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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| 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. | 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 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 protest was lawful because it aimed to prevent damaging emissions. Energy firm E.ON said lives had been put at risk. | The defendants said the protest was lawful because it aimed to prevent damaging emissions. Energy firm E.ON said lives had been put 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' | '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 | 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". | 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." | 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." | 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." | 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 | 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 action 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 action 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." |
| There has been no government response to the verdict. | There has been no government response to the verdict. |
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| Activists scaled Kingsnorth power station in Hoo in a protest over a coal-fired power plant |