Should be noted that the organiser of the protest who got 5 years
was a repeat offender
purposely blocked an ambulance, then when asked to let it through said he'd rather any patient inside die than let it through
was arrested again during the court case for being in contempt of court
said he couldn't wait to get out and commit more crime
He didnt really leave the judge much choice. You try telling a judge you want to commit more crime and see how that goes. Plus, purposely blocking an ambulance is a serious crime.
Plus, while not being illegal, he'll happily jump on a flight to the US just to attend a wedding, yet moans about poorer people going on holiday abroad. That rubs me the wrong way.
Thank you for providing this extra context. I don't think that people are really interrogating the circumstances properly when they compare sentences. Roger Hallam is a bona fide weirdo too - anyone who has not heard him being interviewed should listen to 5 mins of him describing his worldview.
These statements, while true are lacking so many critical details that it borders on disinformation.
He was a repeat offender of nonviolent crimes.
He was held in contempt after the court refused to allow him to speak to the motivation behind his crime, a key component in any defence of nonviolent civil disobedience.
Of course he said he would commit the "crime" again. It's civil disobedience. What exactly are you expecting? The planet is still on fire and we're still burning it.
The ambulance thing is pretty terrible, but when you consider the objective outcome of our current world-burning, it's not an unexpected perspective. Given a few more years of inaction and profiteering, and the nonviolent actors will start giving up on being civil -- especially if the penalty is the same regardless. We'll be looking back on traffic blocking and orange paint with nostalgia.
It depends. While I don't say he was right, Many activists like "last generation" in Poland won't be persecuted more than few hours of social work for blocking hours long whole street including emergency ambulance. The activits group is actually using subsidized big flat at the city center of Warsaw and Warsaw governor doesn't care about this. There are double standards by current "good ( by EU ) government in Poland". There is a clear bias ( i wont say what side ) represented in most governments of EU
These are only the early, cases which have been easier to prove and process. They have just started charging people with riot, which carries a maximum 10 year sentence.
Oh get off that narrative. The guy was certifiable he literally told the judge that he would commit more crimes when released what exactly was going to happen. Stop with these victim complex, everything that happened to him was 100% his fault.
Paul Williams, 45, was jailed for two years and two months on Friday after pleading guilty to one count of violent disorder in connection with the Sunderland riots.
The court heard he had entered the city centre to collect a takeaway, but ended up at the "forefront" of an "orgy of mindless destruction, violence and disorder".
His defence lawyer said he had no political opinions around immigration and was "entirely unaware of the basis of what started this".
Newcastle Crown Court heard Williams threw metal fencing and a can of beer at police, stripped off his shirt and ran at the line of riot shields.
It makes you wonder what goes on in some people's heads (or doesn't go on).
To be fair to him (and I'm not feeling fair), that photo is of the previously mentioned rioter who was done for inciting violence, which totally wouldn't believe looking at his picture.
Meanwhile, Ashkan Kareem, 33, has been jailed for 12 months after participating in a clash in Darlington on 5 August.
Kareem said he was trying to protect a mosque from being attacked by "racists".
The presiding judge said Kareem was part of a group which gathered in opposition to men "chanting racist and far-right slogans", but it was "abundantly clear that would result in violence and it did".
So we are American school systems now? Defend yourself, believe it or not, straight to jail. What if he wasn't part of a group, and they attack him? Still jail?
I get what the judge is saying, but that is fucking bull shit. If I can't protect my own beliefs, why do they get to roll down the street screaming hate?
(Disclaimer, I am from America, but I can see how it could read differently)
not knowing more context than what you provided, he was not protecting himself: he was protecting a building. they were looking to make the situation violent, and he provided the catalyst
If I see a hate group coming for my shit, my people, my property, my fucking anything, you are god damned right I'll do what I have to do to protect it. If it is me against ten, you are fucking right I'm hitting up the homies for backup. If you are actually being genuine, you are part of the problem