Police investigate claims mayoral car 'pushed' Twickenham Riverside campaigners (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

Police investigate claims mayoral car 'pushed' Twickenham Riverside campaigners

3:00pm Wednesday 28th April 2010

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Police are investigating after the mayor’s car was allegedly driven into Twickenham riverside campaigners during a protest outside council offices.

Campaigners claim they were “pushed out of the way” by Celia Hodges' mayoral car as they protested against the controversial development, outside Twickenham’s York House, last night.

Members of the Friends of Twickenham Riverside, the Twickenham Riverside Terrace Group and Save Our Riverside (SOR) had marched from the Barmy Arms pub to York House, where a council meeting was being held.

Bearing banners and blowing whistles, the group held the march to protest against the Liberal Democrats’ decision to include a plan to build 32 homes on the former Twickenham Pool site in its election manifesto, despite opposition to the proposals.

SOR member Jeremy Hamilton-Miller said: “There have been massive shows of opposition to the scheme during the past 12 months.

“Despite these multiple expressions of public opinion, the Lib Dem local manifesto states that the scheme will go ahead.”

The protesters claim the mayor’s car drove through the crowd, made up of a number of elderly people and children, and a board held by the protesters before jumping forward twice into campaigners.

Campaigner Scott Naylor, who is standing as a Conservative candidate in council elections in the Twickenham Riverside ward, said: “As one of the community organisers I was utterly shocked by what occurred.”

Councillor Serge Lourie, Liberal Democrat leader, said: "The mayor's chauffeur and mace bearer is an extremely competent person and would not do anything inappropriate.

He added: "If there is any suggestion of wrong doing, it must be investigated by the police."

A Twickenham police spokeswoman said: “The matter is currently being investigated by officers at Teddington police station.”

A Richmond Council spokesman said: "As this is currently the subject of a police investigation we cannot comment.

"However, we are assisting the police fully with their inquiries."

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