We thought it was time for a brief Jones’ Hill Wood update/explainer: What has been happening at Jones’ Hill? How did we get here? Where are we with the legal case? And what can you do to help?
Let's give due credit to the creators of this latest piece of HS2 insanity. In the spirit of Franz Kafka and Joseph Heller, the intellectual midgets from Fusion are trying their hands at "badger mitigation".
Monday 10th May, at 5pm, Dr Larch Maxey was refused bail and remanded to HM Prison Pentonville, after pleading not guilty to the charge of criminal damage, totalling £30,000 during a protest at the High Speed 2, London head office.
Two security men stood, their backs to the war zone, occasionally glancing at their phones and shifting from foot to foot. They exchanged a brief acknowledgment that I had approached the fence.
In a shocking U turn of events, High Court Judge, Mr Justice Holgate refused permission for Mark Keir (representing the Jones Hill Wood Earth protectors) to apply for judicial review and lifted the injunction which had been placed to suspend the felling of Jones Hill Wood until a full legal case was heard.
Jones Hill Wood, known affectionately as Roald Dahl woods, is destined to be destroyed by HS2 as a Licence to fell is issued.
At 4.30am Monday morning, fifty ‘storm troopers’ (NET) stormed Denham Ford Protection Camp, anti-HS2 activists at the camp eviction say “we will continue to resist”.
The eviction of Poor’s Piece Wood on the edge of Steeple Claydon in Buckinghamshire MK18 2HH has begun today. Members of the National Eviction Team (NET) employed by HS2 to forcefully remove tree protectors arrived on site early this morning. Tree protectors are locked-on in treehouses and towers in the three acre ancient woodland in an act of non-violent direct action, and are determined to protect the wood for future generations.
As we face the climate emergency, one of the most disappointing aspects of the last 3 weeks at Euston Square Gardens has been the wall of silence from MPs and Peers, save the very few (thank you Caroline Lucas, Zarah Sultana and Baroness Jenny Jones) who have spoken up in support of the protesters and their aims. We know many more are opposed to HS2, for environmental, finance and governance reasons, but where have they been?
The right to peacefully protest is a cornerstone of a liberal democratic society, protected under articles 10 and 11 of the European Conventions of Human Rights. Whilst there are structures under which this right can be challenged and restricted by law, such as The Public Order Act 1986, the freedom of expression and assembly remains.