Update:
18 people were arrested and some held for over 24 hours at Ystrad Mynach police station before being charged a with:
An unlawful act with intent to obstruct the railway under the Malicious Damages Act of 1861.
This Victorian law designed to protect the interests of rail owners has a mximum penalty of life. We would not anticipate facing any such penalty as we took great care to ensure the safety of all taking part and had made certain that the coal train would not leave the loading area before the line was blocked.
The 18 were held incomunicado for a portion of the time they were in the cells and were only allowed to phone out after 11.00 am yesterday. The house of one of those involved was raided by 8 police officers who spent 3 hours searching their home.
The last person was released at 7.30 pm last night. All had bail conditions stipulating that they should not go on the railway without written permission — but we were allowed to catch the train home!
The arrests were made by British Transport Police backed up by a large contingent of the South Wales police force. A helicopter was also used in the operation The cutting team removed the last blockader at 8.10 pm. after the line had been closed for over 8 hours.
All 18 have been bailed to appear at Mythyr Tydfill Magistrates Court on 10th May at 10.00 am.
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latest update is that absolutely every1 involved has been nicked up to about 17/18 people all told I reckon, including drivers, legal observers, etc. Vehicles believed to have also been impounded. 🙁 A second wave lock-on with more heavy duty gear believed to have attached themselves to track shortly after 1st wave cleared; all arrested later that aft/eve.
The activists, part of the Bristol and Bath Rising Tide direct action group, reached the rail track at midday today, and phoned the security at the coal mine to warn them about the protest. Three of the activists then used chains and padlocks to lock themselves to the train tracks. Two of the activists went to a nearby vantage point where they could warn any approaching trains The activists also stretched a large banner across the line.
Police arrived at around 2pm, and warned the activists that they would be arrested for trespassing and obstructing the train line. They arrested the activists not attached the train-line and began cutting through the padlocks at around 4pm. The last activist was taken away from the scene at 5.15pm. But a second group arrived and locked on further along the line. Police are now dealing with them.
27 April 3pm update: The police have released a statement saying a total of 18 people — 11 men and seven women — were arrested yesterday. The train line reopened at 8.10pm last night.
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Bristol and Bath Rising Tide Stop Coal Train – Happening Now !
Please Call 07835366330 for on-site interviews and updates.
Alternative number (off site): 07909172768
Kim Green from Rising Tide (UK) said:
“We are protesting the continued extraction and burning of fossil fuels in the face of a global climate emergency. The failure of the Copenhagen climate talks to deal with this huge problem, and the obvious policy inadequacy the three main UK parties contesting the general election to take the necessary action to tackle the problem has highlighted the need for the people to take grass-roots direct action.”
Kim Green continues:
“This action is also in support of the local people of Merthyr Tydfil whose campaign ‘Residents Against Ffoss y Fran’ have been fighting the mine for over six years. The mine causes noise pollution for up to 16 hours a day, dust and dirt are carried into the town by the wind, and it turns the rain black.”
The process by which Miller-Argent were able to get the go ahead to exploit this resource at the social cost of both the local and global community, highlighting the democratic deficit in the planning process, which takes in to consideration the social-environmental impact of such projects. The newly formed quango “The Planning Commission” will only make these things worse, being able to ignore any consideration in favour of profit.
Miller Argent have been quick to pressure their small workforce into mobilising against local concerns — but their apparent concern for their workers is betrayed by the fact that they are actually looking to sell the mine as the quantity of high quality coal is only about as half as good as they initially believed. They are in fact making a loss on the project.
Notes To Editor:
1. Rising Tide is an international network of groups tackling the Root Causes of Climate Change and Climate Injustice. http://www.risingtide.org.uk/
2.Aberthaw Power Station is the biggest polluter in Wales. In 2006 it released 7.4. million tonnes of Co2. It is Projected to run until 2025 with NO PLANS to fit carbon capture storage (CCS) technology. 40% of the coal for the power station is supplied by Ffos y Fran. It was targeted by Bristol & Cardiff Rising Tide in 2008.
3.Miller Argent own and run Ffos Y fran. Argent are in turn owned by the BT Pensions Group. Both of these organisations make much of their ethical and sustainable practices But in this case they seem to be placing profits over and above any element of social responsibility.
Bristol and Bath Rising Tide
info@risingtide.org.uk
http://www.risingtide.org.uk