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| -Signs, Portents, and the Weather- | |||||
| Anti-fracking protesters glue themselves to pumps at wrong petrol station | |||||
| 2014-01-23 | |||||
Four people were arrested on Saturday after anti-fracking protesters used glue and bike locks to attach themselves to fuel pumps at the petrol station in Rishton Lane. The group had chosen to base the protest next to a Total petrol station after the French firm announced it would be investing more than £12 million in the UK's shale gas industry. However, it emerged later that the petrol station was no longer owned by Total - but the new owners had not got around to taking the signs down yet. Petrol station manager Reezwan Patel said: "We had to close for six hours, so with the loss of custom and the damage to the pumps, it could be a couple of thousand pounds we have lost. "The thing is, Total don't own the station any more. It is owned by Certas Energy, but the signs haven't changed yet. "The peaceful protesters were very polite and actually apologised for what happened, but the others were very stupid and have cost us a lot of money."
Those arrested were from a campaign group which has been protesting against test drilling at Barton Moss, in Salford. A peaceful protest, organised by the newly-formed Bolton Against Fracking group, and attended by members of the Bolton Green Party, was already taking place at the petrol station, and was not linked to the campaigners who attached themselves to the pumps. The rally was organised to protest about the potential use of hydraulic fracturing or "fracking" in the UK, a controversial method
The unknown activists were criticised by Bolton Green Party chairman Alan Johnson. He said: "I was very annoyed, and I have to stress that these people have nothing to do with our protest. We were there to protest peacefully, and warn people about the dangers of fracking, and these people have put themselves, and others, in danger with what they did. "We want to warn people that fracking could lead to a poisoned water supply and contaminated soil.
Campaign group Frack Free Greater Manchester had called for people to protest outside Total petrol stations across the country. Group member Sophie Baxter said: "Every company that is going to invest in fracking needs to expect these kind of actions. We were very proud of the guys who locked themselves to the pumps"
"Two men have been arrested for criminal damage, and a man and a woman have been arrested for criminal damage and criminal trespass." | |||||
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #8 I recommend a good strong HCL solution for removing the super glue....12 molar ought to do it. I promise that glue will come RIGHT off. That burning sensation tells you it's working! |
| Posted by: Silentbrick 2014-01-23 23:00 |
| #7 No, you don't light it. Hipsters love irony. Dial his cell phone. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2014-01-23 18:28 |
| #6 I am not saying to light the fuel spill, just let them smell it and piss themselves a bit. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2014-01-23 15:14 |
| #5 Shame if a small petrol spill surrounded them while at the pumps. Let them feel the danger of their protest instead of this nerf nonsense where they have no real inconvenience adn position themselves as heroes afterwards. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2014-01-23 15:14 |
| #4 They also used the wrong glue. I recommended 'crazy glue' on clean bare skin, but do they listen? Noooo (You try to help...) |
| Posted by: ed in texas 2014-01-23 07:33 |
| #3 |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2014-01-23 04:08 |
| #2 It's these guys who truly deserve the Idiot of the Day + Darwin Award contender. |
| Posted by: Mikey Hunt 2014-01-23 01:43 |
| #1 They need Chicago's weather. -6F in my burb tonight and -12F tomorrow ( -21C, -24.4C) Nobody will willing glue themselves anywhere outside at that temperature. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2014-01-23 00:13 |