Dramatic scenes at Barton Moss!

Anti Fracking Protest- Eye Witness Report

ON Thursday February 6th the peaceful protest at Barton Moss achieved a remarkable success which I witnessed.    A very large convoy of vehicles  going to the I-Gas site at Barton Moss, Irlam was held up for around 6 hours mainly as a result of a lock on in the middle of Barton Moss Road by 4 Barton Moss protectors.    There were probably 100 police present in total and several police vehicles.   The GMP had to call in a specialist team to cut the protectors free in the presence of the Press, Green Party Leader Natalie Bennet , and about 30 other protectors.    I then joined the line in a slow walk in front of the vehicles to the I Gas site.    A further arrest took place at this time.

The police tactics have clearly changed over the last week and the excessive force previously employed by the Tactical Aid Unit  has no longer been evident.   The Barton Moss Protectors through their commitment to peaceful protest in contrast to the police tactics  are proving an inspiration to the local community who are showing their support in ever greater numbers as the message is getting through that Fracking for shale gas is an environmental and health catastrophe waiting to happen.In the evening a well attended meeting organised by the Northern Police Monitoring Project was addressed by members of Justice for Barton Moss, Justice for Bolton, and the Anthony Grainger Campaign.   The issues of political policing and the tactics employed at Barton Moss with over 100 arrests were discussed with graphic details provided of the injuries sustained by peaceful protectors.
Further cooperation between these groups is planned.