Jo Ripley and a group of Marlborough protestors joined a large group numbering it is reported in excess of a thousand in a ‘silent protest’ to campaign against what they consider to be ‘draconian sentences’ that have been served to forty one fellow ‘peaceful environmental protestors’, whose appeal hearings were being held inside that Court.
“Whether we live in Marlborough or wherever, we should all be concerned about the erosion of our rights to peaceful protest,” Jo told Marlborough.news, adding: “It’s fundamental to a healthy democracy and has been central to bringing about positive change in the past.”
Jo, a longtime and committed environmental campaigner is no stranger to the inside of Police Stations and the cells therein. Arrested several times on protests in London which thankfully didn’t go further than that.
Well known faces were there to support and protest, including TV Wildlife presenter Chris Packham (above with some of the Marlborough group).
A heavy police presence was there but the protest was well structured and peaceful so no-one present was in danger of being added to the ranks of those convicted protestors inside the Courts of Justice.