FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Friday 08/08/08
Evidence Uncovered of Political Policing at Climate Camp
Wave of Direct Action Spreads to Government, the Royal Bank of Scotland and Legoland
Ninety percent of the costs of the heavy-handed policing at the Climate Camp are being paid for by the Government, local council sources have admitted this week [1]. Campers are pointing to this revelation as evidence that the government has been directly involved in the decision to
police the camp in this fashion.
“The Government claims to care about climate change, but is pressing ahead with new coal fired power stations” said Jessica Glynn, one of the campers. “Now we discover that the Home Office is paying the police to harass and attack people who are peacefully opposing this decision. It's not hard to put two and two together.”
Meanwhile, at 8.30 on Friday morning, people from the camp superglued themselves to the Royal Bank of Scotland's oil and gas offices, in protest at the bank's financing of the expansion of the fossil fuel industry all over the world. A few hours later, twelve naked campaigners superglued
themselves to the offices of BERR (the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform), the Government department colluding with E.ON togive the green light to new coal power stations.
Miniature protestors also struck at Legoland (sponsored by E.ON) in Windsor, where a Lego model of Kingsnorth coal power station was scaled byLego activists, who dodged the Lego police helicopters to drop a banner reading “STOP CLIMATE CHANGE”. [2]
Cambridge Liberal Democrat Councillor, Neale Upstone announced at the camp today that he is prepared to break the law on Saturday's day of mass action.
Speaking from the camp, Councillor Upstone said, “It has now become impossible for citizens to assert their views against the money and influence of a wealthy few. The only option left is for us to take personal responsibility for the actions where the government is failing us... For the sake of our children, tomorrow, I am willing to peacefully
break the law in order to draw a line in the sand. It's time more politicians joined me.”
Participants at the camp, who now number more than 2,000, are spending thenevening busily preparing for the day of mass action on Saturday.
“This is the clearest expression yet of the widespread public disapproval for E.ON's plans to build new coal plants,” said Shri Gupta. “Despite the police campaign of intimidation and harassment, thousands have turned out to stop this environmental catastrophe. People across the country are showing they are no longer prepared to sit back and watch politicians andcompanies destroy our future. Today the climate movement has come of age.”
ENDS
For comment from the camp, images, and video footage contact:
07772 861 099
07932 096 677
visit http://visionon.tv, the camp tv station showing life on the camp as
it really is
Notes to editors:
1.Medway Messenger, 08 August 2008
2.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykkJJWgOu8A
