MORE THAN 50 activists plan to march from HMP Bronzefield in Ashford, Surrey, to the Royal Courts of Justice, Westminster, where 16 climate activists will appeal against their draconian prison sentences tomorrow.

The Just Stop Oil (JSO) activists were jailed for a combined 41 years for taking non-violent action to call for an end to reliance on fossil fuels. 

The sentences include five years imposed on JSO founder Roger Hallam for organising a protest over Zoom, and two years given to Phoebe Plummer after she threw soup on glass covering Van Gogh’s Sunflowers.

Last year, then UN special rapporteur on environmental defenders Michel Forst condemned the use of legislation such as the Public Order Act and civil injunctions to criminalise peaceful protests.

When Mr Hallam and four others were jailed for organising a protest on the M25, Mr Forst described it as a dark day for “anyone concerned with the exercise of their fundamental freedoms” in Britain.

A march organised by Extinction Rebellion Walkers in solidarity with the prisoners was due to set off for the 16-mile trek last night before the Morning Star went to print.

Steve Scott-Robson a 63-year-old father and educator joining the walk said: “I applaud loudly the spirit of these 16 activists, and I am grateful to them for their brave and defiant actions. 

“It is an utter abomination that the country that has benefited from industrialisation first  — and therefore longest — is the country in Europe that has the harshest legislation aimed at environmental activists.”

Ahead of the walk, people across the country took part in the #16for16 campaign on social media in support of the prisoners and to call for an end to the repressive use of anti-protest legislation.

One artist made 16 pieces of art, a 90-year-old took 16 sips of wine, and poet Stephen Micalef led a poetry walk in Soho, reciting 16 poems written for the brave climate activists. 

Carmel Gibbons, an English teacher from Ireland did 16 swims.

She said: “When I was younger, I took action to get rid of cruise missiles at Greenham Common and I think this is an important part of our democratic right to protest. 

“We are all concerned about climate change and should be able to exercise our democratic right to protest.” 

The hearing will take place tomorrow and on Thursday at the Court of Appeal.