Tina Rothery at Preston County Court in 2016. Photo: DrillOrDrop
Tina Rothery, a long-standing opponent of fracking, has been arrested outside Cuadrilla’s shale gas site at Preston New Road near Blackpool.Ms Rothery, a life-time member of the Green Party, said this evening she had been charged with obstructing a police officer.
The Green Party’s deputy leader, Amelia Womack, said in a statement:
“I offer my full support and total admiration for Tina.
“She is an inspiration and has proved time and again that to live in a free society we must be constantly challenging the decisions of those in power.
“She has put herself on the line to stop dirty and destructive frackng and with suporters and her political party behind her that effort will not be in vain.”
Ms Rothery stood for the Green Party as a parliamentary candidate against George Osborne in Tatton in the 2015 election and in her home Fylde constituency in 2017.
A regular protester at the site since work started in January this year, she was filmed being arrested this afternoon. The video, recorded by another protester, showed police warning her not to stand on the site side of the Preston New Road.
In a Facebook post this evening Ms Rothery said:
“I was charged with wilfully obstructing a police officer and offered the opportunity to take a caution.
“I said I was not guilty as I was not seeking to obstruct an officer. I was crossing a road.
“I will be in court on 10th October and will not accept anything other than justice. There was no crime by me.
“The arrest was painful on my wrists but once I was en route to the station I was treated well processed quickly and unharmed.”
The Green Party made Ms Rothery a life member after she was threatened with a jail sentence following a long-running legal dispute with Cuadrilla over court costs. (DrillOrDrop report).
She had been found in contempt of court after refusing to provide financial information when Cuadrilla and a group of landowners won more than £55,000 legal costs against her in a case dating back to 2014. In December 2016, a judge at Preston County Court discharged the contempt of court ruling.
Categories: Legal
DRILL OR DROP? 
I think a few forget the police will have their own recordings of these events. Maybe not a clever idea to promote a one sided view of an event (edited, or not) when another side is bound to exist. I shall be interested to see whether this is clarified in court, and if it is, I know what the reaction/cover up will be, but I will still be interested.
I suspect the police cameras will have unaccountably stopped working at that point, or perhaps the delete button was pressed by accident, just like the previous fabricated arrest and confiscation of the ladies phone?
Martin
I think the recording looks fine. Person crosses the road numerous times, in each case moving towards the entry to the site ( either directly or from the RHS of the site looking at it ). On numerous occasions police gently shepherd said individual back to the opposite side of the road.
Eventually, on another occasion when said person crosses the road, police pop her in the van.
You could see it coming.
Since when did crossing a road becomes an arrestable offence?
Maybe someone better tell your chickens martin?
Wasting police resources. . Will this lady never learn.
In respect to the ongoing court case, here is a song for your Sunday relaxation.
With Apologies and Respect once more to the wonderful Roger Waters whose birthday it is tomorrow:
“What God Wants, Part II” from “Amused to Death”
Slightly modified to:
“What Cuad Wants” from “Abused to Death”
Do you believe in a better day?
Do you have a faith in a golden way?
If you do then we must come to weather this day
Come in conflict as one diverted
media audience
Bought into conflict by the sound of their voice
Disunited, disunited financially disunited socially
Disunited spiritually and in all possible ways
Through the power of their money
And the power of their lobbyists
What Cuad wants, Cuad gets, Cuad help us all
Cuad wants dollars
Cuad wants cents
Cuad wants pounds shillings and pence
Cuad wants guilders
Cuad wants kroner
Cuad wants Swiss francs!
Cuad wants French francs
Oui il veut des francs francais
Cuad wants escudos
Cuad wants pesetas
Don’t send rubles
Cuad don’t want peace protesters
Cuad wants small towns
Cuad wants pain
Cuad dont want clean up frack campaigns
Cuad wants widows
Cuad wants disolution
Cuad wants HGV’s
Cuad wants contraventions
What Cuad wants, Cuad gets, Cuad help us all
Cuad wants silver
Cuad wants gold
Cuad wants secrets
Never to be told
Cuad wants big lies
Cuad wants graft
Cuad wants politics
Cuad wants a good laugh
What Cuad wants, Cuad gets, Cuad help us all
Cuad wants censorship
Cuad wants flame
Cuad wants credit
Cuad wants no blame
Cuad wants poverty
Cuad wants wealth
Cuad wants insurance
Cuad wants to cover itself
What Cuad wants Cuad gets Cuad help us all
What Cuad wants is this reply
Phil C
I would have thought the Alex Harvey ‘classic’ Framed (1972) would be more appropriate for a court case.
Or maybe once production starts, Faith Healer.
Or for shale gas overall …’the impossible dream’
I will have to check out suitable steely dan stuff as well considering recent events.
hewes62
Prefer The Sensational Alex Harvey Band’s
“Boston Tea Party”
More relevant to the USA perhaps, but no less appropriate here.
CHORUS
Are you going to the party?
Going to the Boston Tea Party
Going to the party
Going to the Boston Tea Party
Going to the party
Going to the Boston Tea Party
Going to the party
Going to the Boston Tea Party
Redcoats in the village and there’s fighting in the streets
Indians and the Mountain Men are talking when they meet
The king has said he’s going to put a tax on tea
And that’s the reason y’all Americans drink coffee
CHORUS
Fire in the mountains, flames upon the heath
As the President spits out the news, he’s biting them wooden teeth
Them children of the Colonies got a different tale to tell
I’m going down to the city, tell my folks I’m doing well
CHORUS
Bringing back the buffalo to the long prairie
Bringing back the fishes swimming in the sea
The children of them colonies got a different tale to tell
Going down to the city, tell my folks I’m doing well
CHORUS
Are you going?
Are you going to the Boston tea party?
Are you going?
Are you going to the Boston tea party?
Perhaps a “Texas Tea Party” would be more apposite, just to return the compliment after all these years?
Perhaps that was what the Texas flood was all about? A Texas Tea Party that covered the entire state?
interesting the name of the hurricane isn’t it? Maybe it was “The Sensational Alex Harvey Hurricane”?
Houston, We Have A Problem!
[Typo corrected at poster’s request]
An Ian R Crane update for your delectation, i know how much you all love his reports.
Enjoy!
Yes police resources wasted on a private company which has previously behaved illegally, with police support!!
It gives the two visiting Green ladies something to talk about when they visit PNR over the next few days. Co-incidence or conspiracy? I know which I would go for-most other aspects of the protest are now into the “manufactured” stage, a martyr is a pretty logical, if silly, next requirement.
It is an interesting dilemma. Publicity needed in one respect, but based upon what has recently been recorded, it could backfire dramatically.
In the mean time, Third Energy have employed heavy weight directors to help with the next phase. Suspect that is going to be far more meaningful.
I shall finish the article for you…. Discharged the contempt of court ruling after Tina showed up to court clutching several pages of A4 paper which proved although being an elderly lady had done nothing meaningful with her life and ‘literally’ burnt her few coffers that she had by choosing to smoke and put others at harm. Therefore the court could not take any further action leaving the poor claimants to foot the bill.
There are few things more irrational than party politics
A favourite shot from Balcome. I notice the policeman on left consulting notes.. what to do?
[Comment removed by moderator]
I think the policeman is checking directions for the child, who has obviously been confused by the Frack Off sign and is looking for help to get to where they should be!