Dartford Crossing protester, possible deportation

[WildAlphabet]

Essex radio did an interview with the partner of a protester who climbed the dartford bridge as part of Just Stop Oil.

The gist of it is he was surprised to get three years in prison, they expected a few months. The length of his sentence means he’s facing deportation, as a German national.

They did a phone in, and I was quite surprised that even the angry radio essex listeners they put on, who were massively against his actions, disagreed with deportation as additional punishment. Some wanted community service to make up for the loss they suffered, others name called, but they thought splitting a family was too much.

I was kind of intrigued how the mumsnet demographic would view it, often being quite rule-bound or conservative. Personally I disagree with the one year rule for deportation, particularly for non violent crimes. It’s out of sync with most of the world. I guess also as a second generation immigrant who could also potentially lose the right to stay here if wrongly convicted, it’s scary on a personal level. It’s played on my mind the last few days

Here’s an article https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-66756841.amp

The police are not responsible for the actions of criminals. The profound consequences of their crimes have rightly been taken into account.

They should make those sentences tougher then.

Presumably he researched before hand

I've met her once. She's the girlfriend of an activist. She has kids, but they aren't his.

I agree, the same with other countries.
Last weekend the Dutch used a water cannon on JSO & XR protesters in Amsterdam. Water cannons are illegal here because they are excessive use of force.

I think it's great they are so passionate about the environment, but don't agree with his choice of how to try to sort it.

DP is an EU national so yes it’s a bit scary to think one wrong move and he could be deported. He is scrupulously law abiding though, even down to speed limits etc, because of who he is but also more careful since Brexit.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

I live in the immediate vicinity. I didn't leave the house for days and missed office days due to the traffic his protest caused. Once I did get out I ended up paying over £70 for a 15 minute drive home when the trains had issues and I couldn't get closer to my home station (thanks Uber) . I could see his protest from my house. I could hear and see the stain he put on local emergency services. Never mind those who in traffic and missed hospital appointments and funerals. Plus the other accidents that tailback caused. He didn't expect 3 years. It doesn't mean he didn't deserve it. I'm not sure deportation is the answer but there has to be some kind of punishment. Our area has taken enough.

The police are responsible for thinking it through and providing alternative routes for emergency services if they close roads, yes.

@Seagullchippy there is no alternative route. He blocked a bridge with no alternative until either the Blackwall tunnel or tower bridge in central London. You have no idea the issues he caused!

YABU it’s right what he got and he deserves to be deported it’s about time these idiots started getting tougher sentences. Stupid actions quite often have tough consequences. I’m struggling to have any sympathy for him. Hopefully 3 years in prison will teach him to think before he acts.

Good. Maybe now more of them will think before acting out such stupidity.

I have to say that when you are a guest in a country you need to be on your best behaviour.

His actions and others like him cause pain and suffering and dont endear people to his cause - He is attacking ordinary people trying to live an ordinary life - target the companies causing the issues

If you don't want to be deported then don't do a crime. Most people manage not to do one, it's not that difficult.

Even before we left the EU, citizens of one EU country who committed crimes in another EU country could be deported. Under a European Directive (2004/38/EC) It depended on many things, such as length of residence, family ties, employment status, whether they had applied for permanent residence and not just details of the crime. All EU countries used this. Guess which country used it less than any other and only for a handful of the most serious criminals. Yes - it was the UK, and in the few cases it was used there was always the legal right to appeal.

Deportation was far from automatic. For example, the Italian citizen who stabbed headmaster Philip Lawrence in 1995 was allowed to stay in the UK when he was released on parole after serving 15 years. When we left the EU, the same regulations were "imported" into UK law and I don't think they have changed much since then. Brexit seems to have no relevance in this case, and perhaps more surprisingly, most cases are dealt with under these deportation rules and very, very few involve "human rights" legislation.

Regarding Marcus Decker, it should not be forgotten that deportation proceedings are not underway, just that the length of sentence means it is a possibility in the future. The press reports do not say much about the factors that could mean he would or wouldn't be deported. How long has he been here? Did he apply for residence under the EU Settlement Scheme or did he already have settled or pre-settled status? Did he have a job here? It seems he didn't have family here, just a girlfriend who he did not live with. It also appears that he did not have a permanent address.

It was four years. The current government changed it to one, meaning more petty criminals were caught up. I think they was a proposal for 6 months even.

Also now it’s automatic after a one year sentence, it doesn’t need to have a second process. He may appeal it, but it’s happening. He’s already been offered release, back in June, if he leaves the country but has decided to stay in order to appeal.

He broke the law.
it’s a shame they are not imposing the same sentencing on knife crime and sec offences.

Actions have consequences.

It's good that he might be deported. People who cause massive disruption by protesting should face serious consequences - years in jail, deportation if not citizens by birth and financial ruin.

Protesting is fine, disrupting the lives of others is not. If protesting led to serious, potentially life-long consequences, it would hopefully make potential protesters think long and hard about how truly committed they are to their cause.

This would actually be a good thing for them because the public would know that they will actually face proper sanction and therefore make the public realise how serious/concerned they are about their cause. Currently most people think JSO/IB/XR protesters are just privileged white upper middle class hypocrites with too much time on their hands.

You do realise people that people can hold views that are both left and right wing?

I am fine with him being deported, I was also a trade union activist for a couple of decades.

Thing is he could very easily have avoided this entire situation by not doing the stupid thing in the first place. No sympathy from me I’m afraid. The ‘diversion’ for the dartford crossing for large vehicles is Tower Bridge and that’s miles away in central London. It’s hundreds of artics sent into the ULEZ so it’s not helping anyone. Plus if there’s any country out there with a very explicit set of laws it’s the Germans. I have German family and the are very big on rules and laws. They wouldn’t dream of going somewhere else and deliberately breaking the laws of another country. Get him gone though I would imagine Germany don’t want him back either.

There are plenty of climate protests in Germany, he'll fit right in. I generally think a 1 year sentence is too low to trigger deportation, but I'm not feeling bad for this guy. It's really not a case of splitting families and destroying lives, he's being sent to a developed country, he's not leaving behind a family and a career. Basically he's being separated from his girlfriend. Big deal.

I am enjoying seeing how shocked people like this are when they get sent to prison and the same goes for this guy being threatened with deportation. The same has happened in Bristol with the mob who attacked the police station - oh dear me, the wailing and gnashing of teeth when they realise that actions have consequences.