Monday 10th May, at 5pm, Dr Larch Maxey was refused bail and remanded to HM Prison Pentonville, after pleading not guilty to the charge of criminal damage, totalling £30,000 during a protest at the High Speed 2, London head office.

The court heard how on the morning of 6th May, Dr Larch Maxey and Xavier Gonzalez Trimmer scaled the canopy of the HS2 London head office opposite Euston Square Gardens, and acted out of necessity to save thousands of lives from extinction at the hands of the Department for Transport’s ecocidal HS2 project.

Pink paint was sprayed onto the building to highlight the urgent need for action to prevent climate breakdown, including an end to the government’s ecocidal HS2 project, which is now being predicted to cost over £230 billion as well as countless homes, businesses, jobs, ancient woodlands, vital habitats, and green spaces.

Trimmer and Maxey are calling for an urgent, UK-wide, legally binding Citizens’ Assembly. This would address our broken democratic system and give power back to ordinary people.

Ordinary citizens would be enabled to make informed decisions, based on science, to help us to tackle the climate and ecological emergency. And to plan the future of our transport system, both locally and nationally. This would include whether to continue with the controversial HS2 train line.

Dr Maxey said, “I’m having to do this action because Sadiq Khan is lying to us. He’s told us that he cares about the Climate and Ecological Emergency, but he’s done nothing about it other than push ahead with the Silvertown Tunnel, which is exacerbating the emergency. Khan is also supporting HS2, whilst saying he supports London’s green spaces. The same green spaces that HS2 is destroying in places such as Euston Square Gardens.

“The real solution we have are Citizens’ Assembles. We cannot trust the political elite, we have to take action.”

Dr Maxey, 48, is well known for his actions earlier this year occupying a make-shift tunnel under Euston Square Gardens for over 27 days, along with 8 other protectors, whilst protesting against HS2. 

Xavier Trimmer, 20, said, “I don’t really have a choice as to whether I take action or not. Doing nothing means we will get runaway climate change. Twenty-six people die everyday in London because of air pollution.”

Mr Trimmer added, “The real criminals are HS2, the British Government, and the hundred companies responsible for 71% of carbon emissions, who are causing ecocide and death from it.” 

Mr Trimmer was granted conditional bail and awaits a court hearing, along with Dr Maxey, on 7th June, 10am, at Inner London Crown Court, where they will both face a jury trial for their actions.

Burning Pink candidate Valerie Brown stood in the London Mayor election on Thursday with one single policy – to transform democracy by setting up Citizens’ Assemblies to give people back their power.

At 5.30am on the morning of the inauguration of the new Mayor of London, Valerie unjustly had her home raided by police. She was arrested for “conspiracy” in relation to this protest. She was later released under investigation.

Monday’s hearing came hours after ex-Barrister Tim Crossland was also tried and found guilty in the Supreme Court for committing contempt of court over another controversial and environmentally unjustifiable infrastructure project – Heathrow’s expansion.

The expansion of Heathrow would see the UK breach our commitments under the Paris Agreement of limiting temperature increase to1.5C.

Interview with Mr Trimmer outside the court: https://youtu.be/C0L8McdNezk

Footage of the protest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SSY0iKNQEE

HS2 Rebellion Website: https://HS2Rebellion.earth

Press Enquiries – Email: HS2Rebellion@gmail.com