Upcoming Anti-Fracking Events

10 October 2018

ANTI-FRACKING EVENTS


INVITATION TO COMMUNITY STRATEGY CONVERSATION ON FRACKING IN LANCASHIRE 

The idea of the ‘Community Strategy Conversation’ is to bring together people who oppose fracking in Lancashire to share ideas, plans and give it our best thinking on how to work together, focus energy and defeat fracking. 

This process is not 'owned' by any one group, nor will it dictate what needs to be done. It is open to all types of groups, e.g. anti fracking, faith, political, community, etc, and anybody interested in working together constructively to take on the fracking industry. 

What does this involve? 

There will be two public meetings - please register for these at the links below - and ahead of these we’re collecting input via these ‘Community Conversation Surveys’, to help map out what’s happening already and share best ideas and tactics! 

Please fill out the survey (for groups or individuals) by midnight Sunday 15th October. Survey: <https://goo.gl/forms/dpfG9Hz6gP896J813https://goo.gl/forms/dpfG9Hz6gP896J813

 

Sat 21st Oct: Community Strategy Conversation, Meeting 1 -

<https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/community-strategy-conversation-for-a-frack-
free-lancashire-meeting-1-tickets-38403568106> Register on Eventbrite here

Sat 18th Nov: Community Strategy Conversation, Meeting 2 -
<https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/community-strategy-conversation-for-a-frack-
free-lancashire-meeting-2-tickets-38652312106> Register on Eventbrite here

Tea, coffee and refreshments will be provided!

Please let us know if you’re able to come by registering via Eventbrite, and do fill in the survey with your thoughts and ideas if you can. 

We’re at a turning point for the fracking industry, and all eyes are on Lancashire. We’re really looking forward to working with you all to show Cuadrilla what we’re made of - we said NO! 

Thanks! 
                   
Barbara, Bob, Danni, Ian, Jamie, Nick 

(this process has been driven by a few people, to facilitate wider input
from the community).



JUSTICE FOR JOE HASLAM  - FRIDAY 27 OCTOBER IN PRESTON

On Friday 27th October local anti-fracking activist Joe Haslam is going to the Crown Court in Preston to appeal against his conviction for ‘wilful obstruction of the highway without lawful excuse’.

His appeal starts at 9:45am and is scheduled until 5pm. He’d love to have a visible group of supporters there all day so please go along whenever you can, to Preston Crown Court, Openshaw Place, The Law Courts, Ring Way, Preston PR1 2LL. 

Joe says: “On Wednesday 1st March 2017 I was stood outside the gates of the fracking site on Preston New Road peacefully and legally protesting against fracking with a close friend (Maria) who is retired, deaf and has arthritis. When we are there together I try to keep her safe the best I can, so we had
our arms linked. Up until now, when a vehicle wanted to get on or off the fracking site, a Police Liaison Officer would come over and ask us to move, and then we would, albeit very slowly, but we would move. On this occasion however the police just came out and immediately kettled (surrounded) us,
and started pushing and shoving us. At no point were we asked to move. I had no desire to obstruct the highway, I merely wanted to keep Maria safe, and we would've moved if we had been asked to. 

Because of the force with which we were being pushed and shoved, Maria lost her footing and I was the only thing holding her up. Then, while I could not possible say that she did otherwise I could be sued for slander, officer 3912 may have grabbed me and thrown me to the ground, resulting in Maria
falling to the ground and being knocked out unconscious. As I desperately tried to check that Maria was ok, officer 3912 may have dragged me across the road to the other side and pushed me into a bush. She arrested me and originally charged me with Obstruction of a PC although this was changed to
Obstruction of the Highway. She may have used excessive force and purposefully put the handcuffs on me too tight despite me not resisting at all, but then I can't say that she did for legal reasons. The whole thing was recorded and the video is online for the world to see. You can find it on my facebook page Justice for Joe.  

At the Magistrates’ Court in Blackpool on Friday 25th August, officer 3912 may have lied about the whole incident, as she may have done in her  statement. The Magistrate found me guilty, possibly despite the video evidence, not that I could possibly say that. They gave me an 18 month conditional discharge, and court costs of £640 despite the court’s knowledge that I have no money, no income and no assets. But worse than all that, what's hurt me the most is having a criminal record. 

I'm desperately trying to find a job and 90% of my CV is working with young people, working with vulnerable adults and handling peoples' personal data. It might only be Obstruction of the Highway, but nobody ever checks when they often have over 100 other candidates without a criminal record. I
protest because I care about the world, I work with young people because I care about them, and when I see them I look at them and just think, you deserve so much better than this. So much better than this world that you're getting. And when I go to job interviews and declare my criminal record, as
I have to by law, they don't care what it's for or what happened or about the context, they just look at you like you're some sort of murderer or rapist and honestly it's soul destroying. It's the most horrible thing in the world. Second only to being stuck in a cell for 6 hours not knowing if Maria was alive or dead.” 



ANTI-FRACKING ART AUCTION

Throughout October, check out the many wonderful artworks for auction at The Whale Tail café, to raise funds for anti-fracking activism in Lancaster and beyond. Secret bids can be made via a box in the Whale Tail or via the Facebook page  <https://www.facebook.com/LaFFauction/https://www.facebook.com/LaFFauction/  where you can also see images of the artworks and the highest bid so far at the end of each week. 






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