In early hours of Wednesday morning, around 4:30am, the National Eviction Team (NET), arrived in full force to evict the camp at Euston square. Balaclavered bailiffs brutally dragged any protesters still on the ground off the small site. Blatant assaults and inappropriate use of force went completely unremarked upon by the police over seeing the scene. By the time the sun had risen, they had cleared the camp of any boots on the ground and quickly gridlocked the entire perimeter of the gardens.
The cops increased in volume and density surrounding the camp. Fencing was quickly assembled and the remaining activists were paddocked in for the long haul. Since, friends of the campaign have been circling the area, monitoring the actions of the police and security. Onlookers are repeatedly threatened by police to move on or slapped with covid fines. The effort of one comrade jumping upon the cherry picker arriving by lorry to the scene delayed the removal of people situated in the trees by several hours.
Numerous tree houses, a pallet tower structure and a network of tunnels remain the camp’s ultimate defence. The NET are employing disgusting strategies to grate down those remaining suspended in the trees and the tower. The removal of shelter, food and water along with terrible weather conditions have made the last few days a grinding test of strength. For those in the tunnels, relentless rain and increased movement on the ground from cherry pickers makes their situation even more precarious by putting pressure on the subterranean network. The NET are repeatedly breaching health and safely conduct by endangering the lives of those in the tunnels. Their dangerous actions have resulted in tunnel shafts being inundated with water and increasingly inadequate air supply due to collapses and blockages.
The camp, first established in August, is one of many along the planned route of a new High Speed Railway line from London to Birmingham. The eviction of the Euston camp, the first along this trail of destruction, is incredibly pivotal in the campaign against HS2. This valiant show defence of the camp is a war cry and a warning that this development must halt immediately.
Show your solidarity by going down to the site to observe, document and cry out your support. Keep updated with with hire out companies are being employed and hassle them by phone to stop their part in the eviction. Give court support to those arrested.
SOLIDARITY WITH THOSE REMAINING UP HIGH AND DOWN BELOW
(Photo credit: Rose Merry)
