Photo: Kristian Buus for Reclaim the Power
Lancashire Police confirmed today it was investigating a complaint that a security guard assaulted an anti-fracking protester outside Cuadrilla’s shale gas site near Blackpool.
The incident allegedly happened yesterday (Tuesday 4 July 2017) at the Preston New Road site, where drilling is expected to begin imminently.
It came at the end of a 35-hour blockade of the site by a local woman, Michelle Martin. She had been part of a 13-person lock-on protest which began early on Monday morning and involved three Lancashire councillors. See DrillOrDrop report
The action had been organised by Reclaim the Power, a national group which is organising a month of protests against fracking
A spokesperson for the group said the demonstrator allegedly assaulted was restrained in a headlock and punched, then pinned to the ground by security guards.
Photo: Kristian Buus for Reclaim the Power
The spokesperson said another protester was trapped in a car door and others were pushed into the road or tackled on the ground.
Reclaim the Power alleged that the incident took place on the public highway, not on private land leased to Cuadrilla.
Ellen Gibson, from the group, witnessed the incident and described the response of the security team as “totally disproportionate, violent and unnecessary”.
“While security guards may be allowed to use ‘reasonable force’ to eject someone from private property; punching demonstrators in the face whilst pinning them to the ground on a public road amounts to assault.”
Lancashire Police told DrillOrDrop
“We are aware of a complaint of assault against a security guard and an investigation is underway.”
A spokesperson said she was not aware of any other complaints by protesters or security guards.
In a statement, Cuadrilla’s chief executive, Francis Egan, said:
“Our security team are used to dealing with a number of protestors, most of them peaceful, on a daily basis. However on this occasion, the protestor became aggressive.
“We understand that the protestor was appropriately restrained and then handed over to Police, who were present throughout the brief incident. The matter is now in their hands and we will assist them in any investigation which follows.
“Since the incident, the employee concerned and his family have been subjected to unacceptable harassment and intimidation, which is also under investigation by the Police.
“Cuadrilla does not tolerate any behaviour which puts our employees, our contractor or law abiding members of the public at risk. Our security team and the Police are trained in dealing with protestors and are committed to ensuring that situations such as this are dealt with in the correct way.”
Car blockade over concerns about fracking near nuclear plant
Photo: Kritian Buus for Reclaim the Power
Reclaim the Power said six campaigners from south west England today locked themselves to a car and other heavy objects to prevent access to the Preston New Road site.
They said they were protesting at Cuadrilla’s plans to frack five miles from the Springfields nuclear fuel production plan.
One of the group, Nikki Clark, said:
“Fracking is dangerous and unnecessary. And fracking near a nuclear site is just madness.
“We all know that fracking causes tremors and earthquakes. If Preston New Road is allowed to go into full production, 60 wells will be sunk in close proximity to an active nuclear facility with tonnes of waste at risk of release into the open air. That is clearly not acceptable – we can’t frack with nukes.”
“Cuadrilla have been trying to stop our legitimate protest with disproportionate and unnecessary violence. We are defying that to demand an end to extreme energy sources like fracking and nuclear power. Renewables can provide the jobs and clean power we need in Lancashire and the UK.”
A spokesperson for Cuadrilla said:
“I can confirm that the protestor activity is having no impact on our current operations and the conductor casing work continues.”
Categories: Opposition
DRILL OR DROP? 
Clearly private security are not trained to regulate their response, and the use of private security on public property renders them subject to common law and can result in charges of assault and breach of the peace.
They are essentially just private citizens in such a situation and not legalised enforcement agents of any description. Assault is assault.
Oooooo I just felt a slight twinge when I read “where drilling is expected to begin imminently.”
All the dross I’ve had to endure prior to this point has nearly been worth it.
I’ll have the champs chilling on the yacht ready for the big finale.
As for the hooligan that was restrained in a manner suitable for the level of aggression shown I can only feel pity that he didn’t make more of his life. Thug life it seems is only an instagram myth! Eating tarmac is the reality.
What a strange fantasy world you do live in?
The dross we have had to endure prior to this seems to be a drill or drop into the turbulent oceans depths as yet unplumbed unimaginable deeps.
Was eating tarmac your specialists diagnosis or the prescription?
