On Monday this week I was legal support for a group of Greenpeace activists who had blockaded the headquarters of Centrica in Windsor. Centrica is one of the 'Big Six' energy companies in the UK and is the largest, supplying 40% of the countries gas and 25% of its total energy. However, like the others, it is making huge profits out of the sale of gas and not investing in renewables. Greenpeace has calculated that out of an average domestic energy bill of £1320 per annum only £25 is invested in renewables. In the recent budget the Chancellor announced a new 'dash for gas' showing there is no concern either politically or economically for climate change. Centrica is lobbying for the dependence on gas to be increased rather than decreased and between 2007 and 2011 was the worst of the big six in terms of investment in renewables.
So as usual I was with a small team away from all the action. While we were watching the Queen on a walkabout through Windsor our friends had completely blockaded the headquarters of Centrica with a massive gas bill on a trailer and other not quite so massive bills blocking the main entrances to the buildings, with activists locked on at all places. There were also some activists inside the building where they pasted more giant bills on the walls. We were expecting a lot of arrests so we had researched where all the police stations were and which ones had cells and had our solicitors on standby but in the end Centrica sent all their employees home for the day and effectively shut up shop. Police were there but very low key so it was soon obvious that there were going to be no arrests. That is why we went and had a look at the Queen. Only one of us saw her by the simple expedient of standing on some street furniture. The rest of us saw nothing. We discussed how she could be more visible to more people and came to the conclusion she should either wear a very tall hat or walk on stilts!
The action finished at around 4.30 and then we had the problems of getting everyone home. They all arrived in a coach but the coach had long since departed so some people walked to the train station while others got lifts in the minivan or the legal support car. It was chaos at the station as people had been advised to get single tickets only and this is where legal support swung into action - not getting people out of jail but our other job - getting them home again! Windsor Central is a very small station and the poor ticket clerk was overwhelmed with my ( often illegible) lists of ticket requirements. But we managed it and I hope everyone got home safe and sound.
Comments