'Police asked Tory chief to back off’ (From Worcester News)

Brush with protestors after David Cameron’s conference speech

12:40pm Friday 8th October 2010 in News By David Paine, @davidpaineWN #worcsnews

A TORY chief has had another brush with the police – this time for remonstrating with protesters holding a stuffed badger.

Members of FACCT (Fight Against Cameron Cruelty Threat) said Dr Ken Pollock, chairman of the West Worcestershire Conservative Association and a county councillor representing Tenbury Wells, was “aggressive and threatening” during an argument outside Symphony Hall in Birmingham following Prime Minister David Cameron’s speech.

The protestors said it was only when he was asked to move away and police were asked to intervene that he “backed off with cheers from the public and delegates”.

Dr Pollock admitted he got involved in “a passionate exchange of views” with members of the small group who were demonstrating against the badger cull and any plans the Conservatives might have to bring back hunting with dogs.

Katherine Green, FACCT spokesman, said there were about six members, herself included, taking part in the peaceful protest on Wednesday afternoon when Dr Pollock marched over and “launched a tirade of abuse”.

Mrs Green, a registered nurse from Cheshire, said: “He said I didn’t know what I was talking about. I said how could you possibly make that sweeping judgement?

“He continued to be quite verbally aggressive and insulting. He wouldn’t leave until we had to ask one of the police officers to come over.

“He made a quick exit.”

Mrs Green said she is now going to make a written complaint to the West Worcestershire Conservative Association. She said: “Whether you agree with people’s views or not you have got to respect them and not be verbally aggressive to people using their democratic right to a peaceful protest.”

Dr Pollock said: “It is fair to say there was a passionate exchange of views and that in the end we agreed to disagree. They had a loud hailer and I disagreed with what they said.

“Ninety-nine per cent of the time you walk by but on this occasion I disagreed with what they were saying and we had a fair exchange of views as you can in an open democracy.”

We previously reported in your Worcester News how no action was taken against Dr Pollock following an investigation into his actions when he was dragged away by police as he tried to confront Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg, who is now deputy Prime Minister, at the Nag’s Head pub in Malvern.

The incident was over a leaflet distributed across the West Worcestershire constituency during the general election campaign.