A Birmingham man has been sentenced after his dramatic protest brought a section of the M6 to a standstill. Cress Gover, 26, scaled a motorway gantry near junction four, causing significant disruption during the morning rush hour.
The Motorway Protest That Stopped Traffic
Gover's protest took place on October 27th last year, when he climbed onto a gantry above the northbound carriageway at 8:15am. The activist remained in position for approximately 90 minutes, forcing police to close two lanes of the busy motorway and causing extensive delays for commuters.
During his time on the gantry, Gover displayed a banner bearing the Just Stop Oil slogan. The court heard how his actions created a "substantial risk" to other road users and resulted in significant traffic congestion throughout the area.
Court Sentencing and Judge's Remarks
At Warwick Crown Court, Gover received a 12-month community order and was ordered to complete 80 hours of unpaid work. Judge Peter Cooke acknowledged the defendant's genuine concern for climate issues but emphasised that such protests cross legal boundaries.
"Your anxiety about the climate emergency is widely shared and legitimate," Judge Cooke stated. "However, causing major disruption to a busy motorway creates substantial risk to the public and cannot be justified."
Activist's Motivation and Remorse
The court heard that Gover, who works in the film industry, expressed remorse for the disruption caused to ordinary people. In a statement read to the court, he explained his motivation stemmed from desperation about the climate crisis.
"I felt I had no choice but to take this action," Gover stated. "While I'm sorry for the disruption caused to people going about their daily lives, I cannot apologise for trying to protect our planet's future."
Growing Trend of Motorway Protests
This case represents another chapter in the ongoing series of motorway protests by environmental groups across the UK. Just Stop Oil has repeatedly used similar tactics to draw attention to their demand that the government halt all new fossil fuel licensing.
The sentencing sends a clear message about the legal consequences of such protests, even as climate activists continue to employ increasingly dramatic methods to highlight environmental concerns.
