JURY RULES THREAT JUSTIFIES DAMAGE

A British jury has ruled that the threat of climate change is so great
that campaigners are justified in causing damage.

Under Britain's Criminal Damage Act (1971) "lawful excuse" allows
damage to be caused to property to prevent even greater damage.

Protesters caused more than ?35,000 worth of damage to a coal-fired
power station, but a jury at the Maidston Crown Court reached a
verdict that cleared six Greenpeace activists of criminal damage.

The jury accepted the argument from the defence that six persons had a
lawful excuse to damage property at Kingsnorth power station in Kent
to prevent even greater damage caused by global warming. The not-
guilty verdict is likely to encourage protestors to take more direct
action against coal plants that create greenhouse gas emissions.

During the eight-day trial one of the world's leading climate
scientist, U.S. professor James Hansen of NASA joined several high
profile figures in sup****ting the notion that direct action causing
damage could be justified in the minds of many people if it were
intended to prevent larger crimes being committed.

The defendants successfully claimed that their intention was to rein
back CO2 emissions and bring urgent pressure to bear on the Government
to change policies on coal used as fuel to generate electricity.

It was the second time in a decade that the "lawful excuse" defence
has been successfully used by Greenpeace activists. Environmental
groups viewed the verdict marks a tipping point for the climate change
movement.
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