BLADES OUT

Tension at the Vestas protest camp on the Isle Of Wight (See SchNEWS 688) has been ratcheted up this week after activists established a blockade to prevent the company from removing the remaining turbine blades and moulds used to make the blades, and shipping them over to the USA where they will continue production.

The police responded by storming into the camp on Wednesday (9th) and removing a concrete-filled tent being used to obstruct part of the exit route from the factory and confiscating a tripod that was nearly set up and ready to go. In the ensuing meleé one man was removed with a dispersal order while in a separate incident another activist was arrested after being harassed by security.

After this frustrating setback members from the campaign immediately went on the hunt for more materials to construct another tripod (and had a chance two-ships-in-the-night meeting with a police unit, who were luckily on another mission so gave them no trouble). The tripod was finally erected and occupied at dawn on Thursday (10th).

Taking the first shift was one of the original occupiers, who racked up 13 hours on his perch before handing over (in the process winning a bet with one of the security guards who had started a book on how long he would last – his evening’s beer money). When SchNEWS spoke to the protester yesterday afternoon he declared that he and the remaining nine ex-Vestas employees were “full of fight” and not going anywhere. When asked about the Vestas response he said “All we’ve had from Vestas is our P45s”.

Activists at the camp are still calling out for people to get down and support the blockade or just to attend one of their daily ‘High Tide Picnics’ (hosted by the infamous Jacky Wellies). A day of action, on the island and nationwide, has been scheduled for September 17th.

* See http://savevestas.wordpress.com