At 5.10am this morning, a climate activist at the protest outside the Vestas plant attempted to take a bag of food to the occupying workers by means of a rope which the workers had lowered from the balcony. The activist was grabbed by 5 police officers and arrested. On his release he obtained the police report of his arrest, which stated that the reason for his arrest was that, as his bringing food to the occupiers had the stated intention of prolonging the protest, it was facilitating a breach of the peace – clearly ludicrous as the police have themselves admitted that the protest is not breaching the peace.
At 1248, a large number of protestors walked through the line of police holding food in their hands which they threw up to the balcony. The police pushed some of the protestors and attempted to obstruct the line but did not offer substantial resistance. One protestor was harassed by a security guard, and asked a police officer, whose number was 24266, if he intended to do anything about it; the officer said he didn’t. Another protestor saw a police officer grabbing the arm of an activist as he attempted to throw food to the balcony – the activist told the police officer that this constituted harassment, the police officer took no notice.
A second climate activist was arrested and taken through the front doors of the factory. Later, a sergeant whose number was 3027 came out and said that no-one had been arrested for carrying food, but that one activist had been arrested for assault. Other protestors present have commented that as the activist in question, who has not given permission for his name to be released, is a christian pacifist, this seems unlikely.
Security have started putting up a fence around the site, with protestors outside attempting to get a second food-carrying walk-in past the police before its completion. There are currently around 50 protestors outside the factory, over 30 of them Vestas workers, and sources say they expect numbers to increase drastically around 6pm when the protest starts.
Save Vestas jobs! Save the planet! 
If you want to go to the Isle of Wight and join the campaign there:
National express coaches go London to Southampton every hour, with funfares from £5 booking online.
Megabus coaches go London to Southampton at 0839, 1039, 1239. 1439, 1600 and 2139, with prices from £6 (the 1600 ones tend to be the cheapest).
Both arrive at the National Express station on Harbour Parade in Southampton, about ten minutes walk from the Isle of Wight ferry terminal (the Red Funnel terminal). To get to the terminal:
1. Head south on Harbour Parade
Go through 1 roundabout
2. Turn left at A3057/W Quay Rd
Continue to follow A3057
Go through 1 roundabout
3. Turn right at Bugle St
Destination will be on the left
Red funnel ferries cost £7 at the desk, and from £4 booking in advance online. When you arrive on the Island, take the chain ferry from East Cowes to Cowes, then the No. 1 bus to Newport from the stop on Newport Rd. To join up with one of the existing support networks on the island contact Ed Maltby on 07775 763 750.
For more information about the campaign on the Island and what you can do, email edward.maltby@googlemail.com or pat.rolfe64@googlemail.com
NOTE: It would be helpful if other networks on the island could comment on here giving contact details – it’s easier for people to get involved with an existing effort than just to go over by themselves not knowing what they can offer.
By: Anyetka on 22 July 2009
at 3:34 pm
[…] its employees that they have occupied the factory. Claims have been made that the Police tried to stop food supplies entering the plant and mixed messages are coming from both Vestas and the UK government on […]
By: Danes provoke siege on Isle of Wight on 23 July 2009
at 7:24 am