Friends march in support of Louise Lancaster the Grantchester climate protest prisoner
More than 50 people gathered in Grantchester in support of villager Louise Lancaster to take part in the “Cambridge Walk to Freedom” protest.
Last year, Louise was one of the five protesters given what are thought to be the longest sentences ever for peaceful protest in the UK.
The five protesters were convicted of conspiracy to intentionally cause a public nuisance after action that saw protesters climb onto gantries over the motorway for four successive days, bringing the motorway to a standstill, in November 2022.
On Sunday (January 19), friends and neighbours of Louise were joined by members of Defend our Juries and Friends of the Earth to hear a speech from Pippa Heylings, MP for South Cambridgeshire. They walked from Grantchester meadows to Cambridge market square, singing protest songs.
Ms Heylings explained how she is supporting Louise personally, what she is doing to address the climate and ecological emergency, her submission to David Gauke’s prison sentencing review and her call for an independent review of the draconian anti-protest laws brought in by the last government. Clare Graffy, a personal friend of Louise, read out a personal message from her, thanking everyone for being there and asking people to make connections on the walk.
Zoe Flint, one of the walkers said: “Our walk attracted lots of attention and some people were shocked by Louise’s story. I encouraged leaflet takers to join in the mass action outside the courts during the appeal; I do hope that some of them will join us for this seminal moment for our democracy and legal system.”
The group stopped at several points to take photos and hand out leaflets to passers-by. They carried a banner, which read; “Stop Jailing Truth Tellers” and placards, including “Jurors Deserve to Hear the Whole Truth”.
They handed out leaflets to raise awareness of the mass appeal at the Royal Courts of Justice on the 29 and 30 January. Louise will be one of the 16 appellants there.
At the market square, there was more singing from the Lefty Men and the Cambridge Climate Choir, the inaugural reading of a poem written specifically for the march, another personal message from Louise as well as speeches about the climate crisis and the imprisonments.