Protesters going too fracking far..

I inadvertently drove through this protest camp yesterday on my way to meet a friend. Whilst it was busy, there was possibly up to 100 police officers there, many of whom were chatting to the members of the camp.
They were all acting very peacefully..not getting in anyone's way, and the camp is tidy and litter free.
Yes of course there are the usual hippies and students, but I also saw "middle aged" people there.
I am sure if people explained about their horses' welfare..politely and in non-combative mode they would get a good response.
Not all protesters are bad and in this case, I think they are right to do so.
I also fail to see how being abusive and threatening violence makes anyone here any better than the protesters I saw yesterday.
 
Judgemental said:
It's only Researech and Development at this stage.
8
Can't see what the fuss is about/

Oh dear, it's exploration in SURREY.

How many of the population of that county work in the City and exploit natural resources around the globe for vast profit.

Take the Canadian Oil Sands in the Pan Artic Islands as a prime example where wildlife and the Tundra are devastated.

No F_acking In My Back Yard!

Seems to be this word FRACKING has all the potential for many double entendres.
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Sorry to be pedantic...but Balcombe is in West Sussex, not Surrey.....
Personally, I am concerned about the micro-seismic consequences of fracking, so am opposed to it as there has not been enough scientific evidence to convince me there won't be consequences on ground water...and as the majority of the densdly populated South East relies on groundwater sources for water supply that seems a bit short sighted.
In the OPs position I would also be worried about the welfare of the horses.....the protesters won't be doing their cause many favours with locals if they dont take their opinions into account!
 
fburton said:
Are you female? What did you think of the Suffragettes?
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I think they caused a racehorse to die and were happy to eat once released from prison. Also they were founded by a man. And why do you want to know my gender? Do you wish to date?

You get to attempt to emotionally blackmail me when you have lived my life, not before it. Nothing but protests here - flegs, don't you know!
 
fburton said:
I wasn't comparing - I was responding to the sweeping blanket statement "I hate protestors. They never make a difference" which to my mind is clearly wrong. YMMV.
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Ha bladdy ha.

As one of the people who works for free in the background to make the changes everyone wants, and who has helped to change the issues here, no the protestors were no help at all. Although they did make a lot of mess and upset a lot of people. Disruption to ambulances and fire service was perhaps their finest hour - sarcasm, btw.

There are ways to make a difference. Inflicting your views by force on innocent bystanders/animals is not one of them.
 
I don't approve of everything the Suffragettes did, but they did make a difference. There are many other examples of protest making a difference. That doesn't mean their methods or aims are beyond reproach.

Look, I appreciate that you feel strongly about this, but there's no need to get nasty about it.
 
I think the threat to pure water is the reason to protest - I would certainly do so - fracking is such a short term, filthy process using scores of toxic chemicals with no guarantee of tracking where they end up. I'd probably thank them for trying to preserve water for herds and humans and join in.
Surely people will understand the need for access to animals if you explain it to them though. Maybe the police have ordered them to protest in that spot, so it might be worth expanding negotiations re. access concerns.
 
horserider said:
I'm a tad confused. Are you happy for fracking in your village and that is why you object to the protestors ?

Anyone remember the Greenham Common Womens peace camp? Or Gandhi's Salt March ? The Berlin Wall protests, Martin Luther KIng's March on Washington, Tiananmen Square ? The Stonewall Riots ? The French Revolution...the list is endless.

Protests have resulted in some of the greatest social change in history. So I'm guessing by the disapproval of protest, Fracking in your villages must be welcome.
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Brilliant response!

I'll add the Countryside Alliance march in London :D :D
 
fatpiggy said:
That is a ridiculous comparison. And while I agree with the demands of the Suffragettes, the way they went about doing things was often very wrong. If you want to starve yourself to make a point, that is your choice but burning down public buildings was not the way forward then, nor is it now. The vast majority of ladies who supported the Suffragette movement protested peacefully, attended meetings etc. and probably gave their husbands a lot of earache about the subject. Only a few took it much further and I don't for one second disagree that they were treated very harshly, although they were of course punished by the Law as it was at the time.

Unfortunately, the nay-sayers invariably get overtaken by the professional rent-a-mob lot who just come along to make a nuisance of themselves and have a go at society in general. They get their jollies by wasting even more tax-payers money than they do on a day to day basis when they just are signing on. Its no different from the moderate Muslims who stand up and say I don't like this, and then their cause is completely swamped by the fanatics who think its ok to blow people up.

I would suggest the local farmers get busy with their hedge flailers and the muck spreaders in the meantime, because the police will never pull their finger out in a month of Sundays.
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Like
 
Why? Because people THINK or ASSUME they may turn nasty? Yesterday they looked incredibly peaceful, which is more than I can say for your response fatpiggy.
 
ThoroughbredStar said:
- brilliant!!!!

I agree with this also, bunch of hypocrites! They probably sabotage the local hunts too, getting dog run over and injuring horses in the name of animal welfare!
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Have you any evidence at all for that statement?

By all means hold an opinion about fracking, about the protest, about the protesters themselves but for goodness sake at least develop a reasoned argument based on facts!
This kind of 'tabloid' comment drives me mad and does nothing to support your position.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
Have you any evidence at all for that statement?

By all means hold an opinion about fracking, about the protest, about the protesters themselves but for goodness sake at least develop a reasoned argument based on facts!
This kind of 'tabloid' comment drives me mad and does nothing to support your position.
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My position.........?
 
The Suffragettes didn't actually make *that* much of a difference. They stopped protesting at the outbreak of WWI. The Suffragists (moderates) carried on their peaceful campaign throughout the war. After the war some women were enfranchised along with the returning soldiers who has previously been denied the vote. They certainly raised awareness but most people thought the violent methods used by the Suffragettes proved that women were emotional and unstable and didn't deserve the vote. Women had so much more freedom during the war - working etc and 'doing their bit' that it was almost as if they were rewarded by the being given the vote. Some of them at least :D

Sorry to go massively off topic. I love the Suffragettes!! (Although my knowledge is strictly what I need to know to teach year 9s!!)

This video is ace:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYm30Fb2908
 
When the issue of drilling in the area was initially raised, most of the neighbourhood was against it, or at least wary of the idea.
When the first protesters arrived and staged a sit-in at the entrance to the site, they pretty much had the full support of the village.

However, these aren't genuine protesters, and we aren't talking about a few hippies in teepees either, but several hundred travellers with all the associated vehicles and rubbish.
Over the past couple of weeks, the vandalism, intimidation and in some cases the outright violence suffered by the community at the hands of the mob attracted by the prospect of a brawl, has escalated to the point where people are genuinely afraid to go about their daily business.
Threats have been made to burn cars and property, and now the latest lot are here with the stated intention of mob violence. The farmer has been warned off his land by the police for his own safety.

This is no longer people exercising their right to protest. It is a horde of thugs muscling in on the opportunity to cause serious trouble, and the law abiding citizens caught up in it are terrified.
 
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The main camp I saw yesterday was on two grass verges on the outside of the village - I saw none in Balcombe village itself? The police have at least five vans each end of the camp and cars inbetween, with numerous officers. I can't see how they are just wandering causing trouble for the general public?
 
HBM1 said:
The main camp I saw yesterday was on two grass verges on the outside of the village - I saw none in Balcombe village itself? The police have at least five vans each end of the camp and cars inbetween, with numerous officers. I can't see how they are just wandering causing trouble for the general public?
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A) That is no longer the main camp, there are now around 300 people camped at the end of the drive to the livery yard.
B) Try being there at night.
 
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