Sorry I was late...

It’s been a heck of a year…

Well for a season of goodwill and all that... it worked out fairly challenging for so many I know. Sickness and injury, the need for more protection camps in a hurry and in freezing conditions, tempers pressed and friendships frayed. For me, I had a hint of the illness my poor sister had and that was enough to floor me for a bit and I think, after the court case etc. it was almost to be expected that my body would put the brakes on and hold me still and quiet as long as it could. For those not yet recovered, I wish you healing as we approach what I think is the pivotal year for the stand to keep the UK frack free.

More than anything, the one key resource we should all ensure is in plentiful supply... is our solidarity with each other. Nothing matters more.

Thanks to the friendship and love in our movement... my personal worst bit passed with a beautiful outcome at court and although I needed to physically recover, I certainly got mentally carried through without too much stress; the pressure was eased along with the burden, by the broad shoulders and warm smiles of those around me - in life and online.

‘Thanks’ will never be enough to reflect my deep gratitude to our movement. It is the love and true nature of people that sustains me in all this.

In the beginning though it was anger that powered me into activism. My faith in a lot of things, most things – had been shot to pieces when I first started to really look beyond my life and into the effect of life on others.  I stood up, too angered, too disenchanted, too incredibly pissed off to take it as a member of some unheard bloody audience any longer…  I had no idea what to do or how to do it but staying in place and in acceptance wasn’t an option any longer.

At first it was isolating amidst family, work colleagues and friends… conversation had less joviality when it comprised of questions to which answer were impossible to fathom. Just getting on with life would have been easier …but there comes a point where the realisation of suffering both current and impending, is too much to ignore any more and to act is the only option.

I said when I walked through the door marked ‘activism’ that I realised two things:
1- I had been in the wrong room all my life
2- There were a lot more doors now

What led me here was an accumulation of realisations I think, over time and I feel I got here late when I see others who have strived to alert us to issues for many more years. Ignorance is no excuse we’re often told but I disagree… when our ignorance is as a result of being fed lies and having reality kept out of sight and when everything from our education to our media …  allows myths to masquerade as true… and even ‘freedom of information’ comes with redactions; it’s a wonder we all found our way here at all.

There is a word sometimes used ‘sheeple’  –  it is supposed to indicate people who just go along with things… but it’s wrong. Those not yet here are the lied to, the misled, the hoodwinked, the distracted, the exhausted enough trying to fathom what seems like reality, without looking for a new one to worry about… just us, before we realised there were concerns that could not be ignored and obligations and responsibilities beyond ourselves and our immediate surroundings.

 The awareness of suffering and the awareness that it has a cause and we can have impact, is both horrid and empowering. My faith in beautiful possibility is reliably renewed when I see who I walk beside in activism – so many amazing, intriguing people that I could not have encountered on any other path. So I am grateful for the painful realisations that eventually got me here:

When the media kept insisting the ever-more-obvious lie of WMDs in Iraq and despite millions and millions standing up and saying to government ‘Don’t do this’…watched as families were blown to pieces on primetime television; live images of death from Bagdad.

When the banks got a bail out from our taxes but disabled people had their incomes and consequently for many, their lifespans cut.  Essential services too were told to economise, tighten belts and trim health, education and care services… so those bankers could breathe easy with relief.

When an industry so dirty, so ugly and so toxic, hired the most expensive spin-masters to weave a fictional tale of nature and sustainability and wealth and goodness – then tried to flog this to real people, in real communities, raising real families, sensing real risks – reality though, was never part of the story of fracking.

When industry showed its true power in the House of Commons as I watched the *infrastructure bill glide smoothly through to become laid down in law… a law that served to facilitate ‘progress’ by permitting deep down drilling under family homes, without the bother of telling the families. A law that made it ok to ‘store & leave’ ANYTHING in those deep down holes under family homes.

When as a result of the infrastructure bill that became law, my acceptance of the statement ‘the Rule of Law’ was shown to be a mockery, made me feel an idiot, made me wonder how this had come to be… that our imagined sanctity of the legal system, could have law books filling with items not remotely about what is fair and just, simply to help a shareholder make greater profit, without the sound of us imagining we have a say.

There is more now that I realise – but I see these things as symptoms of a disease at the heart of our systems of government (all over the world) that appear to have been hijacked for purpose of power and profit - no longer to serve the people - intervention is needed. Although with fracking we are fighting a symptom rather than the disease… it serves to show the disease I think and is a way for those not yet here, to find their way.

