Bolt cutters, climbing ropes and scaffold poles are among the items seized by police from the climate camp site near Hoo yesterday, Yourmedway reports
Senior police officials said the items could have been intended for use in unlawful activities.
Assistant Chief Constable Gary Beautridge said: “We have made it clear all along, in our discussions with the public and climate camp representatives, that we wanted to police lawful protest, recognising this is the right of people in a free country.
“However, equipment seized from the site suggests some protestors were clearly intent on unlawful action.
“These included bolt croppers, super glue, padded suits, climbing ropes and pipes adapted in a way used at other protests to lock protestors to fences and machinery.
“It is hard to conceive some of the equipment being used for anything other than unlawful use."
Eco-campaigners hit back by claiming “more than 100 officer ransacked the camp”, taking guy-ropes for safely securing marquees, water pipes and even a bicycle repair kit, three board games and a pack of children’s crayons.
Protestor Andy Rogers said the police’s action had undermined the “previously good working relationship” between the two groups, adding: “I fail to see how trying to disrupt the provision of sanitation and water to a peaceful protest is anything other than underhanded and inflammatory.
“As a local resident and supporter of the camp I feel that is a disgraceful and unwarranted action.”
Fellow camper Tanya Singh said: “We are really disappointed that after so many weeks of carefully building up good relations with the police, they would choose to behave in such an unjustifiably heavy-handed manner.”
Police also arrested campaigners Anna Ruth Jones, 27, of Hackney in London and Paul Jopseph Kahawatte, 23, of Whitstable, for obstructing a constable.
Both have been released on bail to appear before Medway Magistrates Court on Thursday August 28.
About 2,000 activists are due to descend on Hoo this weekend for the nine-day long Camp for Climate Change.
The Camp, which officially starts on Sunday, is protesting about controversial plans to build new coal-fired units at Kingsnorth power station.
Protesters set up camp in a field off Dux Court Road on Wednesday evening, which is about a kilometre from the power plant.
Police raided the site under section six of the Criminal Damage Act, after confiscating items from vehicles searched as they entered the field on Wednesday.
POSTED: 01/08/2008 12:32:17
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