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Trenton Oldfield charged with causing ‘public nuisance’

Trenton Oldfield, the 35 year-old Australian who dramatically halted the University Boat Race earlier in April by swimming into the path of the Oxford and Cambridge crews, was charged with causing a public nuisance on Monday.

Oldfield swapped his wetsuit for more formal attire when he appeared in front of the Feltham Court magistrates.

Mr Oldfield entered no plea and was granted bail with a series of strict conditions.

The activist is forbidden from entering the City of Westminster on May 9 for the state opening of parliament and entering the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead prior to his next court appearance on May 28.

A number of events planned to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee will take place in the borough during this time.

A further bail condition bans Mr Oldfield from using or being within a hundred metres of roads which form part of the Olympic torch route.

The conditions were put in place after prosecutors referred to the “manifesto” which Mr Oldfield allegedly posted on line before disrupting the race.

The post entitled “Elitism leads to tyranny,” describes his actions as “an act of civil disobedience,” and encourages others to do the same. His suggestions include asking security guards to set off fire alarms during important meetings, and asking pest controllers to “fail at destroying pests” of elitist households.

On the same post, Mr Oldfield lays out his strategy of peaceful protest against “elitists and those with elitist sympathies” which involves using “guerrilla tactics” like “local knowledge, ambush, surprise, mobility and speed.”

Ben Myers, a former University Boat Club president criticized the protestor’s actions, “it was totally the wrong stage for Trenton Oldfield to voice his opinions,” he said.

He described the Boat Race as a “very meritocratic event” in which competitors “work extremely hard to be part of the respective crews.”

Ed Eliot, a first-year from Exeter College described the protest as “really stupid,” but said that he could “understand the reasons behind it.”

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