Leeds Bradford Climate Camp 2006
You Must Be Choking! - Day of Action Against Drax Power Station
31-08-2006 23:00
Actions against Drax Power Station started early on Thursday morning (31st of August) and continued all day, with the Drax perimeter being breached several times. Up to 600 campaigners against climate change participated in the Reclaim Power mass action. Four main blocs gathered at the centre of the Climate Camp before splitting off into different groups, with some heading towards Drax across fields to avoid police road blocks [Early report | Photos 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Videos 1 | 2 | Protestors Audio Interview]
Meanwhile, other smaller actions had already begun - just after 4.30am seven activists occupied a Drax lighting tower. Later nearby roads were blocked by different affinity groups and another Drax lighting tower was also occupied with a banner reading "No Future For You". More perimeter penetrations occured as more groups arrived at the fence to be met with police in riot gear, horses and dogs. The total number of arrests on the day's actions was 38 people, some of whom were violently attacked by police.
In the early hours of Friday 1st of September the actions around Drax continued. Reports came in of people attempting to breach the perimeter of the fence overnight. On the other hand, the Legal Team informed that all of the 38 people arested in yesterday's mass action were released throughout the day, some of which having spent about 28 hours in police custody. There was also one confirmed arrest that took place on Friday morning. Two more arrests took place on Saturday 2nd September near the field were the Climate Camp was taking place.
For full details, see the full timeline of events and individual reports that have been posted to IMC-UK Climate Camp page.
Reports: First reports | Police Prevent Essential Supplies From Reaching Activists | Police quotes | Searching for 'weapons' | Farmer attacks Drax Protesters with Tractor (including photos) | Kids Block at Climate Camp | Fireworks from inside Drax | On the Ground: Suicide farmers found in Yorkshire | Photographer arrested over 'weapon' near Drax | Police Obstruction of Media around Climate Camp and Drax | Police hipocrisy at Drax | 3 hour lock on shuts down machine inside Drax | Climate Camp site restored to how it was found | Personal Experience of the Camp | Operation HASH report back | Wellbeing@Climate Camp | Indymedia at the Camp for Climate Action 2006: Report & Personal View.
Mainstream press: List of articles | Radio 4 coverage [ 1 | 2 ] | Reuters inaccurancies on climate camp reporting.
Read more | 1 addition | 23 comments >>
Climate Camp News, Wed 30th August: "If not Tomorrow, then When?"
30-08-2006 19:06
"What has really struck me is the way in which everyone who has come to the camp is getting involved. People from all walks of life and with all sorts of previous experiences are here, and everyone is doing their bit to make the camp tick. From action planning to compost toilet building, everyone is getting involved..." [read more]
See also Life at the Camp - a personal perspective | todays pics from inside the camp.
Thursday sees the Reclaim Power mass day of action against Drax Power Station, and preparations are underway with people making banners, puppets and other props.
Meanwhile throughout the day the police have been using Section 60 powers to stop and search all people entering or leaving the Climate Camp [report and pictures 1 | 2] Undeterred, people continue coming and going, some taking tours around the increasingly guarded perimeter of Drax power station [pics]. Later in the afternoon at around 2.30pm the police were denied entry to the camp [report and pictures] in a peaceful but strong reaction by camp residents, with similar scenes repeated again at around 5.30pm [report].
Seel also: Drax Shares Take A Slide | Drax to Stop Smoking | Power Line Pole Allegedly Cut | Oldbury Nuclear Power Reactors to Close | Feminism and Climate Change [more] | Green Spirituality workshop | Greenwashing Climate Change | City Harvest workshop | (Some) Workshops at the Camp for Climate Action | Feedback from Green Spirituality Workshop.
Read more | 1 addition | 2 comments >>
Hartlepool Nuclear Power Station Blockaded For Ten Hours
29-08-2006 07:48
Climate Action News: Tues 29th August:
From 8am a group of nine climate change campaigners blockaded the front and back gates of Hartlepool Nuclear Power Station, sending out the message that nuclear power is not the solution to climate change. The blockade was in place for ten hours until the last person was cut out of the arm tubes they had locked themselves into to form the blockade. Police arrested a total of twenty people including non-blockading supporters and a freelance journalist.
[see Blockade Reports + Updates | Reclaim Power Press Release | Mobile Photos | More Photos + Report]
Climate Camp News:
The comprehensive programme of workshops continues at the camp, with sessions on practical steps individuals can make to reduce their impact upon the environment, across to debates about biofuels and carbon trading schemes. See Workshop Audio Interviews [1 | 2]
A Bicycology cycle caravan left en masse from the Climate Camp to establish a presence in nearby Selby town centre, holding bicycle maintenance workshops and promoting sustainable energy [Report and Pics | video].
During the day the police were allowed onto the site for a walking tour around the camp, as well as the fire brigade [see Reports + Pics]. Meanwhile in the evening people at the camp continued preparing for the day of mass action on thursday.
Leeds Bradford Climate Camp 2006 Feature Archive >>
