Extinction Rebellion co-founder Gail Bradbrook has avoided jail after she was convicted of criminal damage for smashing a window at a government department.

Dr Bradbrook was found guilty in October of causing thousands of pounds worth of damage to the Department for Transport building during a protest in 2019.

On Monday, she was sentenced to a year and three months in jail – suspended for 15 months – meaning the campaign group leader is unlikely to spend time behind bars.

She also has to complete 150 hours of unpaid community work.

The former scientist claimed she “refused to be silenced” during her two-day trial at Isleworth crown court.

The climate campaign group was first formed in 2018 as a “declaration of rebellion against the UK government,” according to the Extinction Rebellion (XR) website.

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The group state that they focus on “non-violent civil disobedience” in order to demonstrate against government policy areas like oil and gas licences and renewable energy.

In September, protesters poured fake oil over the steps of Labour’s headquarters, calling on the party to take “urgent action” to cancel fossil fuel licences.

While in Venice, Italy, XR demonstrators used a dye to turn the Grand Canal green over what they said was a lack of progress at the CO28 climate summit in Dubai.

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