A HEXHAM mum-of-two claims she will not stop her climate protests, despite her latest arrest and court judgement, as she says that she is doing it for her kids.

Kate Bramfitt, 51, was arrested at a Just Stop Oil protest in London on July 6 under section 12 of the public order act.

She was found guilty and given a conditional discharge after appearing in the Royal Courts of Justice in London on November 7.

Just Stop Oil is staging ongoing protest action in a bid to stop the Government granting new fossil fuel licences.

This year the group has targeted everything from high-profile sporting events to art galleries in its bid to publicise its cause and raise the alarm about the burgeoning climate crisis.

Its direct actions have been picking up in pace; more than 443 Just Stop Oil supporters were arrested in the two-week period following October 30, the group said.

"I am a good, law-abiding mum of two, former teaching assistant in Hexham, who loves wildlife," said Ms Bramfitt.

"I will not be bullied out of protecting our kids' future and speaking out against something that is wrong.

"What I did with other decent, peaceful people is walk down a road with a placard stating Climate and Nature Emergency. This follows in the footsteps of centuries of other protests from the Jarrow Crusade to the Suffragettes and civil rights marches in America who had to do the same thing.

"New oil and gas licences are morally wrong and are endangering our lives.

"The science is clear - to stop our world over heating, we need to stop creating greenhouse gases. And that means no new oil and gas extraction.

"Time is running out. What sort of parent would I be if I knew my teenagers were going to be put in a life threatening situation and I did not try and do something about it? I can't stop protesting."

Hexham Courant: Officers from the Metropolitan Police remove a Just Stop Oil protester who was detained whilst blocking Whitehall during a protest in central London on November 6, 2023.Officers from the Metropolitan Police remove a Just Stop Oil protester who was detained whilst blocking Whitehall during a protest in central London on November 6, 2023. (Image: Lucy North/PA Wire)

Nationally, Just Stop Oil protesters have been criticised for the disruption caused by their protests. Two protesters, Morgan Trowland, 40, and Marcus Decker, 34, caused gridlock for two days when they scaled the Dartford Crossing in October 2022.

The pair were sentenced to three years and two years and seven months respectively, prompting Ian Fry, the UN’s special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change, to raise concern at the severity of the sentences.

But Prime Minister Rishi Sunak tweeted: "Those who break the law should feel the full force of it.

“It is entirely right that selfish protesters intent on causing misery to the hard-working majority face tough sentences. It’s what the public expects."