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more pics and report from coryton oil refinery

rikkiindymedia(At)gmail[dot]com (rikki) | 17.10.2010 00:22 | London

several hundred activists managed to blockade the oil refinery near stanford-le-hope for several hours this afternoon. they stopped more than 50 tankers during the course of their protest. police were caught off guard by the elaborate and brilliantly organised strategies of the groups involved, and the event passed off with no arrests.

the 'crude awakening' event had been publicised in the usual circles, and people were invited to join one of three blocks meeting on saturday morning at euston, victoria, and waterloo. each block had a theme, but the actual target or targets of the protest were kept vague and anonymous, with only the suggestion that people come with charged oyster cards, some food and drink, and some clothing appropriate for a whole day out on the streets.

despite the unknown aspect of the demos, hundreds of people were mobilised to turn up, and police FIT officers trailed the groups through the tube system to fenchurch street, and then onto an overland train to essex.

on those trains, huge laundry bags appeared full of 'goodie bags' which contained cords, cleats, and arm tubes for locking on, along with legal info and masks. also, finally, people were told where they were going and what the target was.

coryton oil refinery, owned by petroplus, is the UK's busiest, supplying oil products to petrol stations, airports and businesses throughout the south east. the protest aimed to blockade the refinery and stop all deliveries from the plant.

the refinery is serviced by a dual-carriageway road, and by the time the first hundred or more protestors were getting off the train at stanford-le-hope, 12 women had already locked themselves on to two immobilised vehicles and police had closed down the road and were turning back tankers.

there were a few scuffles as the activists made their way across fields and public footpaths, but the police were generally outnumbered, and soon the amazing 'monkey' tripods were up across the carriageway, people were arm-locked around and between them, banners were hoisted, and the game was over.

a second similar blockade sealed the refinery off completely, and just as police numbers increased and there was some concern they might move in, another couple of hundred activists appeared through the fields (just off a second delayed train). they were accompanied by 'rhythms of resistance' samba band, some stilt walkers and two bicycle sound systems.

fitwatch were busy obstructing police cameras, and there was also a 'laundry' changing area with free clothes where people could transform their look if they wished to further confound identification.

from then on it was really just a street party. after negotiation with the police, workers from the plant were allowed to drive through a side gap, on the proviso that police stay well back, which they did.

decisions were made by concensus throughout the afternoon, and by that process it was decided the first lock-on would stop at 5pm, and then the two blockades joined together, dismantled, cleared rubbish, and then set off back to the station. by then, all the essex police deployed and did something useful managing the traffic as hundreds of protestors entered stanford to get trains back to london.

at fenchurch street, two police photography teams were hard at work, with some fitwatchers trying to obstruct their view, but the gates were opened so not all fares were paid, and many of the climate activists went on to an after-party near aldgate.

there were no reports of any arrests.


rikkiindymedia(At)gmail[dot]com (rikki)
- Original article on IMC London: http://london.indymedia.org/articles/5717