Newbury: The Battle Continues!

Costain EGM’s

Costain Independent Shareholders Association (CISA), launched its ‘Crisis at Costain Christmas appeal’ on Monday 22nd December for the employees of Costain and its subcontractors (who have most to lose when Costain go into receivership).

Santa shook a collecting tin while singers accompanied with carols such as ‘O little town of Newbury’. Contributions were surprisingly low. Mince pies were offered to security but were rejected.... humbug.

At Costain’s December 27th Extraordinary General Meeting, CISA swung into action as the blizzard swept London Arena (capacity 10,000). ‘Gather round for the Great Costain Closing Down Sale, proceeds to the Crisis at Costain Christmas Appeal. Everything must go, huge liabilities and tiny assets like you’ve never seen before!’ Costain's’ US coal interests were represented by a coal bag of hot air.

Campaigners gathered again at the second of Costain’s EGM’s on January 6th, which was more like a farcical pantomime or a rugby match than a formal meeting. People ignored the obvious attempt at intimidation by the presence of 50-60 dark suited security guards and were chanting, shouting and trying to break through the lines of security to storm the stage before the new chairman “shifty” Shaffi had even finished his opening speech. Finally he allowed some questions, all bar one of which concerned the environmental devastation wreaked on the planet by Costain. Two assaults by security on protesters were witnessed, one person suffering concussion. A formal complaint is currently being investigated by the police.

George Young's Garden

On Wednesday 8th January twenty-five people from Reading Roadbusters, Third Battle of Newbury and Reclaim the Streets converged on the tranquil site of the Transport Minister’s, Sir George Young’s, country home. (It is in fact one of his three homes). George, also known as the bulldozing, no sorry, bicycling baronet, was sadly not at this particular home on the day, though his two dogs were and seemed glad of the unexpected company.

Banners proclaiming ‘Save Newbury’s Landscape’ and ‘Newbury now - where next?’ were hung from the roof. A couple of people found a window invitingly open at the Cookham address and filmed a ‘through the keyhole’, Alan Partridge style! Meanwhile, to the delight of the assembled press, people got busy demonstrating the joys of building a bypass by digging up Young’s lawn and spraying a line down the middle of the ‘new road’. It was hoped that the action might also help Sir George in making the right decision concerning the Salisbury Bypass, a decision to be taken soon.

The police missed the best bit and arrived just as the turf was being replaced. Later though three vehicles were prevented from leaving and their ten occupants arrested and later charged, with conspiracy to cause criminal damage and actually causing criminal damage. Several were released in the early hours of the morning in the freezing snow, minus their shoes, which were kept as evidence. Three were held overnight to face ridiculous bail restrictions that mean they cannot protest anywhere in the country! This is to be appealed.

Night Actions

People gathered from Thursday 9th January for the planned days of events. A safe camp site had been set up away from the route and around one hundred and fifty people were around for the Friday mornings actions. In the early hours of Friday morning affinity groups left in transport and made their way to various compounds across the route. At the Kennet compound people entered through holes that had been cut in the fence, lights were destroyed and a crane occupied for a while until security brought in crash mats and threatened to push people off! Other compounds had similar results. There were a few arrests but most people were released relatively quickly and all was over by early afternoon with people regrouping at the visitors camp for food and music. That night numbers at the map grew dramatically with another hundred or so people arriving from all over the country.

Reunion Rampage

On Saturday 11th around eight hundred to one thousand people turned up throughout the morning and made their way to the compound at Middle Oak where some people dressed the fence with poems, ribbons etc.

People then moved to a nearby field to hear speakers that included Charles Secrett, Director of Friends of the Earth and Jill Eislie from Third Battle. After the speeches the mass of people moved back to the compound. There was no pretence about what people wanted and fences were rapidly pulled over in a number of places, despite the best efforts of the police whose attempts to keep people out included charging horses up and down the fenceline and managing to run on person over, who then had to be taken to hospital. After a large number of people had made it through the fence the police gave up trying to restrict entrance and most of the crowd then entered without incident.

After a massive tree hug around Middle Oak people proceeded to occupy machinery. There were small scuffles with security as people tried to occupy the large crane but after a few minutes security withdrew and people took control of it. People then went on to smash the engine room of the crane up and the windows went shortly after. Tyres on the earthmover were punctured and lights were smashed. A contractors landrover was nearly tipped over and was only saved by the intervention of the police. Shortly after this the police ordered a tactical withdrawal and left everyone to it.

Later on in the evening a tip up truck, portacabin and the crane were set alight. People seemed to think this was a wise time to leave and the mass went to regroup outside the fence and then dispersed into the night in small groups. Several people were arrested over the course of the day, if you were one of them, get in touch with Third Battle to keep them updated on court appearances etc. For this and more general details contact them on: 01635 45544.