If there was a job description for ‘activist’ it should include:

“You can’t resign, can’t take retirement”

… because once you know truths, you can’t unknow them, in fact far worse… once you begin to know what you didn’t know… you start wondering what else you don’t know! You don’t want to of course, no-one really wants to keep seeing bad things but once you see one, the others become more clear and you KNOW, that if they can *change laws without due regard to the health of our children for goodness sakes… then all sorts of ghastliness is possible.

Every step in the direction of what is true and fair …is the better way. To me it makes sense and feels like ‘the plan’ when we walk in-step with each other, growing the weight of our direction and being the change we wish to see.

I wish to see… the true core of each person - the bit that is acting for the good of our young and on this path, that happens every day.

All my love to all our lot. 2017 is going to be a bumpy ride but I think we succeed xxx

Reality & But Ifs...

RESULT of today's court case against me - for clarity in face of Cuadrilla (Claimant) manipulation:

I am not allowed to talk publicly about the locked court part in detail - the judge was not robed and therefore the conversation in court was free to discuss aspects he wouldn't have said in open court... can't say what except that the judge very clearly understood the way and why of Cuadrilla's relentless pursuit of me. The conclusion after some considerable negotiation and calls between Cuadrilla solicitors was reached when Cuadrilla agreed to NOT pursue me for charges unless as the judge said - I come into a 'lottery win' and that even then - they would have to come again to court in which case I could again contest... the judge then asked me to swear that all I had said was true including that I had no finances... I did and he said "Charges dropped". No financial forms, no call for bankrupting me and nothing to be in contempt about :)

So... in a nutshell the best outcome as I'm NOT in prison, NOT being pursued for costs and charges were dropped

Today has resulted in a feeling of bliss - humanity never looked, read or felt this lovely and thanks cannot possibly hope to cover all the ways people made today magnificent both online and in-hugs. I am overjoyed but as there may have been a glass or two of wine consumed... I think it best I hold back from rambling on, I'd only be doing that slightly tipsy slurring "I really love you I do..." stuff lol!

Because I am elated but exhausted, rather than post new words I am going to post what I had written - with difficulty - for Cheryl to read out IF things had ended badly and I was going to prison... of course we know that our story, has happier endings :)

.......................................................................

Hey amazing people... If Nana Cheryl is reading this then that means I am unable to because the legal system has not found justice but has instead been used in a feeble effort to stop you and me from doing what is right, necessary and essential. This WILL NOT make a difference to anything except Cuadrilla's already in-the-gutter reputation... removing me from my role as protector of my young - is like taking a grain of sand from the beach - NO CHANGE.

We are a MOVEMENT - not just one short grandma.

Now this is the important bit...

Because all they succeeded in doing was to take that one grain of sand... it is vital that we really do carry on exactly as we do. That we have our public meetings, lobby our MPs, inform our Councillors, build our camps, have our creative actions and stop this industry from ever getting started in our country.

In Standing Rock - the beauty of the peaceful and honourable Protectors shone like a beacon against the dark backdrop of violence against them by security and police - to be dragged into a sense of retaliation or angry response - would be to change who we are - and then we lose.

What we have grown to become over the past 5 years of this movement coming together - is a thing that never ceases to delight me. Such beautiful humanity coming out of our comfort zones, away from our family routines and plunged into necessary service for our communities... OUR WAYS are the right ways and we need too......... to be the beacons in this.

Let's also give thanks now to what Cuadrilla has achieved...

THANK YOU Cuadrilla for the opportunity to show what you're really all about - not sponsoring kids rugby teams but silencing and punishing opposition

THANK YOU Cuadrilla for the opportunity for strong, INDEPENDENT media to come into its own with this case - to show what genuinely honest journalism looks like - thinking very much of Claire Stevo Ruth Hayhurstand John Hobson

THANK YOU Cuadrilla for the opportunity to show that unions, celebrities, protectors, NGOs, campaign groups and all manner of diverse things can come together and get consensus - we have in this case created new networks and this will enhance our work

THANK YOU Cuadrilla for the opportunity to show we cannot be beaten by you... we will continue to prove this.

My final words before you have others speak and head to the pub to please be lovely to each other and understand that this is ok.... it could be worse and I will be ok because I have you all for company every step of the way...

To those who have had their lives turned upside down these past weeks... close friends, fellow Protectors my deeply impacted sister Julie and all my beautiful Nanas... the stress in lives and faces has been clear... ill health too and I can't bear to know this is causing such upset - please let this wash over you and please don't let it cause any more harm... it's what Cuadrilla wanted - they foolishly think we are stoppable.

