Extinction Rebellion’s Day In Court: ‘It’s An Absurd Waste Of Public Money’

Valentine says the decision will have a cumulative effect because trials are being set until the end of the year. “It’s nonsense, absolutely nonsense,” he says.

Across the hallway, courtroom three is full of activists, family and friends who are choosing to watch other people’s plea hearings to offer their support.

The same court usher pops in and out to ensure the whole thing is running smoothly. She grins widely when someone tells her she is doing a great job.

Next up is mother-of-three Helen Long. The 48-year-old from Walthamstow seems quite emotional as she pleads guilty to the same breach of the Public Order Act as the others, and although she has a statement she doesn’t feel confident enough to read it out. 

The judge decides to read it out on her behalf so it goes into public record. 

In her statement she explains this is her first ever conviction and she was arrested “simply for sitting”. 

She says in the past she signed petitions, wrote to her MP and had been on marches, but she didn’t feel any of her previous acts has made a difference to those in power. 

Referencing the suffragettes, she said she chose to take part in civil disobedience because she felt she had to “act now in order to be on the right side of history”.

The judge thanked Long for choosing to admit her guilt at the earliest possible time.

“The court recognises your heartfelt concern for very real environmental issues. They are genuine and serious concerns but the court has to uphold the law and you recognise that with your guilty plea,” he said.

Outside in the waiting area, Long tells HuffPost UK that going to court is not something she ever wanted to do. Like many others, she chose to plead guilty mainly for practical reasons, and so it “wasn’t hanging over me”.

“I feel really happy that the judge read my statement out because I didn’t feel strong enough to do it myself and I think it’s important.”

“I know that while we were taking part in the protest, people were dying in parts of the world because of crop failures,” she says.

In the hallway between the court rooms Andrew Medhurst is saying goodbye to his teenage daughter, who had come to support him. 

Medhurst is quite a legendary figure in Extinction Rebellion as he gave up his career in the City, where he worked in financial services in order to devote himself full-time to the cause.