31st March 2014 Section 14 trial: Day one – morning evidence An anti-fracking campaigner at last summer’s protests at Balcombe lost consciousness after police used the pressure point arrest technique on him, a court heard this morning.
28th March 2014 Caroline Lucas trial: day five – evidence of Ruth Potts, Sheila Menon and Josef Dobraszczyk Police behaviour at the Balcombe anti-fracking protests on the day MP Caroline Lucas was arrested changed from playful to intimidating, a court heard today.
21st March 2014 This week there were five court cases listed that arose from last year’s anti-fracking protests outside Cuadrilla’s oil exploration site at Balcombe. Here’s a summary of what happened with links to court reports.
19th March 2014 The judge at the trial of Simon Welsh, the Balcombe poet arrested at an anti-fracking demonstration while singing a protest song, has retired to consider whether to dismiss the case halfway through. Defence barrister, Tom Wainwright argued there was no case to answer because the […]
19th March 2014 Brighton Magistrates Court heard this morning how poet Simon Welsh was arrested at the Balcombe anti-fracking demonstrations, while leading a group of singers in the Balcombe anthem. This was a protest song written by Mr Welsh and sung to the tune of Jerusalem. Mr Walsh, 34, […]
2nd March 2014 As the shale gas industry acknowledges that local antagonism may its biggest challenge, guest writer Paul Seaman looks at what drives opposition and how the companies respond. A recent survey on attitudes in oil and gas companies found that 55% of the industry believed local […]
27th February 2014 Two anti-fracking campaigners arrested at the Balcombe protests were convicted this week of the ancient act of besetting. Sussex Police tried to prosecute more than 20 others for the same offence. So is besetting making a comeback and could it be a threat to environmental […]
24th February 2014 Anti-fracking campaigner, Natalie Hynde told a court this morning she wanted to create a media spectacle to raise public awareness about fracking. She said she believed the media would pay attention to her because of her famous parents, the singers, Chrissie Hynde and Ray Davies. […]
21st February 2014 The trial resumes on Monday (February 24th) of five anti fracking protesters who used locks and superglue to prevent access to Cuadrilla’s oil exploration site at Balcombe. Natalie Hynde (daughter of rock musicians Chrissie Hynde and Ray Davies), Simon Medhurst and Nichola Sanger deny besetting […]
19/2/14 Seven people were arrested for causing harassment, alarm or distress at the Balcombe anti-fracking protests last summer – but none were convicted. Freedom of Information requests revealed that police used Sections 4a and 5 of the Public Order Act 1986 as the grounds for arrests outside Cuadrilla’s […]
DRILL OR DROP? 