Sussex village fights off the fracking invader

Lorries and locals came head-to-head in the Sussex village of Balcombe this morning, as fracking company Caudrilla began to move equipment on site. It came less than 24 hours after Cuadrilla recieved its licence from the environment agency to drill in the area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. 

Pre-warned locals and campaigners mobilised just as quickly, under the banner of the Great Gas Gala. By 7 a.m, despite the presence of G4S security, members of the fifty-strong demo had blocked the entrance.

The first lorry to try and enter site had its brake cables cut. Although the vehicle was quickly repaired, more folk began arriving and gazebos were set up on the verge. It wasn't until an hour later that the police arrived and over the course of the morning the situation developed into a very English stand-off.

At midday the police began warning the crowd that if they didn't allow the lorry onto site then they faced arrest.

In the end however it was the men with the HGV who wilted in the afternoon heat and raucous celebration greeted the departure of the lorry as the crowd, now grown to around 200, realised their victory.

Of course defeating evil is rarely that simple and Cuadrilla will no doubt try again tomorrow -

More people are needed now – the site is less than a mile's walk from Balcombe train station.

For continual updates

http://frack-off.org.uk/latest-news-from-the-great-gas-gala/

For more background info:

See SchNEWS 844

or

http://frack-off.org.uk/fracking-in-balcombe-a-community-says-no/