Climate protesters do not have ‘carte blanche’ to damage buildings, court told

Climate campaigners accused of criminal damage do not have a “carte blanche” to damage property during protests and should not walk free from trials due to the law being applied “too broadly”, the Court of Appeal has heard.

Some protesters charged with criminal damage have been cleared by juries after using a defence that they honestly believed a property owner would have consented to damage caused if they had been fully aware of its “circumstances”, such as the impact of climate change.

Victoria Prentis asked the Court