Just Stop Oil activists who planned to glue to themselves to Heathrow runways during 'summer of disruption' convicted

20 March 2025, 14:21 | Updated: 20 March 2025, 14:53

Nine Just Stop Oil protestors have been convicted after police intervened to prevent their plan to glue themselves onto Heathrow’s runways - which they claim could have affected up to 260,000 passengers.

In a statement following the conviction, the environment activist group say they have "no regrets".

Back in July 2024, two JSO groups were intercepted close to the perimeter fence of the airport, the Met said.

The groups, made up of seven members, were arrested and found to have angle grinders and glue, which showed their plan to cut through the perimeter fence and attach themselves to the airfield’s surface.

Those arrested also had branded high-visibility vests and a prepared statement, confirming their intention to go onto the taxiway, a part of the airfield where planes are moved from the hangar to the runway, the force added.

"If they had been successful, the group would have had to cross one of the airport’s runways, endangering the lives of themselves, airport staff and those on flights taking off and landing," the Met said.

Two key organisers were also arrested on the same day.

Following a a trial at Isleworth Crown Court on Monday, eight JSO members were found guilty of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance at Heathrow Airport. A ninth member pleaded guilty to the same offence.

'Significant consequences'

During the seven-week trial, the court heard if the group had broken through the security fence and gained access to the airfield, there would have been significant safety and operational consequences, including stopping all departures and affecting nearly 260,000 passengers that day.

The court heard that in some instances, passengers would need to be diverted to other airports nationally and internationally, leaving them potentially stranded for days.

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'No regrets'

Following the verdict the defendants issued the following statement: “We thank the jury for their service and accept their decision. We recognise the constraints they were under given that the judge removed all legal defences, ruled the climate emergency to be ‘irrelevant’, and forbade us from mentioning that a jury has a right to acquit a defendant as a matter of conscience.

"Some of us now face many months in prison for planning an action that never happened.

"We sought to get media attention so that we could explain the growing suffering and the horror of our heating world and the urgency for global action. In that we count ourselves successful. A small victory won in the wider struggle against complacency, false hope and denial.

"We have no regrets.

"We planned our campaign with care, aiming to avoid harm and with the intention of preventing greater harm.  The bigger crime would have been not to act.

"When it comes to global heating there are no winners. Governments are rolling the dice on billions of deaths and economic collapse as extreme heat, crop failure and starvation drive mass migration and civil unrest.

"Our government is failing to protect us and the courts and the judiciary are complicit. They are protecting those who profit from death and destruction while criminalising those standing up against it. 

"Civil resistance to a morally bankrupt political class is not only necessary as an act of self-defence, it is also morally justified.

"There are many who know the horror of our situation, who nonetheless are carrying on with business as usual, in the mistaken belief that someone else will solve the problem.

"We are sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but if you don’t stand up and do something, we are going to lose literally everything.”

'Summer of disruption'

Chief Superintendent Ian Howells, from the Met's Aviation Policing Command, said: “Last year, Just Stop Oil threatened a summer of disruption and the Met worked with police forces across the country to make sure this didn’t happen and that no members of the public were put at risk as a result of their activity.

“The reckless actions of this particular group would have not only put their own lives and the lives of others in danger, but caused havoc at Heathrow airport, bringing flights to a standstill.

“There is a clear distinction between peaceful protest and the criminal activity that this group sought to carry out.

“This kind of action will not be tolerated and the Met will continue to work with all our partners to protect the public, prevent disruption to Londoners and those visiting our city and bring offenders to justice.

“Today’s result is a clear example of this, and a reminder to anyone tempted to carry out similar actions that they will face the full force of the law.”

The seven JSO members arrested at the scene were:

• Sally Davidson, 37, of Easton Street, Portland.
• Adam Beard, 55, of Stanton Road, Stroud.
• Luke Elson, 32, of Buxton Road, Stratford.
• Luke Watson, 35, of Tottenham Marshes.
• Sean O’Callaghan, 30, of Old London Road, Dorking.
• Hannah Schafer, 61, of Tanygroes, Ceredigion.
• Rory Wilson, 26, of Lipton Road, Tower Hamlets (pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing)

The organisers arrested on the same day were:

• Rosa Hicks, 29, of Wharf Hill, Winchester
• William Goldring, 27, of Rye Lane, Southwark.

Julia Mercer, 74, of Beaumont Street, Calderdale, was acquitted.

'Deeply regrettable'

Specialist protest lawyers from Hodge Jones & Allen represent Rosa Hicks, Luke Watson and Hannah Schafer.

Francesca Cociani, from Hodge Jones & Allen said: “It is deeply regrettable that the jury reached today’s verdict but we will await the sentencing before deciding any potential course of action.

" I hope that the recent harsh jail sentences for JSO protesters have no bearing on what punishment the court decides to hand down to my client, especially as no disruption was carried out.

"I can only hope that common sense prevails.”