50 arrests at climate camp

Four people were arrested after they managed to get inside the boundaries of Kingsnorth power station near Hoo, Kent, where up to 2,000 have now gathered for the week-long Camp for Climate Action to demonstrate their opposition to plans to create a new generation of coal-fired electricity plants.

A further 19 protestors managed to scale the perimeter fence but were detained by police before they got to the second, while 123 were rescued from the River Medway estuary after attempting to breach the power station from the sea, police said.

The climate camp spokesperson said that only four people had to be rescued and they had been picked up by a media boat. There had been up to 30 rafts on the water, the spokesperson said, and only one had been in difficulties.

Although the protesters did not manage to carry out their aim of shutting down the power station, they said the day had been a success in creating awareness about burning fossil fuels.

Climate Camp spokesman Kevin Smith said: "We caused lots of disruption and we've really highlighted the folly of going ahead with this new power station. The atmosphere in the camp tonight is very celebratory, but we'll only claim victory once we know we've definitely scuppered E.ON's plans to build a new coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth."

Kent Police's Assistant Chief Constable Gary Beautridge said he was pleased the day had passed without any serious injuries as the "number one objective" was the safety of both protesters and the 1,000 police officers deployed.

However he added that he was "disappointed" at the number of people who had chosen to ignore an order put in place by Medway Ports Authority, banning protesters from taking to the water in a planned regatta. A total of 21 rafts, nine inflatable craft, nine canoes and a swimmer took to the water, risking hypothermia in force six winds he said.

The majority of arrests were for obstruction and trespass although a number of people were also arrested for assaulting police officers and one person was arrested for the possession of a bladed instrument, police said.

Climate Camp organisers have denied the presence of any weapons on the site, after police said they confiscated a number of items they believed to be used for criminal intent. They also denied that police had rescued anyone from the water, describing it as "absolute nonsense".