UK’s criminalization of direct-action climate protests has counterproductive results, study says

A new study of 1,300 climate campaigners suggests that the UK’s criminalization of direct-action climate protests may be having the opposite effect of what authorities intend. Rather than discouraging activists, arrests, fines, and long prison sentences appear to strengthen the resolve of some protesters to take part in disruptive demonstrations.

The research found that punitive measures against nonviolent climate activists, including those who blocked roads or damaged buildings, may contribute to their radicalization, The Guardian reported on Saturday.

The authors also suggested that repression could be one factor behind more secretive forms of protest, such as the recent cutting of internet cables.

Earlier studies have produced mixed conclusions about the effects of repression on protest movements. Some argued that harsh treatment discourages further activism, while others found that it can intensify commitment.

This new study argued that the key factor is activists’ emotional response to repression, whether already experienced or merely expected.

Campaigners who had previously been jailed, fined, arrested, or placed under surveillance said they felt less afraid of joining future disruptive actions.

There were mixed reactions among those who had not yet experienced repression.

Activists who responded to the possibility of repression with anger or contempt felt more motivated to continue protesting. By contrast, those who felt fear were less likely to intend to take part in future actions.

The study comes amid a wider crackdown on climate protests in the UK. In recent years, some activists have received lengthy prison sentences for planning motorway blockades and have been prevented from presenting climate-related arguments or a “reasonable excuse” defense before juries.

Mary Lawlor, the UN special rapporteur for human rights defenders, has recently criticized the UK, the US, and other governments for claiming to support climate goals while criminalizing climate activists.

Separate research found that 17% of climate protests in the UK between 2019 and 2024 led to arrests, compared with a global average of 6.3%.