Activists from a range of groups protested outside Lincoln Magistrates' Court. Photo: The Lincolnite
Anti-fracking activists protested outside Lincoln Magistrates’ Court in support of people on trial who they believe “put their livelihood at risk to protect the earth”.
Five people appeared in court on Wednesday, March 13. After leaving, one of them told reporters they were bailed to return back to court in August.
The protestors supporting them wanted to raise awareness of the dangers of climate change and protecting peaceful protest.
Protest outside haulage firm
As previously reported, seven people were arrested and charged with offences including assaulting a police officer after a protest outside a Lincoln haulage firm.
The group set up camp in the early hours of Friday, February 22. Photo: Daniel Jaines for The Lincolnite
The campaigners previously claimed the company provided services to ‘fracking companies’ IGas Energy, Dart Energy, Cuadrilla Resources and Rathlin Energy
The haulage firm argued they are “the good guys” and claimed they have “never” delivered fracking equipment.
Court protest
A group of around six protestors were gathered outside Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday in support of the five people on trial.
They were from groups including Frack Free Lincolnshire, Green Party, Green Peace, Extinction Rebellion Lincolnshire, Friends of the Earth and concerned citizens.
LouLou, 23, wanted to support people who had put their livelihood at risk to protect the earth. Photo: The Lincolnite
LouLou, 23, who has been with the group for a few months, said: “We are here supporting them. They put their livelihood at risk to protect the earth.”
Geoff Jones told The Lincolnite he was in court a few weeks ago facing a similar offence.
Geoff Jones was among those protesting outside the court. Photo: The Lincolnite
He said he was arrested for obstructing the highway at an oil drilling site in Biscathorpe in January. Colleagues supported him at a preliminary hearing in Lincoln last month and he said the main trial is pending in May.
Geoff said: “I’m in solidarity with them (the five in court), we believe in the same things, trying to protect the planet and tackle climate change.
“We are trying to stop more fossil fuels being exploited and drilled.
“The main purpose of the protest is to raise awareness for people walking past about the dangers of climate change and protecting peaceful protest.
“People like us were arrested and charged for offences that wouldn’t be crimes in other counties. We know people in other areas like Nottinghamshire and Lancashire who’ve been arrested for the same offence but released without charge.”
Geoff added that according to the Paris Climate Accord there is enough fossil fuels that have already been exploited to make it very difficult to limit global warming to two degrees above pre-industrial levels.
Daniel Lucas from Lincolnshire and Brian from Durham were among the protestors. Photo: The Lincolnite
Another of the protestors Daniel Lucas added: “In the future the actions of oil companies will be regarded as a crime if there are any people alive.”
Court hearing
Roz Massey, Mathilda, Tep Robinson, Ross Monaghan and a man who wished to be known as Om outside the court following their trial. Photo: The Lincolnite
Ross Monaghan, who was among the five in court, argued: “We were justified in taking our actions.”
Police previously named the seven charged as follows:
Ross Monaghan, 35, of Tinker Lane, Barnby Moor – charged with common assault and failing to comply with police to leave the area
Mathilda Dennis, 25, of Hall Lane, Louth – charged with failing to comply
Rosalyn Massey, 42, of Spring Road, Nottinghamshire – charged with failing to comply
Stephanie Robinson, 28, of no fixed address – charged with failing to comply
Paul Warr, 49, of Tinkers Lane, Blyth – charged with failing to comply
Louise Hammond, 56, of Mission, Doncaster – charged with assaulting an emergency worker and threatening behaviour. She appeared in court on February 25
Nicholas Grant, 45, of Preston New Road, Blackpool – charged with threatening behaviour. Nicholas is due to appear before Lincoln Magistrates on March 14
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City of Lincoln Council has approved a 1.9% tax hike despite a series of cuts for 2021-22 due to the financial uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 1.9% rise will take city council’s share of council tax for a Band D property in Lincoln to £285.39 – an increase of £5.31.
The executive committee agreed on increasing allotment charges, council house and garage rents.
Council bosses predict a budget gap of £1.75 million and said it must close the hole for financial stability.
Allotment charges will also see most tenants pay between £58.70-£78.30 per year from 2022, an increase of between 38p and 51 pence per week.
Council housing rent will increase by an average of 1.5%, while council garage rents will increase by 3%.
Attendees at City of Lincoln Council’s executive on Monday.
