Five more charged over fracking protests in North Yorkshire
- Published
Demonstrations have been held at Kirby Misperton as equipment is delivered to the site
Five more people have been charged with offences relating to protests at a shale gas fracking site in North Yorkshire.
The four women and one man were arrested at Kirby Misperton on Thursday and will appear at York Magistrates' Court in October.
In May 2016 Third Energy got planning permission to frack and has started moving equipment on to the site.
Police have arrested 12 protesters since Tuesday and charged nine.
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The offences include assaulting a police officer, obstructing a police officer and obstructing the highway.
Chief Constable of North Yorkshire, Dave Jones, said the force was trying to act in a "proportionate and justified" way in policing the protests.
"We are keen obviously to minimise any disruption to the local community," he said.
"So we need to balance the needs for people to peacefully protest and at the same time allow people to get on with their lives and for the commercial enterprise to carry one with its business."
Third Energy has not received final consent to begin fracking but expects to start before the end of the year.
Opponents say it can cause water contamination, earthquakes and noise and traffic pollution.
The company says it has been operating safely in the area for 20 years.
Protest arrests by day
Tuesday, 19 September
Man, 69, accepted a caution for obstructing a police officer
23-year-old man accepted a caution for wilfully obstructing a highway
Man, 33, released without charge
Wednesday, 20 September
Two men, aged 53 and 23, and two women, aged 54 and 40, all charged with obstructing Habton Road, in Kirby Misperton
Thursday, 21 September
18-year-old woman charged with assaulting a police officer in the execution of her duty and assaulting a police officer in the execution of his duty
26-year-old woman charged with obstructing a police officer
33-year-old man charged with obstructing the highway
35-year-old woman charged with obstructing the highway
44-year-old woman charged with obstructing the highway
All those charged are due to appear before magistrates in October