UK: Five activists sentenced to prison for vandalizing Buckingham Palace fountain

The British judiciary has sentenced five animal rights activists to prison for pouring red dye on the fountain in front of Buckingham Palace, according to “Agence France-Presse.”

• “Catastrophic and Dangerous” – Biden Declares State of Emergency Ahead of “Milton’s” Arrival

• Worst in 100 years: Florida braces for Hurricane Milton

Lewis McKichney (23), Christopher Bennett (33), Riley Ings (27), Claire Smith (26), and Rachel Steele (48) were convicted of causing damage exceeding £7,000 ($9,135) to the Queen Victoria Memorial in August 2021.

Members of the group “Animal Rebellion,” later renamed “Animal Rising,” sought to create an “impression of a bloodbath” by pouring dye into the water and staining the marble walls of this large fountain red.

It took more than two days to clean the monument.

• Tragic Loss of 5 Adventurers during the Ascent of One of the World’s Highest Mountains

• As “Milton” Approaches, Thousands Displaced from Florida, USA

Christopher Bennett, already in custody for a previous offense, was sentenced to 18 months in prison. The other four were given 18-month suspended sentences, with three of them receiving fines.

All pleaded not guilty. One of their lawyers stated during the trial that the activists were young at the time of the events and that there was no “advanced level” of planning.

• The truth behind the video of a 188-year-old man rescued from a cave in India

• Tragic Incident: Two Elephants Lost Due to Flash Floods in Thailand

In delivering the sentences, the judge at Southwark Crown Court in London said they were “only interested in promoting” their cause without any consideration of the “consequences” of their actions, and that they showed “a lot of arrogance” in defending the legitimacy of their act.

The “Animal Rising” organization

“Animal Rising” advocates for a shift towards a plant-based diet and claims to promote its ideas through non-violent civil disobedience actions.

• Devastating Floods in Bosnia Claim the Lives of 14 People

• The Cosmic “Hot Dog” Dashes Hopes of Finding Extraterrestrial Civilizations

In a statement, the organization’s spokeswoman, Orla Coghlan, explained that the fountain in front of Buckingham Palace was chosen because “the royal family could help change the UK’s poor environmental record,” particularly by banning hunting on its estates.

She calls on King Charles III, a passionate advocate for the environment, to commit to this.

Other environmental activists, especially from the “Just Stop Oil” group, have also been sentenced to prison for actions in the UK, including road closures or protests at the “National Gallery” in London.