Amy Pritchard reads her mitigation statement as delivered to the Court | Extinction Rebellion UK

Amy Pritchard was sentenced to 10 months in prison on 12th June 2024, the day after filming this piece.
This followed her brave action where she and four others cracked the windows of JP Morgan bank to draw attention to the incredible harm their investments are causing. The bank was identified as the largest lender to fossil fuel companies by far in 2023.
Four other women who also took part in the action against JP Morgan were given a total of 45 months suspended sentences between them plus a total of 330 hours of unpaid work in their communities.
All five women have lodged appeals due to abuse of process by Judge Silas Reid, potentially leading to the convictions being deemed ‘unsafe’.
Filmed and produced by: notguilty.org.uk
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[@annacorkill7569]

I'm sorry that you have had to go through the awful ordeal of our judicial system. Thank you for your courage and bravery.

[@oldluce6946]

Thank you, Amy, for shining a light on this corrupt, deathly system. Some day soon, I hope people won't have to sacrifice their freedom in return x

[@hugle64]

Brilliantly well said!

[@compostjohn]

So eloquently and beautifully put.

[@alishademmery3581]

Fight until your voices are heard and never ever give up

[@heartstrummer]

We need more new people standing up.

[@anthonydavies6021]

It's hard to not feel that each of us as as individual should be ready to do what Amy has done. Alll of the scientific evidence and daily news of climate crises point to the urgency of the situation. We are already past 1.5 degrees of atmospheric warming, yet the fossil fuel companies and their political backers continue to push for more exploration and exploitation of fossil fuels. Of course huge companies like J P Morgan are culpable for enabling the oil producers. It should not be a matter of bravery to stand up for something so fundamentally right, yet our corrupt judicial and political systems, especially under the appalling Tories, protect the interests of the corporations and seek to punish even peaceful protest now. If we continue to ignore people like Amy, we will all be faced with complete catastrophe in a short period of time, during most of our lifetimes.

[@radscorpion8]

If you want to punish the system for extracting oil, there are legal avenues to do that. You can take part in political canvassing, advertising campaigns, or donate to your preferred political party or environmental organization to make the change on a political level. So long as you remain committed to breaking windows, engaging in vandalism, and other petty crimes however, your movement will only take on the perception as being something like an eco-terrorist group that is trying to force people into taking action by destroying their property, blocking roads, or vandalizing cherished art work if they refuse. Do you seriously think that the public, who may have been on the fence about voting for change, are going to be convinced and motivated to vote for your party - or that those in power will suddenly change their approach, because Van Gogh's paintings were vandalized? Just think about that seriously for a minute. There is a need for action on climate. But not all actions serve to assist in that action. Amy Pritchard deserves to go to jail and so do others who engage in criminal activity. That is a basic consequence of agreeing to live in a civil society. And unless you want that civil society to break down (in which case, I assure you, your side will not win in the ensuing chaos), there are FAR more effective, and above all civil ways of supporting change.

[@timothyrussell4445]

@@radscorpion8 Only problem is that our political system is stacked against meaningful action and you know it. In any case the FF industry has almost unlimited resources to fight this legally and politically, which you should also know. Your argument is therefore entirely disingenuous.

[@FishAndChipsDude]

@anthonydavies6021 All of the scientific evidence and daily news does not point to the urgency of the situation. You are cherry picking. There is neither a crisis nor an emergency.

[@robynliteracy7057]

The establishment is insane.

[@siobhanfriel9018]

Thank you so much for your authenticity, vulnerability and courage. Tingling at your words. You matter so much. Thank you again

[@NEALMOHANSDEMOCRATICRIGHTSBLOC]

700+ views..... Someone is listening

[@TFTN1101]

This video needs to be seen -way powerful.

[@quatele]

She sounds like a crazy person.

[@Micklethorpe]

Looks like one too.

[@brianwheeldon4643]

Thank you Amy Pritchard for your honesty, and factual representation of the problems afflicting humanity and nature caused by a particularly small number of persons in powerful and influential positions. Your presentation is inspirational, you cannot know how much it is valued and the effect it has for the good.

[@philipstrong8220]

Thanks

[@FishAndChipsDude]

How does the world move from fossil fuels and by when can this be done? What technology is required? Hydro / Solar Panels / Wind Turbines / Something Else? How many and where? 2050 energy will be 50% more than 2020. How to offset for no wind or too much wind or no sun? Batteries or pumped hydro? Capacity? / How many? / Where? / By what year? Currently. 14% Renewables 1% Other 1% Biofuels 2% Solar 3% Wind 7% Hydro 4% Nuclear 23% Natural Gas 27% Coal 32% Oil

[@CFCNOTBUMMER]

Thank you

[@xrtvvictoria7470]

Extinction Rebellion Vancouver Island, Canada stands in unwavering solidarity with you Amy! Together we resist for life.

