Super-glued pair halt work at Sussex fracking site
Two people opposed to exploratory drilling for oil near Balcombe in West Sussex glue their hands together in a “human lock” as protests entered a seventh day.
Natalie Hynde, daughter of Pretenders star Chrissie Hynde, and eco-protester Simon “Sitting Bull” Medhurst made their demonstration by the site entrance gate of the proposed drilling site. They were freed within a couple of hours and led into police vans.
Protesters fear the works could lead to fracking, the process of extracting shale gas from deep underground.
Drilling delayed
Their action has delayed energy firm Cuadrilla’s plans to start drilling at the woodland site.
A row of police officers acted as a human shield to hold back protesters and journalists as attempts were made to free the pair.
After he was freed, Mr Medhurst said: “Hopefully we have stopped Cuadrilla by some point.” Asked how he was feeling, he said: “Very good.”
Ms Hynde said she was “OK” before the pair were led into separate police vans to cheers and claps from surrounding activists.
Elsewhere at the camp, people stood around playing music, meditating and saying prayers around a camp fire as some passing motorists beeped their horns in support of the activists.
The protests in Balcombe have acted as a focal point for communities across the UK.
Anne Watt, from Frack Free Somerset, said: “We know exactly how the village of Balcombe feels.
“We are sitting on coal and shale in Somerset and the area is riddled with exploration licenses for unconventional-gas development.
However boss of energy company Cuadrilla says it has “no intention of ruining the countryside and won’t ruin the countryside”.
The incident follows controversy yesterday when Lord Howell, father-in-law of Chancellor George Osborne said fracking should take place in the north east as it was “desolute”.
Last year, two earth tremors were detected following Cuadrilla’s hydraulic fracturing operations in Lancashire, leading to a temporary ban on fracking.