UN human rights expert raises concerns about US charges against climate protesters | Climate crisis | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/04/un-human-rights-expert-cellist-climate-protester
In the letter, which was sent to the US diplomatic mission at the United Nations in Geneva, the UN experts raised concerns about the factual basis of an assault charge against Rozendaal and Connon, resulting from a complaint by a member of Citibank’s security staff.
After participating in another peaceful protest, the two activists were also charged with criminal contempt, which carries a seven-year maximum sentence.
The assault charges were dropped after the security guard failed to submit a deposition. The contempt charges were resolved by the pair pleading guilty to “disorderly conduct” – referring to Rozendaal playing the cello in a public plaza outside Citibank HQ and Connon sheltering him from the rain with an umbrella.
Playing cello is now a serious crime. Sadly, the US is not the only country criminalising peaceful #climate protesters.😔
