After occupying a bank branch: climate activists now condemned

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The demonstrators in front of the bank branch in November 2018 (archive image)

Photo: Laurent Gillieron / dpa

A court in Switzerland overturned the acquittal of twelve climate activists who occupied a bank branch in November 2018.

In the second instance in Lausanne they were sentenced to probation and fines.

Unlike the first instance, the Cantonal Court of Vaud ruled that the twelve people did not act on grounds of a "justifying emergency".

Your action was not suitable to contain or reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The activists occupied a Credit Suisse branch in Lausanne in November 2018 to protest against the financing of fossil fuel businesses.

Disguised as tennis players, they had denounced the bank for using the positive reputation of Roger Federer in their campaigns.

The majority of the protesters were students.

The bank reported her for trespassing.

Unprecedented judgment of the first instance in Switzerland

A judge in Renens had initially acquitted the twelve in January of this year because the protest had been peaceful.

The behavior of the activists was "necessary and appropriate" in view of the impending climate catastrophe, so the reasoning.

It was the first judgment in Switzerland - and one of the few in the world - that recognized an emergency in relation to global warming.

The public prosecutor's office appealed against the acquittal.

Credit Suisse rejects allegations that it is conducting business that is particularly harmful to the climate.

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bah / dpa