OAP hurt in protest

Published on 7th September 2006 in News

A local tractor driver who got caught up in last week's Drax protest has accused the police of breaking his ankle after he was forcibly pulled out of his vehicle.

Chris Niezen, 74, was arrested as he tried to drive his tractor along a grass verge in order to pass demonstrators who were sitting outside the south gates of Britain's largest coal-fired power station on Thursday, August 31.

Mr Niezen was manhandled out of his tractor cab by police and claims that his foot got stuck behind the door but that the police continued to pull him out.

He said: 'They (the police) were shouting at me but they didn't say anything I understood, just hauled me out. There must have been eight or ten of them. My foot got stuck behind the door but they just kept pulling.

"They bent me over and put handcuffs on and I was screaming in pain. I told them I've got a bad knee and I'm a heart patient."

Chris, who lives with his son Mark, 42, in a cottage near the main power station entrance, went on to explain that police calmed down a little when they learned of his condition and began asking if he was all right.

He added: 'The police arrested me and took me to York and kept me there until about 10pm.'

Mr Niezen said that he saw a doctor the following morning and was taken to Selby Hospital where he was told he had a broken bone in his ankle.

Mark Niezen, (pictured below) who is a jobbing contractor along with his father, had been working in Carlton, using his JCB digger, and was also arrested as he tried to make his way past the blockade.

"I tried to go through that gap, at about 5mph, and that is when police jumped on me," he said.

"I got pulled about a bit and I passed out when they chucked me in the police van. I'm not so bad now but I'm sick about what they have done to my dad.

"It seems that whatever you ask for or want, the police go out of their way to do the opposite and make you angry.

"A lot of people have very little respect for the police as it is, and this just makes it worse."

Chris Niezen told the Goole Times this week that he was set to fly to Holland on Wednesday, September 6, for his brother's funeral, but because of his injuries he is no longer able to go. He also revealed that he believed last week's protest was a waste of time.

"I was dead against the protest," he said.

"Shutting a station down like Drax won't make any difference and anyway, I've lived here for about 40 years and I've had no real trouble with the power station."

Mark added: "The protesters seemed more interested in the camp they had set up, because they were hardly ever down at Drax power station."

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman confirmed two men were arrested to prevent a breach of the peace. He said both were released on bail and added: "It would not be appropriate to comment further while inquiries are proceeding."