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Issue 641 Articles:

Hoo U Gonna Coal

And Will the Real Climate Camp Please Stand Up?

Coal Has Its Knockers

All White on the Night?

Wrekin Spree

A LIttle Bit of Bully

And Finally

Home | Friday 8th August 2008 | Issue 641

Back to the Full Issue

COAL HAS ITS KNOCKERS

This Thursday morning, 150 police and bailiffs arrived to evict protesters occupying an open cast coal mine in Derbyshire (See SchNEWS 638). During the day the National Eviction Team removed three people, from a treehouse, a net and one from the roof of the derelict farmhouse-cum-fortress. After about 6 hours they got into the house, but found a crazy labyrinth of bunkers, barricades and tunnels which stopped them from removing any more people on the first day.

One protester outside the site told SchNEWS, “There’s about 7 people barricaded inside the house and the tunnel network. It’ll probably take at least a week to evict everyone.”

At least they’ve got a little further than one cop last week. A (fully clothed but excitable) tree hugger tells the story: “Due to the incredible heat three girls had got their tops off when a UK coal digger drove by, unforgettably causing the naked protestors to run across the field to join the others (slow motion video of which is available at www.youtube/watch?=youshallowchauvinistfool)


“The finest local plod then turned up to find the nudists sat on the roof of the fortified house along with many others. After his ‘Come down or you’ll be arrested’ was laughed off, he got a crowbar to try to break in. after forcing a board off a window to be met with a radiator and a mass of dirt behind the window, he continued to attempt to kick in another window even though protesters were repeatedly telling him that some one was d-locked onto the back of the board. With nothing left to do but make a even bigger arse out of himself he left one very unhappy piggy!”

The site was set up on 18th June to disrupt UK Coal, who are starting an open cast mine at the site.

One nearby resident, Ben, said “Local people and the council didn’t want this mining. The government pays lip service to green issues but UK Coal could not afford to mine here if it wasn’t for government subsidies they receive.”

He continued “ The eviction of this site is not the end of our fight against UK Coal here or at other sites around the country.”

The site is on Bell Lane, between Smalley and Heanor, six miles from Derby. Phone 07503 335870. Get yer subtlety cloak on and get there!

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