Home | Friday 15th October 2010 | Issue 743
HUNT INTENSIFIES
Police and bailiffs have struck out at anti-coal action camp Huntington Lane (see SchNEWS 735) camp by tearing down treehouses and lopping branches off trees to stop activists getting the upper hand. The camp has been trying to protect a huge area of outstanding natural beauty where works are going on for a massive open cast coal mine. But at 8.30am on Wednesday (13th), the National Eviction Team with police support came on site and started to trash the place without so much as an eviction notice.
The place that was targeted is part of the site that will be open casted, and temporary roads, offices and a water main have all been installed in the last 24 hours with diggers and machinery already setting to work. None of the campers were present at the ‘eviction’ as they have been holding a site where a link road is being built to connect the two planned mines and where the majority of construction work has been going on.
The main camp site hasn’t had much trouble apart from some bailiffs and coppers having a nosey this week, but the camp is now on red alert. A great turnout of local supporters and people from up and down the country after the news spread of the attack has meant that ‘business as usual’ is going on at the camp, but more bodies are needed to ensure the site is fully defendable and resistant to eviction attempts. As one camper put it “the more supporters there are, the happier we are, and the more work can get done.”
