PROTESTORS planning to take part in a huge march against the Cliffe airport plan on Saturday (September 28) claim their right to demonstrate is being blocked by Medway Police.

After two weeks of discussions, senior officers have told campaigners they will not allow more than 1,000 to march.

Anyone else who turns up for the 10.30am demo will be penned into the Whiffens Avenue car park for the two hours it is expected for the march to go round Chatham’s one way system. But many are defiant, and say they still intend to march, even if it means being arrested.

Housewife Joan Goddard, one of the founders of the No Airport @ Cliffe action group, said: “They can put me in prison. It's such a damned cheek."

She said there was no way the campaigners could control the number of members of the general public who plan to turn up. She added: “I have no intention of stopping them, either.”

Medway Police insist they have a duty to protect public safety. A spokesman said: “Where people want to demonstrate lawfully we facilitate that. But equally the law gives us the power to fix the route and the numbers to protect public safety.

“We have to balance the rights of those want to protest against those who will be inconvenienced by the protest. It’s an impossible job and we know we can’t satisfy everyone.”