25 June 2024 , 18:42
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Four men have been arrested at Rishi Sunak's constituency home in North Yorkshire.
Officers were with the men within one minute of them entering the grounds of the PM's house. The men were arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of aggravated trespass.
Protest group Youth Demand claimed responsibility for the incident, posting a video online of a man claiming to defecate in a lake in the garden while wearing a shirt reading "eat s*** Rishi" on the back. The "faeces" was reportedly fake and made of silicone.
They wrote online: "As a thank you and a parting gift to Rishi Sunak and the Tories for the last 14 years of service, we have given the Tories exactly what they have given us. A S***show." The group described itself as a campaign "calling for a two-way arms embargo on Israel and for the incoming UK government to revoke all new oil and gas licences granted since 2021".
In a statement on Tuesday evening, North Yorkshire Police said: "We have arrested four people in the grounds of the prime minister's constituency home this afternoon. Our officers were with the four men within one minute of them entering the grounds.
Rishi Sunak must be a leader, not just a manager
"They were detained at around 12.40pm before being escorted off the property and arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass. The men aged 52 from London, 43 from Bolton, 21 from Manchester, and 20 from Chichester, remain in police custody for questioning and enquiries are ongoing."
The men were later released on bail on Wednesday morning, with police saying "the investigation remains ongoing".
In a separate event last summer, protesters scaled the roof of his home and held up "no new oil" banners, while he and his family were away on holiday in California. Greenpeace climbers covered Mr Sunak’s North Yorkshire house in 200 metres squared of oil-black fabric. They were protesting Government plans for more North Sea oil and gas drilling.
Four people were charged with criminal damage following the protest. Michael Grant, 64, Mathieu Soete, 38, Amy Rugg-Easey, 33, and Alexandra Wilson, 32, pleaded not guilty to the charges at York Magistrates' Court in March. All four were granted bail and a two-day trial is due to take place at the same court on 23 and 24 July.
After the protest took place last summer No10 said Government departments should cut ties with Greenpeace. The PM's spokesman said engagement with the climate group was no longer "appropriate". "We obviously don't think that people who are accused of breaking the law should have a seat at the table in discussions with government," he added.