That you all came and that so much was done online is testament to the strength... unity and love between us. We are ONE.

All my love and solidarity, Tina xxx

...................................................................

ps...
And now to rest and immerse in family for the holiday season. Two memes that are ust going out - one calling a pause to another action and one with an invitation, say it all:

Submitting to court...

In the interest of transparency and awareness that it's the things we don't know or understand that scare us most... I am keeping as much of this situation with the court case, as public as possible. This is what I sent to the judge for him to read in advance of tomorrow's appearance in court. The court confirmed that as received before 10am on the day before the case, it will be put in front of the judge for consideration before the proceedings.

Throughout the battle to stay frack-free we have been kept from the true target (corporates and government) by what seem like 'buffers' put between us and them. Buffers like police and law courts that slow us, tie up our time, cost us and hold us back from what needs to be addressed - turning the press too to focus on the behaviour of activists rather than the behaviour of corporates and government facilitation of them.

My anger is not with the buffers - but with the system that puts them in place. WE are peaceful, concerned people dealing with very real problems to do with the health and well being of our children, our communities and the resources all life depends on to survive - air, water, food growing etc. 

The time, attention, worry and cost associated with fighting this case is wasteful and cruel and entirely unjust - whatever the clever words of Cuadrilla lawyers try to frame it as. I would not be in court if companies like Cuadrilla did not threaten the future.

--------------------------------------------------------

CLAIM NUMBER: A00BC373
From: Tina Rothery

My apologies if there is a specific way to present information for you but I hope this summary of reasons/evidence I will give tomorrow in court will help to know in advance. I realise on the day I may be a bit concerned and this may mean I am less clear. What follows is a few points that I believe support my stand in this case as well as statements made by a lawyer who although I cannot afford to engage him, has written in order to try to avoid us going further down this very worrying path to possible imprisonment and continued court cases.

Thank you so much for finding the time to read this and I’ll see you tomorrow. Please also note that I realise how worrying it might be for court staff as well as other court users that quite a few people will be coming to show support and friendship… I assure you that all are well-aware of how much peaceful behaviour and respect for others means to me and I am confident there will be no issues.

…………………………………………………………………………………..

My contempt is not for the courts or law but for the way I see Cuadrilla misusing our legal system; this case is clearly about punishment and making an example in order to deter opposition. Cuadrilla’s use of huge financial advantage and expertise is what has lead to my being in court and I have neither the money nor the knowledge to know how to fight this situation.

I have acted solely with the motive of protecting my young and alerting my community to the dangers I know fracking will bring. I caused no harm or damage at any time and there actually was no physical eviction as we had already left the field on the date we had clearly stated we would. The costs this case is about are purely legal fees alone as the field was fingertip searched (we filmed this) as we left.

The original court case was within days of us leaving the field and even with an adjournment and some legal help, I was out of my depth in this arena and remain confused about the outcomes.

I hope you will please consider the following points in my case:

I tried to co-operate:
During the court case, I did make an offer to pay what I felt I could afford which was £500 but this was rejected by Cuadrilla’s lawyers. I was only earning £130 per week as a waitress.

Why I am not co-operating with the demand for money now:
Because I believe that this is unfair and unjust. I also think that it is important that our legal system is not used inappropriately. Even though the previous judge advised that these costs not go against me as the single named defendant, this case is still being pursued with what feels like vindictiveness and intimidation; even though the Claimants clearly realise I will not be paying this, What were they seeking to achieve when they rejected my offer of £500? They had the injunction and the land possession so what could they possibly gain by pursuing me for payment? And I was pursued; papers were served on three occasions at public events, in different counties and on one occasion, by a man in a clearly visible stab vest. I would love to know who instructed that this happen this way and with what reasoning.

The Claimants (all backed by Cuadrilla)  are able to use financial advantage to access our legal system and misuse it as a tool to silence opposition to an industry that a community is trying to halt due to serious, founded concerns for our health and wellbeing.. To agree to engage with the demand for payment or to be bankrupted in order to avoid it, would be to acknowledge that there is justice in this process and I don’t see this as the case.

