At 8am the camp is only just beginning to wake up for what is sure to be a very interesting day. Many people will be focussing their energy on planning and organising the march from the camp site up to the drill rig 2 miles up the road that will be taking place this afternoon. I have a few reservations about the effective of the march – and the rally that will take place at it’s destination – not least because Cuadrilla and the police, in an attempt to diffuse the power of this act of legitimate protest, are threatening to prevent us from walking up a farm track which will bring us within 100 metres of the rig. This track is used every day by half a dozen farmers and locals walking their dogs. The police claim the land is privately owned (but by who? Not Cuadrilla) and that trespassers will be prosecuted. They may be genuinely concerned that their security will be breached if we get too close to the rig (unlikely) or they may be attempting to incite us to anger through their belligerence. I don’t know. These possibilities and others will be debated this morning in camp and reported here later.
Yesterday began slightly ominously with rain: a LOT of rain. I’ve no idea how many inches but I’ve trudged through some very deep puddles over the last 24 hours so I’m assuming quite a few. I’m very thankful for my wellies despite the fact that my feet are damp inside them. It was an early start, the welcome meeting was at 9 and by 10am everyone was getting stuck into one workshop or another and thankfully the rain was easing off. The weather improved consistently throughout the day and we enjoyed dinner in chilly, late evening sunshine. Happily the sun is shining this morning, a fact that will surely cheer the many damp souls now emerging from their tents after a night of yet more rain.
But enough about the weather (I’m English, I can’t help it), more important things have been afoot here than damp toes.
It’s time to go to work… all is quiet on camp during the afternoon workshops
Frack Off have clearly made a great contribution to Camp Frack. We’ve taken our organisation seriously and it’s paid off. We ran four workshops yesterday, all of which were popular, particularly our “Introduction to Direct Action” which may have raised some concerns among some of the locals that direct action is planned today – not so surprising really when we got the arm tubes out and started demonstrating methods of active resistance. “Is that what you’re going to be doing tomorrow?!” one person asked. Another supportive local said, “Are you planning any direct action at the march? I’m not sure I want to know…”
The appropriateness of direct action and civil disobedience in the context of Camp Frack and the local campaign against fracking in Banks and in the wider area was hotly debated yesterday. Unsurprisingly given the broad mix of people here opinions about direct action are split. Many have strong opinions for and against. Many more here don’t really understand what it is or have been given the wrong idea about it by the popular media. Early in the day yesterday I overheard one particularly vocal objector state that he felt that there were radical groups here who were threatening to undermine the legitimate protest the camp is advocating. Did he mean us?! I hope he’s changed his mind about that now, and understands that our main reason for being here is to support the locals in their campaign and not to cause trouble.
Apparently some skeptical locals have been gossiping about the fact that REAF, the local campaign group have been “infiltrated by anarchists”. There is no alternative agenda here apart from the obvious overarching agenda (that we all have a vested interest in) of fighting runaway climate change. Perhaps what isn’t so obvious is that this fight MUST take place on a local level, by local communities organising and empowering themselves.
In the big afternoon planning session we broke into three groups focussing on organising locally, nationally and, topically enough, direct action. Interestingly the outcome of that group discussion (which was attended by locals as well as activists) was that direct action IS a legitimate form of protest in the context of a campaign like this one. I attended the discussion about local organisation, which was fantastic, mainly because it quickly became apparent that there’s people interested in co-ordinating local campaigns in Lancashire, Yorkshire, Scotland, Wales, Bristol, London and Brighton.
Campaign Against Climate Change’s giant “Frack Off” banner being tested ahead of today’s march
Dinner was ready long before we finished talking and when I finally emerged from the marquee, inspired by the discussion and blinking in the evening sunshine I was delighted to discover that curry was on the menu – my favourite! The “1 in 12” kitchen from Yorkshire who have been feeding us this weekend have been amazing, as all kitchens on protest sites are. Kitchen crew work the longest hours, often do the hardest work and are sometimes unappreciated… but not by us – thanks guys!
The screening of Gasland after dinner was packed and stimulated a strong reaction amongst those people who hadn’t seen the film before, as it always does. No-one can deny it’s an emotive film, but more to the point the wanton, irresponsible exploitation that it documents is shocking. The idea that it could happen here in a few years is terrifying. Imagine like parts of the America featured in the film. It seems inconceivable that in a few short years agricultural and green belt land in Lancashire and other parts of the country could be covered in wells and condensate tanks venting off poisonous gases, but this is what will happen if we don’t put a stop to fracking now.
The night ended with spirited singing around a camp fire which was brought prematurely to an end by yet more rain. By midnight the camp was quiet, everyone deciding that an early night was a good idea given the weather and the importance of today’s march.
I was given a final, positive perspective on the camp before I retired by a forthright and somewhat mischievous local who lives here on the campsite in a mobile home. When we spoke he was out walking his dog, a gorgeous British Bulldog heavily pregnant with six pups. He said he was very skeptical when he first heard about the camp but over the course of the last few days he has been completely won over by the campers and the way we do things, so much so that he’s going to be marching with us today. “Absolutely spot on,” he said, “Everything you guys are doing is absolutely spot on.”
We’re going to continue to be absolutely spot on in the way we plan and execute this campaign and local groups like REAF are going to be leading the way. This is their campaign. I’ve a feeling it’s going to be a long one but as we continue to grow and win support locally and nationally it’s going to be much easier for us to fight. The bond of solidarity between engaged and committed people all over the country will grow stronger and consequently we’ll have an opportunity to make a real difference together.
