More than 100 Extinction Rebellion (XR) activists caused major disruption by blocking roads outside newspaper printing presses in Broxbourne and other locations across England. The protest brought traffic to a standstill and delayed newspaper deliveries.
Police charged 51 protesters with highway obstruction after the blockade that began around 10pm on Friday, September 4, at Broxbourne’s Newsprinters Ltd. The demonstration lasted until 10am the following day, preventing delivery vans from leaving the site and delaying newspapers such as The Sun, The Times, and The Sunday Times.
Hertfordshire Constabulary confirmed that 50 suspects have been released on strict bail conditions. They are required to appear at St Albans Magistrates’ Court on November 27, although this date may be subject to change.
The bail conditions include:
- No approaching within 100 metres of any Newsprinters Ltd facilities.
- A ban on entering Greater London via the M25 or Hertfordshire until September 13.
- A prohibition on participating in any Extinction Rebellion protests until the same date.
The protesters charged come from various parts of the region, including:
- Graham Cox, 58, Hemel Hempstead
- Bethany Mogie, 38, St Albans
- Craig Scudder, 54, Harpenden
- Elise Yarde, 32, Walthamstow
- Richard Felgate, 28, Walthamstow
- Will Farbrother, 39, Walthamstow
- Timothy Spears, 35, Waltham Forest
- Samina Bunker, 38, Waltham Forest
- Christine Kelly, 61, Muswell Hill
- Sally Davidson, 33, London
- Christopher Smith, 43, New Malden
- Sarah Ingram, 39, Kidbrooke, London
- Steve Tooze, 56, London
With further protests planned, police have stated they will not tolerate additional road blockades or disruptions to public order.
Originally published by UKNIP.