Why did I put my name forward?
Cuadrilla’s lawyers, representing them and the landowner attended the court case armed with documents with allegations about the death of a cow amongst other inaccuracies about criminal behaviour as well as a lot of images of people from our community who visited the field; My deep concern that led me to putting my name forward was based on being told that if the case went ahead without a named defendant  - it would be uncontested. I feared that lies would be told and the truth could not be defended and this could lead to further implications in the future for those people in the images that were presented to court.

This is about Contempt of Court, not the activism…
At the start of the original court case, it was the Landowner who took the primary role although he didn’t speak; Cuadrilla did not admit till later that they were behind the proceedings and it was not the Landowner who bore the costs at all. For the case before you, Cuadrilla were contacted by media and again are trying to take a back seat. They say this Contempt of Court part is nothing to do with them but clearly, I would not be in this position if it weren’t for the danger their industry poses. I did not choose to be an activist, I am fulfilling an obligation as a parent and grandparent to safeguard the future for those I’m responsible for and alerting others to the risks. IF Cuadrilla agreed not to press for these costs, I would not need to be seen as being in Contempt of Court.

I am a law-abiding person who until 2011 had not even heard of this industry and would never have imagined I would have to do the things I’ve done. I tried ALL lawful means available to oppose this industry; from signing petitions, to writing to the Queen and everything in-between. I don’t know how to do this but I do know that I cannot sit back and let this industry come into our lives and cause harm.

Having watched the behaviour of Cuadrilla over a long period now (over five years), I have found them to be untrustworthy and therefore dangerous. Their promises of exemplary processes and their claims of eagerness to act within regulations and be a good neighbour to communities, flies in the face of planning breaches, withheld information (earthquake responsibility not alerted till 6 months after) and their treatment of opposition.

The following is what was written by a lawyer on my behalf to Cuadrilla’s lawyers this week, in order to try to stop this case from escalating further and scaring others like me, who are simply trying to prevent harm:
…

Dear Ms Dilcock,

As you know and has already explained Ms Rothery has no means of paying the legal fees your client seeks. She is utterly unable to do so and has always been unable to do so.  The steps now being taken to seek payment have been started by your client and it would be possible for them to stop the action by confirming that they no longer seek costs from Ms Rothery and regard this matter as at an end.

Plainly the court will not want to engage in pointless further examination of matters if the claimant is no longer seeking ancient legal costs and views the matter as concluded.

Given that the purpose behind Cuadrilla’s application was to obtain an injunction against a large number of people (it was a persons unknown injunction against potentially hundreds of thousands of people) it appears oppressive to continue to pursue Ms Rothery (and Ms Rothery only) not least when it has already been confirmed to you that she has no funds and nothing whatsoever can be gained by your client. It is hard to see why this enforcement action was started by Cuadrilla (at some expense) and is continuing. In my experience this is out of line with other companies that seek injunctions against protestors. I have never seen a company behave as aggressively and for such a sustained period towards a single protestor on the matter of costs as in this case by Cuadrilla. It is made all the more oppressive when they know that there is nothing to be gained.

It is not correct to suggest that this is simply a matter for the court. I have no doubt that the court would not continue to seek information if your client confirmed that they regarded the matter as closed and the debt was no longer being sought from Ms Rothery. 

I invite your client to confirm this in order to draw this matter to a conclusion.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely 

Paul Ridge

…

Julie Dilcock for Cuadrilla argued:

Ms Rothery was ordered to attend Court to complete a questionnaire about her financial means pursuant to CPR 71.  Ms Rothery attended Court, but refused to comply with the Court’s order to provide information.  That refusal was contempt of Court and the process by which the Court deals with such contempt is set down by CPR 71.  You will note that pursuant to CPR 71, once a debtor has failed to comply with the Court’s order the matter is in the hands of the Court.

…

BUT… there would be nothing to cause me to be in contempt of court if not for Cuadrilla’s impossible financial demand and the implications it has for the right to protest.

As the lawyer on my behalf replied:

I am afraid it is not quite correct to say “Ms Rothery was ordered to attend Court to complete a questionnaire about her financial means pursuant to CPR 71”. This makes it sound like the court suddenly did this and it has nothing to do with your client.

The fact is that your client triggered that process. No doubt they issued the application. Presumably they also paid a fee and may even have instructed your firm to trigger and deal with that process. It did not simply happen.

Are you able to confirm that your client did decide to instigate this process?

…

Cuadrilla’s lawyers continue to say this part of the process ie: my ‘contempt of court’ is nothing to do with them but that is blatantly untrue as it is ONLY because of them that I find myself here. As the conclusion to the correspondence between the lawyers makes clear:

Ms Rothery has asked me to contact you in relation to this issue. She has instructed me to clarify the basis on which this action is being taken against her.

