A week of evictions for HS2 protesters at Great Missenden site
Campaigners have been removed from the site but some remain in the treehouses.
Last updated 7th Oct 2020
Protesters have been living in treehouses at the Buckinghamshire site for several months now.
Last Thursday morning security, accompanied with police, began to remove HS2 protestors from Jones Hill Wood in Great Missenden.
It's the site that inspired Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr Fox and protesters want it to be protected from construction work.
The ancient woodland is one of 20 that have been identified as targets for clearance and ground works by HS2 from October 1st.
Rob was one of the longest residents of the treehouses until he was removed during the evictions:
"While people see us in the trees, while people see the physical aspect, that is maybe 5% of the work we are doing."
"We're working in the background with ancient woodlands and wildlife trusts."
Rob says the protestors understand the responsibility and risk they undertake but that it's worth it to protect the area.
Over the course of the past 7 days its been reported the 11 people have been arrested by Thames Valley Police.
An HS2 spokesperson said:
“We respect people’s right to peaceful protest, but it is extremely dangerous when activists unlawfully trespass on live construction sites, lock themselves onto machinery and position themselves precariously in trees.
"The actions of these trespassers, many of whom are breaching their bail conditions, is unlawful and violent – they have been throwing paint pots, tins of soup, smoke bombs, bird scaring rockets, rocks, urine and faeces at the eviction team, causing a dangerous situation for everyone involved.
"Paint has also been thrown over the woodland floor, damaging the environment and destroying the soil that HS2 was planning to translocate.
“There are 10,000 people already working on the HS2 project and we recently announced a further 22,000 jobs across the country at a time when it needs them most.
"Only 0.29 square kilometres of ancient woodland is being lost across the entire Phase One route, with over 33 square kilometres of new woodland and wildlife habitats being created as part of our plan to create a Green Corridor of richer, more diverse and better-connected landscapes along the railway.”
Campaigners believe the felling of trees at Jones Hill would to be illegal though.
There are some protesters in the treehouses, one of them is going by the name Satchel:
"It's been frightening but we are compelled every day to take action and every continuing day against the government and their agents and the bloating multinational coorporations that are destroying this earth.
"Living in a treehouse is beautiful, the view is excellent but it is a hard life.
"We're not here for fun you know? We are here because we really care about the issues."
Thames Valley Police have provided a statement:
"Thames Valley Police is aware an anti-HS2 protest which is taking place near Jones Hill Wood, Wendover.
"HS2 Ltd has evicted a number of people for trespassing on land owned by HS2 Ltd. This is a civil matter, and is not being enforced by Thames Valley Police.
"The role of the police is to ensure public safety, and facilitate a peaceful protest while at the same time ensuring HS2 Ltd’s legal rights to carry out their work.
"A total of 15 arrests have been made in connection with the protest.
"Of these, two people have been charged. These are Jack Hartcup, aged 30, of Cutler Way, Norwich, charged with breaching bail conditions, and Toni Bingham, aged 32, of Goldsmith Walk, Lincoln, charged with breach of bail conditions and committing an offence under the Trades Union and Labour Relations Act.
"Both appeared at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Friday (2/10)."