Road protest continues – now down to earth (From The Argus)
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Road protest continues – now down to earth
3:10pm Friday 1st February 2013 in News
Protesters have vowed their campaign has only just begun despite the last of their number being pulled down from trees.
Bailiffs and specialist climbing teams removed the last of the Bexhill to Hastings link road opponents from trees on Wednesday, January 30.
Protesters claimed they were starved out of the trees after East Sussex County Council officials ordered bailiffs to stop supporters from getting food and drink to the remaining tree-high activists.
However, campaigners said they were not disheartened with the apparent defeat and vowed their protests would continue for years to come and would renew again this weekend.
Natalie Hynde, who was pulled down from trees on Tuesday, is among 17 people charged with offences since the campaign began in December.
The 30-year-old daughter of Pretenders singer Chrissie Hynde and Kinks frontman Ray Davies has been charged with obstructing a High Court enforcement officer and disrupting a person in their lawful activity.
Hynde, of St James Road, Hastings, will appear in court on February 12.
So far 26 people have been arrested with protestors aged between 19 and 63 and from all over the country including Cardiff, Sheffield and London, charged with a variety of offences including aggravated trespass, obstruction, assault and resisting arrest.
A flotilla of grandmothers in inflatable dinghies are set to launch an “aquatic demonstration” against the road tomorrow while protestors said further protests were imminent.
Rupert Clubb, the director of economy, transport and environment at East Sussex County Council, said: “If protesters are hungry or thirsty or need other supplies they can leave the site at any time. If those that are up trees wish or need to leave we will help them do so safely and we have made this clear to them.
“They will not be allowed back on site.
“We do not wish to prolong this any longer.”
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Comments(2)
hovian
says...
4:27pm Fri 1 Feb 13
seagullsays wrote:I agree - i wonder how many of these people have actually been stuck in the notorious traffic jams which go on for most of the day along the bexhill to hastings road...?
I wish these protestors would clear off and stop wasting other people's money. All the arguments have been heard, and the majority of local people still want the new road. If any of these people had to drive from Hastings to Bexhill regularly as I do, they might think differently.
seagullsays says...
3:45pm Fri 1 Feb 13