A councillor is defying calls for her to quit after she was convicted of criminal damage, insisting she has the "support of her constituents".
Amanda Fox, a Green city councillor, was found guilty this week of smashing the windows of a Barclays bank branch in Norwich during a climate protest.
Her conviction has triggered a furious row at City Hall, with the council leader calling on her to stand down, saying her actions suggest a contempt for democracy and the rule of law.
However, she remains defiant, saying she has no plans to resign.
She claims she has been "overwhelmed" by messages of support and that these show widespread public backing for her form of environmental campaigning.
READ MORE: Extinction Rebellion activists spared jail
"I have been overwhelmed by the messages of support that I have received from my constituents," she said. "One read 'give me a councillor who takes a stand any day of the week, in every seat'."
Ms Fox was elected as the councillor for Mancroft ward in May.
At the time, she was awaiting her trial for using a hammer to break windows during a 2021 Extinction Rebellion protest against Barclays' investments in fossil fuels.
READ MORE: Councillor facing calls to quit after criminal conviction
Mike Stonard, Labour councillor and leader of City Hall, has led calls for Ms Fox to resign, saying her actions had "damaged her reputation" and left the council in dispute.
"Councillors are leaders in their communities and are expected to set a positive example," he added.
"She has damaged the reputation of her office and has brought the council into disrepute.
“It is unacceptable for elected representatives to believe that, when they lose an argument or don’t get what they want, they can resort to criminal actions.
"Either you believe in democracy and the rule of law or you don’t. You can’t have it both ways."
He said Ms Fox's election leaflets made no reference to her impending prosecution.
"The Green Party must unreservedly apologise for the hypocrisy, the deception, and the lack of honesty with the electorate," he added.
He described the attack on the Barclays bank as a "violent criminal act" and any staff inside at the time would have been "terrified".
But Ms Fox insisted the action was justified.
"The climate crisis is worsening while politicians and banks continue to support fossil fuels. 61,672 deaths were caused by extreme heat in Europe between 30 May and 4 September 2022. Barclays continue to be Europe's biggest funder of the fossil fuels driving the climate crisis," she added.
She said the judge had acknowledged that no violence was directed against anyone in the bank and that she and her co-accused had taken measures to ensure the building had been empty.
Ms Fox and fellow protestor Jennifer Parkhouse, 71, were found guilty of criminal damage by a 10-1 majority at King's Lynn Crown Court on Tuesday (August 8).
John Fairhead, prosecuting, had described the protest as “theatrical and dramatic”, designed to gain maximum publicity.
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