(Credit: Callum Cuddeford, MSN)
(Archive: https://archive.ph/OvBkv)
An environmental activist facing six criminal cases took his own life after a traumatic spell in jail and rising court fines. Xavier Gonzales-Trimmer, 22, was found dead by police in Richmond Park on February 20 after two searches for the rock climbing instructor who went missing five days earlier (February 15). He was due to stand trial at Inner London crown court in March, accused of causing a public nuisance.
Xavier was on tag at the time after 16 arrests relating to his activist work for Just Stop Oil, Insulate Britain, and Stop HS2. He saw a psychiatrist in November 2022, when he talked about his three week imprisonment. "I found this was a traumatic experience for Xavier, one Xavier had struggled to come to terms with," she said, in a statement read to West London Coroner's Court.
Xavier's mum said her son was healthy and did not drink or take drugs, but had struggled with his mental health in the last six months of his life. "He was facing many difficulties as a result of the protests he had participated in, he was due to face six court cases. He had spent three weeks in custody on remand. This was a difficult experience for him," his mum said.
Xavier was on tag at the time after 16 arrests relating to his activist work for Just Stop Oil, Insulate Britain, and Stop HS2. He saw a psychiatrist in November 2022, when he talked about his three week imprisonment. "I found this was a traumatic experience for Xavier, one Xavier had struggled to come to terms with," she said, in a statement read to West London Coroner's Court.
Xavier's mum said her son was healthy and did not drink or take drugs, but had struggled with his mental health in the last six months of his life. "He was facing many difficulties as a result of the protests he had participated in, he was due to face six court cases. He had spent three weeks in custody on remand. This was a difficult experience for him," his mum said.
She described the alleged conditions in HMP Cheltenham where Xavier chose to eat raw pasta "because he was so hungry he could not wait for hot water" and "he did not know why he was in custody as nobody had given him access to a phone". Despite this she said the staff were "comforting and supportive."
But in HMP Thameside one cellmate is alleged to have "constantly antagonised him" by jabbing a vape pen in his face. "He had a breakdown in Thameside prison. Someone came to chat to him and he was given a book on Sudoku," Xavier's mum said. "He was anxious about future prison sentences he faced."
She also told the court Xavier had considerable court debts and was getting lots of payment demands. "His depression and anxiety made it difficult to deal with the court paper work," she added.
In September 2022 Xavier was arrested at a tunnel in Essex, while another protester was allowed to go home without charge, the court heard. "I sensed Xavier felt he was treated more harshly by the police," she said.
In July 2022 his mum described how police officers turned up at her home saying they wanted to speak to Xavier, but he was at work. They arrested him at his workplace instead, which he found "humiliating" and put him off going back there. "As the police did not charge him with anything we thought it was to harass him," she said.
Xavier's partner also questioned if being on tag meant he was under state care, and therefore deserved a jury inquest into his death. Acting Senior Coroner Lydia Brown explained the law was clear this was not the case. A friend also asked if the mental health care offered at prison should be considered in the scope of the inquest, but Coroner Brown explained she had already rejected this.
Another friend spoke passionately about Xavier's activism, and said "failures of the state" had pushed Xavier into the actions which surrounded his death. Coroner Brown encouraged the friend to seek to change laws where she did not agree with them, but would not be drawn into a debate about climate change.
Xavier's medical cause of death was given as 1a Suspension after a post-mortem examination. Making her conclusion of 'Suicide', Coroner Brown said Xavier had taken his own life and, based on the evidence, "clearly understood the consequences". She added: "What a tragedy it is for our society to lose a bright young man with beliefs in those matters we all know are affecting all of us."
A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said they were "deeply shocked" by Xavier's death. "Xavi took action with a sense of service and love. He demanded a future worth living and for that the state sent him, with many others, to jail," they said.
"What will it take for this government to act, to start protecting and stop damaging us, to recognise the courage and bravery displayed by young people like Xavier Gonzalez-Trimmer?"
(Link: https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/worl...31&cvid=1493ab7e346a40bf871f0f6a3e5b2bc7&ei=8)
Xavier made the choice to do what he did (at least, to the best of my and indeed our knowledge), therefore my sympathy is limited - yes, it's sad that he died but where were JSO and others when he was suffering?
They only care now because they can make a temporary 'Martyr' out of him and use his death as proof that 'Climate Change Literally Kills' when it is their shit-ridden organisation which is warping already mentally-screwed youngsters into extreme acts of virtue signalling and potentially a lot worse down the line (there have been Twitter, Mastodon and Meta posts online this week mentioning possible violence against people if the Government of the UK a) does not listen to them and b) does not stand down before the Summer Recess (Thursday 20th July). JSO etc. are potentially going to go down the route of ISIS and the IRA if it will get them attention and if they can pressgang, bully and kowtow people into accepting that they are correct, and that should worry all of us on all sides of the pond - when it 'goes off' in one country, it'll soon go off in others.
Until Roger Hallam, Gail Bradbrook, Beau King Houston and Dale Vince are locked away, this will continue to happen.
