By Hazel Osborne, Open Justice multimedia journalist of
The protesters accused of gluing their hands to a busy Wellington road during peak-hour traffic have been released from custody on bail.
Five members of the Restore Passenger Rail group, who aim to put pressure on the government to restore passenger rail services around the country, appeared in the Wellington District Court this afternoon.
Caroline Rousseu Sheldon-Williams, 72, Jenny Whittington, 56, Jennifer Mary Olsen, 63, and John Wilson Tovey, 75, were taken into custody and charged with endangering transport after they allegedly glued their hands to Adelaide Rd earlier in the day.
Police move protesters sitting on Adelaide Road. Photo: RNZ/Gemima Huston
A fifth protester James Cockle, 45, was charged with breaching bail after he allegedly associated with the group and was found to be in Wellington.
Judge Noel Sainsbury granted bail to all five defendants.
The conditions for their bail included that they did not associate with one another or engage in illegal protest activity.
According to the charging documents, three of the protesters travelled significant distances to participate in the demonstration. Their bail conditions also included that they not enter the Wellington area except to appear in court.
This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald.