Three arrests as oil protesters lock themselves together at Broadford Bridge
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.
A group of people held a ‘Greet the Dawn’ meditation at 5am to join fellow protesters across the world and call on UK Oil and Gas to stop drilling for World Environment Day.
Three protesters, two men and a woman, then locked themselves to concrete in front of the gate at the drilling site.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdAnd nearly 20 police officers arrived on the scene including a protest removal team, who used specialist equipment to cut the protesters free safely.
A spokesman for the Broadford Bridge Action Group said: “It was a peaceful protest with both the protestors and police managing the situation respectfully. Work was stopped on the site for the duration of the protest.”
Nicola Peel, an environmentalist from Pulborough, who was there to witness the events said: “Yesterday was World Environment Day so we decided on behalf of future generations we would stand united with those in Nigeria, America and all those facing contamination risks from the oil industry and potential threats it is causing.
“We came here to unite and some of the water protectors decided to lock on which has been a massive success.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“The operation was closed, the road was closed and it was mission successful for us to raise awareness of the severity of the risks here.
“Technically it worked really well and everybody was pleased that it was able to slow down the process here and raise awareness.”
A police spokesman confirmed that three people were arrested outside the oil exploration site.
The statement from police added: “The three locked themselves together at the entrance to the site and a specialist protest removal team was called in to safely cut them free.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“A 23-year-old man of no fixed address, a 25-year-old man of no fixed address and a 31-year-old woman from Crawley were all arrested on suspicion of use of violence or intimidation on person, family or property to compel activity or abstention from lawful activity.
“They were questioned and released under investigation.”
Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.
Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.
1) Make our website your homepage at www.midhurstandpetworth.co.uk/
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad2) Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MidhurstandPetworthObserver
3) Follow us on Twitter @mid_pet_obs
4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.
And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!
The Midhurst and Petworth Observer - always the first with your local news.
Be part of it.