In what looks like turning into a long and protracted ruck for the future of Combe Haven Valley, the main camp at Bexhill took to the trees and tunnels as bailiffs and police arrived on mass this Wednesday (16th).
Ok so it wasn't buckets of piss and dreadlocks being pulled put by the root but it was a spirited victory of sorts. The eviction was resisted and two out of the five tree houses remain well and truly sat and the tunnel occupied by one Simon 'sitting bull' Medhurst. Five arrests on the day for aggravated tresspass and a few thousand quid added to the bill that East Sussex County Council surely can't afford - they have £54m to cough up.
In a show of premature hubris Peter Jones council leader turned up in the morning in hard hat hoping for an early photo opportunity no doubt toasting the eviction to come and a quick resolution to the delay. Not happening Jonesy-boy and he may well wish he stayed tucked up in county hall.
In a separate bid to save the valley BLINKRR the Bexhill Link Road Resistance are off to the High Court (Jan 17) to demand an injunction to stop the work on the grounds that the land being destroyed is the battle site of the original Battle of Hastings and contains important archeological remains.
Support for the roads protestors is strong in nearby Crowhurst with local boozer the Plough now sporting a Save the Road banner on its forecourt. Villagers are regulalrly up at 4 and 5am to ferry activists to and from the camp and bring hot food, clothes and bedding vital in minus 4 temperatures.
Amber Rudd, Hastings MP and Osborne lackey wussed out of a live debate at the main camp site on the evening of the first day of the eviction attempt. It looks as if all the politicians leading this gravy train are running scared.
The rumour mill has been on overtime as well with gems like Mountain Rescue being brought in, ex-Paras etc etc... well aside from the fact that the high sherrif on site is a wanker called Mr Thomas from Wales and the mountain rescue are actually fire and rescue from E Surrey and Sussex it couldn't be further from the truth.
Although we did have to laugh at one campfire suggestion that women lock-on naked in the trees as then male climbers can't bring them down. Try that one at minus 2.
So if you're planning on visiting, and there are tunnels and tree houses in the second camp Decoy as well, then now is the time. Bailiffs and security will try it on and say bits of the land you're on are compulsorily purchased (CPO'd) - quite often this is utter bollocks as there are still as we speak tracts of land which are yet to be sold. So ask for proof and don't be taken for a mug by these shortsighted idiots.
There are various ways to access the camps (although the main camp is now heras-fenced although not patrolled at night) but the easiest avoiding security is along the east bound Crowhurst Road leading away from the top of the track and then going directly south through fields 400yards down that road.
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