to repression they experienced or anticipated experiencing.

top 4 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old

[–] bold_omi@lemmy.today 0 points 4 days ago

If you try to criminalize protest, you should not be in command.

[–] Zombie@feddit.uk 0 points 4 days ago (1 children)

If you're going to get the book thrown at you regardless of what you do, might as well go big and enact as much change as you possibly can.

Not exactly a difficult concept to grasp, funny how those in power never seem to get it though.

[–] Riffraffintheroom@hexbear.net 0 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Yep. Protests are mostly a steam valve releasing pressure. If you criminalize them, why wouldn’t someone just blow up a pipeline? Theyre a criminal now either way.

[–] balsoft@lemmy.ml 0 points 4 days ago

If cops listened to science and common sense they would be arresting very different people