(South Cambridgeshire)
(Con): On 18 February, the protesters, armed with spades, dug up
the lawn at Trinity College. They then proceeded to load soil into
wheelbarrows and dump it in the foyer of Barclays bank—my branch of
Barclays. Throughout this episode, Cambridgeshire police stood by
and watched. They did not intervene to stop the criminal acts and
no arrests were made at the time. The police said that they did not
stop the criminal acts because they were concerned that to do so
would be an infringement of the activists’ human rights. During the
week, there were various acts of vandalism by activists, including
at the iconic Schlumberger building and at a
Shellpetrol station. Subsequently, following
public outrage and complaints from Trinity College, myself and
Ministers, the police have arrested a total of nine activists.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home
Department ():
In relation to the Trinity College incident, although arrests
were not made immediately, subsequently, as one Member said,
three protesters were arrested and charged with criminal damage.
They have been released on bail and will appear at Cambridge
magistrates court on 30 March. In relation to the incident at the
Schlumberger oil service facility, a total of five people were
arrested and charged with offences, including criminal damage,
and again they will appear at Cambridge magistrates court on 30
March. In relation to the episode at the Shell
petrol station, five arrests were made and four people were
subsequently charged. The fact that people were arrested and
charged is something that we can be pleased about...
To read the whole debate, CLICK
HERE
