Appalled and inspired (From Malvern Gazette)

Appalled and inspired

10:32am Friday 31st August 2007 in Letters

I AM one of four women from Malvern Greenpeace group who felt it necessary to attend the Climate Camp demonstrations at BAA. What I witnessed both inspired and appalled me.

The protesters, who were given permission to camp on the privately owned field they occupied, impressed me with their meticulous approach to ensuring our impact on the land was minimal.

All the toilets were compost toilets, all electrical energy was generated naturally on site and all used water was filtered through grey water systems. No mean feat for a camp of approximately 1,500 people.

We left the camp on Sunday with a carnival-style procession. As the mood was so jolly I found it strange the police were so nervous, not letting people pick the blackberries that lined the hedgerow, the last harvest from the village before it is flattened to make way for the third runway. There were several riot vans in front and behind us and a line of police up both sides of the procession.

As we neared the village of Harmondsworth, our intention being to have a picnic on the green, a line of police formed, blocking our way. Behind the line more local residents came out in support, waving and handing out bottles of water, but they found themselves being forcibly shoved into the procession. I witnessed at least two people being violently pushed off their bicycles by police and forced in with us. People were shaken, crying, confused and frightened. As we stood there trying to make sense of what had just happened, approximately 30 riot police with shields came running towards us.

Someone responded with a chant of Who told you there was a riot?' and someone else with Shame on you!'. After a short time the riot police, realising their over reaction, turned and fled and the local councillor stepped out of the crowd to explain that the protesters had been invited to Harmondsworth by the residents. After about 15 mins of negotiations with police we were allowed in for our picnic, during which speeches were given by George Monbiot, of The Guardian, and Alf Pereira, whose daughter died of bronchial problems, he believes from pollution from the airlines. If the proposed third runway goes ahead, it is possible her body will be disinterred from the grave where he laid her to rest.

On reflection of the weekend's events I am more concerned than ever that this Government is intent on ignoring and quoshing peaceful protests such as these. This heavy-handed approach to policing threatens to muffle our freedom of speech and harm the democratic process. This was the first event of this kind I have attended, but I left vowing to make more effort to ensure my voice is not lost because of bully tactics.

Sara Stamenkovic, Barnards Gre