A sea-borne attack on Kingnorth power station looks to have been sunk by a river byelaw.
Protestors had planned to sail and paddle a number of homemade rafts along the River Medway on Saturday in a bid to stop coal-carrying ships from reaching the plant's jetty.
But the Harbour Master at Medway Ports Authority has today issued a special direction refusing to give anti-coal campaigners permission for any public procession or regatta to take place.
Kent police chiefs confirmed the direction gives officers the power to arrest any activists who ignore the order.
Harbour Master Captain Stephen M Gobbi said: “Medway Ports has empowered the police to represent us in the enforcement of Section 21 of the Medway Ports Byelaws.
“This is because of our concerns for the safety of all river users, particularly the raft regatta participants.”
Assistant Chief Constable Gary Beautridge said: “We share the ports authority’s concerns for the safety of those who had planned to join in this activity.
“The regatta would put lives at risk - those of participants and also those of members of the emergency services who would be called upon should anything untoward happen.”
Officers are set to distribute 1,000 leaflets to protestors giving them information about the legal powers under which the regatta has been stopped.
Posters are also being displayed at the entrance of each site.
ACC Beautridge added: “We want people at the climate camp to be aware that the event is not safe and cannot happen.”
The planned sea-borne strike – dubbed the Great Rebel Raft Regatta – was part of a three-prong attack planned by the Camp for Climate Action.
A Camp spokesman said: “We will be launching an armada of rafts of every shape and size into the River Medway.
“From pirate ships to Viking boats, a multitude of different themed rafts, made out of recycled materials, are already under construction.”
On land, an ‘orange pod’ is set to head straight for the plant’s main entrance in a colourful, musical demonstration and the ‘green guerrillas’ will approach through the surrounding fields and wood, looking for weak points in the perimeter fence.
Plans for the aerial approach “are being kept strictly under wraps”.
POSTED: 07/08/2008 15:59:02
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