Four Extinction Rebellion protesters who chained their necks to a high street bank "caused distress" to customers trying to get in, a court heard.
The protesters are accused of blocking the front entrance of Barclays Bank in North Street, Brighton, on November 14 last year.
They appeared at Brighton Magistrates’ Court today charged with obstructing or disrupting the “day-to-day business of Barclays Bank” including the access of customers.
One frustrated customer said to the protesters "how dare you stop me" before going under their chains through the front door.
They were on the bank’s steps protesting against its investment in fossil fuels but did have a sign up which read “business as usual” which directed people to a side door.
Susan Williams, 68, Nicola Harries, 68, Ian MacIntyre, 63, and John Kennedy, 44, all from Brighton, were warned that they needed to move off the front steps and remove the chain from the handrails during the protest.
Alan Balneaves, prosecuting, said: “The crown has to accept there is a side entrance on Portland Street. People were directed to the side entrance.
“By blocking the main entrance it is a fire escape and people are concerned about what is going on outside. It is not the protest that is a problem.
“It is only the chain blocking access to the main entrance which is stopping people using the main entrance.”
At 4pm, around two hours after police first arrived, the keys were found in the protesters’ bags and they were arrested and put into custody in Crowhurst Road police station.
They were given the opportunity to unchain themselves and move onto the pavement before this.
Several people asked police how they could get into the bank.
The court was shown ten videos from body-worn cameras including one in which an elderly woman climbed under the protesters’ chains.
The protesters moved the chains up to allow her over.
After getting under the chains, she said to the protesters “how dare you stop me”.
The same woman came back later to enter the bank and said “this is my entrance” before walking through the front door again.
Another elderly man also stepped over the chains to enter through the front entrance.
Claire Snowden, assistant manager, told the court that the side entrance was not used much by customers.
She said the protesters were “causing some distress” to customers who were “inconvenienced”.
The 39-year-old also said the protest affected staff’s concentration and was “off-putting” due to police coming into the bank.
Appearing as a witness, Sussex Police sergeant Mark Redbourn said he had no problem with the “symbolic chaining together” but it was the steps being blocked that meant the protesters could be arrested.
After arresting them, sergeant Redbourn said to another officer that he thought the case could get thrown out due to the side door being accessible.
On the video filmed by a body-worn camera on November 14 last year, he said: “It could be thrown out of court because of the side door being open I reckon.”
Replying to the defence in the court, he said: “I probably did say something about the defence that the side door was open. I was running through various scenarios.”
The trial will continue tomorrow at the same court.
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