A Just Stop Oil-backed eco protester’s Easter Jesus crucifixion stunt backfired after he got just £500 in donations.
Justin Swalwell hoped to rake in £3,000 by getting tied to a cross for 48 hours.
The Christian campaigner started at midday on Good Friday (29 Mar) and finished at the same time on Easter Sunday yesterday (31 Mar)
He did it in a field near where he lives in Westbury, Wilts, and was left with “aches and pains.”
But Justin – who calls himself Jesus online – didn’t get the cash he was expecting.
He got NO donations on his GoFundMe crowdfunding page.
Justin – who did it dressed as Jesus – did get seven on his Chuffed one, but £25 was from his own wife Amy.
Just Stop Oil’s Westbury group gave him £105 and Extinction Rebellion Westbury donated £50
Devizes Eco Warriors pledged £95 and Meadow Lane Community Westbury £195.
The final donations came from Martha Wenden – £20 – and Paul Sheridan – £10.
Wife Amy said: “Justin did feel a bit flat when told £500 was the final amount, but he’s not one to complain.
“To those who helped, a big thank you.
“To those who didn’t – well you have your reasons and we’ll leave it there.”
She added: “Justin is doing well, relaxing and recovering.
“No injuries to report only aches and pains but he should be okay in a few days.”
Justin – who calls himself a ‘Christian Environmental Protestor’ – wanted the cash to buy some land to make a National Eco Healing Garden.
It will be a place with “healing pools” and “places for prayer and meditation” for eco protestors.
The garden will also be used as a place to remember activists who have died.
Before the stunt Justin – who uses the online name ‘Justin He Is Jesus’ – said: “So, as I don’t know roughly how much a National Eco Healing Garden will ultimately cost, I am setting a figure of £3,000 and hopefully it can be exceeded with donations.
He added: “I will be dressing up Jesus Christ and following in his footsteps of nearly 2,000 years ago by ’sacrificing’ myself upon a cross.
“I shall be suspended by ropes attached to a cross for 48 hours in order to both ‘sacrifice’ myself against climate change, drawing attention to the UK Government’s lack of giving even the slightest damn about taking the ensuing climate catastrophe seriously.
“As well as pay homage, tribute, and respect to those brave warriors, fallen and wounded, from the climate activist community.”
As reported by Need To Know Justin, added: “My protest won’t ‘inconvenience’ people and will be held out in the Wiltshire countryside on private land in a field owned by a landowner who has given me permission to literally ‘hang there’ upon a cross.
“I have the legal right to proceed and cannot be arrested for doing so as I am not obstructing ‘the King’s highway’.
“As a Christian, I believe that Jesus Chest would support me and people like me in the fight to save planet Earth from extinction and he would approve of me following in his footsteps.
“We have such a beautiful home, yet we readily spoil it, and when groups like Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil fight back, we are demonised as ‘the bad guys’.”
