Solsbury Hill Update and Latest News

14th March
The day the contractors (AMEY) were due to start, they did not start for two days due to totally unexpected protests. The work was regularly blockaded by protesters as ARC, who are supplying roadstone, tried to get their plant onto the site.

By the 25th March, 2 houses were successfully squatted, and the protest camp was set up on Solsbury Hill. Some houses were reclaimed so easily that ACE Security have now been replaced with Reliance (also at M11).

26th April
After a court case in which some of the land was spared by the judge, bailiffs moved in and cleared the land of protesters. There were 7 people in trees, two of whom managed to stay until the bailiffs moved in to the rest of the water meadows on 2nd May.

28th April
4 houses and surrounding land were issued with eviction notices. While In court, the bailiffs attempted an illegal eviction of the 'Nursery', but this was stopped. In a solidarity action, 10 people walked into the offices of AMEC near Oxford and delayed work for 4hrs.

Saturday saw an action against AMEY, about 60 people stopped trucks entering and leaving the site. Security made 3 citizens wrests under section 10 of the Criminal Law Act (obstructing a sheriff in the course of his duties), when there was no sheriff actually there. The police arrived and charged the 3 people with breach of the peace, these people were held in the police station for 2 hours and then released without charge.

Saturday night a digger made of wicker was burned on the hill, with fire juggling, etc, and on Sunday houses were barricaded as we danced around the maypole as.

2nd May
A dragon procession made its way to the water meadows from the hill, this involved an invasion of the site and dancing around the remaining trees which were still occupied by two activists. An ‘aerial village’ in beech trees near the water meadows was constructed.

3rd May
All the houses were barricaded, about 100 people stormed the construction site and occupied a large crane which was to be used to get people down from the trees, also two diggers were surrounded, work was stopped totally on the site all morning.

4th May
The major eviction day when most of the site was reclaimed under pretty vicious circumstances, in poor false the Police called it Operation Greenbelt. Three houses were knocked down, leaving only one which is heavily guarded.

5th May
AMEY try to bulldoze the garden of Tania's family (infamous protester), neighbours and friends move in with tents and benders while others went to the Hackney Homeless festival. The locals are now really getting into the campaign and seem to be able to avoid arrest unlike EF!ers and Dongas.

SOS are now targetting every firm supplying the services - fending, diggers, etc.

The camp is still on, please visit .....and stay the summer!

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