Oxford women joined the great granddaughter of famous suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst in a march in London.
Jessica Upton, Ines Smyth & Cathy Allen, from Oxford, joined Helen Pankhurst, actor Juliet Stevenson and about 150 “Suffragettes” from all over the country marching from the Bank of England over London Bridge.
The group bounded on with banners and placards saying “Barclays are the Real Criminals” and “Barclays Profit while the World Burns” to Southwark Crown Court.
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Three speeches were made in solidarity with the ‘Barclays 7’ - seven women who were found guilty of criminal damage last year for cracking windows at the Bank’s HQ to protest its financing of climate damaging fossil fuels.
Their sentencing was being announced later that day at the court.
They received 2 years unconditional suspended sentences and were ordered to pay £500 each towards prosecution costs.
Juliet Stevenson, actor, said: “Nonviolent protesters are today facing the prospect of prison.
“But we all know who the real criminals are.
"They are those in government, in fossil fuel companies and in banks who are refusing to take action on the climate emergency and are condemning our children and grandchildren to an unliveable future.
“I am glad to be here today in solidarity with those who are standing up for the environment with deeds and words.”
Helen Pankhurst said: “It takes courage to challenge the status quo, to risk prison for a cause and to speak truth to power.
“I’m here in support of the climate activists being sentenced, and in memory of my grandmother and great-grandmother and all the suffragettes who did likewise, over a century ago.”
One of the seven women sentenced, Cazzie Wood, 54, said “I’m just a working-class mum desperately trying to protect my daughters’ future from irreversible and catastrophic climate breakdown”.
Another, Sophie Cowen, said, “Sometimes we have to make difficult decisions, and sometimes we have to go beyond what we see as the norm.
“I had to do something more to break them out of business as usual, to stop the harm, to wake them up from their relentless cycle of fossil fuel funding.
“To help them to make the decisions that they know, in their hearts, beyond the profits, beyond the reputation – are the ones that will support life.”
Oxford woman Ines Smyth, who joined the gathering in London, said: "I am in London today in support of the seven brave women who have been deemed to be 'guilty' of sounding the alarm about the immense threat that Barclays's investments represent for the very existence of humanity and the planet.”
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This story was written by Matthew Norman, he joined the team in 2022 as a Facebook community reporter.
Matthew covers Bicester and focuses on finding stories from diverse communities.
Get in touch with him by emailing: Matthew.norman@newsquest.co.uk
Follow him on Twitter: @OxMailMattN1
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