Six members of Bristol East joined several hundred other protesters when they ventured down to the mist-laden coast of Somerset to the rally and 'surround' at Hinkley Point nuclear power station. The weekend event (10th-11th March) was organised by Stop New Nuclear to coincide with the first anniversary of the tsunami and subsequent nuclear disaster at Fukushima.
People had travelled from far and wide to mark the occasion but also to protest against the government's proposals to build at least 8 new nuclear power stations with Hinkley Point 'C' being earmarked as the first to be built by French owned energy giant, EDF. Planning permission has yet to be granted, but we were aghast to see evidence that the arrogant EDF company were preparing the ground, and displacing and relocating wildlife ahead of the decision.
We gathered at the gates soon after noon and listened to a few speakers including Caroline Lucas, Green Party MP and Kate Hudson (CND). The band, Sieze The Day, fired up the crowd with their blend of activist songs and pertinent words from lead singer, Theo. Meanwhile, I was nominated by our group to attend my first ever Spokescouncil meeting to discuss and diseminate key information to affiliate groups. And hey - I was able to wave my hands in agreement to the plans for 'the surround' of Hinkley Point power station. I suppose the word 'surround' gave the impression that we would be encircling the plant and linking arms in a human chain. Well, despite the good number of protesters it was clear that was not gonna happen, but at 2.15pm the power station was literally surrounded by people making themselves heard with whistles, drums, horns, flutes and voices. It was ironic that EDF were also staging their own 'surround' with an impressive number of security guards who were patrolling the fences!
We returned to the main gate for speakers (including Jonathon Porritt), theatre and poetry. We were then encouraged to go on a guided tour of the proposed site for Hinkley 'C'. Here we were informed that the wildlife including, skylarks, bats and badgers were being systematically removed from the fields and hedgerows and relocated to nearby habitats. We witnessed where the ground would be cleared back to the bedrock in preparation for the new nuclear power station. (.... oh and if the decision to build does not go in EDF's favour, they have promised to restore the area back to its original status!)
Those who attended thought it was a worthwhile and necessary being there, to make themselves be seen and heard. However, we all questioned why our government was bucking the global trend when so many other governments around the world has taken Fukushima as a warning that there is no 100% safe nuclear power. Why build hugely expensive, untried and untested nuclear power plants when we know that money could be invested in developing more environmentally friendly alternatives such as, wind, solar, wave and hydro. These alternatives don't carry the legacy for generations in dealing with the radioactive waste produced by the nuclear plant models being considered. We hear time and time again that nuclear power is not economically viable unless it receives massive government subsidies - which this government has declared it won't do. Therefore 'the free market' may in turn be our friend. In the light of Windscale, Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima - a major accident every 14-18 years - who would be crazy enough to invest private money in potentially lethal power plants?
Today, we remember those who lost their lives in the natural disaster of the Japanese tsunami and those who will die from the radioactive after effects of the man made disaster at Fukushima. A global incident that also has immediate consequences for the local people who live and work in the shadow of new nuclear build in the UK. It will be happening here unless we continue to say 'NO' to new nuclear build.
At the end of the afternoon most of us made our way back up the M5, whilst others continued the protest with a blockade of the main gates until 2pm on the Sunday. Well done, Ian, for staying the course and representing us at the blockade.
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