I find your response somewhat evasive as there are only two options. First would be that the court has made a mistake and triggered this action.

Alternatively you or your client has paid a court fee and has initiated this action.

If you are unable to confirm that you or your client had anything to do with this matter I presume my client is left to inform the court that in fact this was an error and no action was every intended. If that is not the position then please confirm.

Yours sincerely

Paul Ridge

That’s everything, a bit long but I hope it helps and ensures you and I are at least in understanding at the start – regardless of how the intense pressure and worry of the day impacts my ability to communicate all this when I’m before you.

Warm regards,

Tina Rothery

8^th December 2016

Supported & Sustained...

Such brilliant work by a myriad of groups and individuals who have been working so hard for ages on pulling together a support letter that could be supported by various individuals, Unions, campaign groups and non-profits... watching it evolve through edits to reach consensus was both an education as well as a brilliant network-building exercise and I can't thank enough, those who did this. Ruth Hayhurst at Drill Or Drop? has just written a clear piece tying in the signed support letter to Francis Egan as well as background on my case and details for Friday <3 span="">

This is clipped from the article - the full piece is HERE

T

This is a clip from the story that can be read in full HERE

[Ms Rothery continued to refuse to pay and in June 2016 the total had risen, with interest at 8%, to £55,342.37.

Case “has nothing to do with justice”

At a hearing at Blackpool Law Courts, she refused to give information under oath about her finances. She told a court official:

“I have huge admiration for a system of justice that is fair but I feel in this case that our law courts are not being used to seek justice but instead being applied like a weapon and a threat against peaceful protest.

“The fact that Cuadrilla has the finances, power and vindictiveness to pursue this through our courts is an abuse of one of the most valued aspects of our democracy.

“So please accept my apologies if this seems rude but as this case has nothing to do whatsoever with justice, I will not be complying with any requests for information or payment.”

She was judged to be in contempt of court and now has one more opportunity to give the court the information it asked for.

Supporters are expected to gather outside the court in Preston on Friday when the case is heard.

Full list of signatories to the open letter

Emma Thompson
Vivienne Westwood
Josh Fox, Filmmaker
Raoul Martinez, Artist, writer, filmmaker
Francesca Martinez, Comedian
Anthony Tombling, Filmmaker
Suzanne Jeffery, Campaign against Climate Change
Donna Hume, Friends of the Earth
John Sauven, Greenpeace
Ellie Groves, Reclaim the Power
Danielle Paffard, 350.org
Nick Dearden, Global Justice Now
Caroline Lucas, Green Party
Jonathan Bartley, Green Party
Natalie Bennett, Green Party
Manuel Cortes, TSSA union
Chris Baugh, PCS Union
Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union
Tony Kearns, Communication Workers Union
Ian Hodson, Bakers, Food & Allied Workers union
Graham Petersen, Greener Jobs Alliance]

Houses of Correction... what gets corrected?

Yesterday was a fantastic day spent in Lancaster with Nanas at LUSH, raising awareness and getting an amazing response from people; so different than just a few years ago when hardly anyone had heard of fracking, today the support was easy and instant. A good day too to have been away from more personal concerns.

Today... a head full of confusion, words in transcripts that don’t match up with what me and others thought we understood in court, hindsight offering a million questions about what I could/should have perhaps done, wonderings about decisions taken and what caused me to make them, long phone calls and emails trying to track all that happened, concerns for the wellbeing of dear friends and family who are feeling the pressure for me and thankfully, a whole lot of wonderful warmth and support from our movement to get me through... is how things are going as the next appearance in court is this coming Friday for the case concerning a 3-week occupation of a proposed fracking field in 2014.

I would normally be putting dates for the nativity plays of all the little ones in my calendar at this family-busy time of year… but instead there’s a big line through 14 days of December (9^th to 23rd) that is reserved with the word “incarceration?” Everyone in this campaign knows all too well,  how much it steals from us – not just the precious time but more importantly the theft of happy head-space, frivolity and lighter moods. BUT… in light of what many have gone through at the camps here, the scenes at Standing Rock in Dakota and the lengthy imprisonments, penalties and deaths of activists in Latin America and elsewhere… I know it could be far worse.

