Mass disorder at power station demo

Oct 17 2009

Officers were facing "concerted disorder" as hundreds of climate change protesters converged at one of Britain's biggest coal-fired power stations, police said.

Sources at the scene of the demonstration - outside Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station near Nottingham - said three men who jumped the perimeter fence were quickly apprehended by officers but police said many more were attempting to get onto the site.

A spokeswoman for Nottinghamshire Police said: "Police officers stationed at the perimeter of Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station are facing groups of protesters, around 50-strong in places, trying to gain entry to the site."

She added: "Officers are using appropriate force to stop the protesters, but are not trying to contain them. All protesters are free to move away from the perimeter. A breach of the fence line has now been secured and a number of further arrests have been made."

Ten people were arrested at the plant on suspicion of conspiracy to commit aggravated trespass.

Police were unable to say how many more arrests had been made since the protest began but a spokeswoman said more police were on their way to the scene. She added: "We've got a significant police presence which is increasing as the situation develops. We are facing concerted disorder and we will continue to try and facilitate peaceful protest."

The protesters, under the banner the Great Climate Swoop, include supporters of three pressure groups - the Camp for Climate Action, Plane Stupid and Climate Rush.

Many were peacefully protesting at the power station's main entrance, but police said breakaway groups were pulling down fences and breaching security measures. Ratcliffe-on-Soar was chosen as the activists' target in an online vote following the Climate Camp held in London in August, with some threatening to break into the site and close it down.

The 2,000MW coal-fired power station, which is owned by the energy company E.ON, is said to be one of the largest producers of carbon dioxide in Britain. E.ON was granted a High Court injunction giving police the power to arrest anyone trying to enter the site.

A spokesman for the company said: "Ratcliffe power station plays a key role in ensuring we keep the lights on for millions of homes across the region and has undergone major investments that make Ratcliffe one of the cleanest power stations of its kind. We're already closing three of our other fossil-fired power stations and are pushing forward with lower carbon options that include developing new wind farms, gas plants, cleaner coal and nuclear that will allow us to tackle the threat of climate change while also ensuring security and affordability of energy supplies."