A determined grandma who fought to have a massive internet pole relocated away from her house and was given a police warning for doing so has won the fight.
Dot Bolton, 75, has never had a legal issue in her life, but she felt she had no option but to hold a sit-in protest yesterday where the 30 foot pole was scheduled to be erected.
The grandmother of two remarked: “Last week, if you had asked me whether I would be participating in a sit-in protest, I would have replied no way! I have never in my life objected; instead, I normally take a back seat.
“I had had enough by the time the contractors arrived this morning.
Why bother with petitions and meetings if they’re simply going to do what they want, I wondered.
Before Dot positioned her chair within the circular area inside a blocked area, where workmen threatened to call the police, the pole was scheduled to be constructed in front of her cottage in Sutton-on-Hull, Yorkshire.
Dot was informed that her peaceful demonstration was unlawful by two Humberside Police officers shortly after she started it behind the orange safety barriers.
However, she remained steadfastly in place and told the cops that if she was not going to move, they may as well arrest her.
Dot and her neighbours weren’t giving up until a suitable solution was offered, despite them having some tough words and warning the 75-year-old that they may arrest her “for impeding the pavement.”
The police requested assistance from a sergeant.
Despite being obviously unhappy during the standoff, the retiree managed to maintain her position with the help of her 51-year-old husband, Brian, and the whole neighbourhood.
All of Ramsgate Close came together to support me, and Brian shares my sentiments perfectly.
During the standoff, Dot’s neighbour Andy said, “Don’t think she is on her alone. We are all here with her.” Dot is the face of our campaign.
Any of us would be more than willing to take over if she becomes too hot or too exhausted before coming to a finish. Although it breaks our hearts to watch her sad about this, our sentiments must be spoken.
I didn’t want to be the face of anything, Dot said. I just grabbed my chair and placed it on top of the blue circle they had drawn since, well, I can’t stand for very long.
Dot and Brian decided to terminate their protest after the contractors, SCD, eventually consented to move the pole’s location to a grass verge a little bit closer to the road.
Before the cops issued Dot a warning for “obstructing a public walkway,” which was already blocked by orange barricades,
At the conclusion of her three-hour demonstration, she was not detained.
Officers were called to Ramsgate Close in Hull at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 10, after reports of an incident, according to a spokeswoman for Humberside Police. One lady has been accused of violating the public order.
SCD was erecting the poles on behalf of the city company Connexin.
The business claims that owing to a disagreement with another provider, it was unable to get access to Hull’s subterranean cable ducts, forcing it to lay up more costly poles around the city.
Utility providers are legally allowed access to the ground immediately around sidewalks, even if such pavements are on what individuals may consider their yards.