Nine members of the Fathers4Justice protest group have appeared in court accused of trying to storm the Celebrity Big Brother studios as a publicity stunt. Eight men - including Nottingham campaigner Darryl Westell - and one woman were arrested at Elstree Film Studios on January 14.
Jason Hatch, 33, of Alston Mews, Cheltenham, and David Pyke, 49, of River Leys, Cheltenham, each denied charges of disorderly behaviour causing harassment, alarm or distress, as well as obstructing police officers, when they appeared before St Albans magistrates.
Darryl Westell, 23, of Loxley Court, Nottingham, Stephen Smith, 36, of Eastlake Close, Bristol, Michael Downes, 42, of Foxfield Road, Manchester, and Andrew James, 35, of Lyndhurst Avenue, Newport, each denied disorderly behaviour and being found on enclosed premises.
Matthaus Huber, 51, of Ballards Road, Dagenham; Elaine Risk, 44, of Foxfield Road, Manchester, and Roland Primus, 43, of Fleetham Gardens, Reading, each denied a charge of disorderly behaviour. They will all stand trial on October 3.
Wednesday 2 March 2005
Nine in court over protest
Tuesday 1 March 2005
Suspension bridge father scales wall of foreign office to campaign for better access to children
A Fathers 4 Justice campaigner who scaled Clifton Suspension Bridge has taken part in a new protest at the heart of Whitehall. Three members of F4J, which campaigns for the rights of fathers with restricted access to their children, climbed a wall of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Just before 10pm last night, one protester climbed into the Foreign Office, where police officers were waiting. The other two followed later, a Scotland Yard spokeswoman said.All three have been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.
The group said one of the protesters - dressed as Batman - was Jason Hatch, aged 32, of Cheltenham.
Mr Hatch was one of four men who climbed the Clifton Suspension Bridge on February 2 and 3 last year, causing traffic chaos as the bridge was closed to cars and pedestrians for 25 hours.
They were found guilty last October of public order offences and last month failed in an appeal to overturn their convictions.
F4J has held a series of high-profile stunts to draw attention to its campaign.
Last December, members dressed in Father Christmas costumes closed part of the M4 motorway by the Second Severn Crossing when they climbed a gantry.
Mr Hatch also staged a balcony protest at Buckingham Palace and the group also breached security in the House of Commons by throwing a purple flour bomb at Prime Minister Tony Blair.
F4J said protesters climbed the Foreign Office building in Whitehall by using a ladder to reach a ledge.
They then picked their way around the corner of the building, until they were overlooking Downing Street itself, and unfurled a banner which said "Access denied. Don't let Labour stop you being a Superdad".
F4J said that Mr Hatch was dressed as Batman.
It named another protester, dressed as Robin, as Andy James, although it did not release any information about where he was from.
The name of the third man, dressed as Captain America, was not released.
F4J founder Matt O'Connor said the protest was the start of a series of campaigns in the lead-up to an expected general election.
He said: "We are planning loads of similar events.
"We will be targeting the Labour Party and its machine. Our aim is to cause them as much embarrassment as possible.
"We feel passionately about this issue. We are not going to go away. We remain indefatigable. We are prepared to go to prison, or be shot - whatever it takes." A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said the trio had climbed up the side of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office at 2.40pm yesterday.
They were dressed as workmen and gained access to the balcony by climbing up a ladder balanced on the back of a flatbed lorry.
The spokeswoman said: "It took less than one minute and police officers were quickly on the scene.
"The men immediately identified themselves as supporters of Fathers 4 Justice. There has been no breach of security."
PROTEST DADS STAGE STUNT NEAR TO NO10SECTION:
THREE members of the Fathers 4 Justice campaign dressed as Batman, Robin and Captain America clambered on to a ledge of the Foreign Office yesterday.
A police officer was at a nearby window trying to talk to the protestors who were perched above the security gates which protect Downing Street.The three had unfurled a banner declaring: "Access denied. Don't let Labour stop you being a Superdad."
The protest immediately attracted a large audience of police officers and members of the public who were looking on, although there was no immediate effort to stop traffic flowing along Whitehall.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "Work is carrying on as usual. The police are on the scene and are dealing with it."
Richard Castle, the London co-ordinator of Fathers 4 Justice, said the protestors hoped to continue their demonstration for as long as possible.
He added that the man dressed as Batman was Jason Hatch, who previously hit the headlines when he scaled the walls of Buckingham Palace.
Mr Castle said the campaign group is planning a series of protest events in the run up to the General Election.
He said: "Watch this space. We as a group are fighting the Labour Government. What we are trying to highlight is that rather than helping families and children, the government is failing families.
"They are producing a generation McDads - fathers who only ever see their children in McDonald's once every few weeks."
F4J TRIO'S DOWNING ST PROTESTSECTION:
THE Fathers 4 Justice member who scaled Buckingham Palace last night staged another protest just yards from No 10 Downing Street.
