BLACKLISTED workers have vowed to bring an “even bigger crowd” to protest against anti-union practices in the construction industry this evening after their most high-profile campaigner was banged up for blocking a road.

Blacklist Support Group secretary Dave Smith was arrested at a Wednesday night blockade of London’s swanky Park Lane calling on Construction Award attendees to reinstate a union activist who complained about unsafe conditions on the Crossrail project.

Crossrail contractors Skanska and Costain recently sacked a worker who had raised safety concerns, including the absence of railings on a construction site walkway.

One Crossrail worker was crushed to death by a cascade of cement in February and unions have called for a full investigation into safety conditions on the project.

Labour MP John McDonnell tweeted that it was “suspicious” that Mr Smith, the co­author of new book Blacklisted, which chronicles the collaboration between police and big business in cracking down on union activity, was the only protester arrested.

After being held for around five hours at Paddington Green police station Mr Smith was released early yesterday morning.

He was charged with obstructing the highway and his case will come to Westminster magistrates’ court on March 27.

Speaking to the Star yesterday, Mr Smith said: “If I was a senior police officer involved in blacklisting, I wouldn’t want to see Dave Smith in court.

“If we go to court and give evidence, I’m quite happy to name every single police officer involved in blacklisting.

“Not one of those officers has been arrested yet, but if we protest we’re arrested.

“We’re not doing this to cause trouble. We’re doing this because people are dying on building sites.”

Anti-blacklisting campaigners will congregate at Bond Street station today at 5.30pm in a show of defiance.

A message circulated among activists said: “We will not be bowed by their intimidation.”

One worker said the arrest would only encourage more workers to attend direct action events.

“We’re not prepared to have people sacked for raising safety concerns,” the worker said.

“We’ll be back again and again until Skanska and Costain reinstate the victimised worker, and we’ll bring bigger and bigger crowds.”