Protesters outside Just Stop Oil trial arrested for ‘attempting to sway jurors’

Around a dozen Just Stop Oil protesters were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly trying to sway jurors in a court case, in defiance of a judge’s ruling.

Twelve activists staging a silent sit-down protest outside Southwark Crown Court were led away by police.

Each of the protestors, their number appearing to represent the men and women of a trial jury, held up placards bearing slogans.

One of the protestors held a blank sign and was not arrested.

After being held for several hours in cells beneath the court building, the 11 were bailed to return to Southwark Crown Court on Sep 27 to face potential contempt of court proceedings.

Judge Hehir said the proceedings related to the carrying of placards in “an improper attempt to influence the jury” in a trial.

As part of their bail conditions the 11 protestors have been barred from entering the precincts of the court and the immediate area until the date of their next court hearing.

Judge Hehir said the matter would either be dealt with by him personally, or by another judge, or referred to the Attorney General for his or her consideration.

Following a similar protest involving five people outside the court on Monday, Judge Hehir had said he would instruct anyone attempting to stage further protests aimed at persuading a jury to reach a particular verdict to be arrested for contempt of court.

Scotland Yard said in a statement: “Officers were given directions by a judge to arrest 11 activists on suspicion of contempt of court.

“The activists were holding placards outside Southwark Crown Court which the judge determined could be interpreted as influencing a jury.”

The dozen activists had begun their sit-down protest at around 8.30am, maintaining complete silence as lawyers, jurors and members of the public walked past them to enter the court buildings.

Police in three vans maintained a discreet watch until around 9.40am when they approached each of the activists before informing them they were being arrested, carrying out a cursory body search and leading them away from the court buildings.

Among the 11 arrested was a retired Metropolitan Police officer, a retired academic and a retired doctor.

In April a High Court judge threw out an attempt by the Government’s most senior law officer to prosecute a woman for holding a placard on jury rights outside a climate trial.

Mr Justice Saini said there was no basis for a prosecution of Trudi Warner, 69, for criminal contempt for holding a placard outside the trial of climate activists that informed jurors of their right to acquit a defendant based on their conscience.

The judge accused government lawyers of “mischaracterising” the evidence when they said Warner had acted in an intimidating and abusive manner, confronting potential jurors outside the court and following them, in a deliberate attempt to interfere with the administration of justice.

Ms Warner, a retired social worker, was being pursued for contempt of court after a lone protest last year outside Inner London Crown Court in which she held up a placard highlighting the right of jurors to acquit defendants on their conscience.

The Attorney General had decided to pursue Ms Warner for contempt of court after she protested at the start of a trial of Insulate Britain protesters for a peaceful roadblock.