Appeal for Rebels in Prison Support August 2026

Teresa Belton

Rebels in Prison Support was set up by the family and friends of people held on remand in prison after climate protests in 2021.  

It supports activists who have been in prison for nonviolent peaceful protest.

So far, they have supported over 175 individuals in prison, who have acted with a range of organisations including Just Stop Oil, Insulate Britain, Palestine Liberation Groups, Extinction Rebellion and others.

RIPS works to ensure that all those taking nonviolent action, ie, not causing harm to any human or animal, that may result in prison sentences, are prepared and supported both practically and emotionally.

They spend money on an email system for communicating with prisoners, a website, transport and expenses, and post-prison support.

While prisoners are in prison RIPS sends them money so they can buy extra food and toiletries and make their time in prison more bearable. They also send books, a weekly newsletter and help with travel for family and friends who can’t afford to visit their loved one.

RIPS is not a Quaker organisation, but some of the prisoners it has supported have been Quakers.  One example is Andrew Dames, a 64-year-old Friend from Cambridge, who walked 700 miles last year from the Shetlands to London, talking to people as he went, celebrating a Scottish ruling that approval of the huge Shetland oilfield, Rosebank, was unlawful, and urging the UK Government to reject any new appeals to develop the oilfield. 

In 2022 Andrew had also been one of the Just Stop Oil protestors who climbed the M25 gantries. JSO’s aim in this direct action was “to sound the alarm about the government’s plan to licence over 100 new oil and gas projects against all expert advice.”

During the trial of Andrew Dames and his co-defendants in October last year the Judge, Judge Perrins, ruled out all legal defences, including the statutory defence of “reasonable excuse” as well as the defences of necessity, Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights, and implied consent, saying, “This is a court of law, not a court of morals”.

I personally do not agree with the actions taken by JSO protestors in blocking the M25.  But I respect the right of others to see this burning, critical issue differently, and I very much admire their psychological and physical courage in climbing the gantries over the motorway.  I also admire the courage of the four young people who were recently given substantial prison sentences after breaking and entering the Elbit factory and damaging aircraft and weaponry destined for use in Gaza. They courageously put themselves in jeopardy, feeling they could not stand by and do nothing in the face of genocide.  They were charged and imprisoned not for criminal damage to the hardware but with terrorism, when their actions were intended precisely to prevent terrorist acts by Israel.

Advices and Queries reminds us as Quakers to, “Respect the laws of the state but let your first loyalty be to God’s purposes.  If you feel impelled by strong conviction to break the law, search your conscience deeply”.  That is what the prisoners supported by RIPS do.  And some of them are treated in horribly cruel and inhumane ways while in prison, deprived of normal prisoners’ rights.  I believe they deserve our support.

You can donate online at:

https://chuffed.org/project/134222-support-political-prisoners-in-the-uk