More than 600 people attending Reclaim The Power’s summer festival of resistance just outside Harlow, along with many more around the country, have been taking action over the last few days to directly shut down polluting firms.

The most notable action as of last night has been at Keadby 2 in Lincolnshire, which saw climate protectors occupy two cranes on the site, where a new gas power station is being built. The crews started their climbs at around 4am yesterday morning and shut work down for 14 hours, with one person being arrested.

In a statement from Keadby protector Ellie Groves said:

“New gas spells climate disaster, that’s why we’re here today at Keadby.

“Temperatures hit 38 degrees in the UK last week, and extreme weather is already devastating many parts of the world. We’re standing with the people most impacted by the climate crisis.

“Polluting gas power stations like Keadby line the pockets of Big Six energy bosses at our expense. We need clean, cheap, community-controlled renewable power.”

Over in London meanwhile more than 200 people joined a major protest against Drax power plant, a facility which has repeatedly been in the sights of climate campaigners for its significant contribution to British pollution output.

Yesterday’s protests follow on from the weekend opening of the Power Beyond Borders protest camp in Roydon, which attracted around 600 people targeting both the fossil gas industry amd Britain’s Hostile Environment policies. Finishing tomorrow, the camp has fuelled several days of activity including a tripod blockade of coach firm Hallmark Connections which took place on Sunday.

Hallmark is involved in transporting detainees to airports where they are forcibly removed to countries where their lives may be in danger.

Lucille from the All African Womens’ Group, a self-help group of women asylum seekers and immigrants, many of whom have been detained in Yarl’s Wood said:

“As women, we suffer particularly from the hostile environment because we are poorer to begin with, are often traumatised from rape and other violence and because we are often mothers with responsibility for other precious human beings. We face a sexist, racist Home Office and companies that profit from deportation. We all have a right to be here and to be treated with respect. We demand an end to the hostile environment, to detention, destitution and deportations and an end to the separation of families.”

Pics: Reclaim The Power