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Power station protesters cleared | Power station protesters cleared |
(about 2 hours later) | |
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. | |
At Maidstone Crown Court Judge David Caddick said the jury had to examine whether protesters had a lawful excuse. | At Maidstone Crown Court Judge David Caddick said the jury had to examine whether protesters had a lawful excuse. |
The defendants said the demo was lawful because it was to prevent further damaging emissions. Energy firm E.ON said "it put people's lives at risk". | |
Five people who scaled the chimney - Huw Williams, 41, of Nottingham; Ben Stewart, 34, of Lyminge, Kent; Kevin Drake, 44, of Westbury, Wiltshire; Will Rose, 29, of London; and Emily Hall, 34, from New Zealand - were all charged with causing criminal damage. | Five people who scaled the chimney - Huw Williams, 41, of Nottingham; Ben Stewart, 34, of Lyminge, Kent; Kevin Drake, 44, of Westbury, Wiltshire; Will Rose, 29, of London; and Emily Hall, 34, from New Zealand - were all charged with causing criminal damage. |
'Gordon, bin it' | |
Tim Hewke, 48, from Ulcombe, Kent, accused by the prosecution of organising the protest from the ground, also faced the same charge. | Tim Hewke, 48, from Ulcombe, Kent, accused by the prosecution of organising the protest from the ground, also faced the same charge. |
Jurors heard how protesters painted the name "Gordon" on the 200m (650ft) chimney on 8 October last year, in a political protest against the redevelopment of the plant as a coal-burning unit. | Jurors heard how protesters painted the name "Gordon" on the 200m (650ft) chimney on 8 October last year, in a political protest against the redevelopment of the plant as a coal-burning unit. |
They had planned to daub the words "Gordon, bin it" on the stack in a reference to Prime Minister Gordon Brown, but were threatened with a High Court injunction and arrested. | They had planned to daub the words "Gordon, bin it" on the stack in a reference to Prime Minister Gordon Brown, but were threatened with a High Court injunction and arrested. |
The campaigners painted the name "Gordon" on the chimney | |
After the hearing, E.ON spokeswoman Emily Highmore said the firm, which is planning to build a coal-fired unit at the plant, was "hugely disappointed". | |
She said: "We respect people's right to protest, but what Greenpeace did was hugely irresponsible. It put people's lives at risk and that is clearly completely unacceptable." | |
Ms Highmore called for an "open and honest debate" about the challenges of energy and climate change, but added: "That's a debate that shouldn't be taking place at the top of a chimney stack." | |
She added: "Our men and women who work at Kingsnorth have a right to go to work to do their lawful business and to do it safely, so we're very concerned indeed about today's outcome." | |
This is a huge blow for ministers and their plans for new coal-fired power stations Ben Stewart | |
Outside the court, activist Mr Stewart said the verdict was "a tipping point for the climate change movement". | Outside the court, activist Mr Stewart said the verdict was "a tipping point for the climate change movement". |
He said: "When 12 normal people say it is legitimate for a direct acting group to shut down a coal-fired power station because of the harm it does to our planet then where does that leave government energy policy?" | He said: "When 12 normal people say it is legitimate for a direct acting group to shut down a coal-fired power station because of the harm it does to our planet then where does that leave government energy policy?" |
Mr Stewart called for "clean technologies" to be used instead of coal. | Mr Stewart called for "clean technologies" to be used instead of coal. |
And he said: "This is a huge blow for ministers and their plans for new coal-fired power stations." | And he said: "This is a huge blow for ministers and their plans for new coal-fired power stations." |
Fellow campaigner Mr Williams said the verdict represented "a devastating challenge" to government claims "that you can build new coal plants and still stop climate change". | Fellow campaigner Mr Williams said the verdict represented "a devastating challenge" to government claims "that you can build new coal plants and still stop climate change". |
The government declined to comment. | The government declined to comment. |