Sorry I couldn't come back. Thinking of you guys standing firm there - brave and full of humour and solidarity. Good luck.

Sorry I can't be there. Scummy old NPower - shame on you, you bastards. Well done to all the beautiful people that have held on to this amazing place for so long.

I used to think Oxford was a nice place but with the dirty old Oxford animal lab, destruction of the Jericho boat yard and poisoning of Radley Lakes it doesn't do much to attract tourists does it. Every time I visit there is some big corporate interest that is hurting the soul of what was once a lovely historic city.

I suppose the people that work for NPower will be given the same government sponsorship as the lab builders. They will be escorted in with balaclavas to dump their poisons and go about their filthy business.

Eco-squatters evicted

12:10pm Tuesday 6th February 2007
 http://www.oxfordmail.net/mostpopular.var.1171859.mostviewed.ecosquatters_evicted.php

Bailiffs free the campaigner from a concrete-filled barrel

Bailiffs wearing balaclavas smashed windows and stormed a house to evict eco-campaigners from a house near Abingdon.

A group of seven campaigners - four female and three male - had taken over Sandles House at the side of Thrupp Lake, in Radley, which is at the centre of a row with power giant RWE npower over plans to dump ash from Didcot Power Station.

Specialist bailiffs working on behalf of RWE npower smashed open French windows in one of the downstairs rooms where squatter Lisa Peakman was sleeping at about 5.30am.

Ms Peakman, 38, said: "I was woken by a loud bang and showered with broken glass from the French windows.

"The bailiffs were dressed in black and wore black balaclavas. There was no warning, they just smashed their way in. Fortunately I was not hurt but it was a very unpleasant experience."

More than a dozen bailiffs carried out a search of the five-bedroom property and ordered the seven squatters to leave the house.
advertisement

One protester had locked himself to an old concrete-filled oil barrel in a small cabin on top of a 35ft scaffold structure built by the squatters at the side of the house.

It took bailiffs nearly two hours to release him and the tower was then demolished.

A tunnel and chamber with room for two people had been built underneath the basement of the house. It was equipped with an air supply but was never used. A layer of concrete had been laid on Monday but had not set to make the chamber habitable.

Another squatter, Dave, said: "We may have lost round one but we will re-group and consider our next course of action. We are not finished yet although we can't go back to the house which will be occupied by security people."

The Rev Malcolm Carroll, who is acting as spokesman for the protesters, said: "We have planned for this, but it is still a terrible thing to see the bailiffs, supported by police, arrive.

"Whatever happens over the next few days we will continue to fight npower. Our campaign is planned in phases, and this is just the first of them."

Eight members of the action group Save Radley Lakes watched the eviction as observers.

One member, Dr Peter Harbour, said: "The squatters have put up a brave fight against a powerful company whose plans to use Thrupp Lake as a dumping ground for spent fuel ash is to be condemned. But the fight is not over by a long way.

Chief Inspector Dennis Evernden of Thames Valley Police said: "Our role was to observe the eviction, prevent any breach of the peace, and ensure the right to peaceful protest was balanced with people's right to go about their lawful business."

Kelly Brown, spokesman for RWE npower said that having received all the planning consent npower needs, plans for Thrupp Lake can proceed very shortly.

She said: "The team of bailiffs working on behalf of RWE npower went in and removed most of the squatters apart from one who had attached himself to a tower and for health and safety reasons we waited until it was safe to remove him.

"The eviction went off without incident and everyone was safe - which was out main priority. We are now in the process of securing the property. After this we can proceed with our plans for the lake."

Two people were arrested by police and taken to Abingdon Police Station.

=========================


Lake protesters evicted from site

Tuesday, 6 February 2007, 13:58 GMT
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/oxfordshire/6334889.stm

Environmental protesters have been evicted from a house they occupied as part of a campaign to protect lakes in Oxfordshire.

RWE Npower has planning permission to fill Radley Lakes with waste ash from Didcot Power Station.

A group hoping to stop the work took over Sandles, a house belonging to RWE Npower, which adjoins Thrupp Lake.

The group, who were squatting, were evicted in the morning and one man was arrested for obstruction.

Chf Insp Dennis Evernden, of Thames Valley Police, said: "This was a peaceful and safe operation.

"Our role was to observe the eviction, prevent any breach of the peace, and ensure the right to peaceful protest was balanced with people's right to go about their lawful business."

Last week, Npower served a notice to evict the protesters.

The company has said the work is necessary to safeguard the future of electricity generation at Didcot Power Station.

But the protesters have said they will continue their campaign to save the lakes and its wildlife and are looking for the backing of other environmental groups.