A GRANDMOTHER from Somerset was one of four Insulate Britain campaigners acquitted at Woolwich Crown Court yesterday (26 November) for participating in a roadblock on the M25.  

Ruth Cook, 72, was on trial for common law public nuisance for her role in the roadblock on 27 September 2021, along with Emily Brocklebank, Ana Heyatawin and Iain Webb. 

The roadblock was part of Insulate Britain’s 2021 campaign of “nonviolent civil resistance demanding the UK government insulate Britain’s cold and leaky homes.” 

After a 6 day trial, the 12 person jury took only an hour to return a unanimous verdict of not guilty.  

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In contrast to earlier Insulate Britain public nuisance trials, His Honour Judge C Grout allowed the defendants to speak about the climate crisis in their closing speeches. 

In her closing speech, Ruth Cook, a grandmother and director of a small training company from Rode, near Frome, spoke about her fears around climate breakdown, her previous experience working for a charity in providing food aid to refugees in Greece and about the recent flooding across England and Wales. 

“You have heard that I am a Quaker,” she said. “The essential thing about Quakers is that they are known for speaking truth to power.”  

She posed the question of what will happen to Woolwich and the surrounding areas when the Thames Barrier is no longer sufficient to protect against rising water levels.   

Ruth had been late to the proceedings on Monday because of travel disruption caused by the extensive flooding across England and Wales, including her hometown. 

Following the verdict, Ruth said she the aim of the campaigners was to shame the government into addressing climate change and the problem of insulation. 

"I am incredibly proud of what Insulate Britain achieved—taking to the streets day after day, knowing we risked being remanded in custody,” she said. 

“Our aim was to shame the government into addressing the climate crisis by insulating our homes. The UK has the worst housing stock in Europe, leading to thousands of preventable deaths from cold and damp, as well as forcing people to choose between eating and heating. 

“At 72 years old, I was a law-abiding citizen until September 2021. Insulate Britain—its demands, the people I met, and the trust we shared in taking action together—showed me that nonviolent civil resistance was the only way to ensure our voices were heard.” 

In the 23 Insulate Britain jury trials for public nuisance charges to date, four trials have resulted in a hung jury, three trials have resulted in acquittals, thirteen have resulted in a guilty verdict and three have been deferred.  

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has applied for retrials in three cases where the jury failed to reach a majority verdict. 

The CPS has chosen to summon a total of 56 supporters to answer at least 201 charges of public nuisance across some 45 jury trials, with trials planned up to June 2025. These trials have been heard across Inner London, Hove, Lewes, Reading and Woolwich Crown Courts.