Protest at Preston New Road on 20 February 2017. Photo used with the permission of the author
The press regulator has received multiple complaints about an article by the Telegraph referring to arrests at Cuadrilla’s Lancashire fracking site.
The article, about protests at the Preston New Road site, near Blackpool, said:
“There have been a dozen arrests related to verbal death threats and physical assault against workers at Cuadrilla’s site in the last month but some forms of legal protest action are carried out with the police in attendance.”
The article was posted on the Telegraph website 7pm on 18 February 2017 but removed at some time on 23 February 2017. On 24 February, the Telegraph apologised.
Lancashire Police confirmed to DrillOrDrop there had not been arrests at Preston New Road related to verbal death threats and physical assault.
The Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) said on 21 February 2017:
“In this case, there have been 14 complaints, predominantly under clause 1 of the Editors’ Code”
Clause 1 of the code covers accuracy and requires the press not to publish inaccurate, misleading or distorted information. Where this happens, inaccurate statements must be corrected promptly and a fair opportunity should be given to reply.
The Telegraph told DrillOrDrop that the source of its quote was Cuadrilla’s Chief Executive, Francis Egan.
A spokesperson for Cuadrilla said:
“There had been approx. a dozen arrests made in connection with protests at or near our site in Lancashire to date. That is well documented and Francis confirmed that.
“Regarding the “verbal abuse and physical violence” and threats received I can also confirm these are all taken seriously and have been passed to the Police to investigate and take statements.”
Lancashire Police had previously said it was investigating allegations of threats.
A spokesperson said the force was not keeping a running total of arrests outside the Preston New Road site. But data from sources, including the Fylde Police Facebook page and people arrested, suggests that up to the date of the Telegraph article there had been 13 arrests and one report for summons.
Of the arrests, at least 10 were for alleged offences under Section 14 of the Public Order Act (1986).
This legislation allows conditions to be imposed on a “public assembly” – defined as a gathering of two or more people in a public place. Conditions can restrict the place, duration and numbers of people allowed at a gathering and can require people to stand in a “protest pen”.
There was also one arrest under section 241 of the Trades Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. Section 241 deals with “intimidation or annoyance by violence or otherwise”. An offence is committed if a person uses violence to another, intimidates, persistently follows, hides tools, clothes or property, or watches or besets a home or workplace.
Barbara Richardson, of Frack Free Lancashire, said this afternoon:
“Frack Free Lancashire were dismayed to read such unfounded and inflammatory claims being made by a respected national newspaper. There have been arrests made but Lancashire police have confirmed that none were “related to verbal death threats and physical assault against workers at Cuadrilla’s site”.
“The Daily Telegraph needs to issue a full retraction and apology to the countless local people who have stood outside in all weathers exercising their right to legitimate and peaceful protest against this invasion by Cuadrilla. If the claims were originally made by Cuadrilla themselves, as the Daily Telegraph has claimed, then they need to provide evidence of who said it, and when, as they are very serious and defamatory allegations.”
DrillOrDrop invited the Telegraph Media Group to comment on the complaints to IPSO. This post will be updated with any response.
Updated 24/2/2017 to include that the Telegraph had apologised and the article had been removed from the website.
Categories: Regulation
DRILL OR DROP? 
Arrested under section 14 of the public order act 1986
14 Imposing conditions on public assemblies.
(1)If the senior police officer, having regard to the time or place at which and the circumstances in which any public assembly is being held or is intended to be held, reasonably believes that—
(a)it may result in serious public disorder, serious damage to property or serious disruption to the life of the community, or
(b)the purpose of the persons organising it is the intimidation of others with a view to compelling them not to do an act they have a right to do, or to do an act they have a right not to do,
he may give directions imposing on the persons organising or taking part in the assembly such conditions as to the place at which the assembly may be (or continue to be) held, its maximum duration, or the maximum number of persons who may constitute it, as appear to him necessary to prevent such disorder, damage, disruption or intimidation.
