At noon today people from all over the country assembled in Startford-Upon-Avon to hear speakers, to share information and admire each other's banners (and giant bee!). After several empowering speakers a samba band led a walkabout through the town. We were joined by many young people who were out and about at the time on the streets. The procession was accompanied by minimal police presence and everyone was loaded onto coaches to take around 200 people to the oil seed rape crop site. Another walk from the coaches to the site followed along with band and the site was flooded with masked people dressed in decontamination suits, all pulling up the GM side of the site...accompanied by the samba band...and still pretty much no police!
The boys in blue (or highly visable yellow as seems to be the fashion these days) eventually turned up and although tactics were tried by protestors, there was a mad scramble to get over the barbed wire fence to avoid arrest. Some didn't get there in time and were nicked. Some protestors went to the station to support the arrested.
5 arrests were made in all.
And for something completely different...Afterwards, tea and cakes (some of them vegan) were sold by the local Women's Institute(!!)in the nearby village hall, and some of the coppers dropped in for a cuppa.
The organisers called this the 'Last Chance' Rally, but it is NOT our last chance to kick against the corporations who are trying to force on us smething we do not want. Communities-get together, get your voice heard, make a difference, pull up crops growing nearby-it's up to you!