The Independent (Free subscription) | 11/10/2008
In October 2007, Ben Stewart and five of his Greenpeace colleagues scaled the 650ft chimney stack at Kingsnorth Power Station in Kent to stage a protest at proposals to build a new "super-polluting" plant on the site. Last month a jury found them not guilty of causing £30,000 worth of criminal damage.
BIGNEWS MARGATE (Free subscription) | 24/09/2008
Just how Kent police happened to run up a humongous six mill bill for policing the Kingsnorth Power Station, climate change demo is really a matter for the tax payer and senior police management (assuming that's the right word). Personally I reckon the fraud squad need to take gander at this one, was it necessary for Kent police to draft in hundreds of extra coppers, to police this event, the rather...
BBC News (Free subscription) | 23/09/2008
Nearly £6m pounds was spent policing the week-long Climate Camp near Kingsnorth Power Station, according to Kent Police estimates.
BillCarmichael (Free subscription) | 16/09/2008
The same mixture of scaremongering and hypocrisy could be found at the trial last week of six Greenpeace activists who scaled a chimney at Kingsnorth power station in Kent. After days of relentless green propaganda the jury decided that despite causing £30,000 worth of damage and putting lives at risk, the six were justified in breaking the law because they were protesting about global warming. According...
Greenpeace UK blog (Free subscription) | 15/09/2008
YANC launch their campaign on the steps of Leeds City Hall Hot on the heels of the successful Kingsnorth trial outcome in Kent comes more good news for those of us committed to preventing new coal projects gaining a foothold across Britain. Yorkshire Against New Coal announced itself on the national stage at the end of last week with a launch event at Leeds Civic Hall. At least a hundred letters objecting...
A Western Heart (Free subscription) | 14/09/2008
The Independent - In a verdict that will have shocked ministers and energy companies the jury at Maidstone Crown Court cleared six Greenpeace activists of criminal damage. Jurors accepted defence arguments that the six had a "lawful excuse" to damage property at Kingsnorth power station in Kent to prevent even greater damage caused by climate change. ...... The not-guilty verdict, delivered after two...
GayandRight (Free subscription) | 13/09/2008
The UK court bought Greenpeace's arguments.... Whatever you may think of the anti-nuclear environmental group Greenpeace, the collapse of the case against its activists for causing criminal damage to a coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth in Kent is embarrassing to the Brown Government, for it leaves it looking, well, browner than ever. Six activists admitted trying to shut down the station and painting...
Slaw (Free subscription) | 12/09/2008
A jury in the UK has decided that the threat of global warming justifies breaking the law. Jurors accepted defence arguments that the six had a “lawful excuse” to damage property at Kingsnorth power station in Kent to prevent even greater damage caused by climate change. The defence of “lawful excuse” under the Criminal Damage Act [...]
A WORLD TO WIN www.aworldtowin.net (Free subscription) | 11/09/2008
The acquittal yesterday of the Kingsnorth 6, who climbed a 200-metre smokestack (from the inside) as part of the campaign to oppose the building of a new coal-fired station on the site in Kent, is one in the eye for the government’s refusal to tackle climate change in any serious way. The jury evidently concluded that the damage done to the environment by a new plant burning coal — which would emit...
If Sam Tarran Was In Charge (Free subscription) | 10/09/2008
And thus, on September 10th, 2008, the rule of law ended : Six Greenpeace activists have been cleared of causing criminal damage during a protest over coal-fired power. The activists were charged with causing £30,000 of damage after they scaled Kingsnorth power station in Hoo, Kent. The defendants said the protest was lawful because it aimed to prevent damaging emissions. Energy firm E.ON said lives...
Greenpeace - Making Waves (Free subscription) | 10/09/2008
[ Five of the 'Kingsnorth Six' at the top of the 200m chimney. ] From our press release (with small edits): The charges arose after the six attempted to shut down the Kingsnorth coal-fired power station in Kent last year by scaling the chimney and painting the Prime Minister’s name down the side. The defendants pleaded ‘not guilty’ and relied in court on the defence of ‘lawful excuse’ – claiming they...
Climate Change Action (Free subscription) | 10/09/2008
A British jury has aquitted 5 protestors of criminal damage. The protestors where working for greenpeace when they scaled a chimney at Kingsnorth power plant in kent, the started to paint a sign on the chimney. This paint cost £30'000 to remove according to e-on. From the start the defendents accepted that they had caused criminal damage but they claimed justification due to there efforts to
Channel 4 (Free subscription) | 10/09/2008
A court acquits six Greenpeace activists of criminal damage following their climate change protest at Kingsnorth power station in Kent.
BBC News (Free subscription) | 04/09/2008
A top climate change scientist is meeting activists opposed to plans to build a new coal-fired power station in Kent.
Greenpeace UK blog (Free subscription) | 01/09/2008
This morning, the Kingsnorth Six - plus a few hangers on like myself - made their way from a rural Kent retreat to Maidstone Crown Court for the start of the Kingsnorth trial . I've spent the day watching the proceedings from the public gallery. (It's my first time in a Crown Court and I'm pleased to report that it's all true: the court really does all rise, there are curly wigs, and barristers really...