The authority said it faces a number of ongoing challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic and requires a substantial reduction in all of its budgets.
Cllr Ric Metcalfe, Leader of City of Lincoln Council said: “It’sareasonablymodestincreaseformostpeople,andwewill support lowincomegroups stillwiththeconcessions.”
The council has saved more than £9 million annually over the past decade, however will have to increase savings by £850,000 next year, rising to £1.75 million by 2023/24.
Due to the pandemic’s impact on government funded reliefs, empty properties and business closures, the authority estimates it will only retain £5.1 million of the £42 million of business rates generated in the city.
The draft budget will go to consultation and return before the council later this year for a final decision.
There have been 372 new coronavirus cases and nine COVID-related deaths in Greater Lincolnshire on Monday.
The government’s COVID-19 dashboard recorded 325 new cases in Lincolnshire, 30 in North Lincolnshire and 17 in North East Lincolnshire.
Some nine deaths were registered in Lincolnshire and none in North and North East Lincolnshire. These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.
NHS England reported nine new local hospital deaths at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust and one at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust on Monday. Hospital deaths have now surpassed 1,000 since the pandemic started in Greater Lincolnshire.
National cases increased by 37,535 to 3,433,494, while deaths rose by 599 to 89,860.
Leader of South Holland District Council, Cllr Lord Gary Porter, put the spike down to outbreaks in two care facilities, one being a children’s care home.
A group of urban explorers who travelled from three different counties to look around derelict buildings were caught and fined in Grantham for breaching lockdown rules. Two groups of revellers in the woods near Woodhall Spa have also been fined.
In national news, Public Health England have confirmed 4,062,501 people have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Those in England aged 70 and over, as well as the clinically extremely vulnerable, will begin receiving offers of a coronavirus vaccine this week.
Ten hospital trusts across England consistently reported having no spare adult critical care beds in the most recent figures available.
It comes as hospital waiting times, coronavirus admissions and patients requiring intensive care are rising.
All UK travel corridors, which allow arrivals from some countries to avoid having to quarantine, have now closed until at least February 15.
Travellers arriving in the UK, whether by boat, train or plane, also have to show proof of a negative coronavirus test to be allowed entry.
Supermarkets face increased inspections from local councils to ensure they are COVID-secure amid a push from the government to clamp down further on coronavirus transmission.
Local governments have been asked by ministers to target the largest supermarkets for inspection to ensure companies are enforcing mask wearing, social distancing and limits on shopper numbers.
Here’s Greater Lincolnshire’s infection rate up to January 17 according to the government dashboard:
Greater Lincolnshire’s infection rates from Jan 11 to Jan 17. | Data: Gov UK / Table: James Mayer for The Lincolnite
Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Monday, January 18
Greater Lincolnshire includes Lincolnshire and the unitary authorities of North and North East (Northern) Lincolnshire.
44,374 cases (up 372)
30,784 in Lincolnshire (up 325)
6,927 in North Lincolnshire (up 30)
6,663 in North East Lincolnshire (up 17)
1,686 deaths (up nine)
1,196 from Lincolnshire (up nine)
268 from North Lincolnshire (no change)
222 from North East Lincolnshire (no change)
of which 1,006 hospital deaths (up 10)
612 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (up nine)
30 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)
1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
363 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (up one)
3,433,494 UK cases, 89,860 deaths
DATA SOURCE — FIGURES CORRECT AT THE TIME OF the latest update. postcode data includes deaths not in healthcare facilities or in hospitals outside authority boundaries.
Eight people were fined for two separate COVID-19 rule breaches over the weekend, after being found partying and camping near Woodhall Spa.
Officers were called to two different incidents at Ostler’s Plantation, a woodland area near Woodhall Spa on Saturday, January 16 and on Sunday, January 17.
Five people were issued with £200 fines after a report of partying at around 11.08pm on Saturday.
The next morning, police were again called to the area at 8.21am after people were seen camping at the location.
Three people were fined as a result of this, again valued at £200 due to being first time offenders.
If these fines are paid within 14 days of the offence, the cost will be cut in half to £100.
On the same weekend, but this time in a different location, six urban explorers were fined after travelling from three different counties to try and gain access to an abandoned hospital in Grantham.
The behaviour of COVID-19 rule breakers has been described as “dangerous” by Lincolnshire Police’s assistant chief constable Kerrin Wilson, who referred to them as “Covidiots”.
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