Jason Hatch got onto the Foreign Office building with two other men dressed as Batman, Robin and Captain America.Pete Chiplin and Andy James came down when it started snowing after nine hours. Hatch lasted out until early this morning. All three were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and were being held at a police station in Central London.
Fathers 4 Justice founder Matt O'Connor said: "It was bitterly cold up there but Jason was determined to tough it out as long as he physically can."
They had unfurled a banner, reading: "Don't let Labour stop you being a superdad."
They climbed up the building - about 100 yards from Tony Blair's residence - using a ladder mounted on a flatbed truck.
A senior member of the group said: "Hatch mentioned he had eyed up a few ledges in Downing Street in the past and they just decided to go for it.
Just before 10pm last night, one protester climbed into the Foreign Office, where police officers were waiting. The other two followed later, a Scotland Yard spokeswoman said.All three have been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.
The group said one of the protesters - dressed as Batman - was Jason Hatch, aged 32, of Cheltenham.
Mr Hatch was one of four men who climbed the Clifton Suspension Bridge on February 2 and 3 last year, causing traffic chaos as the bridge was closed to cars and pedestrians for 25 hours.
They were found guilty last October of public order offences and last month failed in an appeal to overturn their convictions.
F4J has held a series of high-profile stunts to draw attention to its campaign.
Last December, members dressed in Father Christmas costumes closed part of the M4 motorway by the Second Severn Crossing when they climbed a gantry.
Mr Hatch also staged a balcony protest at Buckingham Palace and the group also breached security in the House of Commons by throwing a purple flour bomb at Prime Minister Tony Blair.
F4J said protesters climbed the Foreign Office building in Whitehall by using a ladder to reach a ledge.
They then picked their way around the corner of the building, until they were overlooking Downing Street itself, and unfurled a banner which said "Access denied. Don't let Labour stop you being a Superdad".
F4J said that Mr Hatch was dressed as Batman.
It named another protester, dressed as Robin, as Andy James, although it did not release any information about where he was from.
The name of the third man, dressed as Captain America, was not released.
F4J founder Matt O'Connor said the protest was the start of a series of campaigns in the lead-up to an expected general election.
He said: "We are planning loads of similar events.
"We will be targeting the Labour Party and its machine. Our aim is to cause them as much embarrassment as possible.
"We feel passionately about this issue. We are not going to go away. We remain indefatigable. We are prepared to go to prison, or be shot - whatever it takes." A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said the trio had climbed up the side of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office at 2.40pm yesterday.
They were dressed as workmen and gained access to the balcony by climbing up a ladder balanced on the back of a flatbed lorry.
The spokeswoman said: "It took less than one minute and police officers were quickly on the scene.
"The men immediately identified themselves as supporters of Fathers 4 Justice. There has been no breach of security."
PROTEST DADS STAGE STUNT NEAR TO NO10SECTION:
THREE members of the Fathers 4 Justice campaign dressed as Batman, Robin and Captain America clambered on to a ledge of the Foreign Office yesterday.
A police officer was at a nearby window trying to talk to the protestors who were perched above the security gates which protect Downing Street.The three had unfurled a banner declaring: "Access denied. Don't let Labour stop you being a Superdad."
The protest immediately attracted a large audience of police officers and members of the public who were looking on, although there was no immediate effort to stop traffic flowing along Whitehall.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "Work is carrying on as usual. The police are on the scene and are dealing with it."
Richard Castle, the London co-ordinator of Fathers 4 Justice, said the protestors hoped to continue their demonstration for as long as possible.
He added that the man dressed as Batman was Jason Hatch, who previously hit the headlines when he scaled the walls of Buckingham Palace.
Mr Castle said the campaign group is planning a series of protest events in the run up to the General Election.
He said: "Watch this space. We as a group are fighting the Labour Government. What we are trying to highlight is that rather than helping families and children, the government is failing families.
"They are producing a generation McDads - fathers who only ever see their children in McDonald's once every few weeks."
F4J TRIO'S DOWNING ST PROTESTSECTION:
THE Fathers 4 Justice member who scaled Buckingham Palace last night staged another protest just yards from No 10 Downing Street.
Jason Hatch got onto the Foreign Office building with two other men dressed as Batman, Robin and Captain America.Pete Chiplin and Andy James came down when it started snowing after nine hours. Hatch lasted out until early this morning. All three were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and were being held at a police station in Central London.
Fathers 4 Justice founder Matt O'Connor said: "It was bitterly cold up there but Jason was determined to tough it out as long as he physically can."
They had unfurled a banner, reading: "Don't let Labour stop you being a superdad."
They climbed up the building - about 100 yards from Tony Blair's residence - using a ladder mounted on a flatbed truck.
A senior member of the group said: "Hatch mentioned he had eyed up a few ledges in Downing Street in the past and they just decided to go for it.
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