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<h3><b>1. 22 held as police foil plot to bring compost toilets and
wheelchair track to Drax climate
camp</b></h3>
<a href="https://freedomnews.org.uk/2024/08/08/mass-pre-emptive-arrest-of-reclaim-the-power-activists-in-yorkshire/" eudora="autourl">
https://freedomnews.org.uk/2024/08/08/mass-pre-emptive-arrest-of-reclaim-the-power-activists-in-yorkshire/<br>
</a><b>UPDATE 13.30: the climate camp has now been
<a href="https://freedomnews.org.uk/2024/08/08/climate-camp-cancelled-after-police-raid-seizes-infrastructure-22-arrested/">
cancelled</a><br>
</b> Officers from the Metropolitan police this morning led local forces
in a raid on
<a href="https://freedomnews.org.uk/2020/02/14/dont-despair-organise-introduction-to-bentley-urban-farm/">
<b>Bentley Urban Farm</a></b> in Doncaster, said eye witnesses. They
arrested twenty two activists, who were preparing to transport
infrastructure, sanitation and accessibility equipment to the upcoming
climate camp at Drax power station.<br>
Crashing sounds were heard from outside the site as vehicles and
equipment were impounded. The detainees were taken to York police
station, where they are being
<a href="https://freedomnews.org.uk/2024/07/19/roger-roger-public-nuisance/">
<b>held for conspiracy charges</a></b>: in this case, to interfere with
key national infrastructure at Drax Power Station in Selby between 8 and
13 August. Media
<a href="https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/crime/drax-more-than-20-people-arrested-after-planned-climate-camp-set-up-near-yorkshire-power-station-4733833">
<b>repeated the police’s claim</a></b> they are “not against protest but
against crime”.<br>
The raids follow on from the
<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crgkpvm3lgxo"><b>draconian
protest injunction </a></b>granted to Drax ahead of the camp. In a press
release, Reclaim the Power insisted that the planned event will still go
ahead. <br>
<h1><font size=5>2. Power station gets court order to stop
protesters
<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crgkpvm3lgxo" eudora="autourl">
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crgkpvm3lgxo</a><br>
3. Police arrest 22 peaceful climate protesters AT ONCE while racist
riots spread across the UK
<a href="https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2024/08/08/drax-reclaim-the-power-police/" eudora="autourl">
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2024/08/08/drax-reclaim-the-power-police/<br>
</a></font><img src="cid:.0" width=500 height=261 alt="Emacs!"><b><br>
</b>4. 22 arrested at Drax power station climate protest </h1>
<ul>
<li>Thursday 8 August 2024 at 1:34pm
<li>
<a href="https://www.itv.com/news/calendar/2024-08-08/22-arrests-over-peaceful-power-station-climate-protest" eudora="autourl">
https://www.itv.com/news/calendar/2024-08-08/22-arrests-over-peaceful-power-station-climate-protest</a>
<li>
<a href="https://reclaimthepower.org.uk/actions/drax-camp-2024/camp-update/" eudora="autourl">
https://reclaimthepower.org.uk/actions/drax-camp-2024/camp-update/</a>
<li><b>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ReclaimThePower/" eudora="autourl">
https://www.facebook.com/ReclaimThePower/</a></b>
<li><a href="https://twitter.com/reclaimthepower" eudora="autourl">
https://twitter.com/reclaimthepower</a>
</ul>
<img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/pjshm78m9jt4/1pvz4wmtuZ80dfoyYiyuTI/20232f941850ee65660faddbdaa09161/PA-48908554.jpg?fm=jpg&fit=fill&w=400&h=225&q=80" alt="[]">
The protests have not affected operation of the plant. Credit:
PA<br><br>
Climate campaigners have cancelled a protest at a North Yorkshire power
plant after police made 22 arrests and seized equipment. <br><br>
Reclaim the Power initially said its members were setting up camp for six
days at Drax Power Station, near Selby, over claims it is the UK’s
largest single source of carbon emissions.<br><br>
North Yorkshire Police said it had made arrests over public order
offences, including conspiracy to interfere with key national
infrastructure.<br><br>
A number of items "associated with large scale protest" were
seized.<br><br>
The force, which said it would also use extra stop-and-search powers to
prevent offences, was not "anti-protest [but] anti-crime".
<br><br>
However, Reclaim the Power said the arrests showed police priorities were
wrong, following days of rioting in towns and cities across the country.
<br><br>
It said it had cancelled the camp following the police
intervention.<br><br>
A group spokesperson said: “Racist violence is happening nationwide.
Black and brown communities are under attack with fire and bricks and the
police have made the unfathomable decision to divert resources away from
those communities to arrest 22 people taking equipment to make a peaceful
climate protest safe and accessible.<br><br>
“The police claim they are not against protest but against crime, but
their actions show otherwise.<br><br>
"In Yorkshire this morning, police prioritised locating and
arresting people suspected of organising peaceful protest with tents,
toilets and track for wheelchairs over locating and arresting people who
are actually organising far right riots."<br><br>
A former coal-fired power station, Drax is now the UK's largest biomass
generator. Biomass involves burning wood or plants to create heat,
transport fuel or electricity. <br>
<img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/pjshm78m9jt4/kCi7xQ1T59vCpITxOjOo6/d844e97b6988a89f9f2417dc56a360e7/PA-18425957.jpg?fm=jpg&fit=fill&w=650&h=511&q=80" alt="[]">
Wooden pellets are used to create biomass fuel. Credit: PA<br><br>
Biomass generators have become a key part of the government's drive to
meet climate targets.<br><br>
A Drax spokesperson said it respected the right to protest, but the camp
was "completely misguided".<br><br>
They said: "Drax has been at the forefront of efforts to help the UK
to decarbonise at a faster rate than any other country and is the
country’s biggest renewable power generator by output, keeping the lights
on for four million homes and businesses across the UK.<br><br>
"We thank North Yorkshire Police for their swift action this morning
to protect our colleagues and the wider community."<br><br>
Supt Ed Haywood-Noble, of North Yorkshire Police, said there police would
remain at the camp for the coming days.<br><br>
"It’s our responsibility to manage the protest in line with legal
obligations. We also have a duty to ensure that people who work at Drax
and members of the local community can go about their daily business as
usual."<br><br>
It added that any offences, including outbreaks of disorder, would be
robustly dealt with.<br><br>
The 22 individuals who were arrested remain in police custody.<br>
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