Hertfordshire police promise inquiry into arrest of journalists at Just Stop Oil protests
Chief constable responds after minister condemns arrest of LBC reporter covering climate action
A specialist police officer attempts to remove a Just Stop Oil protester from the gantry over junction 30 of the M25 on Wednesday. Photograph: Essex Police/PA
Damien Gayle
Environment correspondent
The chief constable of Hertfordshire constabulary has promised an investigation into the arrests of journalists covering climate protests, amid accusations the force was threatening press freedom.
After a police officer was injured responding to a third day of protests by the climate activist group
Just Stop Oil on the M25 on Wednesday morning, a Hertfordshire constabulary spokesperson said “additional measures” would allow “legitimate media” to cover the protests.
Essex police said there was a collision involving the motorcyclist and two lorries during a rolling roadblock introduced because of the actions of an activist on London’s orbital motorway between junctions 26 and 27. Just Stop
Oil said about 10 of its supporters had climbed gantries at various locations.
Police in Hertfordshire said the protests were causing “significant disruption and potential harm” to the public and that officers had “been instructed to act as quickly as they can, using their professional judgment, to clear any possible protesters.
“The awful incident in Essex today, where an officer has been injured, underlines this,” the force said. “However, chief constable Charlie Hall recognises the concerns over the recent arrests of journalists who arrived at these locations and have been present with the protesters at the scenes. Additional measures are now in place to ensure that legitimate media are able to do their job,” it added.
“In addition, Mr Hall is today requesting an independent force to examine our approach to these arrests and to identify any learning we should take in managing these challenging situations.”
Charlotte Lynch, a reporter at LBC, on Tuesday became the third journalist arrested in two days by Hertfordshire constabulary while covering Just Stop Oil’s protests.
Speaking on LBC on Wednesday morning, Lynch said she was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a public nuisance despite being in a public area, some distance from the protesters, and showing officers a valid press ID.
Her arrest prompted criticism of police from the National Union of Journalists, the human rights group Liberty and a cabinet minister. “This is the second incident in as many days where the police have threatened press freedom and disregarded the right of journalists to cover protests,” said Michelle Stanistreet, the general secretary of the NUJ.
“No reporter should fear being placed in a cell for doing their job, and it’s time the police take immediate action to ensure this is prevented in future. We’ve raised this directly with the national police chiefs council and the police forces involved.”
Jun Pang, policy and campaigns officer at Liberty, said the arrests were “being enabled and encouraged by the government’s dangerous assault on protest rights.
“The reports we’ve heard of the arrests of journalists are deeply concerning,” Pang said. “Press, film crews and journalists should be able to cover protests without fear of being harassed, having their footage seized or being arrested.”
Gillian Keegan, the education secretary, told
LBC police were wrong to make the arrest. “Journalists shouldn’t get arrested for doing their job,” she said. “We are defenders of free speech.”
Lynch’s arrest is thought to be the eighth of a journalist covering actions by Just Stop Oil, whose supporters have been waging a campaign of disruptive protests to force the government into introducing a moratorium on all new oil and gas licences.
On Monday, police in Hertfordshire arrested Rich Felgate, a documentary maker, and Tom Bowles, a photographer, also while covering protests on the M25.
Lynch said she was taken to Stevenage police station, where she was fingerprinted, photographed and had DNA samples taken. She said she was questioned over how she knew to be at the protest, with the implication that she ought to have informed police of the planned demonstration, but that she refused to give officers any information.
“It’s not the job of journalists to do the police’s job for them,” she said. She was released after five hours with no further action taken.
The arrest of journalists is the latest in a range of measures to reduce the impact of Just Stop Oil’s campaign, including pre-emptive arrests, injunctions banning protests and a new public order bill that will introduce additional protest-related offences.
Just Stop Oil said its activists would not be deterred. “This is an act of resistance against a criminal government and their genocidal death project,” the group said. “Our supporters will be returning – today, tomorrow and the next day – and the next day after that – and every day until our demand is met: no new oil and gas in the UK.”
The Guardian has contacted LBC for comment.
