EDF's legal threat could threaten us all

Neil Kingsnorth

25 February 2013

Like so many others last October, I was incredibly impressed by the campaigners from No Dash for Gas who spent a week occupying EDF's new West Burton gas-fired power station in Nottinghamshire. 

They did it to protest against the "relentless pursuit of gas by politicians and CEOs as a way of dealing with the energy crisis despite the very real and increasingly severe threats of climate change and widespread fuel poverty" (their words).

Last week we all learned that the giant energy company EDF has launched a civil action against them for that protest. They plan to sue for what could be up to or beyond an eye-watering £5 million. If successful, the campaigners could face bankruptcy, loss of homes, life-long debts.

It's enough to put you off doing something like that.  And that's why I think we should all be very concerned.

It's when the sum of all the actions on campaigns and by organisations add up to a powerful movement that we start to see the big changes we want to see. And I think we need these powerful movements to sustain the pressure, build the debate and power the victories. 

Movements are full of variety, colour and energy. The tactics and approaches differ between groups - from protests and petitions to public meetings, letter-writing and legal challenges and much, much more. But we share the same goals. 

Not everyone agrees with each others' approaches, but that debate itself matters as part of a healthy movement.

And so I think it matters enormously that we all protect our shared right to protest.  It matters that what we might see as attempts to stifle democratic protest are challenged. It matters that anyone that shares the goals of a movement stands with those that face such threats.

Last week Friends of the Earth supported Dash for Gas activists with a joint letter opposing EDF's claim. No Dash for Gas have since set up a petition against the threat.

Those campaigners that face these legal threats from EDF are not just a small collection of individuals standing alone against a giant corporation and its lawyers. They stand within a powerful, colourful, vibrant movement.  

They matter enormously.  As part of that movement, I think we should all stand with them.   

Neil, Head of Activism 

You can take action yourself right now for a cleaner energy future right here.  (No ropes needed)