The Line We Crossed

Environmental defenders Jesús Thomas González (Mexico) and Dorthea Wabiser (Indonesia) visited the UK to campaign for corporate accountability and support for threatened defenders. The week culminatED in a screening of ‘The Line We Crossed’, demonstrating how environmental activism iN the UK is criminalised too.

In the week of May 12, 2025, human rights defenders Jesús Thomas González (Mexico) and Dorthea Wabiser (Indonesia) came to London to speak out against the environmental destruction and trampling of rights by extractive industries. They called on the UK government to act now and pass a mandatory due diligence law. PBI UK facilitated meetings with civil servants, parliamentarians and civil society organisations so that the defenders could speak directly with decision-makers, catalysing actions to support them and their campaigns. Both defenders desribed the criminalisation, harrassment, threata and attacks that defenddrs face in their countries. The week culminated in a reception and Q&A at the Everyman Cinema Kings Cross, at which ‘The Line We Crossed’ was screened - a film documenting the criminalisation of envrionmental activism in the UK.

Dorthea addresses an event with civil servants, parliamentarians and civil society at the FCDO

Indonesia: militarisation of Indigenous land to facilitate extractive 

Dorthea Wabiser is an Indigenous West Papuan defender & researcher at PUSAKA, who came to the UK to speak with policy makers and the international community about the impacts of the Merauke National Strategic Project (NSP) on the environment and Indigenous peoples.

This two million hectare initiative aims to clear land for large scale rice and sugar cane production, as well as bioethanol plantations. Backed by the Ministries of Defence and Agriculture, the project threatens not just the environment but entire ways of life.

Dorthea met a cross-departmental group of civil servants alongside Indigenous leaders from Malaysia and Brazil. She highlighted that the militarisation of West Papua has had a drastic impact on Indigenous communities and made recommendations on how the UK can best support them.

At the film screening, Dorthea urged the international community to support Indigenous defenders in West Papua, particularly those confronting the Merauke NSP.

UN experts have raised concerns about the Merauke NSP. Dorthea and her colleagues from PUSAKA have faced harassment and intimidation.

Mexico: Defenders attacked after standing up to illegal mining on their land by subsidiary of a UK company

PBI UK Advocacy Manager Christina Challis accompanies Jesús and Sergio to a meeting at the FCDO.

Jesús Thomas González is from the El Bajío community in Mexico which has fought legal battles over years with Penmont, a subsidiary of UK-incorporated Fresnillo PLC, which extracted over 236,000 ounces of gold illegally from communal land. Despite court rulings in the community’s favour, the company has yet to provide reparations. Community leaders opposing the mine were murdered in 2018 and 2021 together with their wives. Jesús himself faces death threats.

Jesús visited the UK alongside the community’s lawyer. Together they met with parliamentarians and also the Head of the Central America Desk and the Desk Officer for Mexico at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). They urged for the UK to support members of the El Bajío community, many of whom face grave risks due to their opposition to the mine.

At the film screening, he spoke about the specific risks he and others opposing the mine have faced and continue to face, including threats, attacks, enforced disappearances & killings. The defenders remained in town for the Fresnillo PLC board meeting.

‘The Line We Crossed’: how environmental activism is criminalised in the UK

PBI UK joined with Page 75 Productions and Greenpeace UK to welcome over 100 people to the Everyman Cinema in Kings Cross, London, for an exclusive pre-release screening of the film ‘The Line We Crossed’. We were joined by film Director Liz Smith, who - during two years - documented how the right to protest in the UK is under threat and how environmental defenders, in particular, are being targeted. The film bears witnes first hand to how activists are being silenced in court, and criminalised with disproportionate punishments for nonviolent protest.

PBI UK’s Christina Challis chaired a Question & Answer session post-film together with Jesús, Dorthea, and Just Stop Oil activist Olly Rock. they discussed how the right to nonviolent protest is a fundamental pillar of democracy that is under threat globally, particularly as it pertains to land rights, Indigenous autonomy and environmental activism.

At a drinks reception, environmental defenders, NGO workers, representatives of private philanthropy, journalists, civil servants and the general public were able to mingle, network and build solidarity networks. A number of the connections made at the event have already led to positive action in support of PBI and the defenders.

Christina closed the event calling on the audience to get behind the campaign for a UK Business, Human Rights and Environment Act, which would help hold corporations to account in the UK and globally. You can read more about this campaign and how it aligns for the calls made by Dorthea and Jesús in this op-ed jointly authored by Christina and PBI UK’s Director, Ben Leather.

Here's how you can support PBI and environmental defenders at risk:

A Q&A session was held between the audience and the defenders following the film screening

• Stay in the Loop
  Sign up to the PBI UK newsletter to hear about future events, updates, and how you can take action.

• Attend our webinar in June!
  An insightful discussion on the challenges Indigenous communities face due to extractive megaprojects and how PBI Supports them. Sign up here!

• Write to your MP
  Urge them to support a UK law holding companies accountable for environmental and human rights abuses. It takes less than 3 minutes: using this handy template by Friends of the Earth.

• Sign the Petition
  Pledge your support for a UK Business, Human Rights and Environment Act. Join thousands demanding change. This takes 30 seconds!

• Support Defenders at Risk
  Donate to Peace Brigades International to help us continue our support of frontline environmental defenders like Jesús and Dorthea.