There is some more, but might I suggest ‘case proven millud’
Not another anonymous pro-fracker surely?
“might I suggest ‘case proven millud’”
Good job you’re not trying to earn a living as a lawyer then – you’d go very hungry.
Read the article where it clearly states “Lancashire Police confirmed to DrillOrDrop yesterday there had not been arrests at Preston New Road related to verbal death threats and physical assault.” and work onwards from there. 🙄
From the videos I have seen made by the protesters themselves they are deliberately putting themselves in harms way. Arresting them for their own safety and that of the rest of the population seems entirely sensible.
I’d suggest that to the police and see what sort of reaction they give you Robert.
I’d also visit Specsavers when you have a moment. Or get yourself a better monitor? 🙂
I notice you complain about anonymous people. Who are you exactly?
Ah you mean you don’t know who the unshaven man from the Shire is! Regarded as a legend amongst his fellow band of brothers.
Just google Hobson and fracking and you’ll delve into a world of fantasy and myths.
Thank you. That worked. He does seem to have a lot of aliases.
But only one name, Robert – John Hobson, which as has often been pointed out here is hardly a secret. And yes I have a beard and live in a shire – Lancashire , where the fracking is. Come with me and delve into the world of fracking fantasy and myths – there’s a great new post about that on http://www.refracktion.com today!
GottaBKidding – are you the new alias for Jim Georges/ Bard/Peeny? 😂
Thank you Mr. Hobson. I have read your piece on Mr. Faulkner, a man of whom I have no knowledge. In any case I prefer to stay away from personalities, ad hominem attacks and trivia. Unfortunately that seems to be the bulk of the content on your site.
My pleasure Mr Ward.
I am genuinely amazed you’ve not heard of the Frackmaster – maybe his PR machine isn’t as good as he thought it was. Still many here will know exactly who I was talking about and may be surprised to learn that Chris Faulkner, the cheerleader for the fracking industry appears to be anguishing in an LA gaol on felony charges. Funny old world isn’t it? You may not find that interesting, but I certainly do. Each to his own I suppose.
BTW Robert are you by any chance Robert Ward. Director of Groundwater Science. British Geological Survey … Just wondering.
Good heavens, no. It’s definitely not that Robert Ward.
“Case Proven Millud” PFFFT
If you were referring to the improper use of legislation, purely for the purpose of arresting members of the public who are exercising their right to peaceful protest, then I might be inclined to agree.
As it is, we know that the arrests, which have been made (as confirmed by the Police) are not of an intimidatory nature, but rather have been arrests for 1) Slow Walking A Vehicle (Under th Guise of Obstructing the Highway) It should be noted that in this case the bail conditions imposed by the Police were thrown out by the court. 2) Lock on Protests, whereby the Police have used the Section 14 Public Assembly legislation, to request that individuals, who were led down on the floor locked on and unable to move, to move away from an area otherwise they would face arrest. In all cases thus far again, no bail conditions hve been imposed by the courts.
The defamatory claims made in the Telegraph that a dozen arrests have been made for “Verbal Death Threats and Intimidation” are completely misleading and fail to convey the facts. Moreover, they also fail to explain that the alleged claims of what were originally ‘written death threats’ until senior members of the Cuadrilla team were asked to produce evidence and then subsequently changed to ‘verbal death threats’ only arose after senior members of the on site team working for Cuadrilla at the Preston New Road Site had been caught red handed (on Video) encouraging other staff members to “Fucking run them over” when referring to protestors.
Noteably this suggestion by senior site staff was followed up with an incident whereby the one of the two individuals encouraging a driver to “Fucking run them over” subsequently got ino a site vehicle,, drove it at excess speed through the traffic management zone forcing a Police Liason Officer to dive out of the way, then reversed at speed into the site firstly knocking over a member of the site secureity (who was subsequently hopitalised) and then reversing into a lady protestor and another security guard at the site.
