Brighton & Hove Friends of the Earth

On Saturday some BHFoE members went to Balcombe to witness the end of the current camp, set to oppose Quadrilla’s presence at the site.
The photos below reflect what protesting is like on the ground. The campers are tired but their mood is resolute, even as many protesters are facing impending Court appearances.They are slowly packing up the camp, and there was much relief as the police were withdrawing; protesters at last felt free to walk around without the police monitoring their every move!

A sense of humour is a great way of coping with past stressful situations and very dull weather – you can see below the straw dummy representing a legal observer. There were also chuckles all round when the large police van, blocking full access to the road, got stuck in the mud and had to be rescued in order to leave!

The struggle is not over. Hydraulic fracturing, and explorations for oil or gas, are still on the agenda all over England for many more months, and as warnings from environmentalists are being ignored or ridiculed by some of the press, and the powers that be.

Friends of the Earth will continue to campaign for clean sources of energy, and spearhead for changes which lead to the protection of our natural environment and resources. We will keep you updated about all that is happening on that front locally.

last of the protestors

sorry for the inconvenience but..