UK: Reclaim Hinkley Eviction – Occupiers Arrested

The occupation of Langborough Barn on EDF’s Hinkley Point Development site came to an end today, as over 20 Bailiffs and 10 police officers began the eviction at 6am this morning. It took around three hours for them to remove the Barnstormers.


Specialist climbers were brought in after one of the Barnstormers Emily, bravely climbed onto the roof of the barn, whilst another, Theo Simon, locked himself to a window frame, high in the barn wall. Theo and a second local man were arrested. And are being detained in custody overnight to appear at the Taunton Deane Magistrates court tomorrow morning at 9:30 am. Theo’s wife Shannon on hearing the news remarked “Theo cares passionately about this land and about moving towards a more sane and sustainable future which means one without nuclear power. he is prepared to stand up for what he believes in and I am behind him 100%”

EDF finally managed to find their paperwork first thing this morning and the eviction began at 6:45 am. Theo Simon one of the barnstormers is refusing to leave the site and has climbed into the barn structure in a last ditch attempt to save the bat roost and surrounding 400 acre site that EDF are waiting to trash, Said Mr Simon “We are all that is left between this beautiful habitat and corporate bullies EDF. The reason it has come to this is because all democratic ways to challenge what is happening here have been exhausted EDF hasve ridden roughshod over local communities many of whom are unhappy with EDF. This preliminary work must be stopped,and there must be a full investigation into how these corrupt policies and planning decisions have made and implemented, at both the national and local levels”

Occupants of the development site are angry that laws have been changed and democratic dissent denied as the changes have removed the right to question government policy on nuclear power, yet the recent corruption of governance report published by unlock democracy has shown to that DECC officials have misled MPs with the use of data in the overarching energy policy and the nuclear energy policy that were asessments of market forces and not projections of future energy supply and demand. Said occupant Shana Deal “Many people describe new nuclear build as a neccessary evil because of the propoganda put out by the UK government and the French state owned company EDF and have only reluctantly accepted the creation of more nuclear waste that we will have to live with forever, but this recently published report raises some serious questions that need to be answered about the governments policy. It is outrageous to think that nationally we are about to accept this policy when the governments own data shows that it is not neccessary. This is an issue even more serious than the MP’s expenses scandal because the consequences of this policy decision are so dire and irreversible. We demand a full commons investigation into this issue. And a full review of the locally taken preliminary works decision.”

1 corruption of governnance report availaible here http://www.ukace.org/publications/ACE%20Campaigns%20%282012-01%29%20-%20Corruption%20of%20Governance%20-%20Jan%202012

Related Link: http://southwestagainstnuclear.wordpress.com/

http://bristol.indymedia.org/article/707793