On that basis any reasonably minded individual could be forgiven for concluding that these totally unsubstantiated ‘death threats’, which Lancashire Police have confirmed have not resulted in arrests, are simply a means by which Cuadrilla are seking to distract attention from their own dangerous actions, for which real video evidence is available and in the public domain.
For future reference “MILLUD” , Legal matters in the UK are still determined in the courts and not at the roadside. This will not be the first or the last example where the Police have misused or abused their powers or inappropriately applied legislation, simply to facilitate an overzealous Government and / or corporate interests.
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This is reminding me of Spain under Franco where people in a group of more than two people would be arrested and interrogated! This is how desperate the Fracking companies are!
They’ve had tax breaks, easy licenses and guarantee of no opposition as the Government has conveniently changed the rules so that the Energy Minister has the power to overrule Planning decisions at local level.
The Tory Government + fossil fuel shareholders should grow up and understand that our rivers, our acquafers, our air, even our soil are totally contaminated with fossil fuel particles and together with the Co2 emissions from methane, as part of the fracking process + air pollution and the toxic waste byproduct from fracking, the industry should be totally banned.
Why can’t you all see that Rennewables are the only sensible and safer option? Invest in Renewables!
Oh, perhaps you don’t care about what kind of a planet you’re leaving the next generation as long as you can have your ‘quick fix’ fun! Well, that’s not on, and that’s why most people are against fracking! They care about the present and the future. And yet peaceful protesters are being prosecuted. This Government should be ashamed of itself but they’re too arrogant to listen to local people. There is no social licence for fracking. Nobody wants it, only those out to make money from this desperate + toxic industry that is hydraulic fracturing which will ruin the little that is left of our countryside, even our National Parks are threatened by fracking! Shame on the industry and the Government who invited them in, in the first place!
I wonder are they going to correct the article, probably not we all know the telegraph has been peddling fake news since it’s inception.
I like the way people can conclude anything, without knowing the sources of such “news”. Speculation on either side is just that. The complaints have been made and will be investigated. Maybe they will produce some clarity, maybe not. Speculation certainly won’t.
Martin – interestingly regardless of the source this story has legs.
Either the Cuadrilla interviewee was being, how can I put this, “imaginative” or the Daily Telegraph stands accused of inventing pro-fracking news and then placing Cuadrilla in a bad light as a result of claiming them to be the source.
Either way it’s quite juicy really isn’t it?
Or personal threats against Francis Egan have been made – which is in fact correct. The Telegraph would appear to have mixed up the arrested protestors and the personal threats and made a “story” out of it. Who knows who made the personal threats against Francis Egan – the Police have or still are investigating these which were initially made some time ago. Perhaps you know who they may be John?
Paul – I have no idea. What I do know is that last time Mr EGan claimed to have death threats made against him he was strangely reluctant to provide any substantiation for the allegation.
See http://www.refracktion.com/index.php/death-threats-really/
I do hope we are not seeing a pattern emerging here….
“This story has legs”???
Almost as juicy as the one at the same time in the Times??
Oh, I get it now. It must therefore be a conspiracy! And it produce masses of sympathy for next month?
Enjoy the fun, especially when the media are antagonised and decide to conduct a full investigation of practises and players. Poke the ants nest and you may get stung.
No – I doubt it’s a conspiracy. I imagine each side will blame the other to avoid responsibility. That’s the opposite of a conspiracy isn’t it?
Who are you suggesting might get stung then Martin? Do tell.
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Lol keep criticising the main press and you’ll soon regret it. You guys really do need to combine your brain power and come up with better PR.
Unfortunately live stream footage shows exactly what the protestors are like in reality. The videos are reminiscent of Jeremy Kyle type tv.
er ..so you think statements as defamatory as that should go unchallenged then my anonymous friend?
Like your side would do that 🙂
Imagine if I published an article on my website saying 12 Cuadrilla staff had been arrested for making death threats and assaulting protectors over the last month. How long do you think it would be before the writ landed?
Some education [Edited by moderator]:
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What relevance has that link to this story Peeny?
Just part of your ongoing education, Johnnyboy!