FOUR women have been arrested following a protest outside of Workington MP Mark Jenkinson's office last week.

The four women were arrested for alleged criminal damage following a Just Stop Oil protest in which his offices were covered with posters containing objections to a Cumbrian coal mine, a scheme which the MP has supported from the outset.

Police were contacted at 8.10am on Friday, April 26 to the report of the protest on Senhouse Street, Maryport.

Officers attended and said they are investigating following reports of damage having been caused to a window by an adhesive. 

Four women were arrested following the incident and have now been released on police bail.

Workington MP Mark Jenkinson said he gave protesters a 'few choice Anglo-Saxon words' before they left.

Mr Jenkinson said: “I hope the police throw the book at these entitled morons who think they are above the law – I have it on good authority that the ringleader is spending some carbon neutral time in the cells. These people could do with some time in the real world.

“I would like to thank Cumbria Constabulary for their prompt response, and members of the public who not only remonstrated with them, but even helped to remove some of the posters from the front of my constituency office.

“The window cleaner had only just washed the glass fronts, and had to come down to my office again. Unfortunately, the film on the glass has been scratched and some of the paintwork damaged.

“This is not my building: we rent it from local business owner. One of my staff, who is typically engaged in helping constituents, had to spend the morning trawling through CCTV and cleaning up after them."

The group of around five more Just Stop Oil supporters joined the action takers outside the office, putting up ‘Crime Scene’ tape and holding up signs saying ‘PEOPLE vs COAL’.

Colin Benton, a 64-year-old software engineer from Maryport who was part of the protest, said: “I’m from Maryport, and Mark Jenkinson is harming our town. Why won’t he protect our community?

"We’re sick of being lied to, we’re sick of crumbling public services, and we’re sick of corrupt leaders.”

Alison Parker, aged 41, from Aspatria, said: “I am sick of Mark Jenkinson telling constituents like me that the coal mine is needed by the steel industry, and that it will be carbon neutral.

"We deserve to be told the truth. I’m really worried about the impact of the coal mine on the climate and how it will encourage other countries to build more mines too.”

Just Stop Oil shared a video of a police officer informing Just Stop Oil that no criminal damage had been taken place and therefore no arrests would be carried out; however just a few hours later four protestors were arrested.

 

 

Cumbria Police said that an initial assessment was carried out at the scene by an officer in consultation with a supervisor.

At this initial point it appeared the posters could be peeled off, leaving no damage. However, as the adhesive dried it was reported the surface needed to be professionally cleaned.

Based on this changing situation an alleged offence of criminal damage was recorded, they added.