(Archive: https://archive.ph/OvBkv)
An environmental activist facing six criminal cases took his own life after a traumatic spell in jail and rising court fines. Xavier Gonzales-Trimmer, 22, was found dead by police in Richmond Park on February 20 after two searches for the rock climbing instructor who went missing five days earlier (February 15). He was due to stand trial at Inner London crown court in March, accused of causing a public nuisance.
Xavier was on tag at the time after 16 arrests relating to his activist work for Just Stop Oil, Insulate Britain, and Stop HS2. He saw a psychiatrist in November 2022, when he talked about his three week imprisonment. "I found this was a traumatic experience for Xavier, one Xavier had struggled to come to terms with," she said, in a statement read to West London Coroner's Court.
Xavier's mum said her son was healthy and did not drink or take drugs, but had struggled with his mental health in the last six months of his life. "He was facing many difficulties as a result of the protests he had participated in, he was due to face six court cases. He had spent three weeks in custody on remand. This was a difficult experience for him," his mum said.
Xavier was on tag at the time after 16 arrests relating to his activist work for Just Stop Oil, Insulate Britain, and Stop HS2. He saw a psychiatrist in November 2022, when he talked about his three week imprisonment. "I found this was a traumatic experience for Xavier, one Xavier had struggled to come to terms with," she said, in a statement read to West London Coroner's Court.
Xavier's mum said her son was healthy and did not drink or take drugs, but had struggled with his mental health in the last six months of his life. "He was facing many difficulties as a result of the protests he had participated in, he was due to face six court cases. He had spent three weeks in custody on remand. This was a difficult experience for him," his mum said.
She described the alleged conditions in HMP Cheltenham where Xavier chose to eat raw pasta "because he was so hungry he could not wait for hot water" and "he did not know why he was in custody as nobody had given him access to a phone". Despite this she said the staff were "comforting and supportive."
But in HMP Thameside one cellmate is alleged to have "constantly antagonised him" by jabbing a vape pen in his face. "He had a breakdown in Thameside prison. Someone came to chat to him and he was given a book on Sudoku," Xavier's mum said. "He was anxious about future prison sentences he faced."
She also told the court Xavier had considerable court debts and was getting lots of payment demands. "His depression and anxiety made it difficult to deal with the court paper work," she added.
In September 2022 Xavier was arrested at a tunnel in Essex, while another protester was allowed to go home without charge, the court heard. "I sensed Xavier felt he was treated more harshly by the police," she said.
In July 2022 his mum described how police officers turned up at her home saying they wanted to speak to Xavier, but he was at work. They arrested him at his workplace instead, which he found "humiliating" and put him off going back there. "As the police did not charge him with anything we thought it was to harass him," she said.
Xavier's partner also questioned if being on tag meant he was under state care, and therefore deserved a jury inquest into his death. Acting Senior Coroner Lydia Brown explained the law was clear this was not the case. A friend also asked if the mental health care offered at prison should be considered in the scope of the inquest, but Coroner Brown explained she had already rejected this.
Another friend spoke passionately about Xavier's activism, and said "failures of the state" had pushed Xavier into the actions which surrounded his death. Coroner Brown encouraged the friend to seek to change laws where she did not agree with them, but would not be drawn into a debate about climate change.
Xavier's medical cause of death was given as 1a Suspension after a post-mortem examination. Making her conclusion of 'Suicide', Coroner Brown said Xavier had taken his own life and, based on the evidence, "clearly understood the consequences". She added: "What a tragedy it is for our society to lose a bright young man with beliefs in those matters we all know are affecting all of us."
A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said they were "deeply shocked" by Xavier's death. "Xavi took action with a sense of service and love. He demanded a future worth living and for that the state sent him, with many others, to jail," they said.
"What will it take for this government to act, to start protecting and stop damaging us, to recognise the courage and bravery displayed by young people like Xavier Gonzalez-Trimmer?"
(Link: https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/worl...31&cvid=1493ab7e346a40bf871f0f6a3e5b2bc7&ei=8)
Xavier made the choice to do what he did (at least, to the best of my and indeed our knowledge), therefore my sympathy is limited - yes, it's sad that he died but where were JSO and others when he was suffering?
They only care now because they can make a temporary 'Martyr' out of him and use his death as proof that 'Climate Change Literally Kills' when it is their shit-ridden organisation which is warping already mentally-screwed youngsters into extreme acts of virtue signalling and potentially a lot worse down the line (there have been Twitter, Mastodon and Meta posts online this week mentioning possible violence against people if the Government of the UK a) does not listen to them and b) does not stand down before the Summer Recess (Thursday 20th July). JSO etc. are potentially going to go down the route of ISIS and the IRA if it will get them attention and if they can pressgang, bully and kowtow people into accepting that they are correct, and that should worry all of us on all sides of the pond - when it 'goes off' in one country, it'll soon go off in others.
Until Roger Hallam, Gail Bradbrook, Beau King Houston and Dale Vince are locked away, this will continue to happen.
