UPDATE - verdict in: Eight Greenpeace volunteers expressed disappointment at being found guilty by Hull Magistrates Court of charges relating to a protest on April 26th this year during which they installed solar panels on the roof of Deputy PM John Prescott's Hull residence.
Laura Yates, one of the volunteers said, "We are disappointed to have been found guilty, but we remain proud of highlighting Mr Prescott's failure to act on climate change."
"This protest aimed to show Mr Prescott and his department how easy it is to drastically reduce the global warming gases pumped out by houses. Mr Prescott admits climate change is 'the most serious environmental threat that the world is facing' and says everybody must 'do their bit' - why doesn't he do his?"
2 November 2005: Eight Greenpeace volunteers who face charges relating to installing solar panels on the roof of Deputy PM John Prescott in April this year began the defence in the case at Hull Magistrates Court yesterday.
The volunteers fitted four solar panels to John Prescott's roof and hung a banner across his house, reading "Oi, 2 Jags! Hit Targets not Voters". They also left low energy light bulbs and loft insulation outside the Prescott's front door. The panels and associated equipment, worth over £4000, were left as a gift for Mr Prescott.
Today the volunteers strongly rejected the accusation that they 'terrorised' Pauline Prescott when installing solar panels on the roof of the Deputy PM's Hull house.
The defendants deny that they 'used threatening or abusive behaviour' and testified that they were undertaking a calm, peaceful protest to highlight how Prescott's department's failure to improve the energy efficiency of UK homes is fuelling catastrophic climate change.
Defendants testified that they had no intention of causing alarm or distress to Mrs Prescott, who they were not aware was in the house until several hours into the protest. The house is one of three that the Prescott's own.
Laura Yates, one of the volunteers who helped to install the solar panels, testified this morning, "I thought it was very unlikely that anyone would be in. I thought John Prescott was on the election trail and that his wife would be with him."
The court heard yesterday that the volunteers were challenged by armed policemen who were protecting the property, at the start of the protest. However the police quickly realised that this was a peaceful and orderly Greenpeace protest and posed no threat, so they holstered their guns and allowed the protest to go ahead.
In a highly emotive presentation Mrs Prescott testified that she felt 'terrorised' by the protest, even once she knew it was Greenpeace volunteers on her roof. She also stated that she did not call the police at any time, and that they had not told her this was a Greenpeace protest, so she was fearful for her life, believing terrorists may be on her roof.
However in court yesterday the evidence of other witnesses contradicted Mrs Prescott. PC York, one of the two armed police officers at the house, stated that Mrs Prescott had called him on his mobile phone within 10 minutes of the volunteers arriving at the house, and he clearly told her it was a Greenpeace protest.
PC Cameron-Johnson, the other armed officer, testified that the protest was 'as peaceful as it can be.' And police inspector Jones confirmed under cross-examination that she saw no violence or disorder. John Prescott admits climate change is 'the single biggest issue facing the planet' but his department has totally failed to address the problem. Today even homes built to new UK building standards use around 65% more energy than a new home built in Sweden. The protest aimed to highlight these failures and show Mr Prescott how easy it is to drastically reduce the global warming caused by our homes.
Greenpeace is calling on the government to:
- Set tough environmental standards for all new buildings: Regulations should ensure that all new buildings are built to zero-emissions standards. Buildings should incorporate renewable power such as solar water heating and photovoltaics, along with state-of-the-art energy efficiency measures.
- Encourage energy efficiency: High energy-efficiency standards should be set for social housing, and financial incentives and grants provided to encourage energy efficiency improvements in existing buildings. Energy-efficient housing should be eligible for reductions in council tax and stamp duty. In addition, there should be zero VAT on energy-efficient building products.
- Support the development of a decentralised energy infrastructure: The government should facilitate the growth in decentralised energy - its technologies and its networks. Electricity networks adapted for embedded technologies and maximum efficiency reduce overall demand for energy and help maximize local renewable energy production. Major development zones like the Thames Gateway should incorporate local low-carbon networks at the master planning stage, recognising that buildings are the power stations of the future.
All eight defendants plead not guilty to both charges. The case is expected to end tomorrow.
More informaton:
Read the update from the first day of the trial when Mrs Prescott appeared
Find out more about the defendants
Read the orginal story from 24 April 2005: Climate campaigners scale Prescott's roof
Download the briefing Prescott's housing policy fuels climate change as a pdf
