41 arrests as Drax comes under siege

Published on 7th September 2006 in News

Last week's much-anticipated day of direct action against 'Drax the Destroyer' saw 41 protesters arrested and police are now claiming the event could prove a costly affair for taxpayers.

Operation Harmony, the policing team covering the protest against Drax power station, involved a total of 11 forces from across the country and although there were only about 600 protesters present outside the power station on Thursday, August 31, as opposed to the expected 2,000, the cost of policing looks set to reach exorbitant levels.

"The total cost will be reported to the police authority in the future, but it"s obviously a substantial cost, we can't deny that," said Chief Constable Della Cannings.

"But the police authority has been very prudent and has a contingency fund for things like major murder inquiries and operations like this.

"We were in a no-win situation. If nothing much happened people would say we were over-policing, but if there had been an incursion into the power station, they would have said it was under-policed."

It has been announced that there have been some 41 arrests connected to the protest overall, for offences ranging from possession of offensive weapons to causing a public nuisance and criminal damage.

A small number of activists began gathering quietly outside the south entrance to Drax power station at 8am last Thursday, with a banner stating 'No smoking please - danger of death on a massive scale', but confrontation was beginning at the 'Camp for Climate Action' camp when police initially refused to let protesters leave.

Once released, it took more than two hours for hundreds of protesters to reach the gates of Drax, escorted by police.

Just before midday, the Yorkshire and Humber Coal Task Force set up their own banner at the opposite side of the Drax entrance to the small group of activists, stating 'Invest in clean coal to combat climate change'.

John Welsh, chairman of Yorkshire Coal Task Force, told the Goole Times that cleaner coal technologies are available now that can significantly reduce specific carbon dioxide emissions from electricity generation.

He said: "We're not going to stop burning coal because it's not possible to do so. Drax is an ideal power station because it is opposed to pollution, and there are other power stations that don't take out noxious gases.

"I think that the protesters' hearts are in the right place here but their heads aren't, and we have a more sensible solution to offer.

"Have they really thought about the impact of their alternatives?"

The protest march arrived at the gates of Drax at nearly 1pm when police blocked off the main road from both ends.

The crowd seemed peaceful throughout the protest, with many singing, dancing and eating, but the peace came to an abrupt end when two local contractors, Chris and Mark Niezen, were hauled out of their respective tractor and JCB digger and arrested for trying to get past the blockade. (see article, page 3)

Commenting on the day, Deputy Chief Constable Ian McPherson, who was in charge of Operation Harmony, said that a group of 30 to 40 demonstrators tried to force entry to the power station, but failed.

He added: "Some hot-heads who consider themselves above the law have let down their more responsible colleagues and they have discovered that North Yorkshire Police keeps its promises.

"We said we would deal firmly and decisively with law-breakers and we have."