Country
United Kingdom
Date of text
Status
Decided
Sources
Sabin Center
Court name
Cambridge Magistrates' Court
Seat of court
England and Wales
Reference number
N/A
Abstract
An Extinction Rebellion protester was cleared of criminal liability for defacing a council building after successfully arguing that she was acting to defend her property.
Angela Ditchfield was arrested after spray-painting two "XR" symbols onto the headquarters of the Cambridgeshire County Council during a protest in December 2018. She argued that she had a legal excuse to commit vandalism because she believed climate disaster posed an imminent threat to her property. According to news reports, on November 1, 2019 she was found not guilty at Cambridge Magistrates' Court, which found that she was acting to protect land and homes.
Key environmental legal questions
Whether climate protester could assert necessity defense to escape liability for vandalism.