Archive · 20 May 2025
Criminalization of Environmental Protesters: A Global Overview
Some people are protesting against using things like coal and oil because they cause climate change.
Governments are making it illegal to protest these things.
This includes arresting protesters, giving them big fines, and even putting them in jail.
This is happening because the protests are causing problems for businesses that sell these things.
Some companies are also suing the protesters for causing them to lose money.
It's like the people who are protesting are being punished for trying to stop climate change.
Environmental protesters are facing increased criminalization globally through new laws and legal actions.
Anti-protest laws have been enacted in Australia, the UK, Germany, and the US, among others.
Protesters face arrests, fines, imprisonment, and lawsuits from fossil fuel companies.
The actions are often related to disrupting major public infrastructure such as ports and roads.
Critics argue that these measures are influenced by the fossil fuel industry to silence dissent.
- Who
- Environmental protesters, governments, fossil fuel companies
- What
- Environmental protesters are facing criminalization through anti-protest laws, arrests, imprisonment, and litigation for actions against fossil fuel projects.
- When
- From 2022 to 2025
- Where
- Australia, UK, Germany, Netherlands, and US
- Why
- To protest fossil fuel use and new projects, and to bring attention to the climate crisis. Governments and companies are criminalizing these actions due to financial impacts of the protests and the influence of fossil fuel interests.
Protester's perspective
Government & Industry Perspective
Justification for Criminalization
Protester's perspective
The laws and actions are suppressing legitimate forms of dissent and civil disobedience.
Government & Industry Perspective
Governments are protecting public infrastructure from disruption and mitigating the financial impacts of protests.
Impact of Protests
Protester's perspective
The protests are a necessary response to the threat of climate change.
Government & Industry Perspective
The protests cause disruption and inconvenience.
- Activist Group
- Rising Tide
- Country with Highest Arrest Rate
- Australia
- Potential Fines/Sentence in NSW
- $22,000 AUD or two years in jail
- Activists Arrested in Newcastle
- 170
- Longest Sentences for non-violent protest in UK
- 5 years
- Compensation claim against Greenpeace in US
- $660 million
- Environmental Defenders Murdered 2012-2023
- 2000