DETR Occupied

In protest at the government plans to reinstate the roads building programme by stealth, and the blatant hypocrisy between this and the Governments claims to be tackling climate change, the offices of Sir Michael Meacher, Environment Minister and Lord Gus McDonald, Transport Minister were occupied on Friday 1st of December.

25 individuals from Earth First! gathered in London to occupy and shut down the DETR. The DETR was on "Black Alert" ( appropriate!) so after dodging a minimal police and security presence a handful of activists gained access to the DETR while others raised banners on the sculpture outside "No More Roads" etc., and others locked on to access gates to deny entry to bureaucrats going to meetings. Several offices were occupied including Lord Gus McDonalds, and Sir Michael Meachers which was barricaded. Having access to internal phone lists Tony Blair, John Prescott, and the Whips Office, plus everyone else, were phoned stating, "Hello, we’re occupying the DETR. Several years ago the SACTRA report, which was endorsed by Government, stated, more roads, more congestion, hence more C02! The Government is planning 139 new roads, we just thought we'd say, we've noticed, and we haven’t gone away!"

The 6th Floor window of Meachers office was covered with the slogan "Reduce Co2!" and the office was held for three hours before police managed to break in. Even after scrambling riot vans and a lorry load of crowd control fencing there was only a handful of arrests, all released without charge. A spokesperson said “If we can access Government buildings and occupy their offices anyone can, and why not!”