A full council meeting at the Wealden District Council offices was officially suspended, for a short period of time, on Wednesday after disruption in the public gallery led to security staff escorting members of the public from the chamber.
The incident took place during the authority’s full council meeting on 13 May.
“Pink Lady Sussex” and “The Wealden Pink Lady” have since provided a statement describing their version of events inside the council chamber.
The Pink Ladies are a protest movement which has appeared at demonstrations and public meetings across Sussex and other parts of the UK in recent months. Members say they are campaigning over issues including immigration, community safety and local concerns, although critics have accused some associated protests of promoting anti-migrant rhetoric.
According to the statement, members of the group attended the meeting despite missing the deadline to formally submit questions to councillors.
One attendee said they had prepared four questions for councillor Rachel Millward and hoped to ask them after the meeting had concluded.
Rachel Millward, deputy leader of the Green Party group and the newly elected leader of Wealden District Council, was discussed during the meeting by the group. She has also played a significant role in matters relating to the district’s controversial immigration camp, which has been the subject of ongoing debate and protest locally.
The statement claims tensions were apparent from the beginning of proceedings, alleging councillors appeared concerned when members of the group entered the room.
The group also admitted booing during applause for Rachel Millward, with one attendee stating they received a verbal warning from council chair Blake Coggins.
“I was given a verbal warning about my booing, which I would do all over again,” the statement said.
The attendees claimed they remained quiet afterwards, but alleged further tensions developed during discussions involving comments about the King, prompting reactions from members of the public gallery during a livestream.
According to the statement, security staff later approached the group and asked them to remain quiet before informing them they would need to leave the public gallery.
The meeting was subsequently suspended by the council chair, Gavin Blake-Coggins, with members of the group escorted from the chamber by security staff.
The group said they initially refused to leave immediately because they felt their concerns were not being listened to.
In the statement, attendees denied accusations of racism and described themselves as “concerned residents” frustrated with local and national politics.
They also criticised what they described as a political divide within the council chamber, arguing that local government had become too focused on procedures rather than residents’ concerns.
The statement further claimed that police officers were waiting outside the council offices once the group eventually left the building.
The attendees said their original intention had been to ask questions following the meeting, but claimed that opportunity was lost once they were removed from the chamber.
Wealden District Council have provided no comment on the matter.
