IT should be the job of council rangers to move on squatters but on the state’s north coast, riot squad officers will be called-in to remove hundreds of anti-gas protesters from their fortified base.

Anti-mining protesters at Bentley have upped the ante in its stand-off with Richmond Valley Council, who last week deemed the country’s biggest squatter camp as illegal.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal protesters dumped a 15m timber pole and truckload of gravel at the entrance to the Graham family farm, which mining company Metgasco will use for its exploratory drilling operation.

Lock The Gate and Gasfield Free Northern Rivers also organised a pop-up concert on Monday afternoon with Xavier Rudd and Bobby Alu, antagonising council general manager John Walker.

Mr Walker last week canned the camp’s temporary approval and rejected a development application by the green groups to increase the size of the camp from 200 to 600 people.

He cited several breaches for his decision, including pop-up concerts without permits, bathing and washing in a creek with soap and setting up splinter camps on nearby properties.

Mr Walker yesterday told The Daily Telegraph the tree stump, whether on public or private land, was a safety hazard.

On Monday, Public Order and Riot Squad commander Chief Superintendent Steve Cullen met with camp leaders, who have threatened to raise a 7000-strong army to resist attempts to remove them.

media_camera Anti-gas protesters at Bentley / Picture: Jason O'Brien

A NSW Police spokesman said they recognised individuals and groups could “exercise their rights of free speech and peaceful assembly”.

“A police operation is planned to take place at Bentley to both facilitate a lawful protest and ensure normal operations at the gas exploration site,” he said.

“The public are reminded that police will be forced to take action if those activities become unlawful. Police recognise the right of business to carry out lawful activities.”

Gasfield Free Northern Rivers spokesman Adam Guise was quick to distance his group’s involvement with various hazards set-up outside Robbie and Peter Graham’s Bentley farm.

“The camp itself is 500m from the drill site. In terms of camp and our legitimacy here it’s separate from what goes on elsewhere,” Mr Guise said.

“Obviously we can’t control everyone and we don’t have magical police powers. That Gate has numerous obstructions, it has vertical telegraph poles, it has horizontal telegraph poles, it has the tripod.

“It’s one of many things that have been put there by members of the community to obstruct Metgasco’s access.”

media_camera Anti-gas protesters at Bentley / Picture: Jason O'Brien

Mr Guise said they were preparing a traffic management plan and crime prevention plan after they were cited by council as reasons their development application was rejected. They are asking for a review of Mr Walker’s decision.

“Technically speaking the camp is unlawful, it has an expired permit and we’re currently drawing up documents to seek a review of the rejected determination and we’ll submit that,” he said.

Energy Minister Anthony Roberts visited the area earlier in the month and was shocked by the behaviour of some protesters.

“The NSW Government will provide support to uphold the rule of law,” Mr Roberts said.

Mr Graham’s driveway has been blockaded by protesters, gates have been welded shut and steel spikes were laid on his driveway.

Sources have told The Daily Telegraph that Metgasco could move its drill in place by mid-May.