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« Ball or aerosol? | Main | Speed reviewing »
Monday
Oct072013

Lovers of the environment

This picture appeared on Twitter earlier today, and shows what appears to be the mess left behind by the Balcombe anti-fracking protestors. I'm told that these people are very concerned about the state of the environment.

Note the abandoned wheelchair.

See also this.

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Reader Comments (47)

The hipocrisy would truly be lost on them wouldn't it?

Oct 7, 2013 at 8:51 AM | Unregistered Commenterjones

Will the BBC or Guardian ask the Green MP and participant in the Balcombe protests, Caroline Lucas, for her comments?

Oct 7, 2013 at 8:52 AM | Unregistered CommenterRoy

Scum of the Earth.

Oct 7, 2013 at 8:52 AM | Unregistered CommenterGummerMustGo

Copy sent to Caroline for comment.

Oct 7, 2013 at 8:59 AM | Unregistered CommenterCapell

Caroline Lucas better make her way down there with a shovel and a grovelling apology

Oct 7, 2013 at 8:59 AM | Unregistered CommenterJace_F

I guess the Balcombe Somerset protesters had come from Glastonbury. Google "Glastonbury rubbish" for similar pictures.

Oct 7, 2013 at 9:07 AM | Registered CommenterPhillip Bratby

The site looks like the occupants are 'out for the day' (collecting benefits no doubt) rather than abandoned.

Oct 7, 2013 at 9:16 AM | Unregistered CommenterFarleyR

Surely the local police can do something about these fools? Do they not have their pictures, their vehicle numbers, etc., and arrest them for fly tipping at the least?
Horrible, deranged people.

Oct 7, 2013 at 9:16 AM | Unregistered Commentertckev

They have left the circus, in search of bread.

Oct 7, 2013 at 9:21 AM | Unregistered CommenterOtter

One question, where did they loot these things from to begin with?

Oct 7, 2013 at 9:22 AM | Unregistered CommenterBrute

Tckev (Oct 7, 2013 at 9:16 AM): the police probably think it a waste of their resources; far more lucrative catching erring motorists.

One question could be, how did they get many of those things there – I mean, a three seat sofa!? Obviously, these hypocrites are not too bothered about using motorised transport. Probably think fuel is magically created in the pumps.

Oct 7, 2013 at 9:32 AM | Unregistered CommenterRadical Rodent

tckev

They were all trespassing to begin with, but nothing was done about that. Perhaps they just didn't have enough cells?

I felt very sorry for the farmer whose field was invaded and who, presumably, now has to clear up.

Oct 7, 2013 at 9:35 AM | Registered Commenterjamesp

If they can afford to abandon all this, they don't seem short of a bob or so. And a lot of it looks to be in good nick...

Perhaps they should start a recycling web-site for protesters so that equipment used at one protest can be re-used on another? After all, that's what they try to force us to do....

Oct 7, 2013 at 9:40 AM | Unregistered CommenterDodgy Geezer

Ah, but look carefully and you can see that they've responsibly appropriated a green wheelie bin from.... somewhere, for all of their, er, rubbish.

Oh, hang on.....

Oct 7, 2013 at 9:41 AM | Unregistered CommenterAngusPangus

A picture is worth a thousand words. This pictures and others like it need to be spread far and wide. Shows protesters have money to waste and do not believe in re-cycling.

Oct 7, 2013 at 9:43 AM | Unregistered CommenterCharlie

The detritus of being Lost in Space.

Oct 7, 2013 at 9:53 AM | Unregistered CommenterManfred

One half-hidden sign appears to say "Down With This Sort of Thing" , presumably carried by the Craggy Island delegates.

(although a quick Googel search shows that the joke is getting a bit tired)

Oct 7, 2013 at 10:01 AM | Unregistered Commenterkellydown

Caroline Lucas would have cleaned up but she was otherwise detained.

Oct 7, 2013 at 10:03 AM | Unregistered Commenterson of mulder

How can anyone want to live like that for any length of time! Disgusting - feel for those that will have to clear it up.

Oct 7, 2013 at 10:07 AM | Unregistered CommenterJack Cowper

Who respects the environment more the protesters or the oil company ?
- The Latest BBC Balcombe report is about end of the camp..mentions nothing of the rubbish, but does have a photo of a the very tidy part of the site left by Cuadrilla
- Remember just cos people trash a place you can't call them scum : "PC who tweeted fracking protesters were 'scum' given 'advice" BBC
- To be fair I expect some people were arrested then released far from the site ... would they come back to clean ?
- However the site site did have organisers who should have been responsible for a 100% cleanup.Since it seems the COOP and RSPCB have cash to spend on motivating the protesters, and Lush Cosmetics have cash to throw at them, then shouldn't the council ask them to help with the clean up bill ?
- "Did you go back to clean ?" could be a question in upcoming court cases.

