Skip to content or view screen version

Oxford Tree Protest Brings Fences Down

Westgate Centre Preventer | 12.01.2008 18:34 | Climate Chaos | Ecology | Free Spaces | Oxford

A demonstration in Oxford against the felling of trees and the building of a monstrous new shopping centre saw hundreds of people gather around Bonn Square. Many of them then took spontaneous direct action to stop the fencing-off of the square, and forced the Council to take the fences back down!

This tree has been occupied for ten days and counting
This tree has been occupied for ten days and counting

The fence starts to go up, the protestors start to sit down
The fence starts to go up, the protestors start to sit down

The security guards aren't delighted as activists block the fence-building...
The security guards aren't delighted as activists block the fence-building...

...but passing shoppers are fascinated and a large crowd gathers
...but passing shoppers are fascinated and a large crowd gathers

Dozens of people spontaneously join the protest, to the cops' dismay
Dozens of people spontaneously join the protest, to the cops' dismay

Each fence panel becomes a battle as more people invade the square
Each fence panel becomes a battle as more people invade the square

Fun on the frontline for first-time protestors!
Fun on the frontline for first-time protestors!

That piece of fencing isn't going up...
That piece of fencing isn't going up...

Local press and TV looked on as young protestors made their point
Local press and TV looked on as young protestors made their point

Victory! The Council admits defeat and takes down all the fences.
Victory! The Council admits defeat and takes down all the fences.


We won this time, but the struggle to save the trees and stop the Westgate Centre goes on. On Monday, the tree-sitter is in court and the Council is seeking final permission to go ahead with the felling. Support is always needed down at the Square, and watch this space for announcements of future actions.

Westgate Centre Preventer
- e-mail: oarc@riseup.net

Comments

Hide the following 5 comments

Freedom To Protest

12.01.2008 19:10

Meant to say in the above article that this event took place in solidarity with the freedom to protest actions in London and elsewhere. Hundreds of anti-SOCPA leaflets were given out along with the anti-Westgate ones!

Westgate Centre Preventer
mail e-mail: oarc@riseup.net

well done

12.01.2008 19:34

well done guys really wish i was there such a good protest

joe m

fantastic

12.01.2008 19:58

Great to see a new generation of protesters fighting for the environment and for liberty,

Your world Your life Your streets!

remain strong

Haha

12.01.2008 22:53

That was a great protest
im the guy in the grey hoodie and fluoro belt and i have that rather violent looking pic

McLiberty

all day every day

16.01.2008 12:42

This was a lovely protest. It was a success due to the spectacularly inept decision to try to continue work on a rain-free saturday afternoon, thus attracting crowds of shoppers and teenagers who hadn't had so much fun since primark had a sale on. The police stopped the security fence being put up mostly because of the amount of young people there, so they didnt want to look heavy handed with the kiddies, or indeed have to process them and have a load of irate parents down the station.
Monday was a different story. Security fencing was errected round protesters who were then arrested with no warning and later told they would be charged with aggravated trespass despite initially being on a piece of public pavement. Monday people go to work, school, lose interest, the will to live etc.
Until we get hundreds of people doing this kind of stuff all day every day we are still on the runaway train people!
Bonn square is now a tree graveyard. But other trees still to defend around westgate centre.
Also if everyone would try to get a tree protection order put round all the trees, well, everywhere! then we might be on to something.

citizen smith