In the news

All of this. I find the UK Judiciary really stuck several decades in the past. Although that would be progressive compared to 400+ year old wig fashion.

If jailing people for inconvenience is now a thing, can we get the death penalty reinstated for people who park in cycle lanes? Only seems proportionate; it is really inconvenient.

Sentences in Germany for disruptive protest also have been really high. Think it was serial offenders mostly, but compared to what you get for killing children with your car 2 years for blocking stuff seems a bit high.

Yes but you see driving is my right, but peaceful protest is only a licenced/permitted activity...

Maybe overly sensitive due to having a child with ASD but heard on the radio and now on BBC news, them reporting the name of the person who committed the stabbing and following straight up with he has an ASD diagnosis, doesn't feel a helpful way to report as if that might explain why he did it or that it adds anything to the story apart from to create a stigma

There actions caused an economic loss and also policing costs with a grand total approaching £2M. I presume that has had a lot to do with the sentencing.

Sentences in Germany for disruptive protest also have been really high.

It'll be ... interesting what will happen to the people who got onto the tarmac at Frankfurt Airport recently--I suspect that'll set a new record for severe sentences.

Meanwhile

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/10/climate-loss-and-damage-cost-16-million-per-hour/

I think you are being a little sarcastic;)

What about when motorways are closed due to accidents or vehicle fires.

Should we arrest and charge these people?

The law has been changed to stop these things such as peaceful protest thanks to the public order bill.

They aren't intentional, I don't agree with the sentences but the judges sentencing remarks are available online and go in to detail on why he chose those sentences and examples of the disruption caused, someone missing a cancer appointment having treatment delayed two months was one example I think

I imagine the kind of incident you're referring to would be impossible to prove mens rea, intent. Whereas deliberate actions which caused the motorway to be shut are an open and shut case.

Something along those lines, yes.

That's not a bad excuse... Although I have a feeling you'd still see such stiff sentences now regardless. Draconian sentencing for peaceful protest is becoming a thing everywhere now... I'm pretty sure Frank Zappa was on the money with the brick wall at the back of the theatre.

I can understand but missed appointments happen. When I returned from France I missed an medical appointment as I hadn't done the prep as I was stuck on the M20 when someone was in a poor state of mind that they climbed up on a bridge and wanted to commit suicide. Do I blame them, no. Do I feel aggrieved at the person also no. Things happen.
This was just peaceful protest you get less for a gang beating with weapons on an unarmed man. See jay the one that died recently.

Understand where you are coming from, and I'm probably being more awkward that usual. But I don't see the fairness that I can kill a cyclist or motorcyclist with my car and get less of a sentence or ban from the privilege of driving.

Then I probably am comparing oranges to pears.

There's stil no point a custodial sentence is appropriate. It's simply used as a deterrent, not a just punishment.

So it's done the job then.

Agree, not helpful.

Reporting might be ok if in court it was proved beyond reasonable doubt the ASD was linked to the stabbings. Right now it's just speculation.

If mass transit options weren’t so shit, maybe people would have been going to their appointments that way, and surely that’s part of the protest

I think pulling up the repercussions of the closed motorway would have been considered, that’s what makes the protest effective, except instead of the result being “ok let’s take this seriously” it’s just “right let’s stop that happening again, head deeper in the sand everybody”

It will have done the job (if that was the goal) if it turns out to be an effective deterrent, which they have so far not proven to be in all of human history

.

I've seen more outrageous over a "trans woman" (who's not actually
trans and was born a biological female) at the Olmypics than I have a
convicted child rapist being allowed to participate. Says everything
you need to know about the society we live in

https://x.com/HazLFC97/status/1819073092250935396

As always the BBC focusing on the important aspects of the story.

https://www.theguardian.com/media/article/2024/aug/01/bbc-head-says-he-will-look-at-all-options-to-claw-back-pay-from-huw-edwards

The finding suggests human cases of H5N1 are going undetected. Moreover, managing to find evidence of two undetected infections in a sample of just 14 workers suggests it may not be hard to find more. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that around 200,000 people work with livestock in the US.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/08/troubling-bird-flu-study-suggests-human-cases-are-going-undetected/