Protest group will not target Cycling World Championships again

The race was stopped for 50 minutes on Sunday

The protest group which halted the Men's Elite Road Race will not target the UCI World Cycling Championships in Scotland again.

This Is Rigged made the pledge after four people appeared in court charged with stopping the race for about 50 minutes on Sunday.

Catriona Roberts, Ben Taylor, Romaine Moulin and Rebecca Kerr appeared from custody at Falkirk Sheriff Court.

They are accused of sitting on the roadway and blocking the route.

The action took place on the B818 country road near the Carron Valley Reservoir.

Prosecutors also allege they discharged powder canons, chained themselves together, glued themselves to the roadway and refused to leave when requested.

The case was continued until Wednesday for the four accused to obtain legal representation.

'The action phase has come to a close'

Earlier, the judge who dealt with the case took the unusual step of declaring an interest.

Sheriff Simon Collins told them he was a cyclist, a car driver, a fan of professional cycling and a previous supporter of groups involved in environmental issues.

He told the court the right to peaceful protest is enshrined in law but those involved had to act with a sense of proportion and not cause excessive damage or inconvenience.

The road race event on Sunday was paused with just over 190km (118 miles) of the 271km (168 miles) remaining.

It was later won by Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel.

Mathieu Van der Poel won the race despite suffering a crash in Glasgow city centre

Speaking outside Falkirk Sheriff Court, This Is Rigged spokesman Lewis Conroy vowed the group would make no further attempts to disrupt the cycling championships.

He said: "The action phase has come to a close because we feel as though we've reached our capacity for the time being.

"We'd like to give the Scottish government a bit of time to reflect on their inaction and whether or not they're going to take a stand and do the right thing.

"It's not fun doing disruptive action but history shows it's the only way form of protest that's actually effective.

"We could stand on the pavement and wave signs but it's not going to change anything."

The group has called on Scottish ministers to oppose the UK Government's granting of new oil and gas licences for the North Sea.

The Scottish government said it had set out a clear pathway to capitalise on the opportunities offered by becoming a net zero economy and "a renewables powerhouse."

A spokesperson said: "Our focus must be meeting our energy security needs, reducing emissions, delivering affordable energy supplies whilst ensuring a just transition for our oil and gas workforce as North Sea resources decline.

"In contrast, the UK government - who have responsibility for oil and gas exploration and licensing - have shown a lack of focus on delivering a just transition for our energy sector, and still lack a clear and coherent decarbonisation plan that demonstrates delivery of net zero targets and recognises that the north sea is a mature resource."