Members of the Saxon King in Priory Park Committee brought tonight’s council meeting to a standstill for 20 minutes.
The campaigners, who are opposing the road widening scheme at Cuckoo Corner, were present in the public gallery.
According to the Echo, they heckled Cllr Anna Waite and unveiled a banner which called for Cllr Waite and council leader Nigel Holdcroft to resign.
The group also threw leaflets with a similar message into the council chamber.
The protestors were then escorted from the premises and the police were called.
Earlier this week, the group set up a sit-in protest on the land due to be redeveloped as part of the road widening scheme.
SKIPP members Patsy Link, Mark Sharp and Sheena Walker issued a statement saying:
“It has just been confirmed by a confidential source, [that] Southend Borough Council plans to begin tree felling in Priory Crescent in the early hours of this Sunday morning (28th Feb).
“Cynically, as at Victoria Circus on ‘Black Sunday’, the council plans to arrive like thieves in the night to wreak devastation upon yet another part of our town, breaking the agreement made with Camp Bling in April 2009.
“However, this time they will not be allowed to perpetrate their wanton act of vandalism unopposed, the people of Southend are ready for them.
“Residents of the protest Camp on land in Priory Crescent, immediately adjacent to the Cuckoo Corner roundabout have taken possession and occupied the land under section 6 of the 1977 Criminal Law Act.
“Any attempt to enter the property or evict the residents will be illegal, unless the correct legal procedure is followed.
“On Monday, Contractor’s working for the Council attempted to illegally enter the property, upon reading the Section 6 Notices they hastily complied with instruction from the residents and left.
“Southend Borough Council continues to ignore the wishes of the people, we now call for the leadership to resign immediately, Cllr’s HoldCroft, Lamb and Waite must go now.â€
When asked to comment on tonight’s incident, Cllr Waite told Councilbust.com:
“We have already made it clear that 16 trees will have to be removed as part of the scheme. In line with Council policy, two trees will be planted for every one removed.
“It has not yet been decided when the tree removal will be undertaken.”
