Dangerous weapons and boardgames seized at ‘Climate Camp’ - August 05, 2008
Climate protestors in the UK are running foul of ‘the man’ in a big way this week.
Protestors have been gathering by a coal power station in Kent “for ten days of learning and sustainable living” and a bit of protest against plans to build a new coal station on the site. However the police have already arrested a number of people and removed vehicles they apparently thought were blocking access to the ‘Climate Camp’ site.
PA says the opening day of the camp “was marred by persistent stand-offs between officers in riot gear and protesters over safe access to the site”. Now a "stash of knives and weapons" has been uncovered nearby, according to the police, making more headlines.
“I would suggest that a minority of people had hidden them with the intention of causing harm to police officers, and possibly to the horses or dogs that we are using on patrol,” says Assistant Chief Constable Gary Beautridge (police press release). “And if you look at the equipment we have seized, it is clear to me the plan was to use these items for criminal purposes.”
Since the end of July police have seized bolt cutters, superglue, padded suits, climbing ropes, flares and grappling hooks at or near the Climate Camp. The latest seizure includes “an adapted knife, replica throwing star, knife block containing knives and a large chain with a padlock”. None of these are necessarily illegal although if the police are correct in their assertion that these were “hidden in a wooded area by the camp” it’s certainly suspicious.
According to the Indymedia website the police have also seized three boardgames. Exactly what the games were isn’t clear although it’s possible the police were worried about protestors perfecting their invasion tactics with Risk. I would also like to urge the police to seize any sets of Giant Jenga that they find as I can confirm from personal experience that those are very dangerous indeed in the wrong hands. [UPDATE – as you can clearly see in this picture at least one of the boardgames was ‘War on Terror’.]
A spokeswoman for the camp was scathing of the police press release.
“To link a ‘stash’ of knives allegedly found somewhere in the Hoo Peninsula to the Camp for Climate Action is nothing but a smear campaign against us,” says Ester Davies. “To suggest that the campers - environmentalists living at a camp serving only vegan food - would even consider hurting a police horse shows the police's press release to be nothing but policial [sic] policing.”
It’s also worth noting that these UK environmental protests have a habit of attracting strange spook-like behaviour, like airport protestors who found an agent provocateur in their midst.
On the other hand it’s also worth noting that many of those turning up for their “ten days of learning and sustainable living” seem to be doing so in gas guzzling camper vans. I hope they’re all offsetting their emissions...
Guardian columnist George Monbiot is going to the camp, saying “The stakes could not be higher. Everything hinges on stopping coal.” He’s also becoming surprisingly accommodating of nuclear power.
Comments
I was at the climate camp last weekend and on Monday. I went with the intention of attending workshops so I could find out and discuss political solutions to climate change (I believe we can solve climate change with existing technology - for example, by having very much tougher building regulations). Unforunately, I spent most of my time carrying food onto the site (police would not let vans carrying food, marquees and solar/wind generators on site), being searched by the police, and standing in line with my hands in the air chanting 'this is not a riot' waiting for riot police to charge at us (this is not a nice feeling). Until Monday evening police were not allowing vegetables on site!
The 'weapons' found and confiscated by the police include a long chain and lock (still attached to a bicycle pannier), a block of chef's knives and wire strippers (see pictures on the Medway Messenger website). What could these be used for at a camp where people have arrived by bicycle, need to cook and have set up their own electricity generation and computer networks?
The police have started removing, for unexplained reasons, bicycles that were left under police direction outside the camp as all bicycle locks were not allowed o site. This is before a bike ride was due to take place today to go and meet local residents. Last night at 0300 riot police assembled outside camp gates and the police helicopter flew very low over the site - to make sure that no-one got any sleep.
I have prior commitments for this weekend, but I am so incensed by the police harassment of a legal, peaceful forum, that I am going to go back to the camp. I urge anyone who believes in the right to peaceful protest - or who cares about climate change - to also attend.
Posted by: David Chivall | August 6, 2008 10:40 AM