Man banned from meeting climbs on to ledge to watch

A campaigner who has been given a year-long ban due to his "severe behaviour" disrupting town council meetings has been seen climbing four feet (1.2m) on to a window ledge to continue following proceedings.

Zak Marketis, from Thetford Council Watch, previously attended council meetings raising topics including climate change and vaccine use, and was issued a ban in November.

Despite being asked to step down from the window by Norfolk Police at a meeting last Tuesday, he argued if he was not allowed inside the chamber, there was nothing to prevent him standing outside.

Not acknowledging his presence, councillors continued with their meeting.

Held at the town's Guildhall, the full council meeting was attended by councillors including South West Norfolk's Labour MP, Terry Jermy.

Mr Marketis was filmed by members of the campaign group, some of whom had been allowed into the meeting, and he was heard saying: "If I'm not allowed to come in for business, I can most certainly stand outside and watch it."

Two police officers who had been in the area at the time, explained he could not climb the building due to it being council property and Mr Marketis said "it's my building too".

Officers told him he could hurt himself if he fell. He then stepped down to ground level.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said Mr Marketis has been accused of repeatedly disrupting previous meetings.

In April, he had used a ladder to peer into the Guildhall during a meeting.

Thetford Council Watch have attended council meetings to raise topics such as sex education in schools and the use of vaccines.

However, the group disagrees with the council's decision to declare a "climate emergency" and commit £30,000 to tackling it, arguing there were better ways to spend money in the town.

During the incident last week, members of Thetford Council Watch, asked councillors questions about the scientific evidence the authority had to declare a climate emergency.

The group said it attended meetings to express its views and scrutinise councillors and said they were holding the third-tier local authority to account in the name of "freedom and common sense".

Previously, council staff have called the police in an effort to restore order after members of the group have shouted and heckled elected councillors.

The authority has also hired a private security team to "safeguard councillors".

Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.