Skip to content or view screen version

Video and pics of Oxford tree protest against shopping centre expansion

B | 09.01.2008 23:48 | Ecology | Free Spaces | Oxford

Pics from today's tree-defending action; video on YouTube ( http://youtube.com/watch?v=uXdLcAffXnE).

Take me down to the Paradise city...
Take me down to the Paradise city...

Sheltered Accommodation - its future may lie under the concrete of a carpark
Sheltered Accommodation - its future may lie under the concrete of a carpark

Attempting to climb the tree
Attempting to climb the tree

Pulling down the rope
Pulling down the rope

Short-lived joy (the tree was later felled)
Short-lived joy (the tree was later felled)

Sir Robert McAlpine ltd arrive
Sir Robert McAlpine ltd arrive

Our taxes pay their wages
Our taxes pay their wages

Uh oh, it's the pigs
Uh oh, it's the pigs

Hallo hallo hallo, wot 'ave we 'ere then (looks like scruffy anarchists, sarge)
Hallo hallo hallo, wot 'ave we 'ere then (looks like scruffy anarchists, sarge)

Westgate security
Westgate security

Carnage begins again
Carnage begins again

Awaiting orders from corporate masters
Awaiting orders from corporate masters

So-called tree 'surgeons'
So-called tree 'surgeons'

Deborah arrested - but didn't actually get to trespass!
Deborah arrested - but didn't actually get to trespass!

Community copper 9959
Community copper 9959

Three stripes 3753
Three stripes 3753

Meanwhile they have cut down the tree
Meanwhile they have cut down the tree

Hearse for the corpse
Hearse for the corpse

We know who you are and who you work for
We know who you are and who you work for

Murdered
Murdered

Too late
Too late


Today ten protesters turned up to resist the removal of beautiful, mature London Plains trees behind the Westgate Shopping Centre in Oxford city centre.

These trees, along with sheltered housing, and - I was told by a group of young people - the Oxford and Cherwell Valley College students' pub are being cleared to make way for a gargantuan cathedral to capitalism plus multi-storey car park. As one student sarcastically put it, "Yeah, 'coz what we really need are more shops".

Most people spent all day observing the goings-on of council employees and tree 'surgeons' and managed - albeit temporarily - to remove one guy rope from one of the trees along the west side of the Westgate car park.

However, this did not deter the Leisure and Parks people from beginning to remove the trees on the north side.

Once they started on the trees, emotions - which were already high - reached fever pitch. Councillor Deborah Glass Woodin was arrested for aggravated trespass (even though she didn't quite manage to get into the fenced off area) and then held for 5 hours at St Aldates Cop Shop.

One other protester is spending tonight in the trees, braving the gale force winds; I feel slightly guilty for being inside on my laptop writing this report. If you can get down to the site to join him and others please do. (See  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/oxford/2008/01/389029.html for location.)

I counted the rings of the one of the first-felled trees, which you can see in the picture. It was nearly thirty years old; as old as I am.

B
- Homepage: http://youtube.com/watch?v=uXdLcAffXnE

Additions

Oxford tree protest: Bruce comes down

10.01.2008 14:33

Just heard that Bruce, who has been up one of the trees behind the Westgate shopping centre in Oxford, has finally come down. He spent over 24 hours up the tree - braving the freezing gales and lashing rain from last night and today.

He was joined this morning by a fellow protestor; pics from today's protest to follow soon.

And worryingly, one of the photographers from the BNP protest in November was on site too. This time he said he was from ITN rather than local news.

Local news updates from the Oxford Mail here:  http://www.oxfordmail.net/display.var.1956760.0.tree_protester_calls_it_a_day.php

B

Pics from today

10.01.2008 16:43

Bruce hangin' around
Bruce hangin' around

Two activists sittin' in a tree
Two activists sittin' in a tree

Today there were no cops and no council workers; people came onto the muddy site and wished Bruce and fellow protestor good wishes (and coffee and food).

There's no-one at the site now - and apparently work has been temporarily halted thanks to a technicality.

B

Comments

Display the following 5 comments

  1. PCSOs — Matt S
  2. PCSOs and the law — B
  3. Identifying protestors — C
  4. re: identifying protestors (plus another protest tomorrow) — B
  5. ID & tomorrow — C