Georgia-Mae Chung and Chloe Lennon Successfully Defend Protestors in Obstruction Trial

During a two-day trial at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court, Georgia-Mae’s and Chloe Lennon’s clients each faced a charge of wilfully obstructing a highway without lawful authority or excuse.  

Both defendants had taken part in a protest in July 2025 as part of the Birmingham refuse strike. It was alleged that they had both obstructed a public road by slow walking in front of refuse trucks that had left the depot that morning.

The strike had begun that January with initial rolling workouts and escalated in the March to an indefinite strike which was called by Unite the Union, of which the defendants were both members.

Georgia-Mae and Chloe adopted a three-stage defence. They argued firstly that the defendants’ actions had not amounted to obstruction and secondly that, even if it had, it had not been wilful. Thirdly, they submitted that, if the judge found that there had been wilful obstruction, the defendants had a lawful excuse having regard to proportionality through the application of Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Georgia-Mae and Chloe were instructed and assisted by Vanetha Armon of Thompsons Solicitors.  

Media coverage:
BBC news
The Guardian