Extinction Rebellion activists plan protest outside Northampton court to show support for 'The Barclaycard Six'

Extinction Rebellion activists are set to protest outside Northampton's Magistrates Court next Thursday (June 17) to show solidarity with the so-called 'Barclaycard Six'.

The protest is set to take place at noon outside the court in Upper Mounts.

'The Barclaycard Six' were arrested in February last year after a protest inside Barclays' Brackmills headquarters to demonstrate against the bank's fossil fuel investments.

Luke Michael Adams, 24, Martyn Lyman, 30, Daniel Shaw, 34, Linda Michelle Davidson, 50, and Dave Keir Lane, 55, — all from Northampton — plus 57-year-old Alan David Heath of Kettering are due to appear at Northampton Magistrates Court on Thursday charged with criminal damage to property valued under £5000.

The group were supposed to have their case heard in October last year but the hearing was postponed for 'further case management'.

An Extinction Rebellion Northampton spokesperson said there are two main reasons why the protest next week is going ahead.

The spokesperson said: "Number one: to highlight the injustice of the judicial system in arresting and prosecuting peaceful activists while the big bosses of banks such as Barclays are systematically destroying the Earth by investing billions every year into the fossil fuel industry - leading to the deaths of people right here in the UK and all over the world.

"Number two: the police treatment of peaceful activists has been abhorrent and is set to get worse if the proposed Police, Crimes, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) bill comes into effect - we demand that this bill be rejected and the public remain able to legally protest and express their concerns through non-violence and without suppression and interference from the Home Office.

A similar case as this was heard at Southwark Crown Court in April this year.

Six Extinction Rebellion protesters were cleared of causing criminal damage to Shell’s London headquarters despite the judge directing jurors that they had no defence in law.

Judge Gregory Perrins directed jurors that even if they thought the protesters were “morally justified”, it did not provide them with a lawful excuse to commit criminal damage.

But the jury took around seven hours to acquit them of the charges.