Seven Sheffield campaigners have been awarded more than £3,000 each in damages by South Yorkshire Police after an independent watchdog ruled they were wrongfully arrested during a tree-felling protest. The Independent Office for Police Conduct found South Yorkshire Police had no grounds to make the arrest. The seven were arrested and charged between November 2016 and February 2017. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
Charges against nine campaigners, including a Green Party councillor, arrested over a tree-felling protest have been dropped. Alison Teal, councillor for Nether-Edge and Sharrow, was with six others arrested on suspicion of preventing workmen from chopping down a tree on Chippinghouse Road on 6 February. The protestors were arrested under Section 241 of the Trade Union amd :Labour Relations Act 1982 and charged with preventing lawful work. The charges were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service who said there was “insufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction”. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
Natalie Bennett, former Green Party leader, has condemned the use of a “repressive” law to arrest her colleague Alison Teal and six others during a protest against tree felling. Alison Teal, who is the councillor for Netheredge and Sharrow, was arrested along with three other women and three men on suspicion of preventing lawful work under section 241 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act 1992 during a protest against the removal of a horse chestnut tree on Chippinghouse Road. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Natalie Bennett.
Freda Bradshaw, the 71 year old pensioner arrested last week after protesting the felling of trees on Rustlings Road has spoken to Sheffield Live! of her frustration over the incident. Bradshaw was one of three protestors arrested and later released without charge after being held in a police cell while Amey contractors took chainsaws to the century old trees. Residents were awoken to police knocking on their doors as early as 5am to remove their vehicles from the road so work could commence. Many residents and tree campaigners have been left furious over the action by Sheffield City Council. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
Residents in Rustlings Road were awoken before 6am as Sheffield City Council contractors arrived with a police escort as part of a controversial tree felling programme. Home owners and occupants, many of whom have campaigned to save the trees, were awoken by police knocking on their doors to remove vehicles from the road as Amey contractors arrived in a surprise nighttime operation. Three people were reported to have been arrested as furious residents sought to prevent the work going ahead. Sheffield Hallam MP, Nick Clegg expressed outrage at the Council’s action. Azz Mohammed reports for Sheffield Live!
Two tree campaigners arrested on Wednesday in Nether Edge were released without charge after seven hours in police custody. The members of Save Nether Edge Trees were engaged in peaceful protest against the felling of a tree on Marden Road in Nether Edge when the arrests were made. Sheffield Live! reporter Simon Thake spoke to tree campaigner Calvin Payne.
A twenty six year old Sheffield man has been arrested on suspicion of assisting offenders. Officers arrived on High Street Lane, off the Park Square roundabout.
By Alice Rose
Extra police patrols are working around Abbeydale Road today after a man was found carrying a firearm.
Members of the public alerted officers when they saw a man who was acting suspiciously in the area on Tuesday afternoon. A 30-year-old was arrested after a police chase, in which he was knocked off his bike. Superintendent Colin McFarlane said “Neighbourhood policing officers are carrying out extra patrols in the area to offer reassurance to the community following this incident” he continued “We are also working with our partner agencies to support residents in the local area and I would urge anyone with concerns to contact us”