Tree campaigners face legal threat
Sheffield Council has been accused of “Stalinist” behaviour after threatening tree campaigners with legal action.
Among those to be served with court papers was Green Party councillor Alison Teal.
SHEFFIELD COUNCIL has been accused of “Stalinist” behaviour after threatening tree campaigners with legal action.
Intended claims for injunctions have been served on several campaigners who have been trying to prevent the removal of some trees in the city as part of the controversial Streets Ahead road improvement programme. Among those to be served with court papers yesterday was Green Party councillor Alison Teal.
“Should I go to a tree protest my understanding is I could potentially be arrested or sued for damages. I was shocked and felt quite sick I have to say. It is pretty astonishing the council would pursue their own councillor, plus a resident, in such a heavy-handed way,” she said.
“It is quite shocking. It feels quite a Stalinist action. It is a very sad day and I’m flabbergasted.”
Coun Teal said she would be taking legal advice and has to respond to the council before July 12, when the authority intends to bring the case to the High Court in Leeds.
It comes as part of an increasingly bitter dispute which has seen 14 people, including Coun Teal, arrested but no charges brought after the CPS dropped all cases. In March, police commissioner Alan Billings said there would be no further arrests as “the CPS are not prepared to criminalise peaceful protesters”.
But Coun Bryan Lodge, Labour cabinet member for environment and street scene at Sheffield Council, said civil action was being taken considered to “unlawful” disruption to street tree replacement work.
“The majority of people protesting against tree replacements are doing so in a peaceful and lawful way. However, a handful of the protestors are unlawfully disrupting the work and putting the safety of the workforce, the public and themselves at risk,” he said.
“Following months of unlawful and costly disruption to street tree replacement works across the city by a small number of tree protestors, the council now has no alternative but to consider legal remedies to ensure these works can be completed. This is never a position we wanted to be in but we know from our surveys and contact with the public that only a small proportion of the residents across the city disagree with the work we are carrying out. We hope that by pursuing civil legal remedies, those involved in unlawfully disrupting tree works will recognise the implications of their actions and allow these vital highway operations to be implemented.”