Climate Activist Marcus Decker Successfully Overturns UK Deportation Order After Record Prison Sentence

In a significant legal victory for climate activism rights, Marcus Decker has successfully appealed his deportation order from the United Kingdom, marking the end of a controversial case that highlighted the intersection of environmental protest and immigration law.

Decker, a Just Stop Oil activist, made headlines in October 2022 when he scaled the Queen Elizabeth Bridge at the Dartford Crossing—one of Britain’s busiest transport links—to unfurl a banner demanding an end to new oil and gas projects. The dramatic protest brought traffic to a standstill and drew national attention to the climate movement’s increasingly bold tactics. However, the legal consequences were severe: Decker received a prison sentence of two years and seven months, making it one of the longest terms handed down in modern British history for peaceful environmental protest.

The situation became more complicated when immigration authorities served Decker with an automatic deportation order while he was still serving his sentence. This move sparked debate about whether the punishment was proportionate and raised questions about the government’s approach to handling climate activists, particularly those who are foreign nationals.

The successful appeal represents a crucial moment for environmental activists operating in the UK, as it establishes important precedent regarding the rights of protesters facing both criminal and immigration consequences for their actions. Decker’s case has become emblematic of the broader tensions between increasingly urgent climate activism and authorities’ efforts to maintain public order while managing the growing environmental protest movement.