A POOLE councillor has been found not guilty of wilfully obstructing a highway following an environmental protest in London.

Felicity Rice, 41, was charged in relation to a protest carried out by campaign group Just Stop Oil.

She went on trial at City of London Magistrates’ Court alongside three other demonstrators on Monday, March 20.

The case against the four defendants, which related to an incident in Kensington High Street on October 29 last year, was dismissed.

Following the trial Ms Rice, an Alliance for Local Living Independent BCP Council member and former GP who lives Oakdale, told the Daily Echo: “I am pleased to have been found not guilty however I am frustrated that the government is not acting on what is required to reduce fuel poverty, address climate change and all of the other sever consequences – their inaction is just carry on.

“It is frustrating to have even gone to court when the government could make change.

“There has been quite a lot of support in terms of members of the public saying ‘thank you, these are really important matters that you are taking up’.

“We have obviously got a huge number of people on strike and this was a very similar type of protest. I can’t go on strike but I can stand up and say what it going on at the moment isn’t right.”

Bournemouth Echo: Cllr Felicity RiceCllr Felicity Rice (Image: Newsquest)

The Oakdale ward councillor said it was alarming the government had brought in laws in the past 12 months to crackdown on protests.

Ms Rice added: “The fact the government is introducing more and more laws is concerning for all of us because without protests women would not have been able to get the right to vote, we would still have slavery if rules didn’t change in the past.”

Discussing the fear some might have of fighting the issue in the courts, she said: “It is off putting for people and it is scary but doing nothing is scarier.”

“It has all been about protecting the future of BCP residents,” Ms Rice added.

“I have had people approach me saying ‘thank you’ so that is why it has been positive and these are people who have never spoken to me about politics before.”