For the fifth day of the week of action for May Day, South West Against Nuclear (SWAN), Bristol Stop Hinkley C along with members of the Bristol First of May Group, held a noise demo against Hydrock due to their involvement with Hinkley Point, Somerset’s nuclear power station.
From 12:30pm, once everyone had been shuttled from the nearby bus stop in Almondsbury, 8 miles from Bristol, to Over Court Barns, Over Lane, people began protesting with megaphones, pans, instruments, cymbols and other objects to make noise with. Within a few minutes a police van pulled up as workers nervously peeked through blinds while neighbours said they supported the disruption due to Hydrock’s land destruction in the local area. No doubt to the disappointment of Hydrcok and the cops!
While using the sirens to good use along with a generally loud atmosphere, police with cameras attempted to takes photo’s, but continually failed as our banner was routinely used to block their vision. This resulted in them using Hydrock’s car park to take pictures from, but still to no avail due to some quick blocking.
After 2 hours, with delivery vehicles being turned away, reception finally disconnecting their intercom and their signs written on (naughty!) we called it a day, making sure to remind them of the consequences of dealing with a new nuclear industry and why we’d be back.
Bristol First of May Group 