The UK has led the way in the crackdown, experts say, with judges recently refusing an appeal against multi-year sentences for climate activists who blocked a motorway bridge in east London. The three-year jail terms for Marcus Decker and Morgan Trowland earlier this year are thought to be the longest handed out by a British judge for non-violent protest.

Michel Forst, the UN rapporteur on environmental defenders since June last year, described the situation in the UK as “terrifying”. He added that other countries were “looking at the UK examples with a view to passing similar laws in their own countries, which will have a devastating effect for Europe”.

He added: “I’m sure that there is European cooperation among the police forces against these kinds of activities. My concern is that when [governments] are calling these people eco-terrorists, or are using new forms of vilifications and defamation … it has a huge impact on how the population may perceive them and the cause for which these people are fighting. It is a huge concern for me.”

  • tryptaminev 🇵🇸 🇺🇦 🇪🇺
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    261 year ago

    the German center left and center right parties are both proto fascist. The center left party SPD of chancellor Scholz is spearheading autocratic policies like total surveillance. The former minister of justice from the SPD wanted to pass a law that forces websites to save passwords in clear text, so police could access any accounts quickly and without notice to the surveilled person. Of course this would also allow police to stage entire crimes and blame it on the people whose accounts theyd take over.

    The center right party CDU is trying to help the fascist AfD into power, by taking over their talking points, fabricating a migration crisis and spread disinformation such as the refugees getting new teeth while Germans wouldnt get dentist appointments. They also target scientists in particular climate scientist and try to undermine the trust in research and evidence, as it contradicts their shortsighted economic and social demands.

    • @[email protected]
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      01 year ago

      Add that to the far left party in large parts having similar positions as the far right, no wonder Fascists are on the rise. They get support from almost everyone except the Greens and the Pirate Party.