[@specialladyt]

Your tactics are only turning people off.

[@terryevans6279]

Absolute respect.....

[@joefeely5291]

Wow. Well said. Injustice has been served.

[@Antuan2911]

Thank you Amy Pritchard, you are brave, you are doing the right thing. Young people rebel NOW! Yours futures are in stake...

[@sacredmetaphics]

I am speechless truly the justice system is perverse and Propane. Thank you sister for your courage. I will share the message. My heart goes with you namaste

[@aninewforest]

Wonderful Freudian slip. Did you mean profane?

[@bradshawka]

Brilliant 😍🎉

[@FishAndChipsDude]

Hopefully the appeal increases the sentences.

[@philroberts7238]

What a despicable thing to say! (And has it occurred to you that *you* may be the one cherry-picking the facts?)

[@moirakane1123]

Powerful and devastating - what a wonderful woman.

[@victorschwanberg]

Well said and thanks!

[@timothyrussell4445]

Completely agree with what you say, though the cosy relationship between wealthy elites and government policy has always been a thing, and especially since the late 70s with Thatcher and Reagan's neoliberal agenda, which unfortunately has now gone global. Ironically, the main driver of the rightward shift in global politics is climate change itself: the harder it becomes for less developed countries to feed themselves, the more hunger and war we see that motivates people to migrate. The more migration, the more the political pendulum swings right, and right leaning parties poo poo climate change as either a hoax, something which is natural over which we have no control, or even bizarrely a benefit to crop growing because of added CO2. What they have in common is an insistence on no action required. And this really suits the short term profit moguls of the FF industry who fund them and share their ideology.

[@philroberts7238]

I agree with your analysis.

[@Rustea314]

Congress needs to end Citizens United. Corporate money is not free speech.

[@kalightcencen7460]

More voices like you great woman, Are needed !!!!

[@williamblack7400]

Brave actions and words

[@corvus1238]

Thank you for your sacrifice. You are a hero.

[@mickcarpenter2963]

Well said, you are heroic

[@joturner5709]

Thank you for your powerful words, and for drawing attention to this existential threat to life on earth 🌎 I share your sorrow, rage and resolution to act...like you, for future generations and all life, not ONLY human. Stay strong and remember you are part of a much larger movement who refuse to let the greed of a few destroy the very possibliltiy of life on earth, let alone everthing we love and treasure about it.

[@connerhughes1435]

is there a link to the script?

[@Micklethorpe]

Search, “circus clown”.

[@TheHonestPeanut]

I didn't know who this was. I googled her here in the states. There's one link by the guardian. One link in first 2 pages of searches. Interesting.

[@rationalmedicine3235]

Thank you for fighting for the future of humanity.

[@paulschumacher1263]

Great courage! Glad you could expose the absurdity of a system that values short-term money-profit for a few over the lives and future of the whole world, with all its living beings.

[@contentcatnip]

I'm feeling so sad you had to go through this Amy. You are brave and a warrior. Please never stop fighting

[@deathbyyoutube]

An Earth-size hug to you, Amy Pritchard! ❤‍🩹

[@katrinabillings7011]

Such bravery. Thank you. ❤

[@grahamsouthon553]

Thank you for what you have done. You are far braver than I.

[@heartstrummer]

❤

[@kassiapencek6185]

Wow. THE most powerful speech of the century. 10 months in prison for windows....wtf. aim sure everyone on the planet can quickly think of a case where a human did worse and got off. Thank you for this. You are the one to Pearce our hinderance window to action. Like just now I looked up what word I wanted to use and learned impious. The government has proven to be impious. This is what this planet is about. If you are on the right side of mother earth serendipity prevails. Thank you for your honorable work!

[@timkbirchico8542]

Well done Amy. 10 months will pass then she will be free. Amy has right on her side.

[@Micklethorpe]

Breaking windows of JP Morgan bank, what a cunning stunt.

[@user-hk8ix3nj4s]

Respect! Vulture capitalism is what needs to go!

[@greenthumb8266]

2:06 how? I’ll tell you , fiat currency , capitalism rewards criminality.

[@paulsousek7636]

Amy, what a star! I will soon be joining you at her majesty's pleasure

[@MaxMitch22]

Thankyou. May many thousands follow your inspiration and decisive real action. Time is up for Capitalism.

