The Prosecutor's Office requests 18 months in prison for three scientists who threw paint at the facade of the Spanish government's delegation in Barcelona

Three scientists linked to Scientific Rebellion will be tried this Thursday in Barcelona for their participation in a non-violent protest action in front of the Spanish government's Delegation in the Catalan capital. The events took place on April 13, 2023, when the three activists threw biodegradable paint against the facade of the building to denounce the insufficient response of governments to the climate crisis and the judicial persecution of other climate activists. Now, three years later, the Prosecutor's Office is requesting 18 months in prison for each and a fine of 8,100 euros as responsibility for the "damages caused".

Scientific Rebellion, for its part, denounces that at a time when "the consequences of the climate crisis are increasingly visible, it is worrying that those sitting in the dock are precisely the scientists who acted to raise an alarm about this emergency". Amnesty International has also conveyed to the Prosecutor's Office its concern about the request for prison sentences and warns of a possible violation of the right to peaceful protest. It should be noted that none of the three accused academics have a criminal record or prior convictions of any kind.

Scientific Rebellion is a group of researchers from around the world who unite to denounce the consequences of the climate emergency. The forms of protest are always actions of non-violent civil disobedience, such as the action they carried out in Barcelona in 2023, when, using a fire extinguisher, they sprayed red liquid on the main door and fence of the Spanish government's Delegation, located in Dreta de l'Eixample, Barcelona. According to the prosecution, the action resulted in damages valued at 4,132.15 euros for cleaning and restoration. For the activists, the requested sentence is disproportionate, as the paint used for the action was biodegradable, made from beetroot, and leaves a stain that can be removed with water. The group considers that the case to be heard this Thursday in Barcelona is part of a campaign of pressure by institutions to repress climate protests.