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Greenpeace activists defied police today as they remained camped on a coal freighter they boarded last night.
Nine protesters in inflatable speedboats pulled alongside the ship on the River Medway and attached climbing ladders to scale the 15-metre hull.
They are attempting to prevent it unloading its cargo at the Kingsnorth power plant in Kent.
Six protesters were arrested and are being held at Medway police station. But four others remain up the foremast this afternoon.
Up to 20 officers from Kent Police are on board and have threatened to physically bring them
down after negotiations failed.
Speaking to the Standard from the top of the 10-metre foremast, Sarah Shoraka said: “We have been up here for more than 12 hours now and have
no plans to leave any time soon.
“Officers have been shouting at us from the deck threatening they are coming back with specialist climbing equipment to bring us down. But I can't see how they can do that as it would be too dangerous.
“We have food and water to last us several days and we also have excellent climbing equipment so we are very secure and plan to stay up here as long as possible.”
She added: “So far we have achieved our goal and none of the coal has been unloaded at the power plant.”
Exclusive video footage of 'hijacking'
She said that three Greenpeace activists had also jumped into the river in front of the ship while it was still moving to prevent it docking.
Miss Shoraka, 31, from Stamford Hill, said they were protesting against plans by E.ON to build a coal-fired power plant at Kingsnorth.
She said: “Scientists are telling us we can't beat climate change if we keep burning coal, and yet [Climate Minister] Ed Miliband's new policies would still allow E.ON to build the dirtiest new power station in Britain for 30 years.
“The experts say we have the technologies we need to slash emissions... it just needs the politicians to give them the green light.”
Assistant Chief Constable Gary Beautridge of Kent Police said: “We are dealing with a difficult and potentially dangerous situation. We are monitoring the protesters' actions from a safe distance in order to minimise the risk.”
The six arrested are being held over conspiring to commit criminal damage and having an unauthorised presence on a ship.
Reader views (15)
Will people stop comparing how many coal plants China and India have Per capita they are far less polluters then the UK - they can build 6 times what they are to get on par and I wish to stop this propaganda against them they would state they are and then not do it as a world saving gesture. Stop the use of coal in western countries that have polluted this world to date and now can not stand to see others doing well. Its a bit late now though those nations both India and China are UNSURMOUNTAZBLE I'd say listen to them and don't give them lectures. They have the ability to laugh very loudly! And they do -You notice them they are the ones with the happy vibrant bright faces
- Gonedoolali, LONDON UK, 03/07/2009 22:36
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I have a suggestion let's have Greenpeace and all these other organizations pay the bills for alternate energy. They seem to think that the public agrees with their policy. Maybe we do to a point but when it comes to money the public is not in the mood for energy bills going up. all they are doing is costing people loss of wages.
Another suggestion is that they want to change things then they should run for parliament and have a referendum on energy. I for one believe in alternate energy but I do not believe in a group that causes grief and money to the public. Let them pay the bill for all the time that is lost by the workers. A good example is keep then in jail till they pay the bill, then maybe next time they will get the idea.
- Ej Joseph, Long Island, USA, 23/06/2009 01:41
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Joss, SW2. I guess you posted that comment using one of those PCs powered by a wind-up handle and made from bamboo and palm leaves.
- Danny, NW5, 22/06/2009 17:09
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For your information George of London,Greenpeace would like governments and energy providers to invest in solar power,wind power and wave power so we could all use these completely sustainable and naturally abundant forms of energy,and more to the point so could our children and there children.now doesn't that make sense,and if we act sooner it might just help as regards climate change.
- Kev, London-UK, 22/06/2009 16:19
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This time around, Greenpeace seem to have lost their way and are in danger of becoming too idealistic. They don't want us to use fuel, gas, coal or nuclear energy. Do they expect us to return to the dark ages?
- George, London, UK, 22/06/2009 15:36
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Go Greenpeace! We all know by now that we have to stop pumping tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere, and start renewing our ecomony to make it sustainable - but too many people still want to stick their heads in the sand and carry on with "business as usual".