[@aninewforest]

Predatory capitalism, particularly.

[@pauls3075]

Listen to the number of times the word 'Feeling' is used and the expression "I don't understand", too much feeling not enough thinking going on. Not one ounce of remorse for her illegal actions. Climate change requires intelligent people to invent and build solutions. Breaking windows to highlight the plight of problem that is by her own words recognised by governments around the world is childish. This woman achieved nothing and deserves prison and the fact that she accepts no responsibility for her actions means she is willing to do it again. Maybe prison will cure that mental issue. Actions have consequences for men AND women!

[@Micklethorpe]

They never offer any solutions.

[@williamblack7400]

Stand firm and be proud your efforts are invaluable

[@mikeharvey9811]

Totally agree, the system is rigged….just stop oil and arms, vote green or independent, stand in your local elections we have to stop the wrong way we are forced to live. Barb

[@bluebay0]

How petty of JP Morgan. Amy didn't do anything wrong.

[@clive-live]

Towards a Theory of Social Reality SARM SUBJECTIVITY ACTIVITIES RELATIONSHIPS with MEANS

[@radscorpion8]

If you want to punish the system for extracting oil, there are legal avenues to do that. You can take part in political canvassing, advertising campaigns, or donate to your preferred political party or environmental organization to make the change on a political level. That's actually hard work by the way, and takes real courage. Not smashing windows or lying on a street. Those are easy solutions, things toddlers might do when they don't get their way. It takes hard work, the willingness to communicate, to actually change minds. So long as you remain committed to breaking windows, engaging in vandalism, and other petty crimes however, your movement will only take on the perception as being something like an eco-terrorist group that is trying to force people into taking action by destroying their property, blocking roads, or vandalizing cherished art work if they refuse. Do you seriously think that the public, who may have been on the fence about voting for change, are going to be convinced and motivated to vote for your party - or that those in power will suddenly change their approach - because Van Gogh's paintings were vandalized? Or because someone smashed the windows at JP Morgan? Government does not operate on the principle of mob rule or threats to violence. That is the opposite of how and why our civil society was formed. Representatives have a duty to serve the public interest, not 5 angry women who smashed in the windows at a bank. So these actions will never lead to change on a political level. And as for impacts on the public, or "raising awareness" it is equally misguided. That's why other extinction rebellion factions turned away from engaging in acts of public vandalism, because they saw it wasn't working. It was only making the public more and more angry at their movement. And as for awareness, there isn't a single person on the planet who is not already aware of climate change, or the importance of the topic from statements by hundreds of scientists. So no matter what your motivation or justification is, this is illegal, and unethical behavior that is actually making it harder for action on climate change to occur. You are in fact damaging the the movement and thus exacerbating the problem. For the sake of your own organization, as well as the British public, please stop. You are not a hero, you are just a criminal.

[@aninewforest]

I appreciate the cogency of your argument and indeed such radical action does bear the risk of turning off ambivalent voters. However, one or two incidents of property damage is not the morally equivalent of deliberately poisoning billions of people and the environment as the oil corporations have done for decades, whilst reaping billions in profit. Amy derived no personal profit from her actions. In fact, she sacrificed a lot by choosing to speak with her one small voice. Meanwhile, Big Oil funnels its billions into manipulation of democratic outcomes to diminish our influence as individuals, and they do so just further their greed. Property is just stuff. It's not killing anyone or jeopardizing future generations, of which Big Oil is undeniably guilty.

[@loppadus]

nothing brave about breaking a window ffs - grow up

[@moun7522]

For decades people have been peacefully protesting against Oil & Gaz killing the planet, they protested like nice sheep and NOBODY gave a single FUCK! Now it is international news because a bank window is broken by some activist or a street traffic is blocked by angry protesters. Honestly i don’t care about glass, i care about greedy old bankers inside investing in the systemic collapse of the climate system. So fuck the banks and fuck their broken glass

[@Silks-]

It takes bravery to stand against your oppressors.

[@loppadus]

@@Silks- acting like retards isn't bravery

[@jamessherburn]

When giant hail breaks your windows remember this brave woman who fought for you whilst you were still in the 'deliberate ignorance' stage.

[@thevikingwarrior]

You are a coward, so shut up! You haven't got manhood to face reality. You are NOT a real man!

[@kalightcencen7460]

Strong 💪 woman !!!!!

[@Micklethorpe]

💨.

[@kalightcencen7460]

​@@Micklethorpe The idiots bots 😂😂😂😂

[@mikeharvey9811]

Share this, try to get it on double down news. Barb