Priest ‘went too far’ in Extinction Rebellion protest
Birmingham churchman and others on trial for climbing on train and disrupting service
ABIRMINGHAM priest and two other Christian environmentalists “went too far” in their climate change protest by stopping a busy train during the morning rush hour, a court heard.
Angry passengers who were caught up in the disruption at east London’s Shadwell Station on October 17, 2019 begged Father Martin Newell, 54, Reverend Sue Parfitt, now aged 79, and Philip Kingston, 85, to move from the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) train, but the Extinction Rebellion (ER) protesters refused until the police arrived.
A specialist team of officers had to carefully remove Kingston from the train, Inner London Crown Court heard.
Parfitt, of Bristol, and Newell, of Birmingham, used a ladder to climb on the train roof while Kingston, of Patchway, south Gloucestershire, superglued himself to the side of the carriage.
Prosecutor Edmund Blackman told the jury: “The prosecution’s case against these defendants is that they went too far in their protest.
“Of course, living in a democratic society, people have that right. It is a precious right but that right has to be balanced against the right of other people. This case is about where you draw that line. The prosecution case is that they went too far.”
The train, which was travelling from Lewisham to Bank, shortly before 7am was about 70% full of passengers.
The protest caused 77 minutes of disruption, 15 DLR trains were delayed or cancelled but no trains were stuck in tunnels, the court heard.
The protesters, who are members of Christian Climate Action, an arm of ER, are charged with obstructing an engine or carriage on the railway.
They have each pleaded not guilty to the charges.
At one point Newell opened a piece of paper while on the train roof, but a member of the public – “an annoyed customer, no doubt” – climbed up the ladder and snatched it out of his hand “in an indication perhaps of how angered people were,” Mr Blackman said.
The jury heard that a passenger pleaded “we have got to go to work, the kids are on the train and we have got to go to school”.
In response, Newell said he was “sorry” and added: “But this is what we have to resort to”, as he refused
calls from members of the public to come down, the court heard.
Mr Blackman said the protesters had arrived at the station at about 6.45am and “acting in concert” had intended to cause rush-hour disruption.
He added: “The prosecution’s case is that the defendants went beyond what is permitted or allowable in society in their protest.”
These protesters “deliberately acted unlawfully” at a busy time of time of day with a demonstration aimed at “attracting attention” to the climate change crisis, he added.
The disruption came a day after an ER representative had met with the British Transport Police (BTP) to say that a protest was on the cards within 24 hours.
BTP’s Superintendent Richard
Twyford said that any such protests could lead to safety risks such as congestion and crush hazards, and could force people to be evacuated.
He also said it could lead to arrests and prosecutions. The ER representative said he would pass the warning on.
The jury heard that some passengers told the environmentalists: “This is a f***ing electric train, you should be supporting this,” and: “Can you let us go? We are begging you.”
The court heard that another person told them: “You are not even speaking – what’s your protests?”
A different commuter asked: “How did you get to the station, did you walk here? Obviously you got here by a train or bus,” the court was told.
(proceeding)