11.08.2007
Climate Camp activists met at a half dozen locations around London this afternoon, moving during the evening in vans to various sites near Heathrow.
Just after eleven the groups converged on a large field opposite the airport. Within minute tripods were erected and occupied with a large banner reading “Climate Camp, No Airport Expansion” slung between the two.
By 11.30 a hundred or so people were on the Sipson Lane site
( http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=sipson&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&sa=N&tab=wl) , half way between Sipson and Harlington villages. Vans were being quickly unloaded, tape was marking out the barrios and tents were being erected. Despite the pitch darkness kitchens were being organised and a village began to take place.
Midnight saw the arrival of the first police – does overtime kick in at a higher rate after the witching hour? Five vans lined up outside the west gate, a couple more outside the east gate and several saloons denoting the presence of senior officers.
A phalanx of cops poured on to the site and demanded to speak to the leaders. A quick call out for people to the main gate seemed to overwhelm them and they beat a hasty retreat back to the vans, a fairly low grade FIT team videoing and stumbling over the bracken as it went.
The mood on the site is one of great elation. After months of planning and anticipation the day has finally arrived and the site is taken.
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The Climate Camp site has been successfully taken!
We now need lots of people to come down and get everything set up.
We are on Sipson Lane, between the villages of Sipson and Harlington, North of Heathrow.
By public transport:
Train from Paddington to ‘Hayes and Harlington’ station.
From there bus 90, 140 or H98 heading South. Get off at the corner of Harlington High Street and walk West along Sipson Lane about 600 metres.
OR
About a 2 mile walk – south into Harlington village then as above.
OR
Go one station further on to West Drayton and take the 222 bus to the Western (Sipson) end of Sipson Lane.
Staines is quite far away – if you want to make your own way to the site don’t go to Staines!
But what we do know is that if is that if you get yourself to Staines railway station in West London by 10am on Tuesday 14th August, you will be greeted by our friendly welcome team and promptly transported via a magical mystery tour, to the camp! Staines railway station is very small so the Welcome Desk and pickup buses will be running from Spelthorne Leisure Centre, 5 minutes walk from the station.(There will also be lifts to the camp later in the day and throughout the week).
If you get lost trying to find the station or any other enquiries then call 0207 3779088 . There will be someone manning the phone at the London Action Resource Centre 10am to 6pm from 2nd August who will be able to help you.
There will probably be policeman filming you at the station and elsewhere. Do not be intimidated
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The police are very pissed off that they didn’t find the site for around 2 hours despite being very nearby. They’re demanding to search everything entering the site and even copying every piece of available information from mobile phones, such as serial numbers and phone numbers stored in the address book. No news on the arrestee other than that its a ‘known activist’ who the police decided would make a nice token gesture of force. Anyone wanting to get down to work on the site is very much welcome to get down and get working.
Remember your legal rights & the fun I Spy card (links above & from main article
2nd Arrest
Someone has been nicked for walking on the road. Legal observers were present. Searches becoming a little less thorough, though even the back route into the site is being heavily policed.