Eviction Frenzy! Selar, Daisy Nook, Snelsmore ...

February has seen a wave of evictions at antiroad and opencast camps. Camps at Selar Nature Reserve and Daisy Nook on the route of the M66 have been trashed, with attention now turning to the camps on the route of the Newbury Bypass.

On Wednesday 21st February the Daisy Nook camp at Oldham was evicted. Sixty activists occupied the trees, but were heavily out numbered by security and police. It took a day for the camp to be cleared: 24 trees, 7 tree houses and a scaffolding tower. Sheriff’s Officer Andrew Wilson, who has a reputation for unsafe practises, led the bailiffs and Richard Turner Ltd provided eviction climbers. Police held back another 30 people on the ground. There are plans to set up another 2 camps. 0161 6284727

The climbing team along with Andrew Wilson then moved on to Selar for a bitter eviction, starting on Monday 26th February. 50 activists were outnumbered by 150 security. Bailiffs came in early, cutting walkways with people on them and endangering life. Activists they could not reach were captured by a combination of climbers and cherry pickers. Eventually, after a particularly nasty struggle, the site was cleared on Wednesday. Locals will continue the struggle. At the time of going to press the heavily defended Snelsmore camp on the route of the Newbury By-pass had held out for two days. This marks a new chapter in the Third Battle of Newbury as the state attempts to evict more than 24 camps on the route. The tunnel system at Snelsmore was captured along with several tree houses but bailiffs did not return on Saturday 2nd, allowing the camp to be rebuilt. More people desperately needed to defend these camps - organise transport from your area - contact 01635 45544 to find which are the best times. Some funding may be available.

As well as police and bailiffs, two other factors have allowed these evictions to occur. Large numbers of security guards, hired by Reliance Security and a team of climbers, provided by Richard Turner Ltd. Let them know how you feel: Richard Turner Ltd, 101 Couple Lane, Old Tupton, Chesterfield, Derbyshire. 01246 861738. Reliance Security, Surety House, 78-86 Brigstock Road, Thornton Heath, Croydon, Surrey. CR7 7JA. 0181 689 7799.

Here are three personal accounts from people involved in each campaign.

Selar

“Nine months after we took the Selar Farm site in the Vale of Neath South Wales, the massed Forces of Darkness desolated 18 acres of mature oak woodland and water meadows. Reliance again supplied the bodies, Walters Plant Hire supplied the mother raping machinery and the Police presided over the injustice.

“The speed of Monday’s assault surprised everyone. Selar Farm formed a small part of the 880 acre site and work’s not due to start properly until July. It was an SSSI, but no legal means or political petition could prevent it’s destruction. Instead the market demands cheap coal and gets it the cheapest way possible: using fuck off machinery to scrape off the trees and vegetation from the countryside and rip the coal out. It’s going to be one of the largest holes in Europe -restoration plans include a golf course.” - Ian

Daisy Nook

“One comrade was high in a tree which overhung the road at Lumb Lane. Because he had decided to go up at the last minute, he had no ropes or harnesses. The ground protesters were opposite the police lines in classic pose - working class against the capitalist army. The shitehead with chainsaw started to cut up towards his feet while the constabulary deliberately turned away. We surged forward into the police lines in an anger that we had been feeling all day but had found difficult to give vent to physically... the feeling of solidarity afterwards was great.

“It feels like Spring won’t come to Daisy Nook this year. As for the climbers: Scum! Andy Coish, Ian Harrison, Paul Newton, we know where you are. If any readers fancy a quiet chat try the Broadfield pub, Sheffield.” - A red squirrel.

Newbury

“I arrived in Newbury on a Tuesday, having just finished work. I had been to road camps before but had never climbed nor experienced an eviction. A week and a half later I found myself hanging 50 feet up with just a rope between myself and the ground while hundreds of glow-in-the-dark men walked around the trees.

“I was at Snelsmore Common which turned out to be the site of the first attempted eviction. We were woken at 4.30 in the morning and remained skybound for 48 hours as the bailiffs did their best to remove us. The whole experience has been immense. The sense of community is inspirational, crossing all boundaries of age and class. So many people coming together for such a worthwhile cause has lifted me to new heights. “I had seen Newbury on television and it was awakening; I arrived and it was eye-opening; I clung to a tree as men clad in black tried to pull me from my home and it was something only to be felt, never justified by explanation. When chaos reigns around you, it truly becomes clear - we are right, what we are doing is right, and it feels totally liberating.” - Jess