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Update from Mainshill Solidarity Camp eviction

In solidarity with Mainshill Solidarity Camp | 26.01.2010 18:26 | Climate Chaos | Ecology

The details of the ongoing eviction of the anti opencast site from yesterday and today.

At 8.30am on Monday 25th about 40 or 50 National Eviction Team (NET) supported by around 30 police arrived at Mainshill Solidarity Camp and started the eviction process.
By the end of the day, there had been 19 arrests.
The two main barricades, the bunker, and the ‘buckfast’ communal were JCB-ed, with the underground lock-ons in the bunker proving a challenge for the bailiffs.
Three treehouses at ‘buckfast’ gave the climbing team a run for their money, as protestors occupied walkways and climbed into the very highest branches of the trees.
Behind one of the barricades a double-layered tripod with a prism shaped skyraft hanging from its apex cost the NET another three or four hours. It was eventually defeated when they built their own walkway above the raft, attached ropes around it, cut the ropes which were suspending it, and lowered it to the ground. In a spectacular fit of risky behaviour, the NET then took down the double-layered tripod structure by kicking it.
A treehouse above a bunker, and the bunker itself (positioned above a tunnel) lasted another three hours. The tunnel team worked all night but only managed to expose the entrance to the tunnel.

This morning (Tuesday 26th) the tunnel team succeeded in clearing the expanding foam blockading the first door, inserted a camera into the tunnel, and removed one person.
A protestor outside site was arrested for breach of the peace.
The multilayered defence known as ‘the fort’ took all day to evict, with climbers bringing down the final two occupants as dusk fell.
Three more protestors held a pine plantation all day before being removed, with one man still occupying a tree there as the climbing team left for the night.
Although exact numbers aren't available, there are still many protestors locked-on in the canopy.
The tunnel team will be working through the night again, but there are plenty of ways on to site for those wishing to help resist the eviction from the inside, and other roles for anyone wanting to support site from the outside.


More information about the Mainshill Solidarity Camp is available at www.mainshill.noflag.org.uk



In solidarity with Mainshill Solidarity Camp