Below is a report from one of the BHFOE members visiting the Balcombe site:
Four of us went by train and walked from station with some supplies for the protestors camp. The roadworks have now gone and the road B2036 Balcombe to Cuckfield is now open to traffic. Many locals honking support and delivering supplies.
There was a big police presence – officers, vans, photographers. Knee deep in media – no doubt the celebs were the lure! Every lorry that came to the gate from the N was escorted by police motorbikes and a van to in sight of the gate, then the officers surrounded the van and formed a loose “kettleing” of protestors on the line between the road and the verges. Each time a small number of protestors with placards walked very slowly in front of the lorry being edged to the gate and then past the gate by police. Lots of photos from everyone and no arrests and no heavy handling. Apparently on previous days there were arrests.
We met up with Tim from FoE HO. The motion at FoE Base Camp for fracking to be the number one campaign received the most votes. He said HO is now sorting out actions and research and legal stuff.
Tim then held an one hour training session in one of the large tents – with the camp’s Legal Observer who had asked for help as there had been times when she had been the only one. Attending the training were eight people – two of us from B+H FoE, one Croydon FoE member, two people from somewhere in the Mendips who were visiting for the day for info as there is a granted license in their area, two others, and a friend of the camps’s legal observer.
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Brighton & Hove Friends of the Earth 