Forty local residents slowly rode bicycles along the no stopping section of Fairbairns Road this morning in an attempt to slow access to AGL’s fracking site. The bus containing workers took a different route to avoid this protest on wheels.
Halliburton frackers arrived via a side entrance to avoid additional protectors, including 92 year old WW2 veteran Bill Ryan, manning the main gate of the AGL mining site at Gloucester.
People at the vigil site at the main gate on Fairbairns Road had what is becoming the ‘usual’ breakfast with the police as nine uniformed staff, a detective and a plain clothed police photographer kept a close watch on those who would stop mining in the area.
Councillor Aled Hoggett from the Gloucester Shire has spent every morning since the recent conflict with mine gate security guards, meditating on the verge across from the gate in the hope that a peaceful response to action will prevail at the site.
This morning councillor Hoggett said at the gate he had decided to quit the state government sponsored Gloucester Dialogue Committee because ‘AGL’s lack of consultation means that in spite of an overbearing PR effort by AGL aimed at our small community, it’s no closer to obtaining a social licence than it was 12 months ago’.
‘I was also extremely disturbed by video footage of physical aggression by AGL security people against longstanding and valued members of the Gloucester community.
‘I cannot in all conscience associate with a company that employs people willing to use such tactics.’
The protectors will again be at the gate tomorrow morning at dawn.
We need more councillors like Hoggett.
“The Redcoats are coming, the Redcoats are coming!”
Stay the course Gloucestor folks. Your peaceful and meditative actions are part of the groundswell of evolving human consciousness to restore a clean and healthy environment, dispel ignorance, show respect, re-educate corporate thinking, and create empowered, harmonious communities. We are with you!
Two gates to cover; two roads to ride down – looks like more bodies are needed