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Ratcliffe Power Station 'Climate Swoop' 1

Tash [alan lodge] | 16.11.2009 13:12 | Climate Chaos | Energy Crisis

On Saturday 17th october, around one thousand climate activists had attempted to shut down Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal power station in Nottinghamshire, taking direct action with repeated breaches of the security fencing.



























The action comes only weeks before the UN COP15 Climate Conference in Copenhagen, and follows the arrest of 114 activists in Nottingham for allegedly planning to infiltrate the power station in April.

Activists gathered in various points on Saturday morning, swooping on the power plant in separate groups to arrive at 1pm. Within five minutes they had already broken down one of the perimeter fences and several had entered the plant.

On Saturday night around 300 activists pitched tents in two camps outside the gates, despite attempt by police to intimidate campers by standing next to the campsite in full riot gear. The police have confirmed 58 arrests.

Natasha Blair from the Camp for Climate Action said: ‘We’ve achieved what we came here to do: to show that coal has no future and there is a growing movement which is prepared to take action on climate change."

Activists from around the world will meet in Copenhagen to finalist plans for similar actions during the UN climate talks taking place in December. The Camp for Climate Action has announced that they will be joining other activists in the 'Push for Climate Justice', which aims to take over the talks for a day.

Natasha Blair continued: "In the run up to the UN climate talks in Copenhagen this December, acts of civil disobedience to confront big business and governments that are causing catastrophic climate change are gaining support."


Camp For Climate Action -  http://climatecamp.org.uk

Ratcliffe Power Station 'Swoop' [on Flickr]
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/tash/sets/72157622705168956

and ..... more on this issue at:

 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/04/367714.html
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/04/367736.html
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/04/367757.html
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/06/374448.html
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/01/389467.html
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/01/389535.html
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/01/389654.html
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/02/392323.html
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/03/392833.html
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/04/395382.html
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/04/395403.html
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/04/395429.html
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/04/395366.html
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/04/395424.html
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/11/413951.html
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/12/414383.html
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/01/418610.html
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/01/419126.html

____________________________________________
ALAN LODGE
Photographer - Media: One Eye on the Road. Nottingham. UK
Email:  tash@indymedia.org
Member of the National Union of Journalists [No: 014345]
____________________________________________
"It is not enough to curse the darkness.
It is also necessary to light a lamp!!"
___________________________________________


Tash [alan lodge]
- e-mail: tash@indymedia.org

Comments

Hide the following 5 comments

doh!

17.11.2009 20:22

if that was me with the bolt croppers i'd be rather pissed off. Who needs a fit team with idiots like you alive.

doh!


Re: doh!

19.11.2009 06:59

Whatever, this is a public action, publicly announced and with tonnes of media around. That is exactly the point. From where I stand everyone was perfectly aware of the risks and willing to take them. Independent media has been a hugely important part of building this movement. Dissing people working hard to build this, especially safely from behind your keyboard is a bit lame imho.

observer


Nice!

19.11.2009 07:00

Nice photos Tash! As always..

fellow IMC'er


@div

19.11.2009 10:36

"if that was me with the bolt croppers i'd be rather pissed off"

Oi, keyboard warrior: Holding some bolt croppers next to a fence a/ isn't illegal and b/ doesn't prove that the fence was damaged.

Another Photographer


on the side of not incriminating others

19.11.2009 13:20

See  https://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/11/441774.html?c=on#comments for the fullest debate on publishing photos or not, and of what.

However, you can have a public action publicly announced and have people taking photos responsibly. Nothing should be sacred "independent media" - yeah, great, important, but if they endanger others and don't take responsibility for their actions, we shouldn't be beholden to them. And you say 'safely from behind their keyboard' - maybe they were there too, maybe you'd prefer them to type it than smash someone's camera at the time?!

And 'Another photographer' - holding boltcroppers next to fence etc - that's not the way it works from experience. The photos are incriminating and could be enough to convict someone; they shouldn't be, but they are in practice.

protester