road protestors

The road protestors are back – even in the same pick and mix distribution of elderly, hippy, nimby – that we all remember from the 80s and 90s as set out in this article. I wonder what has attracted them back to their trees and holes? Having been largely absent for the last decade or so. Do people protest more about things like this in a recession and what are the implications of such actions for the increasingly forlorne hope of having enough appropriate infrastructure make rural England a “Living, Working, Countryside”???

Sussex Police said no arrests have so far been made today. Up to 30 activists set up camp late last month in an effort to foil construction of the controversial £93 million link road.

People from all walks of life have supported the protest, including a school governor, a care worker and a keen wildlife photographer.

Among them is a former carer known as Simon Sittingbull, 54, a “nodding acquaintance” of the famed activist known as Swampy who sprang to prominence during environmental protests in the 1990s.

With the help of his son, Mr Sittingbull has dug a 15ft tunnel by hand in the threatened CombeHavenValley, containing a “lock-on” to make it difficult for bailiffs to remove him.

Speaking from his bolt-hole, the father-of-one and seasoned activist told BBC South East Today: “I have high energy food, water, containers for urinals and large bin-liners for defecating in.

“I don’t think they will pull me out. I think they will gently ease me out, hopefully.”

Twelve people have been arrested during the link road protests since work started to clear trees and undergrowth last month, and six people have been charged.

Despite the threat of arrest, many have said it was a risk worth taking to thwart construction of the 3.4-mile link road which they fear will rob the area of its harmony and precious wildlife.