Restore Passenger Rail protesters who scaled SH1 gantry granted bail

Two Restore Passenger Rail protesters scaled a gantry above State Highway 1 in Wellington on Thursday morning. Photo / Azaria Howell

Two protesters arrested after scaling a gantry above State Highway 1 in Wellington this morning have appeared in court.

Thomas Brown, 23, and Alex Cockle, 49, both stood before Judge Tania Warburton in the Wellington District Court this afternoon charged with endangering transport.

The pair are members of the Restore Passenger Rail group, which advocates for action on climate change and an increase in public rail services through civil disobedience.

Both entered pleas of not guilty to the charge and elected trial by jury.

After considering their bid for bail, Judge Warburton granted the application with conditions that included prohibiting them from travelling to Wellington and arranging further protest action.

The group has staged multiple protests in Wellington since last year, resulting in multiple members being charged.

Another member, Rosemary Penwarden, was this week remanded in custody until September 11 after concreting herself to a Wellington street on Monday.

Restore Passenger Rail protester Rosemary Penwarden is escorted off by police with her hand covered in concrete. Photo / Azaria Howell

She too faces a charge of endangering transport as a result of that protest, as well as previous charges stemming from an earlier action on April 17.

Transport Minister Michael Wood met with the group in December last year but has since ruled out meeting again after they threw paint across several Labour MPs’ offices.

Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has also ruled out working with the group due to the continued protests.

Ethan Griffiths covers crime and justice stories nationwide for Open Justice. He joined NZME in 2020, previously working as a regional reporter in Whanganui and South Taranaki.