It appears that Greenpeace have again taken some "direct action" protests within the Designated Area, this time by dumping heaps of coal at the entrances to Downing Street, according to The Guardian report, to protest about global energy policies, greenhouse gas emmissions etc.
Greenpeace report of their protest:
"Greenpeace volunteers blockaded three entrances to Downing Street as Tony Blair rows back on his commitment to the Kyoto Protocol. In a series of statements in recent weeks the Prime Minister has cast doubt on his long-term support for the global agreement, while British emissions of carbon-dioxide have risen since he came to power.At 7.30am a truck emblazoned with the slogan 'Blair - Climate Failure' arrived at the Horse Guard's Road entrance to Mr Blair's residence. Greenpeace representatives informed police officers what they were about to do before the vehicle tipped several tonnes of coal in front of the gates. Simultaneously 50 Greenpeace volunteers emptied sacks of the polluting fuel across the King Charles Street entrance and the access point on Horse Guards parade. A tipper truck with 14 tonnes of coal, emblazoned with the slogan 'Things Can Only Get Wetter' which was destined for the Whitehall entrance was stopped by police"
No reports of any arrests under SOCPA.
Is the SOCPA law being applied more leniently towards Greenpeace protestors than to other demonstrators ?
It is inconceivable that if Greenpeace had applied for prior permission to do this, they would not have had conditions imposed on them which prevented this sort of "block the entance to a Government building" protest. This is their their second such protest within the Designated Area within a month, having previously blocked the entrance to DEFRA with illegally logged plywood.
How did a 14 tonne tipper truck blithely drive up to the gates of Downing Street, avoiding all the supposed anti-truck bomb measures ?
What date is it?