Two simply stop oil monstrants who sprayed Charles Darwin's grave in Westminster Abbey have not found guilty of criminal damage.
The pair that the historic grave was dissolved insisted that their action was proportional to 'the threat that the world is confronted with'.
Alyson Lee, 66, Van Derby, and Diane Bligh, 77, Van Frome, Somerset, covered the grave with orange paint as part of a protest on Monday 13 January.
The couple is accused of causing criminal damage after writing '1.5 is dead' about the scientist's resting place in Central London.
The explanation refers to the 1.5 degrees Celsius climate objective of the Paris Agreement, which was a goal to ensure that the emissions worldwide did not push more than 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels.
Some claim that a lack of action on emissions means that the target is 'dead'.
They claimed that they could not receive a fair trial because the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) “overlooked” crimes against humanity “.
Backlogs from the court mean that it will take more than a year before they are tried.
Alyson Lee, 66, and Diane Bligh, 77, painted the grave of Charles Darwin with the words '1.5 is dead'
The Just Stop Oil -demonstrators with a police officer outside of Westminster Abbey in London
Police outside of Westminster Abbey on January 13 after the grave was unreadable
They appeared on Wednesday morning at Southwark Crown Court for a plea and process preparation hearing, where they both did not enter any culprit pleeked cities.
Vincent Scully, persecution, said to the court: 'The claim is that both defendants entered Westminster Abbey on January 13 and sprayed an orange slogan about 1.5 degrees over Charles Darwin's grave.
'Both defendants each accept part of the spray-painting.
'Bligh accepts painting' Death '. Lee accepts painting '1.5'.
'Both just wore stop oil-T-shirts and then gave a press conference.
“The costs of the damage were around £ 10 to £ 15 to clean up and took a few hours before specialists do this.”
Despite the advice of the judge against this, the couple chose to represent themselves.
Judge Nicholas Rimmer said, “I encourage you to consider professional lawyers for help – it can help you.”
Charles Darwin, the scientist behind the origins of species, was buried in Westminster Abbey
The couple was shown that the message painted on the grave of the scientist
Bligh and Lee sat next to Charles Darwin's grave, in the northern aisle of the ship of Westminster Abbey
Bligh, who wore a green vest and blue scarf, said, “I considered it and I choose to be self -reappearing.”
Lee, who wore an orange vest, said, “That's the same for me.”
By sketching their defense, the couple said they would not be able to receive a fair trial.
Bligh said: “I need time to think about it, but the way my mind is currently moving, I am not a criminal and the damage was proportional to the threat that the whole world is confronted with.”
Lee added: 'I need time to formulate the whole thing, but I may use the defense of the inability to have a fair trial based on the fact that the judicial system cannot prosecute the real system.
'The CPS have been informed of major crimes against humanity and they refuse to pursue them, and that is the only reason why we have resorted to what we have done.
“So I don't believe we can have a fair trial in those circumstances.”
The couple will appear on May 5, 2026 for a trial version. The test is expected to take three days.
