Activist glues himself to bank — now he’s banned from taking glue outside, judge rules

A climate change protester who glued himself to the doors of a bank will not serve jail time but must follow some unusual conditions, a judge in Canada ruled.

The judge in Nanaimo, British Columbia, prohibited the activist from possessing “any glue, Super Glue, adhesive, fixative, or resin outside your residence,” court documents show.

He can carry adhesives intended for use by children outside his home, and stronger adhesives only if he gets permission from the probation office, which he must carry with him, the order says.

The activist is also forbidden from returning to the bank where the protest took place or blocking traffic, the judge ruled.

The conditions will be lifted after the man serves 12 months of probation and completes 40 hours of community service, the judge ruled.

The activist faced charges stemming from a January protest in which he blocked traffic and an April protest in which he glued himself to the doors of a Royal Bank of Canada branch.

“I am not sure if the protesters gluing themselves to the door at the bank is unique or not,” the judge noted. “It is certainly something I have not heard of, but it would certainly be an effective way of protest or at least causing disruption at the bank.”

The man’s actions were “very obviously sincere concern for the immediate and long-term effects of climate change and frustration with the lack of political movement despite his attempts to motivate politicians,” the judge ruled.

He was sentenced in August after pleading guilty.

This story was originally published September 20, 2022 at 3:28 PM with the headline "Activist glues himself to bank — now he’s banned from taking glue outside, judge rules."