Protester on Trial for Blocking Police During Asylum Seeker Barrow Protest
A south-east London woman faces charges after allegedly blocking police vehicles transporting suspects during a protest against the accommodation of asylum seekers on the Bibby Stockholm barge.
Peckham Road Protest Turns Chaotic
Indea Barbe-Wilson, 31, of Robert Keen Close, Peckham, appeared at Stratford Magistrates’ Court to give evidence about the protest on May 2. She was arrested alongside 23-year-old Jony Cink from Lewisham. The duo joined around 60 protesters who allegedly blocked police carriers on Peckham Road.
The prosecution struggled to pinpoint exactly when Barbe-Wilson and Cink entered the road, but witnesses described a scene thick with demonstrators, push bikes, and abandoned hire bikes barricading the way.
Why The Protest Happened
The protest sparked when police were alerted to people obstructing a coach parked outside a Best Western hotel around 8:30 AM. The coach was due to transport asylum seekers to the Bibby Stockholm barge.
Barbe-Wilson told the court she joined the demonstration to prevent what she saw as further trauma to the asylum seekers. She cited news reports and whistleblower accounts claiming the barge was unsafe.
“I wanted to stop them from being moved to Bibby Stockholm,” she said. Barbe-Wilson added she arrived just minutes before her arrest, unaware the coach had already been moved and arrests made. Protesters chanted, “This is what community looks like.”
Police Describe Unruly Scene
Superintendent Matt Cox testified that police found protesters surrounding the coach in a bus lane. Police discovered a deflated tyre on the vehicle and tried to get between the protestors and the coach.
Prosecutor Timothy Fulford described the scene as chaotic and layered with demonstrators. Officers faced strong resistance while trying to clear the road, concerned for the wellbeing of the suspects inside the police carriers.
Chief Inspector Vicky Causbrook revealed the protest impacted hundreds of local people, forcing road closures and delaying bus services. Nearby schools were hesitant to release students amid the disruption and noise.
Arrest Footage Reveals Tense Moments
Bodycam footage showed Jony Cink being carried away by police after sitting with linked arms in peaceful but firm protest. Barbe-Wilson’s arrest footage captured her linking arms with fellow demonstrators before police handcuffed and removed her.
The trial is ongoing, with more evidence expected.
