|
Day 3, 08:00am, Wednesday 19th January 2005 |
|||||||||||||||
|
The first lorry-load of bulldozers has just been turned away by the protestors at the Linslade bypass site. |
|||||||||||||||
|
Police activity at the site is very intense today. |
|||||||||||||||
|
URGENT: the digger is now on farmland heading for the site, protestors are trying to head it off from public footpaths (8.12am). |
|||||||||||||||
|
~ Seán |
|||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
|
UPDATE - 10:45am |
|||||||||||||||
|
Workmen have moved onto the bypass site to start cutting trees. Police presence is very high and arrests may be imminent. |
|||||||||||||||
|
~ Seán |
|||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
NEWS FLASH! 13:30pm |
|||||||||||||||
|
Have spent the morning keeping the digger immobilised and the workmen in their vans ready to cut down the trees. Victoria and Becca have been arrested for preventing the digger from moving. |
|||||||||||||||
|
~ Caroline |
|||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
|
UPDATE - 15:15pm |
|||||||||||||||
|
For the third day running we have prevented work starting on the road - not a tree has been touched. It is now three o'clock and there is no sign of anything happening. The police and workmen have all gone home, leaving Valley Fen to the animals and those of us who want to continue to enjoy it in its current state. |
|||||||||||||||
|
~ Caroline |
|||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
|
Bypass Protest Report 19th January 2005 |
|||||||||||||||
|
About 15 protesters gathered along Soulbury Road before 7am to keep watch on the entrance to Dollar Farm and to wave banners at passing traffic. Some motorists hooted their support and there was only one open display of opposition, from a cyclist, ironically, who shouted something unintelligible but that ended in the word “..bastards!” Still, I'd like to see him ride his bike across the road that he seems to support. A small police presence but all was peaceful and polite. |
|||||||||||||||
|
Things heated up a bit with the arrival of more police and a digger on the back of a haulage truck. Protesters moved to block the Dollar Farm entrance but the driver drove up to Soulbury to turn around and gained access to the field immediately behind Valley Farm. Victoria, Andrew L, Judith, Andrew K & Caroline set off to access the land behind Valley Farm via the footpaths where they found the digger parked. Farmer Mr Kimble was charming and friendly to us, dishing out flapjacks, chatting about his cattle and saying “if you want coffee, just ask – you must all be freezing”. |
|||||||||||||||
|
After a couple of hours standing around and a visit from Central TV, several 4x4 vehicles came into the field from the Valley Farm yard apparently intent on making a start on cutting down trees. Protesters moved to block the vehicles. A contractor then started up the digger at which point Victoria & Rebecca chained themselves to the machine and were eventually arrested by police. This move stopped any work taking place on the site by the time the light went. |
|||||||||||||||
|
~ Andrew K |
|||||||||||||||