Oct 7, 2013 at 10:30 AM | Registered Commenterstewgreen

Looks like the makings of a good fire. Perhaps a good bonfire of the eco-vanities?

Might be enough there to keep a house warm for a week or so using a big woodstove. They might get a lot of volunteers with axes to chop the stuff up. A symbolic feel good moment or two.

Oct 7, 2013 at 11:26 AM | Unregistered CommenterATheoK

"some people were arrested then released far from the site"

Like you do with wild animals? There must be a suitable remote island somewhere...

Oct 7, 2013 at 11:35 AM | Registered Commenterjamesp

So was there a miracle at the site, was there, someone suddenly found a wheelchair was no longer required, he/she could walk again....?

Green protesters in wheelchairs will be rightly viewed with some suspicion after that little episode..

Oct 7, 2013 at 11:58 AM | Unregistered CommenterMessenger

A wheelchair?
4 children's bikes.
Looks like a load of camping gear.

It will be interesting to hear from the farmer. Presumably as this is on his land it is his responsibility to dispose of all this fly-tipping. Maybe when he gave them permission to use the land he charged them for clearing it after the event?

It is so sweet that the little darlings think that they can motor to a protest site, but perhaps their vehicles all run on old chip oil.

Oct 7, 2013 at 12:06 PM | Unregistered CommenterGrumpy

stewgreen wrote:

- Remember just cos people trash a place you can't call them scum : "PC who tweeted fracking protesters were 'scum' given 'advice" BBC.

The local authority in Balcombe and local authorities all over the country will have to increase council tax. This whole episode shows that there is an urgent need to employ liaison officers to work with the protesting community. How many protestors can name an outreach officer working to meet their needs? Of course, this idea will not be popular with the Nasty Tories, or the Daily Mail, who are always arguing for savage cuts in the budgets of the grossly under-resourced and under-manned (or "under-personed") public sector.

Oct 7, 2013 at 12:34 PM | Unregistered CommenterRoy

I amused myself by looking at the protesters leftover junk and seeing just how much stuff there could only have been manufactured using modern industrial processes and with materials which could only have been manufactured from the use of oil.

There is much there to smile and shake ones head over the hypocrisy and ignorance of the protesters.

Oct 7, 2013 at 12:43 PM | Unregistered CommenterKevin Cave

I reckon the farmer whose land it presumably is, could make a bob or two with this stuff at a car boot...

Might offset the cost of having to clean it up..!

Oct 7, 2013 at 12:54 PM | Unregistered CommenterSherlock1

Each year, in the US, we have the big "Earth Day" celebrations. Concerts, lots of propaganda, huge crowds, people standing up on stage talking about how wonderful they all are for "Supporting the Earth.".

...and each year, the location is left with huge piles of rubbish. In the areas around the concession stands, it's often knee-deep in trash.

Oct 7, 2013 at 1:01 PM | Unregistered Commentercirby

I think Andy from Little Britain must have been one of the protesters. His carer Lou mustn't have been available to help to wheel him off sight.

Oct 7, 2013 at 1:09 PM | Unregistered CommenterColin Porter

Cleaning up means further expenditure of energy and possibly CO2 emissions.

@jones 8:51: surely you mean "hip-ocracy"?

Oct 7, 2013 at 1:18 PM | Unregistered CommenterSackerson

Littering within tent.

Oct 7, 2013 at 1:41 PM | Registered CommenterPharos

I took this picture yesterday (6th Oct @12:36). This was on the opposite side of the road to the Drilling Site entrance. There are other piles of rubbish on the site as well. The protesters were so keen to point out this is an AONB, if Cuadrilla had left even a sweet paper behind they would have been screaming blue murder.

I'm local and a love to walk in the High Weald - this really angered me.

Oct 7, 2013 at 2:10 PM | Unregistered CommenterBubonic Spider

My guess is it's a consequence of the way they organise communally - nobody is interested in staying behind and clearing up the rubbish because it's hard work and not "cool", so it doesn't get done.

Of course whoever is left holding the baby (probably the landowner) gets nailed for the landfill tax the "greens" neatly avoided paying despite being responsible for its existence in the first place. The bill for the clearup should go to the organisation which was responsible for running the protest - bet they wouldn't pay it though. They should be publically shamed into it but no chance the BBC or Guardian would touch it.

