AN Extinction Rebellion campaigner from New Quay who live-streamed her own court appearance in London on Facebook in protest against the third runway at Heathrow was jailed for three weeks on Friday.

Hannah Schafer, a 57-year-old water sports instructor, was appearing before City of London magistrates charged with wilfully obstructing the highway during ER action near Westminster last September.

She entered the dock intent on breaking rules forbidding the filming of court proceedings, duly becoming the fourth XR campaigner to face contempt of court action in the past year.

During the live-stream Schafer said that her crime of sitting in the road did not compare with ‘the massive crime of the third runway at Heathrow’.

She said she had written to her MP, joined Greenpeace, cycled, signed petitions, grown her own vegetables and lived off grid, but all to no avail and ‘it was time to stand up and be counted’.

The defendant apologised to court staff, saying she did not feel contempt for them but did have contempt for the court, which, she claimed, had shown ‘no respect for the environment or international law’.

On a video showing the courtroom, members of staff, and a police officer, she says: “I’m actually recording and live-streaming this because I have no respect for this court.

“And I have no intention of co-operating with you.”

When a voice off camera points out she is committing an offence, Schafer replies: “I do know it’s an offence, yes.”

She is then heard on the video refusing to leave the courtroom.

In a pre-prepared statement Schafer said she anticipated she would be jailed.

“I work as a senior instructor at Cardigan Bay Watersports and over the twelve years I have lived and worked in New Quay... I have seen the worsening impact of climate change at first hand - and it's speeding up,” she added.

With the centre closed due to Covid, she said she took a job as a healthcare support worker with the NHS, but quit to take part in the ER protests where she was subsequently arrested.

Friday’s incident was part of an XR direct action campaign – dubbed Disobey in the Dock – that has seen three other activists facing contempt proceedings.

XR confirmed Schafer has been taken to HMP Bronzefield in Middlesex to serve her prison term.