Photo: Frack Free Lancashire
In this week’s update:
- Demonstrations against Church of England investment in fossil fuels
- Lock-on protests in Chesterfield and Preston New Road
- European anti-fracking campaigners join rally outside Cuadrilla’s site
- Petition with thousands of names against unconventional oil and gas delivered to the Scottish Parliament
- Opponents of drilling in Sussex establish a camp near Broadford Bridge
Please let us know about news you think DrillorDrop should be reporting on this post.
1 June 2017
Cuadrilla’s shale gas site, Preston New Road, Little Plumpton
Opponents of Cuadrilla’s plans to frack for shale gas at Preston New Road took part in lock-on protest outside the site this morning. Campaigners expect the drilling rig to be delivered soon. A small conductor rig was installed at the site. DrillOrDrop report. Photos: Jackie Mayer
A protester also climbed into a lorry delivering to the site.
Lancashire Police said a 63-year-old man from Preston was obstructed on suspicion of obstructing the highway. A spokesperson said another man had been arrested but details of any charges were not yet available.
Marriott Drilling Group depot, Chesterfield
Anti-fracking campaigners took part in a lock-on protest outside the depot of Marriott Drilling Group, in Chesterfield. The company supplies rigs for oil and gas drilling.
31 May 2017
ExxonMobil refinery, Fawley, and Salisbury Cathedral
Photo: Ruth Jarman
Divestment campaigners urged the Church of England to sell its shares in the oil company, ExxonMobil, at two demonstrations today.
To coincide with ExxonMobil’s AGM, a coalition of faith and non-faith groups gathered outside the company’s Fawley refinery near Southampton early in the morning. The group Time to Cycle, led a bike ride through the New Forest from Fawley to Salisbury Cathedral in Wiltshire. There campaigners held a vigil before delivering a letter to the Bishop of Salisbury, the Church of England lead for environmental affairs.
Ruth Jarman, a member of the Church of England said:
“When the Church should be showing moral leadership to protect the millions of lives devastated every year by climate change, they’re being taken for a ride by the very company causing the problem.
“By continuing to hope that ExxonMobil is going to change its stripes, the Church of England is buying cover for one of the most notorious companies blocking action on climate change, including funding climate denying politicians and fake science.
“The Church of England needs to wake up, follow the example of hundreds of other faith leaders around the world and cut its ties with these companies. The church should be filling the moral void created by these companies, not falling into it.”
A resolution on climate change passed at the AGM in Houston urged the company to report on how its business will be affected by worldwide efforts to reduce carbon emissions by cutting back on the use of fossil fuels.
But Alison Craig, of the Salisbury Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign, said the resolution, signed by the Church of England, was “a dangerous distraction”.
“It merely asks the company to disclose financial figures that have nothing whatsoever to do with cleaning-up their business. In the meantime, the Church will continue to make money out of causing climate change. This is wrong. The Church of England needs to get out of oil and gas, starting with ExxonMobil.”
Preston New Road, Little Plumpton, near Blackpool
Photo: Frack Free Lancashire
About 80 opponents of fracking from across Europe joined a protest today outside Cuadrilla’s shale gas site at Preston New Road, near Blackpool, where drilling is expected to start soon. More details and pictures in DrillOrDrop report
Scottish Parliament, Holyrood, Edinburgh
Photo: Friends of the Earth Scotland
Opponents of unconventional gas and oil gathered outside the Scottish Parliament today, as representatives of the Broad Alliance, Friends of the Earth and 38 degrees delivered a petition with thousands of names to the Scottish Energy Minister, Paul Wheelhouse. More details and pictures in DrillOrDrop report
30 May 2017
Broadford Bridge, near Billingshurst, West Sussex
Photo: Weald Oil Watch
Opponents of drilling for oil in Kimmeridge Limestone at Broadford Bridge have established a protection camp near the well site.
Roadside protests began when the rig was installed on 25 May 2017. Drilling began on 29 May. Sussex Police have designated a stretch of road for slow-walking protests. The end of the section closest to the site is about one mile away.
Photo: Weald Oil Watch
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TUT TUT-boiling a kettle on an open flame at Broadford Bridge. Not only all those products of combustion into the atmosphere but wasn’t this the way the “problem” started?? (Heat up a kettle, produce steam, drive an engine-oh, the irony!)
support and solidarity from lewes and brighton via me Frances Crow Ocean . It is all our water all our rivers. Well done.