Of course I just wish this court case wasn't happening. I expect there were a multitude of other ways to have handled it and maybe ended up with other outcomes...  I've received messages and questions like: should I have let my name go forward, could there have been an appeal, did I know what I was doing… as the answer to the last question is no, not fully, the others can't really be answered by a simple yes or no. Acting in defence and opposition to the drilling company Cuadrilla has been a genuinely unique experience full of ups and downs, packed with unknowns, mostly done on gut feeling and opportunity seizing - everything that happens in this campaign is a new and unknown experience, nothing prepares you for it and yes… I know I don’t always get it right.

I put my name forward only because I believed there was danger if I didn’t. I was told that the case would progress without input from those who took the action if no-one stepped up and the fear if this happened – was we could not know who might be implicated (the documents contained clear images of many at the camp) or if the truth would be told. At the time they were trying to claim a cow had died, there were camps in a field we’d never visited and that a milk yield had been impacted – all of this was provably untrue …if contested.

Right now this case for me is about the immorality and misuse of the legal system by those with power and money. To run up legal bills in excess of £55,000 for the 'eviction' of an empty field is clearly motivated by something other than 'justice'. To apply these costs against a person who is acting out of obligation to protect their young, is callous, bullying and I believe done in order to deter other residents from opposing this government-backed industry. I have spent five years researching the processes and impacts of the unconventional energy business and am certain that it is seriously damaging to the health, well-being and future of our children; to tell me to stand back and let this happen, is to tell me to be negligent of my responsibilities.

Since getting involved in this campaign, I have spoken with countless residents in communities where the damage from fracking is already happening in America, Australia and Canada - scoured as much as I can of the more than 900+ peer-reviewed studies, lobbied MPs. informed Councillors, attended hundreds of meetings including those put on by the industry itself and worked within my community and throughout the country and conclude that our government is either incompetent or criminal... and yet it is activists/campaigners who end up in court. 

The action of camping for 3-weeks in a field (that was not in use for farming but had been leased to Cuadrilla in readiness/expectation of winning planning for a drill site) was taken when we became aware that many of the local residents, particularly the elderly had no idea just how close the site was to their homes. Our action raised awareness, provided a place to come and discuss concerns, encouraged an incredible community to pull together and all in all, achieved everything we set out to do. When we left (on the date we had publicly said we would), we finger-tip searched the field and informed the landowner, police, drilling company and media... the 'eviction' the following day ran up extortionate legal bills that would inevitably (deliberately?) cause residents to be afraid of objecting.

There is NO option other than to see this through – money could possibly be found but I reject that as an option as it would mean next time and next time and next time for each of us and we will never be able to raise funds enough for all (especially those with smaller networks) and it would be to accept that this misuse of our legal system is in any way fit to be called 'justice'. It’s an ugly situation to be in but does shine a light on this aspect that must have plagued activists forever.

There is also the matter of how distant I feel from these processes - how removed from insider knowledge - the lack of higher education and legal training puts people at a huge disadvantage when dealing with a legal case. At times when I did briefly have a lawyer, they worked hard to reduce the impact on me as that is their role but I felt like a product not a participant... just flowing along a well-worn conveyor belt. I was reminded that this is the law and this is the case and this is how it works.

I know that saying no to paying can get me up to 2 weeks in prison for 'contempt of court' and after that... I'm told they could keep running this process, incurring higher costs and greater sentences. Where is 'justice' in this story? How will any of this 'correct' my behaviour? What in the end is achieved? It's only the exercise of power that makes people realise how little they have - and how desperately we need each other, in order to have a chance.

Naturally I have fears over what's to come but as I’m acting out of my deepest obligation (to protect the young), there truly is nothing that can be done to make me step off this path and let this dangerous industry pass. Nor am I willing to concede that this industry can use its power and wealth to wield our justice system like a weapon against opposition and to allow harm to come to the children of my community...  I sense I am between a rock and a hard place and there is no way out until the government sees sense or genuine justice prevails. May be a bit of a *wait xxx

*about the wait:
Since the start, innumerable, incredible people have worked on my behalf – with and without my awareness of it. Support in comments, messages, hugs and words of understanding as well as memes, posts, event creation, letters to press , industry and government, replies on press articles, press releases, offers of help and advice, sofas to sleep on, kind financial help, co-ordination of group-wide responses and so much more – has nourished and sustained me through this and sincerely, almost made it all worth it. 

What adversity does to good people witnessing it, is to draw out the very best that they are and being amongst them – the best unknown in this whole thing. Thank you.

Video from last court appearance... hashtags this time: #IAmTinaToo #BankruptCuadrilla