Oct 7, 2013 at 2:23 PM | Unregistered CommenterNW

I feel an allegory comment bubbling away somewhere in my subconscious as I look at that first picture and recall the news from back then. The burst of publicity. The piggy-backing of political opportunists. The ignorance. The combination of ill-informed zeal for 'the planet' and contempt for humanity. The gulf between them and readily demonstrated reality. The arrogant disruption of the life and work of others. The waste of time. The mess left behind.

Needs a bit of polishing, but I think the gist of it is there.

Oct 7, 2013 at 3:01 PM | Registered CommenterJohn Shade

lol
Not a good advert for Somerset, is it?

Oct 7, 2013 at 3:21 PM | Unregistered Commentermichael hart

I think Caroline Lucas (if found guilty) should be sentenced to do some "Community Service".
Tidying up the mess left by the anti-frackers would be poetic justice.

Oct 7, 2013 at 3:46 PM | Unregistered CommenterDon Keiller

You guys are missing the big picture. It may look like a load of rubbish to you but it is really a recycling facility. The stuff will all be put to the greater good (by the great and good) when Cuadrilla come back for the next round of explorations.

Oct 7, 2013 at 4:55 PM | Unregistered Commenterpotentilla

New Balcombe Residents Survey
1. Would you welcome the anti-fracking protesters back ?
2. Would you welcome Cuadrilla back without protesters ?
3. Do you think the council should pay the landfill tax bill on the left rubbish ? or should we send it to the protesters sponsors like : Green Party, COOP RSPCB & Lush cosmetics ?

Oct 7, 2013 at 5:26 PM | Registered Commenterstewgreen

They haven't gone. I drove through Balcombe on Saturday afternoon (5th Oct) and there are still lots of people camping on both sides of the road. They have put up a sign which reads
'sorry for the inconvenience but we are trying to save the planet'
The arrogance of these idiots is unbelievable. I don't understand why the authorities have not sent them on their way.

Oct 7, 2013 at 9:12 PM | Unregistered CommenterANH

There once was a protest quite keenly
Inspired by a vision green dreamly
'Twas not accidental
Their cause environmental
Left a fecking fine mess
Most unseemly

P.S. For other poetic pauses on causes, be sure to check out Paul Matthews' Poetry please

;-)

Oct 7, 2013 at 9:32 PM | Registered CommenterHilary Ostrov

I could do with a wheelbarrow, I wonder if its still near ?

Meanwhile its just normal green hypocrisy, a person flying away on a once a year holiday its a 'planet destroying monster ' but a green prophet racking up lots of air-miles taking multiple long haul flights around the world to attend green 'events' is a hero ' And they there is Al were can I park my private jet Gore.

Oct 7, 2013 at 10:46 PM | Unregistered CommenterKNR

This is on a wide roadside verge, which is owned by WSCC.

Oct 7, 2013 at 11:13 PM | Unregistered CommenterBubonic Spider

I've put the two pictures together. Hope you don't mind Bubonic Spider and I hope you like it.

https://twitter.com/SadButMadLad/status/387468794601275392

Oct 8, 2013 at 8:18 AM | Unregistered CommenterSadButMadLad

How did the media miss the miracle of Balcombe? The wheelchair obviously cast off by a happy pilgrim cured of their lameness of the legs. We should hope or pray all the pilgrims be cured of lameness of thought.

Oct 8, 2013 at 10:17 AM | Unregistered Commenternick

To be fair, all that stuff looks like it was scavenged from rubbish tips anyway.

However, doesn't slowing vehicles down and causing traffic jams result in more emissions? Saving the Planet, my @rse!

Oct 8, 2013 at 11:07 AM | Unregistered Commenterkellydown

It seems the publicity has got Occupy into action. They now claim to be in the process of clearing up.

http://occupylondon.org.uk/balcombe-camp-clear-up-continued/

Considering that Cuadrilla packed up a week ago Occupy are very slow at doing their bit. But they still try and get in a dig at Cuadrilla even though it's nothing to do with Cuadrilla by showing a picture of a fly tip which is on Balcombe estate land.

http://occupylondon.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/1269025_491732254255498_679030105_o.jpg

Oct 9, 2013 at 7:07 PM | Unregistered CommenterSadButMadLad

Do I spy Calor cylinders in those Occupy photos? Where exactly do they think the contents of those came from?

Jan 24, 2014 at 9:37 PM | Unregistered CommenterPhil_D

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