Mother pleads for jailed Just Stop Oil activist not to be deported

• Marcus Decker was jailed for two years for climbing the bridge in Dartford
• His partner Holly Cullen-Davies is petitioning to stop his deportation to Germany
• Her campaign has been supported by left-wing celebs including Olivia Colman 

A middle class north London single mother who fell in love with an eco hippie activist is campaigning to stop him being deported to his native Germany – after he gets released from prison for one of the most disruptive protests of the Just Stop Oil movement.

Marcus Decker climbed 200 feet up the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge over the River Thames in Dartford, Kent, then camped in a hammock for 40 hours, forcing police to close the crossing and causing giant jams in the 2022 protest two years ago.

He was jailed for two years and seven months for the stunt – and told he would be deported when released.

But now a campaign to prevent this, led by his girlfriend, Holly Cullen-Davies, 40, is taking off.

Ms Cullen-Davies, previously a single mum, has told how she ‘fell in love’ with Decker three years ago and he has ‘become a wonderful stepfather’ to her two children.

Holly Cullen-Davies and her partner Marcus Decker. Ms Cullen-Davies, previously a single mum, has told how she ‘fell in love’ with eco zealot Decker three years ago and he has ‘become a wonderful stepfather’ to her two children

Decker climbed 200 feet up the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge over the River Thames in Dartford, Kent, then camped in a hammock for 40 hours, forcing police to close the crossing and causing giant jams in the 2022 protest two years ago

Decker was jailed for two years and seven months for the stunt – and told he would be deported when released. But now a campaign to prevent this, led by his girlfriend, Holly Cullen-Davies, 40, is taking off

And she claims ‘gentle, thoughtful and compassionate’ Marcus Decker acted proportionately during the protest.

His co-defendant Morgan Trowland has since been freed from prison but teacher Decker is still facing deportation to his native Germany.

Ms Cullen-Davies, 40, has attracted more than 150,000 signatures on a petition appealing against what she calls the ‘double punishment’ of a deportation order.

Her campaign has been backed by left-wing celebrities including Sir Bob Geldof, actors Olivia Colman and Emma Thompson, TV naturalist Chris Packham, writer George Monbiot and musician Brian Eno.

Her petition adds: ‘Marcus put his own liberty and body on the line for those suffering from the climate crisis.

‘But he is more than just an activist – anyone that knows Marcus knows he is a gentle, thoughtful and compassionate human being who would only act proportionately to the crisis we all face.’

It continues: ‘It isn’t easy for Marcus in prison and it is desperately sad for my family.

‘This double punishment is devastating for us. If deported, he would be separated from us, his family, his home, community and adopted country.

Ms Cullen-Davies (pictured) has attracted more than 150,000 signatures on a petition appealing against what she calls the ‘double punishment’ of a deportation order

Decker during his 40 hours stunt suspended from the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge. Ms Cullen-Davies says she met Decker, 35, in 2020 at the start of the covid lockdown, a few years after she separated from her former partner

‘Marcus has already been separated from us for 7 months and now he might never come home again.’

Ms Cullen-Davies grew up in trendy Highgate and was sent by her actor-musician parents to a high-achieving independent girls’ school.

Later, she studied at a top musical college in Lyon, France, the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

She began playing piano aged six and is now a virtuoso, with a repertoire stretching from Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms to jazz standards by Nina Simone.

Her expertise includes the violin and she has performed at venues including the Royal Festival Hall and Wigmore Hall, London, and major events including the Hebden Bridge Piano festival in Yorkshire.

Ms Cullen-Davies says she met Decker, 35, in 2020 at the start of the covid lockdown, a few years after she separated from her former partner.

She said the fellow activist was a perfect stepfather for her son and daughter, then aged nine and seven respectively, and his own child from a past relationship.

They enjoyed a text-book eco-friendly lifestyle where they attended green protests together, sold their car and travelled everywhere by train and bicycle.

Ms Cullen-Davies grew up in trendy Highgate and was sent by her actor-musician parents to a high-achieving independent girls’ school

Actress Olivia Colman is one of a number of left-wing celebrities who have backed Ms Cullen-Davies petition

But she added that her children’s father objected to them being taken along to demos where their stepfather had climbed trees to stop them being felled.

