THE arrest of four activists, including an 84-year-old man, at a protest against the felling of ancient trees has been condemned by Amnesty International as “deeply disturbing.” 

Locals had gathered in Wellingborough on Wednesday for a third day in an attempt to block contractors from felling more than 50 ancient lime trees. 

The trees alongside the River Nene are being removed by the council to make way for a new road leading to a housing development. 

Locals have opposed the move and raised concerns that some of the trees at risk have Tree Preservation Orders. 

That afternoon protesters occupied a footpath to block access to contractors’ vehicles and equipment. 

Northamptonshire Police officers made four arrests, including the 84-year-old, who had been sitting in a chair to block the path. 

Amnesty International UK’s military, security and police director Oliver Feeley-Sprague described the arrests as “deeply concerning.” 

“Arrest at an entirely peaceful protest by local residents trying to prevent the destruction of a large number of historically important and protected trees appears ludicrously heavy-handed,” he said. 

Mr Feeley-Sprague said that the force’s actions should serve as a “wake-up call” over the dangers of giving police more powers to crack down on peaceful protests. 

The government is currently seeking to pass new measures in its Public Order Bill that would massively expand police powers to restrict protest and criminalise tactics often used by climate activists, including locking on.

“Amnesty has long been concerned that police officers misuse their powers to create a chilling effect on people’s rights to speak out about issues that they care deeply about,” Mr Feeley-Sprague continued.  

“These arrests give an unsavoury flavour of what could well become the norm under draconian legislation that the government is trying to push through Parliament.”

The Public Order Bill finished its final stages in the House of Lords this week, with peers successfully removing some of the most contentious measures, including giving police powers to pre-emptively shut down protests before disruption has occurred. 

The proposed legislation will return to the Commons in the coming weeks where MPs could reinsert some of the measures removed by peers. 

Northamptonshire Police was approached for comment.