Helping lighten Kingsbury Tunnelling Two’s load

Aim

Tunnelling under roads to disrupt the oil industry doesn’t come cheap. Let’s support two brave activists with their court costs and fines.

Tunnelling under roads was an audacious Just Stop Oil tactic in 2022 to disrupt the fossil fuel industry. It required stealth, nerve, and resilience, physical and emotional. Steve Pritchard and Paul Raithby, both fathers and climate activists committed to peaceful direct action, stepped up with their shovels.

Steve explained “I have to look my son in the eye and know that I took life affirming risks for our planet”. 

Although they were part of a team, Steve and Paul were the only tunnellers charged for their action near Kingsbury Oil Terminal. And then on 16 February 2023, Steve and Paul were each handed court costs and fines of £1660 as a result of their spade work on top of expenses they had already incurred.

The result was obviously disappointing but the pair were heartened by the clear support of court staff, one of whom shyly asked if he could have his photo taken with them. 

The tunnelling was a great action but tough. Steve and Paul have done all the hard graft of digging and going through the broken legal system. So, let’s do what we can to lighten their financial load by meeting their costs. 

This project successfully funded on 10th March 2023