Campaigners at Barton Moss Protection camp today enjoyed a day with nobody being arrested as Greater Manchester Police changed tactics and allowed the campaigners to police themselves.
The last two months have seen daily arrests for obstructing the public highway as well as other offenses which the protectors deny. However the protectors, who have always argued that Barton Moss Lane is a private road and footpath and not a public highway, enjoyed a day in which the police stayed in their vans and did not intervene.
The days protest proceeded peacefully with protectors walking in front of the convoy of vehicles heading for the Igas exploratory drilling site.
Martin Porter of Frack Free Greater Manchester said “We have always argued that this protest is over-policed. These are peaceful people engaged in a lawful act of minor civil disobedience. A village bobby on a bicycle is all that is needed. Instead we have seen dozens of riot police and increasingly violent arrests, including the frankly ludicrous allegations of people firing flares and making threats to kill.
“I think the Greater Manchester Police now release that we are not going away until Igas do. Frack Free Greater Manchester welcomes the change in tactics by Greater Manchester Police and I am sure the Council tax payers of Manchester will also be relieved that that are not paying for a protest most of them support.”
ENDS
1 comment
How can I post on here, Ive got some footage of TAU initiating conflict?