Priests who stopped train in climate protest motivated by faith, court heard
The demonstration caused over an hour of disruption
Last updated 13th Jan 2022
Two priests who stopped a train as part of climate protest with another Christian environmentalist were motivated by their faith, a court has heard.
Father Martin Newell, 54, and Rev Sue Parfitt, 79, joined by Philip Kingston, 85, halted a Docklands Light Railway (DLR) train at Shadwell station, east London, as part of an Extinction Rebellion (XR) protest during rush hour in 2019.
Parfitt, of Bristol, and Newell, of Birmingham, used a ladder to climb on the train roof while Kingston, of Patchway, south Gloucestershire, superglued himself to the side of the carriage.
Giving evidence at Inner London Crown Court on Wednesday, Newell, a Catholic priest, told the jury: "There's a climate emergency which is an existential threat to the human race and... this was the best way I could think of at that time to draw attention to it and get the Government to take the urgent action that's needed."
He added his "deepest motivation" was his Christian faith.
Newell said: "Jesus taught us the most important commandment was to love God and love your neighbour, and Pope Francis said the Earth is our neighbour, and I would agree with that and he said the Earth is being abused and we have to stop it."
Parfitt, an Anglican priest, told jurors she was acting out of obedience to God.
She said: "I did it because I feel truly called by God to do all that I can to avert the catastrophe that's on it's way to his whole creation.
"I feel truly called to do this in whatever way I can and at whatever cost to myself.
"In this particular case I believe that there is a compelling case for there to be actions of civil disobedience to try to wake up Government and society to the extreme emergency we are in.
"I think for a Christian it's a matter of obedience and I could do no other."
Parfitt and Newell said prayers while they were on the roof for about 45 minutes. They tried to talk to passengers and then continued their protest in silence, the court heard.
The train, which was travelling from Lewisham to Bank shortly before 7am, was about 70% full of passengers.
The protest caused 77 minutes of disruption with 15 DLR trains delayed or cancelled, but no trains were stuck in tunnels, Inner London Crown court heard.
The jury heard one carriage carrying passengers was stuck between stations for around 30 minutes.
Newell told the court the protest was the result of months of planning and meetings were held in an attempt to make sure it was safe.
The disruption came a day after an XR representative had met British Transport Police (BTP) to say a protest was on the cards within 24 hours.
Newell said: "I was aware there had been meetings with the police and some train union representatives that represent London Underground staff to make sure it was done safely."
He added activists had decided not to target stations that were underground or were close to parts of the line which were underground, to prevent passengers being stuck in tunnels and "panicking".
The demonstrators also chose the time of day, the part of the train they would climb on or glue themselves to, and the station layout to mitigate risk, he told the court.
Earlier in the trial, prosecutor Edmund Blackman told the jury the trio "went too far" in their protest.
The court heard that many passengers reacted angrily to the protest, with some telling the environmentalists: "This is a f** electric train, you should be supporting this," and: "Can you let us go? We are begging you."
The protesters, who are members of Christian Climate Action, an arm of XR, are charged with obstructing an engine or carriage on the railway.
They have pleaded not guilty.
The trial continues.