Three charged with criminal damage after Extinction Rebellion Trinity College lawn protest

19 February 2020, 15:03

A man and two women have been charged with criminal damage after Extinction Rebellion activists dug up a lawn outside Cambridge’s historic Trinity College.

The lawn outside the 16th-century college was targeted on Monday, with the environmental group citing its "ties with fossil fuel companies" as a reason for the protest.

Activists also cited the college's role in the proposed development of a farm in Suffolk.

Caitlin Fay, 19, of Harleston, Norfolk, and 62-year-old Gilbert Murray, of Norwich, have both been charged with criminal damage in connection with the incident at Trinity College.

Three others have been charged with criminal damage over a protest which took place the following day outside a research building run by oilfield service provider Schlumberger.

The glass front of the building, to the west of the city, was daubed with spray paint and some activists glued their hands to police vehicles.

Gabriella Ditton, 26, of Violet Road, Norwich, has been charged with two counts of criminal damage in connection with Monday's college lawn incident and over the incident at the Schlumberger building on Tuesday.

Extinction Rebellion described Schlumberger as a company with close links to Cambridge University and that "develops technology to drill the deep sea, drill for oil in the Arctic and frack communities".

Tilly Porter, 21, of Cambridge, has been charged with criminal damage in connection with the incident at the Schlumburger building.

Annie Hoyle, 26, and 64-year-old Donald Bell, both of Cambridge, have both been charged with obstructing a constable in the execution of their duty and criminal damage relating to the incident at the Schlumberger building.

Cambridgeshire Police said all six people have been released on bail to appear at Cambridge Magistrates' Court on March 30.