Credit Suisse unsuccessful: Geneva cantonal court approves climate activist – News

• Geneva’s cantonal court overturned a previous guilty verdict against a 23-year-old climate activist.
• The sentence is based on the judicial recognition of the threat posed by climate change.

In October 2018, the 23-year-old, along with other activists from the B Breakfastree Switzerland collective, covered the facade of a Credit Suisse (CS) bank branch.

Acted out of necessity

At the beginning of the year, the Geneva Police Court sentenced the activist in the first instance for material damage to a conditional fine of ten daily rates of 30 francs each. In addition, the young man was charged the cleaning costs of 2,250 francs demanded by the bank and the procedural costs.

His defense attorney, Laïla Batou, contested the verdict. He claimed acquittal in the appeal process before the cantonal court. She argued that her client and with him other participants in the “Red Hands” campaign had acted as a “justifying emergency.” Batou demanded that the court recognize the imminent threat of climate change that the activists wanted to draw attention to.