Grovelling in the dirt seems to be your reality!!! Think you ‘ve got it wrong, security guard appears to be under investigation!!
Lucky for you imaginary yachts are generally pretty sturdy. I think you might as well drink your Lambrini now because it will be out of date this side of hell freezing over.
‘Conan the Librarian’ – best alias ever (there should be prize for that) … We’re heading for climate-hell by the 30’s and 40’s and may be hoping for ‘hell to freeze over’ around then. With any luck a mooted mini ice age might offer some respite, caused by a periodic dip in solar activity that is due around then too. If it’s not too little too late it may be the last chance we earthlings have to re-balance the the atmospheric books to ensure the planet remains habitable.
Sometimes the zookeeper uses a carrot, sometimes he uses a stick.
Sometimes she uses her humanity.
The people of Preston and the Fylde should be disgusted at the way these people are being treated.
They have and are travelling from all over our country to protect our environment, lives and children.
We should be up there at the Preston New Road site giving them support.
All of our drinking water is pumped from underground in the very holes that Quadrilla are drilling into….
Will we only do something when we don’t have one of the requirements of life.
Weezul.
Have you heard of Stocks Reservoir?
When you behave like militant then appreciate measures will be applied. Patience has its limits [edited by moderator]
Interestingly these militant travelled by fossil driven car to get here and lock themselves onto their car.
Interesting that you’ve avoided Steve Alty’s reference to water. Don’t you think that’s important too?
TW-the last line comment from Cuadrilla is the key point, and explains the increasingly desperate activities of the antis. I recall not so long ago when this group of activists were condemned by many of the rest of the group, now they are hailed as almost saintly.
This is taking a predictable course, and will get worse before it gets better. That is unfortunate for the genuine local concern but it is what you get when it is open day for all to foist their agenda into an increasingly obscure mix. The negative PR will cover the whole cause, and they know it, so it just reinforces the obvious desperation.
They say everyone has a price.
For this security guard, minimum rates of pay is his. [Edited by moderator]
Did I read somewhere that their preferred employees for security matters were ex services, or was this another company ??
I am all for this opinion article. Real science and critical analysis of data and not pseudo science that spread fears campaign for political agendas. Interesting how FoE is once again implicated in the practice.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/jul/06/its-time-to-inject-some-sense-into-the-nonsense-peddled-by-the-anti-science-crowd
Real science is anathema to FoE and the anti-frack crowd. FoE is completely dependent on quack science as its primary fundraising engine.
You probably caught the recent study of the anti-fracking “peer reviewed” science that was undertaken by scientists at Resources For the Future? Their conclusions were predictably priceless:
““Overall, we find that the literature does not provide strong evidence regarding specific health impacts and is largely unable to establish mechanisms for any potential health effects.”
“Due to the nature of the data and research methodologies, the studies are unable to assess the mechanisms of any health impacts (i.e., whether a certain impact is caused by air pollution, stress, water pollution, or another burden). Even where good evidence is offered for a link between unconventional oil and gas development and health, the causal factor(s) driving this association are unclear.”
The anti-science, anti-frack crowd has too long depended on quantity over quality in it’s “peer-reviewed” propaganda. It is nice to see an independent scientific organization calling them out on it.
Jack-you read that in respect of employees for seismic testing for Ineos. It was yourself who put two and two together and made many hundred.
I used to employ engineers, and I preferred ex services. That was because my engineers had to travel a great deal and be away from home for long periods working on their own. Their service training to be able to self manage, and general acceptance of this life style by their partners, were the criteria that were important, not their combat skills. (Ex.nuclear submariners were my preference-now you could make a lot of that!)
Interesting that this is the topic of debate when the first cargo of fracked gas is on its way from USA to enter the UK grid and Trump is about to negotiate a deal with Poland to achieve the same, and to free them from their dependence on the Russians.
“The shale gas revolution has left America with a glut of cheap gas.” (The Times-6/7/17.)
Little bit of news that is too inconvenient? No, it must be fake! The 13 day journey of Maran Gas Mystras bit of an inconvenient carbon footprint for the UK antis., who will be protesting at PNR and their actions will be supporting Donald exiting Paris!
Enjoy your Sunday roast.