Deliveries of your Eastern Daily Press and Norwich Evening News will be delayed today due to an Extinction Rebellion protest in Hertfordshire, where the title is printed.

Eastern Daily Press: Two protesters use bamboo lock-ons to block the road outside the Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. Picture: Yui Mok/PA WireTwo protesters use bamboo lock-ons to block the road outside the Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. Picture: Yui Mok/PA Wire

Protesters blockaded two major printing presses overnight to stop a range of national newspapers reaching newsstands on Saturday.

However, a number of local titles, including the Eastern Daily Press, Norwich Evening News and East Anglian Daily Times are printed at the same site and have been affected by the disruption.

More than 100 protesters used vehicles and bamboo lock-ons to block roads outside the Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, and Knowsley, near Liverpool.

Hertfordshire Police said delivery lorries had not left the Broxbourne site as of 6am on Saturday, and 13 arrests had been made.

Eastern Daily Press: Police and fire service personnel gather around a pair of protesters on top of a van used to block the road outside the Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. Picture: Yui Mok/PA WirePolice and fire service personnel gather around a pair of protesters on top of a van used to block the road outside the Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. Picture: Yui Mok/PA Wire

Click here for this weekend’s complimentary EDP e-edition

The Eastern Daily Press and Norwich Evening News has now been printed at a different site, but this means today’s deliveries will be delayed.

Unfortunately, the forced relocation also means that Heaven magazine will not be inside the newspaper as usual. We will include this with Monday’s EDP instead, and we apologise to readers.

The presses print the Rupert Murdoch-owned News Corp’s titles including The Sun, The Times, The Sun on Sunday and The Sunday Times, as well as The Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph, the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, and the London Evening Standard.

Eastern Daily Press: Police outside the Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. Protesters continue to use bamboo lock-ons and a van to block the road. Picture: Yui Mok/PA WirePolice outside the Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. Protesters continue to use bamboo lock-ons and a van to block the road. Picture: Yui Mok/PA Wire

XR say the protest was held because of the national titles‘ ”failure to report on the climate & ecological emergency”.

Hertfordshire Police say officers were called to Great Eastern Road near the Broxbourne plant around 10pm, where they found around 100 protesters who had “secured themselves to structures and one another”.

Hertfordshire Police assistant chief constable Owen Weatherill said officers were “working to facilitate the rights of both the protesters and those affected by their presence” but protesters were not cooperating.

“The rights to protest are well established in this country and we remain committed to facilitating peaceful protest and ensuring compliance,” he said in a statement.

Eastern Daily Press: We are giving away a free copy of today's EDP E-edition after Extenction Rebellion protesters used bamboo lock-ons and vans to block the road outside the Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. Picture: Yui Mok/PA WireWe are giving away a free copy of today's EDP E-edition after Extenction Rebellion protesters used bamboo lock-ons and vans to block the road outside the Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. Picture: Yui Mok/PA Wire

“However, at this time, the group are not engaging with us and the protest is causing major disruption to local businesses.

Click here for your complimentary Evening News e-edition

“At this time, 13 people have been arrested in connection with the incident, and we anticipate more arrests will be made.

“I’d like to reassure you that we are doing all we can to bring the incident to a peaceful conclusion, ensuring minimum disruption to the affected businesses.”

Eastern Daily Press: Titles by Archant, based as Prospect House in Norwich, including the EDP and Norwich Evening News will be delayed on Saturday due to the protest. Picture: ANTONY KELLYTitles by Archant, based as Prospect House in Norwich, including the EDP and Norwich Evening News will be delayed on Saturday due to the protest. Picture: ANTONY KELLY (Image: Archant Norfolk 2018)

A spokesperson for Newsprinters said: “Overnight printing at two Newsprinters plants was disrupted by activity by Extinction Rebellion. Thanks to other industry partners, printing was transferred to other sites.

“We apologise sincerely to any readers of The Sun, The Times, the Daily Mail, the Daily Telegraph and the Financial Times who may be unable to buy their usual newspaper this morning due to late deliveries.

“Our teams are working to get newspapers delivered to retailers as soon as possible this morning.

“This attack on all of the free press impacted many workers going about their jobs. Overnight print workers, delivery drivers, wholesale workers and retail newsagents have faced delays and financial penalty.”

Eastern Daily Press: One protester is lead away by police outside the Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, other protesters use bamboo lock-ons and a van to continue to block the road. Picture: Yui Mok/PA WireOne protester is lead away by police outside the Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, other protesters use bamboo lock-ons and a van to continue to block the road. Picture: Yui Mok/PA Wire

If you have not been able to purchase your newspaper this morning, please accept our apologies and enjoy this complimentary EDP e-edition and Evening News e-edition instead. If you value what we do, and want to contribute to our journalism, you can do so by clicking here.

Eastern Daily Press: One protester is lead away by police outside the Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne. Picture: Yui Mok/PA WireOne protester is lead away by police outside the Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne. Picture: Yui Mok/PA Wire

Eastern Daily Press: One protester is lead away by police outside the Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, other protesters use bamboo lock-ons and a van to continue to block the road. Picture: Yui Mok/PA WireOne protester is lead away by police outside the Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, other protesters use bamboo lock-ons and a van to continue to block the road. Picture: Yui Mok/PA Wire

Eastern Daily Press: The final pieces of the bamboo lock-on structure used to block the road outside the Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, are pulled down by emergency services. PA Photo. Picture date: Saturday September 5, 2020. Extinction Rebellion continues with its plans to hold 10 days of demonstrations across central London as part of its ongoing campaign to highlight climate change. Picture: Yui Mok/PA WireThe final pieces of the bamboo lock-on structure used to block the road outside the Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, are pulled down by emergency services. PA Photo. Picture date: Saturday September 5, 2020. Extinction Rebellion continues with its plans to hold 10 days of demonstrations across central London as part of its ongoing campaign to highlight climate change. Picture: Yui Mok/PA Wire

Eastern Daily Press: Police and emergency services dismantle the bamboo lock-ons used to block the road outside the Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. Picture: Yui Mok/PA WirePolice and emergency services dismantle the bamboo lock-ons used to block the road outside the Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. Picture: Yui Mok/PA Wire

Eastern Daily Press: Emergency services dismantle the bamboo lock-ons used to block the road outside the Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. Picture: Yui Mok/PA WireEmergency services dismantle the bamboo lock-ons used to block the road outside the Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. Picture: Yui Mok/PA Wire

Eastern Daily Press: Emergency services dismantle the bamboo lock-ons used to block the road outside the Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. Picture: Yui Mok/PA WireEmergency services dismantle the bamboo lock-ons used to block the road outside the Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. Picture: Yui Mok/PA Wire

Eastern Daily Press: One protester is lead away by police outside the Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, other protesters use bamboo lock-ons and a van to continue to block the road. Picture: Yui Mok/PA WireOne protester is lead away by police outside the Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, other protesters use bamboo lock-ons and a van to continue to block the road. Picture: Yui Mok/PA Wire