Today at Birmingham High Court, Elliott Cuciurean, 22, was issued with a suspended prison sentence for breach of an anti trespass injunction around irreplaceable ancient woodland in Crackley, Warwickshire, being destroyed by HS2 during nesting season.
The first of two judgements was handed down today on the application of HS2 Ltd and the Secretary of State to commit an individual to prison for defending ancient woodland and wildlife being destroyed by HS2.
Widespread jubilation as HS2 works will be unable to continue until Summer 2021.
Today, Friday October 9, Extinction Rebellion and Stop HS2 have responded to the Prime Minister's call to protect biodiversity by blocking HS2 worksites across the 140-mile stretch from London to Birmingham asking him to tell the truth and, in his own words 'act now without dither or delay'.
This week, Boris Johnson told world leaders, ‘We can’t afford to dither and delay because biodiversity loss is happening today and is happening at a frightening rate’ and promised to protect 30% of our land by 2030 – yet the hypocrisy of this statement and pledge is laid bare as the government’s HS2 project rips through irreplaceable woodland and habitats.
Activists have spray painted the words “Smash HS2” and sprayed fake blood on the walls of the Department for Transport (DfT) to signify the government's complicity in the climate crisis. Two people have glued onto the entrance door of the Dft, with four people glued to the ground. Activists chanted, "HS2 has blood on their hands. HS2 is Ecocide."
A Symbolic Bleeding Tree was ceremoniously laid outside the The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), on the way to Parliament, by HS2 Rebellion, Extinction Rebellion and others.
On Friday 28 August, activists from Extinction Rebellion and HS2 Rebellion will be holding actions at key locations along the HS2 line to protest the spiralling costs and mourn the ecological destruction caused by the contentious high speed rail project.
At a hearing listed for this Thursday and Friday, 30th and 31st July, at 10 am at Birmingham High Court, a 22-year-old earth protector Elliott Cuciurean, could be jailed for protecting ancient woodland from destruction by the Government’s High Speed Rail project.
The arrest, took place, close to Poor's Piece, a community of conscientious Earth Protectors, living there to protect the woodland from the threat of the HS2 development.