An Extinction Rebellion leader has avoided jail after she caused more than £27,000 worth of damage to a Government building.
Dr Gail Bradbrook, who co-founded the climate justice group, scaled the Department of Transport Building in London in October 2019 after protesting against HS2.
She climbed above the revolving door and smashed a window with a chisel and hammer.
The molecular biologist has likened her actions to those of the Suffragette movement and has been supported by Game of Thrones and Ripper Street actor Jerome Flynn.
Appearing before a jury at Isleworth Crown Court, Dr Bradbrook was convicted of criminal damage in just 45 minutes.
Before she was sentenced, she wept as she said that climate change means that “life is being killed”.
She added that she didn’t expect the costs of the damage to be “so high”, adding that her intention wasn’t to cause serious damage as it was “one pane of glass”.
Dr Gail Bradbrook was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment, suspended for 15 months, with a supervision order for 12 months.
She was also ordered to complete 150 hours unpaid work in the community, within 12 months. No order was made for compensation or costs.
Jerome Flynn was with Dr Bradbrook outside the court and said he was “proud of her” for standing up for climate justice.
He said: “I’m here to support my friend Gail, because I’m proud of her and what she and all of these women are standing up for.
“There’s a crime at the heart of the case this morning and it is not Gail smashing up this window, it’s the plan that HS2 was and still is in part which is a crime against nature, a crime against our children and our futures.
“Today’s case shows you where we’re at – that they are willing to charge Gail for coming out and protecting life.
“It shows you that we are at the dying ends of a system that is disconnected from life and not interested in the future for our children. Gail is a mother who simply wants to protect that.
“This country is one of the most depleted in terms of its own natural resources and its loss of habitat for nature, for our children. Without which our planet will not be one worth living on.
“Hers isn’t the crime. The crime at the heart of it is this very disconnected plan to make life more convenient for some privileged few.”
