PROTESTERS are set to march on Worthing Police Station, West Sussex, on Saturday February 17 - and you're invited to join them.
It would be great to get a good, lively turn-out for this one to show the cops they can't just stamp down on dissent without there being some sort of reaction.
Nearest station is Worthing itself, on the South Coast line - direct trains from London, Brighton, Portsmouth etc. Just head for the seafront then ask people for McDonald's...
Here is the press release that was sent out today:
WORTHING people are being urged to march on the town centre police station on Saturday (February 17) to defend free speech.
The protest has been called by campaign group TEA (Titnore Emergency Action) in response to intimidation of supporters of the Titnore Woods protest camp in Durrington.
Since May last year, a group of environmental activists has been camped out in the ancient woodland off Titnore Lane trying to protect the area from an 875-home housing development, new Tesco store and access roads.
And for much of that time town supporters have been receiving crucial donations for the camp from the Worthing public at regular stalls in Montague Place.
While these caused no problems for anyone for more than six months, in the run-up to Christmas police suddenly started threatening the volunteers with arrest for “unauthorised” collecting.
A statement from TEA declared: “This is nothing short of political harassment of Titnore supporters and flies in the face of local democracy, particularly the fact that the campaign has won the support of thousands of local people, who visit the stall to make their contribution to the tree house heroes.
"In protest at this draconian and unnecessary action, which has stopped vital fund-raising at a vital time, we call for a march on Worthing Police Station on Saturday February 17, heading off at 2pm from Holders Corner, Montague Place [near MacDonald's], Worthing.
"This will also be an opportunity to express ongoing support for the camp and the fight to Save Titnore Woods.
"We hope as many of you as possible will be there to lend your support for the efforts of our our friends on the stall and in the woods.”
A few days later, on Thursday February 22, campaigners will be showing video footage of the Titnore Woods campaign at a meeting upstairs at The Rest in Bath Place, Worthing, from 8pm.
Said Dave Phillips of Worthing eco-action: “We have got hold of a copy of the latest DVD from SchNEWS, a Brighton protest group, called V for Video Activist. There are a couple of sections there devoted to the Titnore Woods battle, which is great, because this will be seen by people all over the country and indeed across the world.
“There is footage of the camp itself, and interviews with tree protesters and members of the Worthing public, and also a clip from 2004 of one of the town centre protests. This is a useful reminder that the Titnore campaign was going on for years before the camp was set up as a last-ditch attempt to stop this disastrous development.
“People in Worthing have always been behind us in huge numbers on this issue and that is why it is totally wrong that the police should try and stop them contributing to a camp which is fighting to save the local environment fo the sake of all of us in Worthing, and for generations yet to come.”
More information can be found online at www.protectourwoodland.co.uk, www.southcoast.indymedia.org.uk or www.eco-action.org/porkbolter
Nearest station is Worthing itself, on the South Coast line - direct trains from London, Brighton, Portsmouth etc. Just head for the seafront then ask people for McDonald's...
Here is the press release that was sent out today:
WORTHING people are being urged to march on the town centre police station on Saturday (February 17) to defend free speech.
The protest has been called by campaign group TEA (Titnore Emergency Action) in response to intimidation of supporters of the Titnore Woods protest camp in Durrington.
Since May last year, a group of environmental activists has been camped out in the ancient woodland off Titnore Lane trying to protect the area from an 875-home housing development, new Tesco store and access roads.
And for much of that time town supporters have been receiving crucial donations for the camp from the Worthing public at regular stalls in Montague Place.
While these caused no problems for anyone for more than six months, in the run-up to Christmas police suddenly started threatening the volunteers with arrest for “unauthorised” collecting.
A statement from TEA declared: “This is nothing short of political harassment of Titnore supporters and flies in the face of local democracy, particularly the fact that the campaign has won the support of thousands of local people, who visit the stall to make their contribution to the tree house heroes.
"In protest at this draconian and unnecessary action, which has stopped vital fund-raising at a vital time, we call for a march on Worthing Police Station on Saturday February 17, heading off at 2pm from Holders Corner, Montague Place [near MacDonald's], Worthing.
"This will also be an opportunity to express ongoing support for the camp and the fight to Save Titnore Woods.
"We hope as many of you as possible will be there to lend your support for the efforts of our our friends on the stall and in the woods.”
A few days later, on Thursday February 22, campaigners will be showing video footage of the Titnore Woods campaign at a meeting upstairs at The Rest in Bath Place, Worthing, from 8pm.
Said Dave Phillips of Worthing eco-action: “We have got hold of a copy of the latest DVD from SchNEWS, a Brighton protest group, called V for Video Activist. There are a couple of sections there devoted to the Titnore Woods battle, which is great, because this will be seen by people all over the country and indeed across the world.
“There is footage of the camp itself, and interviews with tree protesters and members of the Worthing public, and also a clip from 2004 of one of the town centre protests. This is a useful reminder that the Titnore campaign was going on for years before the camp was set up as a last-ditch attempt to stop this disastrous development.
“People in Worthing have always been behind us in huge numbers on this issue and that is why it is totally wrong that the police should try and stop them contributing to a camp which is fighting to save the local environment fo the sake of all of us in Worthing, and for generations yet to come.”
More information can be found online at www.protectourwoodland.co.uk, www.southcoast.indymedia.org.uk or www.eco-action.org/porkbolter
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