A retired Director of Education a retired English teacher, residents of Beverley, were arrested at Crawberry Hill wellsite yesterday approx 3pm after meditating in front of the gate, following what he described as a "major H&S breach".
They were on their way for a weekend break, and visiting site to drop off sun cream for sunburnt protectors.
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| "Arrest me then. We believe that fracking is going to ruin the East Riding. We are local people, I was born here and I am NOT going to move. And sooner or later there are going to be a lot more people like me saying the same thing. This isn't leaving me any option. There are some things more important than getting arrested." (at 4 minutes). After the accident, Jon wanted the vehicle H&S investigated before work continued. |
Val Mager said, East Yorkshire is one of the last corners of England's green and pleasant land. I am a Buddhist so for the sake of the place where I was born and out of compassion for all those who live here I support the Protectors and will use non-violent protest as I see morally right.
Jon Mager said, I was arrested while meditating peacefully. It was not necessary to arrest me, there was room for the contractors to proceed with what I judged to be their unlawful activity. I will continue to support the Crawberry Hill camp. However we are both now banned from Walkington and the roads around the camp until our court appearance. Fracking is wrong, bad for local landowners and all of us using Yorkshire Water and only hastening the destruction of future lives by carbon emissions.
Banned from the Public Meeting
The result of our bail condition is that we are banned from attending the Public Meeting on Mon, 7:30pm Walkington Village Hall as it is north of the B1230, until our appearance Beverley Magistrates Court on Wednesday 28th May 2014 at 9.30.
"I was a student leader in anti-apartheid; we never thought we would be banned from lawful public activity but guess this shows the way things are going in Cameron's Britain."
[See Guardian page 2 this morning
" Police under fire for criminalising protest after fracking trial acquitals"]
They were arrested under the Trade Unions Act (?!) (Thatcher's anti picket laws) and not released until midnight.
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| Val peacefully protesting, while Jon meditates shortly before being arrested. |
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| They weren't released until midnight, 9 hours later, and although clearly shaken, are as determined as ever to continue the campaign. |
Notes
Jon Mager former Director of Lifelong Learning and later Director of Children and Adult Services East Riding of Yorkshire Council. Also National Director contracted to the Department for Education ( London)
Val Mager retired English teacher, born in the East Riding and nationally established artist ( pictures in the Royal Academy etc.
We are charged with acting
"Contrary to section 241(1) of the Rade Union and Labour Relations(Consolidation) Act1992 as amended by schedule 7 and 17 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005"
i.e." we beset a place where that person carries on a business, wrongfully and without legal authority."
This seems a little excessive to me. The fact that she was meditating and not blocking anyone from doing their job really rubs me the wrong way. This could have been handled a different way, why was she arrested and made an example of? The fact she opposes fracking and did it peacefully should be commended, not punished for her protest.
ReplyDeleteFaith Brady @ KHunter Law
Reading this article really bothered me on one sticking point, she was not disrupting the working of those there, she was only protesting fracking. Had she interrupted business, then you go after her, but to make this what it is over nothing, something seems out of sorts. I say let her peacefully protest all she wants. Isn't that our right?
ReplyDeleteEliseo Weinstein @ JR's Bail Bonds