Details Published: 03 July 2018 03 July 2018

A three day hearing at the High Court is in process that will decide whether an injunction be granted, effectively preventing any campaigning that might negatively impact the economic interests of UKOG and their associated companies.

A three day hearing at the High Court is in process that will decide whether an injunction be granted, effectively preventing any public opposition to permission being given to drill for oil or gas in areas that impact local communities.

Jonathan Bartley, co-leader of the UK Green Party, addressed the crowd:

"There is a concerted effort going on to clamp down on peaceful protest and our democratic rights. What we see is a government running roughshod over local communities and imposing its will against the wishes of local people by overturning planning decisions by democratically elected local authorities. Ignoring what people want for their community, their energy and the control that they are calling for.

The result are these injunctions with big vested interests moving in and money winning out over ordinary people. We have to fight back. It is very sinister and it is very dangerous.

We can see all around the world what happens when people don’t stand up; when people don’t put their bodies on the line and oppose what governments and big business are doing against local people."

Concerned people from communities across the UK are concerned



Campaigner Nicola Peel speaking at the event

The event was attended by many people who are concerned what the consequences are of these draconian measures attempting to be pushed through the courts. Currently, there are estimates that the government want to green light 2400 drilling wells in the Weald alone. To achieve this, oil companies would need to double the drilling rate of the past 40 years across the whole of the UK.

Although the likes of UKOG constantly state that their drilling operations are safe, they refuse to reveal the true impact that communities would have to bare in order to achieve the scale of profits forecasted.

Campaigner Nicola Peel, speaking outside the High Court said,

“What we want is a land that is free from contamination, where our rights are supported. We live in a democracy and we stand here because we want clean rivers and clean land and we want to move away from fossil fuels and onto renewables. That to us is very important and what we believe in.”

Follow Nick Breeze on Twitter at @NickGBreeze