Green MP Caroline Lucas and others arrested at an anti-fracking protest in Balcolmbe, West Sussex, last August appeared in court yesterday.

Supporters gathered outside Brighton magistrates' court as the Brighton Pavilion MP and four others faced charges of wilfully obstructing the highway and breaking section 14 of the Public Order Act.

Demonstrators had gathered in the village of Balcombe in protest against energy firm Cuadrilla's fracking test site there.

Video footage captured the moment Ms Lucas was arrested, after being told to move away from an access route to the site.

She refused to move because she wanted to show solidarity with the other protesters, the court heard.

Ms Lucas later told police she had wanted to send a clear message to the government that hydraulic fracturing for shale gas was not needed or wanted.

Around 100 supporters gathered outside the court before the trial.

They waved placards and banners, danced, sang and played music, cheering as defendants Ms Lucas, Josef Dobraszczyk, Ruth Jarman, Sheila Menon and Ruth Potts walked into the court.

One placard read: "Caroline Lucas well done. Not many MPs fulfil their promises."

The defendants stopped briefly outside for Ms Menon to read a statement on their behalf.

"On August 19 we took part in a peaceful protest in Balcombe, against fracking," she said. "We are here to defend ourselves.

"Balcombe is the start of a major struggle over the search and exploitation of yet more fossil fuels - and the stakes could hardly be higher.

"This week the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report will be published, which is based on thousands of peer-reviewed studies and put together by hundreds of respected scientists.

"Leaked drafts suggest it will predict that climate change will cause violent conflict, displace millions of people and wipe trillions of dollars off the global economy. Time is running out."