Converging from all over the UK and even from as far as Belgium, Germany and France, ca. 400 protesters joined together to blockade Hinkley Point nuclear power plant on the 3rd of October 2011. The action is part of a dynamic and progressive campaign against plans of building another reactor on site, as part of eight new reactors nationwide.
The event has offered an array of entertainments and independent information sources on the topic. Entertainments included face painting, bicycle-powered music, anti-nuke theme singers, improvisation theatre shows, fancy dressing, and evening campfire with guitar, drinks and silly stories to cheer up and towards the end of the event, the launch of yellow (latex!) balloons with a nuclear symbol and an attached recycled paper message, reading: “This balloon was launched from Hinkley Point Nuclear Power Station at 12 noon on 3rd October 2011. The time it took to reach you is the same time as radioactive particles would take during an accident. Please record where you found it, including the post code, and text it to us on 0758------627 so we can map the dispersal pattern on our web-site: http://stopnewnuclear.org.uk”, hence symbolised radiation fallout and its occurrence at random location and time.
Independent information sources included campaign-oriented workshops, information literature, leaflets, stickers, spokespeople from a number of groups, such as “Stop-Hinkley”, “British Anti-Nuclear network”, “Kick Nuclear”, “CND”, French anti-nuclear, and Greenpeace UK which contributed to the event also by allocating tents.
I myself travelled more than 1100 Km/680 miles for not missing an action to promote renewable energy & stop dirty nuclear business! I enjoyed very much meeting inspiring and inspired people by the promotion of a truly ‘clean’ future; some against the deadly business of nuclear weapons’ generation; some because they loved their children too much to gamble on the ‘humanly sourced’ safety operations management of power plants; others I met stood against corporate overpower towards the majority of us, through the concept of ‘corporate reduced liability!’. I met people who adopted the renewable alternatives to nuclear and others who hadn’t yet. I found the workshops informative and well organised and also had fun while doing that and ate great food only for a donation!
The number of participants to this blockade broke the record respect to previous events on site and campaign sources say that it is only the beginning of an ever increasing opposition.
How can you know more about the legacy of the nuclear industry?
http://archive.greenpeace.org/comms/nukes/chernob/rep02.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2011/mar/14/nuclear-power-plant-accidents-list-rank
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/nuclear-power-accidents
What can you do about it?
I’d say, firstly, join the campaign to be informed on what goes on:
http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/groups/edinburgh-greenpeace-group
http://stophinkley.org/ (Hinkley’s local campaign)
http://www.facebook.com/groups/37398644950/ (British Anti Nuclear Group)
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