She said of their relationship: ‘Both musicians, we found a way to use our skills and careers to sing and fight for change. This felt good.

‘It felt natural also to incorporate the children into some of what we did.

‘We took them on protests, taught them to climb trees, let them help in the package free store and sang fun songs.

‘It quickly became apparent to me that this was a delicate subject which would have to be carefully considered and constantly monitored.

‘For starters their dad wasn’t at all happy about us involving them in our activism.

‘It became a new point of contention that was being passed indirectly between us via the children.’

Ms Cullen-Davies has also written: ‘I try as much as possible without preaching about it to live the life that I feel we all need to move towards.

‘I sold the car and bought an electric tricycle – probably the most exciting thing I’ve ever bought!

‘The kids love it and I highly recommend it. We no longer fly. My partner spends considerable amounts of his time up trees to stop them being felled.’

Despite her claims to a non-preachy approach, her social media posts offer an insight into her stern views on those who fail to live up to her eco ideals.

One rails at a fellow shopper who she watched buying ‘two sets of multi pack crisps (plastic bags in plastic bags), three giant plastic bottles of coke, 7 packets of haribo and 4 chocolate bars in plastic.’

Her Facebook post about the incident added: ‘The man behind the counter then packed it all neatly into three further plastic bags. They thanked each other and off he went. I felt physically ill.

‘I didn’t feel angry with the guy in front of me. I didn’t feel angry with the man behind the counter. They shouldn’t be having to make these choices. These choices shouldn’t be available!

‘It’s the plastic I wanted to cry about. When I was little crisps and pick n mix sweets came in paper bags, coke came in cans and chocolate came in foil.

‘That wasn’t perfect but it was much better than this. How have we got to this place when we know the damage it is causing? How?’

One objector commented: ‘Try minding your own business. People in this country are sick and tired of you loons.’

Another Facebook post compares her lover’s disruptive protest with actions which led to the abolition of the slave trade and the end of apartheid in South Africa.

‘When following the path of an inspiring vision we are likely to encounter the voice dismissing what we hope for as unnecessary or impractical.

‘Nelson Mandela describes changes like this: ‘it always seems impossible until it is done.’

She goes on to say Decker launched his M25 bridge stunt ‘because he didn’t think it would be possible’.

Yet another post goes on about the ordeal he brought on himself: ‘Marcus has now been in prison for over 6 months.

‘I am allowed to visit him twice a month for an hour. He has mostly been locked up for 22 hours a day in a tiny shared cell with a flimsy curtain around an open toilet. Despite this he remains amazingly positive and cheerful.’

Cullen-Davies did briefly address the chaos caused in one post, saying: ‘Marcus admittedly caused quite a large public nuisance.’

But she stressed that he had the ‘ultimate aim of saving lives and warning the public yet again of our government’s genocidal policies.’

Decker’s infuriating protest in October 2022 began an epidemic of disruptive demos by the anti-fossil fuel group.

Along with Trowland, he climbed the bridge over the River Thames and remained suspended on cables for more than 37 hours to ‘deliver a warning message’ on the environment.

Essex Police said about 565 drivers faced delays, a heavily-pregnant woman was held-up on her way to hospital and a mourner missed a best friend’s funeral.

Just Stop Oil protesters on London Bridge. Decker’s infuriating protest in October 2022 began an epidemic of disruptive demos by the anti-fossil fuel group

But afterwards, Ms Cullen-Davies described the jail term of two years and seven months – handed down after a Basildon Crown Court trial and to be served at a Suffolk jail – as ‘draconian’.

She said of Decker: ‘He is extraordinarily stoic, but if the sentence was bad enough, the deportation is an outrage.’

After the case, actors and musicians including Sir Bob, Colman and Thompson, and former Roxy Music performer Eno condemned the ‘harsh deportation’ order.

They wrote an open letter claiming: ‘Punishing him with deportation in addition to the 14 months he has already spent in prison is out of proportion to the crime committed.’

But a government spokesperson said: ‘Foreign nationals who commit crimes here in the UK will face the full force of the law, including deportation.’

Ms Cullen-Davies did not respond to requests for comment.

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