Keith Taylor MEP. Photo: Jon O’Houston
The Green Party’s MEP for south east England has called for review of guidance given to police at anti-drilling protests in Sussex.
Keith Taylor was speaking after officers prevented a campaigner carrying out a so-called slow-walking protest at UK Oil & Gas’s Broadford Bridge oil exploration site near Billingshurst.
The woman, who has chosen to remain anonymous, was filmed being removed from the road. She said:
“Being forcibly and aggressively shoved off the road as I was, without warning, was a shocking denial of my right to protest. It was nothing short of thuggish behaviour.”
The Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner, Katy Bourne, had previously said officers would allow protesters to obstruct vehicles delivering to the site in some circumstances. Link to letter
Mr Taylor, who has called for a national review of guidance to police officers at anti-fracking protests, said:
“I’m now renewing my call for the Sussex PCC to undertake a similar review. I’m also calling on Sussex Police to communicate more clearly and more consistently with residents and campaigners on the ground.”
Opponents of oil exploration at Broadford Bridge. Photo: Jon O’Houston
Speaking after a visit to Broadford Bridge yesterday, Mr Taylor said:
“It’s clear from the footage sent to me by campaigners that more needs to be done, and urgently, to restore the balance between the campaigners’ democratic right to protest and the oil firm’s right to carry out its legal, if destructive, business.
“The right balance should speak directly to the values underpinning British democracy.
“It’s worth remembering that, in the UK, police forces work on the fundamental principle of consent.
“If residents and protesters fear that officers are working solely to protect the interests of the oil and gas industry, not them and their democratic right to protest, then there is no consent – and trust must be repaired.”
Categories: Opposition
DRILL OR DROP? 
After making her point/protest ,the lady was first encouraged by the police to move to the grass verge ,but those to agnore his requests . And therefore was removed from the road for her own safety . Very simple !!!! But I support her protest .
This article sums up why the Greens only have one MP. This MEP should be in Brussels doing his job? Or are they on holiday again. He can join the protestors after Brexit when he is jobless and feed the great unwashed and unemployed with his EU pension.
I love the way that Paul Tresto advocates the suppression of freedom of expression thus ensuring that – in his world – he would be prevented from giving vent to his ridiculous and child-like personal attacks which do nothing to promote his case.
Hi Jules – I have no case, and I expect the Moderator will remove / edit my post – but at least you had the opportunity to read it. And you would be surprised to find out how many people agree with my thoughts on the Green Party, the EU gravy train, and our MEPs. This MEP is the one who has previously demonstrated he has no technical knowledge of the oil and gas industry.
I voted to stay in the EU but there are many reasons we should leave. A great opportunity to clean up our agriculture and end the ridiculous CAP area payments system:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-40673559
Perhaps you can tell us why there is only one Green Party MP (who I actually think is a reasonable MP)? And there was only one in the Parliament before, and the one before that……..
Stopping people going about their legitimate business is not “freedom of expression”. It is obstruction and the sooner the Law is clarified / changed, the better.
Protest is a simple thing to get right. It has to be done within the law. If not, then the police are obliged to act. Obstructing the highway is not within the law and just because some police have been relaxed in their approach it does not require others to follow-they will make their own decisions in terms of safety in the individual locality.
Jules you confuse freedom of expression with breaking the law. Fine. If someone does that in front of the police it is a different matter.
Martin – The police at PNR admit that the grey areas in legislation make protesting and policing protest far from “a simple thing”.
What do you expect them to say refracktion? Of course it is not a simple thing for the police, but the law on obstruction of the highway is pretty straight forward. It is against the law. Just because some police have been relaxed in one situation does not mean the law has been relaxed in all situations, and if protestors are not intelligent enough to recognise that then they should seek advice before hand. I believe there have been plenty of training sessions provided-perhaps they just need to adjust their content?
“…but the law on obstruction of the highway is pretty straight forward. It is against the law.” Then by all intents and purposes the police have in fact, broken the law: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10208654253943025&set=a.3327913365912.2120034.1510782252&type=3&theater
Only in the UK would we contemplate allowing the disruption of vehicle movements.
Take a stronger stance and ban all slow walking on a public highway and the issue goes away.
Left whingers don’t contribute anything to growth so I’m happy to suppress them.
Agree – the law should be changed to ban this ridiculous and dangerous act.
On one hand we have this article advocating slow walking to obstruct vehicles and within hours we gave another highlighting the danger to lives caused by taking lorries up a different road.
I mean come on surely I know this website and its blinkered supporters must recognise that you can’t have it both ways…..
Where’s the article stating that slow walking should be banned because it causes a danger to lives?
[Comment removed by moderator Reason: person attack, “playing the man not the ball”]
Well TomW. This is an anti fracking website. I am sure they are not in the interest of publishing something that hurt their fan bases.