Extinction Rebellion: Trial date set for three activists

Mark Ovland (front), Luke Watson (top left) and Cathy Eastburn (top right) will face trial in December

Three Extinction Rebellion (XR) activists who allegedly glued themselves to a train during London-wide environment protests will stand trial at the end of the year.

Cathy Eastburn, 52, Mark Ovland, 36, and Luke Watson, 29, are charged with obstructing the railway after a protest halted Docklands Light Railway services at Canary Wharf station on 17 April.

All three deny the charges.

They claim the stunt was justified due to the threat of climate change.

At a hearing at Inner London Crown Court on Monday, a trial date was set for 16 December.

April's Extinction Rebellion protests brought parts of London to a standstill

Mr Watson, from Manuden in Essex, and Ms Eastburn, of St Gerards Close in Lambeth, south London, are both accused of climbing on to a train carriage and gluing their hands to the roof.

Mr Ovland, of Keinton Mandeville, Somerton, Somerset, allegedly glued his hands to the side of the train.

Parts of London were brought to a standstill during the April demonstrations and XR made headlines again on Friday after it pledged a 10-day shutdown of Heathrow Airport in July.

The group said it would demonstrate at the airport for one day later this month before holding a longer protest in July if the government does not scrap its plan to expand the airport.