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Lady Barber lashes police behaviour at Newbury
29 February 1996
Lady Jeanine Barber, herself the subject of police manhandling this morning, lashed out at the brutal tactics being employed by the police at the eviction of Newbury protesters. She was involved in a sit-down protest by local residents in the path of a cherry-picker' lorry and was pushed aside by mounted police using what she described as "strong arm tactics".
Speaking from the site of the "Pixie" camp eviction this morning, she said:
"The strength of feeling here is such that local people will simply not put up with these strong-arm tactics from the police. The amount of local support here defending the camp on Snelsmore Common is all the evidence we need to utterly contradict David Rendel's absurd claim that everyone around Newbury wants this horrible road."
Local residents, including Lady Barber, formed the core of a sit-down protest this morning on a public footpath near the site. The campaigners were cleared from the route of a "cherry-picker" lorry by mounted police in spite of the fact that the narrow path was hemmed in by thick brambles.Local housewife, Christine Greerar was arrested. The events were witnessed by freelance broadcaster Hugh Warwick:
"I was horrified to see police horses being used to trample peaceful protesters in such a ridiculously confined space. The residents' young children were screaming and the horses so skittish as to be nearly out of control. If the police carry on like this it's surely only a matter of time before someone get's seriously injured."
ENDS.
Freelance camera-man, Paul O'Connor, is filming from the trees inside"Pixie" Camp. His mobile - 0973 298359 - will be switched on at 3 pm for an eye witness account.
CONTACTS: FOE Press Office: 020 7566 1649 Robin Maynard: 0385 23673 [FoE spokesperson on site] Hugh Warwick: 01865 716 498
NOTES TO EDITORS:
If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.
Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Sep 2008
