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Friday 17 February 2017

Day 33 in the Cuadrilla House...


Day 33 in the Cuadrilla House… and the good people witnessed quite a lot more moments of tranquility than is usual. Little work was done and all senior staff seemed absent until later in the afternoon… important meetings about the state (shambles) of affairs. Fantastic PUP (Pop Up Protest) at AE Yates of Bolton from Bolton Against Fracking and Left Unity Bolton – massive thanks for this hugely effective act x Protectors were already slow-walking a truck just ahead of the work lane when we arrived, a large police presence accompanied them and it appeared as if they were joining in (now wouldn’t that be nice?). We completed three more slow walks inside the work lane and of course, the sweeper. That was it really for arrivals. Work on site consisted of dirt moving to make a mountain of brown that was feasted on by happy birds and the creation of the verge (where the old lay-by used to be). Done with lots of burning, hammering and digging about with sticks. We rose and fell in number with the tide of our availability and it was, if possible to be… a day that felt good. This good feeling may also have had a lot to do with the shaky, nervous, falling down share prices for AJ Lucas in Australia – key shareholder of Cuadrilla with tons invested since 2007 - no return on investment yet and loans due with interest to Chinese investor Kerogen. It’s the little things that make big things fall that make me smile :)

Protectors doing what they can for the cause x

So it was a day of reflection too for all of us who feel battered and bruised by this happening that goes on happening and there is healing that comes with this. The sun shone brilliantly, most faces wore smiles and the honks of support have never been so constant. There was a calm amidst the storm and we had time for planning. We plan on Tuesday to bring our small toys and dolls from the children of our community – sacrifices for the hedge and other things that will mean the absent little voices are part of our roar too.

Plans for the HUGE Don’t Frack Lancs - National Rally are coming together and volunteers for stewarding and catering coming forward. Friends of the Earth are doing a tremendous job pulling together the things we need in order to make this great and Frack Off (UK) are taking care of the mammoth task of sorting transport and subsidising it for visitors from across the entire country. Yesterday saw a call for support from Green Party of England and Wales‘s Caroline Lucas and today, from Producer of GASLAND Josh Fox – Standing Rock are sharing posts about our Rally as are Protectors in Australia, the Netherlands and Canada. The world watches the life of our roadside in Lancashire. Meanwhile, Cuadrilla twists and turns in antici……pation ;)

I come away today knowing we get to them… get under their skin and make them itch themselves raw as they try to get rid of us. We’re pulling their strings and pushing their buttons in ways they’ve not been pulled and pushed before and there’s more… much more to come. Their share prices slump, we know we made it so – their tempers flare in frustration at the lack of productivity, we know we caused it – they spend larger amounts to buy security – we know we made them pay. The certainty in these statements is borne of the fact that there is no-one else here but us… making a mighty unpredictable fuss in all sorts of unpredictable ways and places. And there’s always more to come because for us, this is not done till we stop them – there is no other exit point.

I watched a livestream from the site before I got there today and it was informed, engaging and told a moving story. The Protector who often films and comments through the dramatic events and is by nature of this, often in situations where conflict dictates the content of the images and words. This morning though he spoke calmly through his reasons for doing what he does and once he’d done so, in a deeply human and honest way – you got it. It made such sense and the urgency he felt and acted with, was clear… at that point, site staff pushed the fencing out to where he was and within the moment, it was back to the anger in voice and image… an anger that now though, seemed so much more justified. He raged at the fence because just beyond it – the absurdity of destruction by digger unfolds.

Our evolving unity within this movement of many parts, comes genuinely from the heart of each Protector. We may not see eye-to-eye but will always stand shoulder-to-shoulder against the known target that threatens us all equally. See you Monday? <3 span="">

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Happy to say the view from Miranda makes a come-back today - her perspective from the roadside follows:

[ Well it's now day 33....and it seems barely possible the spring air and bird song now accompany our roadside protest. I, like everyone I talk to, awake each day wondering if protectors are safe and wondering what force will be brought into the fray.

This was somewhat tempered today by the sound of raucous car horns, shouts of support ( of course the occasional abuse remains) and the sight of the mass of yellow ribbons tied into the hedge. On arrival, I could sense some tension between police, protectors and site staff ; not surprising given the events yesterday, but on the whole the mood was somewhat lighter.


What is happening in the fields opposite us is depressing. Every truck full of aggregate, every scoopful of earth lifted tears at us. We take any light moment with which we are presented...however absurd, because this whole situation is surreal.

Thanks to everyone who shows up for however long they can manage, thanks for all the support, thanks for food and other donations, thanks to those who choose direct action, thanks to those making calls, those live streaming, those reporting issues and those making posters..

Whatever anyone is doing is amazing. We are all of us contributing something positive....countering the negative inhuman events on the fracking site. There is much to come.... ]

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*Chuckle of the day: great music was playing and a Protector was swaying on the recently christened little traffic island – Paradise Island – at the centre of Paradise is the pole of the streetlight. She danced about it and a passer-by… leaned out of his car window and donated £20 lol! We trust this was actually for the on-going campaign – although… !

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