Lock-on protest at Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road site, 31 January 2017. Photo: Ros Wills
In this week’s post:
- Security guard and woman protester injured by contractor vehicle at Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road plus an early morning lock-on protest
- March through the village of Marsh Lane of opponents of INEOS plans for shale gas exploration
- Closure of Brockham Protection Camp
This post is updated throughout the week. Please let us know about news you think DrillorDrop should be reporting on this post.
Preston New Road, Little Plumpton, Lancashire
31 January 2017
Four people opposed to Cuadrilla’s shale gas plans in Lancashire have locked themselves to fencing outside the entrance to the company’s site near Blackpool.
The protest began at about 7.40am and at the time of writing (1.30pm) is still underway. A specialist team of police is at the site to remove the campaigners.
Preston New Road, 31 January 2017. Photo: Ami Roberts
Lancashire Police closed the road during the morning but it is now open. Photos below by Ian Crane
In a statement, Chief Inspector Ian Mills, of Lancashire Police, said:
“A section of the A583 Preston New Road near to the fracking site at Plumpton has been closed for safety reasons. A small number of protesters have locked themselves together so we have taken the decision to shut part of the road for the safety of them and officers at the scene.
“While we are there to facilitate a peaceful and lawful protest, our priority now is to get the road reopened to minimise disruption to the local community.”
The protest lasted about seven hours.
Arrest of one of the lock-on protesters. Photo used with the permission of the author
1 February 2017
The four people who took part in the protest were charged with failing to comply with a prohibited assembly police direction. They appeared before Blackpool Magistrates Court. A bail condition preventing one of the group from entering Fylde was dropped.
Four people (second left to far right) who took part in the protest, Blackpool Magistrates Court, 1 February 2017. Photo: Ian Crane
Preston New Road, 1 February 2017. Photo: DrillOrDrop
Preston New Road, 1 February 2017. Photo: DrillOrDrop
Preston New Road, 1 February 2017. Photo: DrillOrDrop
3 February 2017
Preston New Road, February 3 2017. Photo supplied by Frack Free Lancashire
Frack Free Lancashire reports an incident in which a contractor’s vehicle knocked over a security worker as he was opening fencing around the work zone. Reports say a woman protester crossed the road and ran to the rear of the truck to check on the condition of the security worker. The truck again reversed, trapping the protester and another security worker behind it. Cllr Miranda Cox, of Kirkham Town Council, recorded video of the incident. She said:
“I was shocked to see a deliberate attempt to run down people. I was disgusted that the incident was not taken seriously at the time by the authorities or the contractor. We are extremely worried about plans to frack the site. We have sought confirmation that the site will be monitored and safety measures will be effective. What we witnessed on Friday only convinces us that nothing about this industry is safe. Imagine if this incident had involved a HGV carrying contaminated water or chemical laden fracking fluid?”
Video (below) of incident inside the work area at Preston New Road, recorded by Cllr Miranda Cox
The woman protester was treated by ambulance staff at the side of the road. A security worker later attended hospital for bruising to ribs and an arm injury. Frack Free Lancashire has called for an investigation by the health and Safety Executive and Lancashire County Council
Marsh Lane, Derbyshire
31 January 2017
More than 100 people marched through the small village of Marsh Lane, to an exhibition hosted by INEOS about is plans for a shale gas exploration well. INEOS staff and executives had to walk through a crowd of demonstrators at the end of the event. DrillOrDrop report.
Marsh Lane, 31 January 2017. Photo: DrillOrDrop
Marsh Lane, 31 January 2017. Photo: DrillOrDrop
Leith Hill
4 February 2017
Gathering of opponents of Europa’s plans to drill for oil at Bury Hill Woods. Photos from video by Fil Jackson.
Brockham, Surrey
3 February 2017
The protection camp established on the roadside near the Brockham oil well in Surrey is disbanded following demobilisation of the site.
Brockham Protection Camp disbanded, 3 February 2017. Photo: Brockham Protection Camp
Archive
Weekly protest update 23-29 January 2017
Weekly protest update 16-22 January 2017
Weekly protest update 7-13 January 2017
Weekly protest update 1-6 January 2017
Categories: Opposition
DRILL OR DROP? 
Read your own post PhilC. When you make statements like you have, just place them into a context outside of your own crusade and you may realise how offensive they are. But I suspect not, because your crusade seems to excuse any behaviour.
There is nothing in the slightest bit offensive in my post. The sexual slur came from you, not from me, and it was very offensive, not the least because it betrays a mindset that is shocking at the very least. Kindly do not blame others for your own short comings.