Two injured at fracking protest
Police and demonstrators have called for calm in the wake of another day of anti-fracking protests which saw a police officer and security guard injured.
North Yorkshire Police confirmed yesterday that two men had been arrested after the protest at the proposed fracking site at Kirby Misperton.
POLICE AND demonstrators have both called for calm in the wake of another day of anti-fracking protests in North Yorkshire which saw a police officer and security guard injured.
North Yorkshire Police confirmed yesterday that two men had been arrested after protesters were lying in the road at the proposed fracking site at Kirby Misperton, near Malton, with their arms locked into a metal device.
The force said about 15 people in four vehicles went to the site at 4am and unloaded the metal device, which is believed to be a propane gas canister.
In a statement released yesterday, a police spokesman added: “A police officer, one of two officers at the scene at the time, was pushed to the ground by a group of people and suffered an ankle injury after the device was pushed onto his foot.
“A security guard, a man in his 40s, sustained a bite injury to his hand during the incident. Two men lay in the road and locked their arms into the device. They remain there at this time. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.”
A company, Third Energy, intends to start test work later this year on whether fracking will be commercially viable in the area. Protesters belonging to Kirby Misperton Protection Camp (KMPC) yesterday issued their own statement to the press, in which they claimed members of the group had been “manhandled” by police.
The KMPC said: “The group arrived around 4am with a lock-on device. While they were carrying it, two police officers physically intervened and began pushing the protectors.
“Security guards also came outside of Third Energy property, and their jurisdiction, and manhandled the protectors on the public highway.”
Both senior police officers and demonstrators called for calm as opposition to the controversial practice of fracking continued.
Superintendent Alisdair Dey, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “A police officer and a member of the public have been injured in this incident. This kind of behaviour is completely unacceptable, and will be investigated thoroughly and dealt with appropriately. Our officers are there to support and protect people engaged in peaceful protest, and the safety of everyone at the site remains our priority.”
A spokesperson for KMPC said: “Our actions are always peaceful; at no point do we wish to enter into any kind of confrontation with the police or security. We ask North Yorkshire Police and Next Level Security to please consider everybody’s safety to avoid the risk of serious injury. Our focus has always been to protect Ryedale’s land and communities from fracking. Long after Third Energy have gone, the police and the community will still be living together. Let’s not burn bridges.”
The latest arrests came after two men were released at about noon from the metal device they had locked themselves to. They were both checked by ambulance staff. One man, aged 23, was taken into custody and the other was taken to hospital for treatment for high blood pressure.
The latest protest follows action last week which, on Wednesday, resulted in four people being charged by police after lying in the road with their arms locked into metal tubing. Before yesterday’s operation, 26 people had been arrested in September.
Two have been released with no further action, two accepted cautions and the other 22 have been charged for offences including obstructing the highway, assaulting a police officer and resisting a police officer.
The safety of everyone at the site remains our priority. Superintendent Alisdair Dey, of North Yorkshire Police