Three climate protesters who stopped traffic to bring rush-hour chaos to the City of London are facing a retrial. Giovanna Lewis, 65, a councillor from Dorset, Amy Pritchard, 37, a horticultural worker and Paul Sheeky, 46, a screenwriter, were part of a large group of Insulate Britain protesters who glued themselves to the ground and blocked traffic between Bishopsgate and Wormwood Street on 25 October 2021. Thousands of people on buses were held up as a result of the protest, Inner London crown court heard. Lewis, Pritchard and Sheeky, were all charged with causing a public nuisance, which is a common law offence and carries a maximum of life imprisonment. They deny the charge. They were tried earlier this month but the jury could not agree a verdict. The defendants were excused from the hearing on Friday but Lewis attended court. The judge, Silas Reid, told her: “The prosecution is asking for a further trial in your case. If the jury fails to agree on a verdict that will be the end of the case.” A date has not yet been fixed for the trial but it will probably be in 2024. Lewis said: “A retrial cannot be in the public interest.” She spoke of her time in HMP Bronzefield after she was jailed for contempt. “In my wing around half the women were waiting for a trial. Some for many months, and some even for years. I am appalled that this can continue in the way that it has.” Earlier, Reid held Lewis and Pritchard in contempt of court for defying his order not to refer to climate change as motivation for their actions. “If you deny the contempt there will have to be an inquiry,” he said. “If you accept the contempt I will have to hear mitigation. No ruling prevents you from saying anything in a contempt hearing.” Reid had ruled the defendants could not refer to climate change as their motivation for blocking the road in their defence. He said it was “not a trial about climate change or fuel poverty”. Supporters of the defendants held banners outside court, including one that read: “Silenced by Silas”.