Source: Amnesty International –
Two years ago, a group of activists known as Scientist Rebellion blocked road and river traffic in Le Havre, Northern France, to oppose a new floating liquefied natural gas terminal.
Some activists locked themselves to the barriers on either side of the road, while others glued themselves to the asphalt. Police arrested them a few hours later and placed them in pre-charge detention for 24 hours.
Libre* is one of the 16 activists who took part in the protest. Each activist received a €200 criminal fine for blocking traffic, however they all chose to oppose and stood trial before the Havre First Instance Court, stating their acts were protected by freedom of expression. Two years later, on 10 February 2025, the Court acquitted the activists.
Libre’s case features in a new briefing developed by Amnesty International, APCOF and Suaram together with the Campaign to Decriminalize Poverty, Status and Activism “Dissent on Trial: Strategies to Counter Rising Criminalization of Activism”, which shares strategies activists, lawyers and civil society organizations can pursue to challenge the criminalization of various forms of activism including civil disobedience.
In this story, Libre reveals what inspired her activism, and why she’s hoping her engagement will lead to changes.
*Name has been changed to for security purposes
I’ve been aware of the effects of climate change since I was young. My parents used to find little notes I’d written such as “be careful with water” or “watch your waste”. It was a gradual journey, where I started taking small actions at home such as making posters for my parents, before trying to implement eco-friendly ideas in my classroom.
After that, I joined youth climate marches and organized scout projects, where we would pick up trash on beaches. However, I started to realise that youth climate marches weren’t as effective as I’d hoped, so I decided to turn to civil disobedience, hoping it makes a difference.
As part of Extinction Rebellion, I currently campaign on climate and environmental issues, taking on companies responsible for the climate and social crisis harming people, whose lives and lands they exploit.