Well, that way leads to disaster - probably our children, but definitely their children, will bear the brunt of it. That's what makes me sick when people who haven't a clue about the science insist that they know better than the 90 % of climate scientists around the world who are telling us that we've got only a few short years to sort things out before we experience 2C warming and above - they don't care so long as they don't have to make any sacrices to their hugely wasteful lifestyles.
One way or another a huge shake up is coming over the next few decades - if we are wise we'll start preparing for it sooner rather than later.
- Joss, Sw2, London UK, 22/06/2009 15:11
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Well done to these brave guys,they are upholders of democratic principals,there right to exhibit civil disobedience is the corner stone of any democracy,democracy itself was fought for by those brave enough to use the weapon of descent and the many forms that takes.these guys are Lions considering the low levels the authorities will stoop to in a attempt to silence descent,the bully boy tactics now so common ie illegal tactics by the Police such as id number removal,false imprisonment,beatings etc.
- Kev, London-UK, 22/06/2009 15:04
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I live locally and went along to the climate summer camp last year and it was a real eye-opener. People mention China but the new Kingsnorth they want to build would give off more carbon dioxide than the whole of some other countries like Ghana. This is not small fry. It also won't do much for asthma levels among our kids local to the plant either. Jobs are hard to come by at the moment, but E.ON could build a gas station at Kingsnorth or employ people on more projects like the London array wind turbines. Half the Hoo peninsula could be underwater by the end of the century if we don't stop burning coal, so I think it's something we've really got to think about. These protestors are doing the only thing they can when the goverment isn't listening. Good on them.
- Jeremy Harper, Hoo St Werburgh, Kent, 22/06/2009 14:13
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These miserable misfits are adding to our electricity bills through the disruption they cause.
Why don't they demonstrate against stores that import goods from China or other countries with rapidly rising populations?
- Jools, London, 22/06/2009 14:12
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The coal mines closed because, as happens in a lot of industries of late, the workers priced themselves out of a job! It was much cheaper to import coal than to actually dig it out the ground in the UK. Stick these protesters in an Island with no mod cons including electricity, and see how they enjoy their eco friendly lifestyle!
- Sue, Orpington, Kent, 22/06/2009 12:57
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Civil disobedience is a wonderful thing and is the only thing that stands between us and a totalitarian state. If you think protest should be squashed, then I hope you will never be a victim of massive injustice, because if you are, then no one will listen to you, protest having been outlawed with your help.
- Neil, London, London UK, 22/06/2009 12:49
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Someone should tell these protesters that changes in climate have nothing to do with carbon dioxide, and that China opens one of these coal-fired power stations every four days, so why don't they go and protest in China?
- Kate, London, 22/06/2009 11:41
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These protesters are a joke. Preventing a few coal powered stations in the UK from operating will make no virtually no difference to the World’s CO2 output. China, alone, is operating thousands of them. If they really cared about the environment, they would be over there. However, that would risk their comfortable middle-class lifestyles. Student wasters who will be ferrying round little pixie in a Range Rover in 10yrs time.
- Danny, NW5, 22/06/2009 11:06
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Thatcher didn't "force us to stop mining coal", she just stopped forcing the generators to pay grossly inflated prices for domestic deep-mined coal.
How exactly are these stupid people preventing the unloading of the coal ? Why don't the workers just get on with the job and ignore the brain-washed clowns ?
And can we have a change in the law to make it clear that, if the clowns get hurt in circumstances like this, they cannot sue anybody for it. Let them take responsibility for their own actions for once.
- Freddy, London, 22/06/2009 09:40
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I wish the police were as fast in getting those Westminster Pirates; they have already plundered, raped, and pillaged the UK, and that was last year.
Then we had the Thatcher Government force us to stop mining coal; now we arrest people for trying to stop us using imported coal?
Over-night they can arrest green-peace activists; yet over months they can't even arrest bent politicians; something is very odd with our law enforcers?
I like the conspiracy charge though; it covers all the angles; they could use the same charge against the House of Commons MP’s etc.
But they won’t.
- Mickinlondon, london., 22/06/2009 08:42
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