Anti-HS2 protesters have spent the coronavirus lockdown in a tree-top campsite in ancient woodland which is being destroyed to make way for the high-speed railway.
Protesters have spent the last six weeks camping out near to ancient trees which are being felled along the proposed route in Crackley Woods, near Kenilworth in Warwickshire.
Dozens of campaigners from Extinction Rebellion and the Stop HS2 groups have joined forces to reside at the makeshift camps in the under-threat woodland.
Their camp of around 20 tents and camper vans is said to feature a roundhouse built from hay bales, complete with a field kitchen.
Those at the so-called Protection Camp claim to be self-isolating amid the coronavirus crisis as one large household would.
Supporters have been bringing the group food and care packages to leave at the edge of the camp as they continue to protest against the high speed rail link.
It comes as demonstrations across 20 other sites including Lodnon’s Euston Station took place amid the coronavirus crisis today, with protesters blocking access to building sites for the railway.
The protesters, dubbed the ‘Crackley Woods HS2 Protection Camp’, have chosen to self isolate in the woodland near Kenilworth, Warwickshire in a camp made up of a roundhouse made from hay bales, a field kitchen, and around 20 tent
The camp was initially made up of locals from a Stop HS2 campaign group, but now includes people from other organisations such as Extinction Rebellion (Pictured: HS2 contractors in Crackley Woods)
Campaigners say the ongoing work to HS2 should be classed as non-essential and is putting the lives of workers and their families at risk.
Environmentalists including Chris Packham are also angry that the development of the railway is leading to ‘irreversible destruction’ of ancient habitats and woodlands.
Demonstrators arrived at Crackley Woods six weeks ago as trees in the woodland began to be felled, despite HS2 contractors erecting fences to keep protestors out.
The group instead built platforms in trees adjacent to the work site so they could see across the fence and witness what is happening to the woodland.
A spokesperson for HS2 insisted the demonstrators are not ‘living in trees’, but have instead travelled from across the country during the lockdown to set up a camp near the site.
In a video posted by Extinction Rebellion today, more demonstrators appear to arrive at Crackley Woods with banners reading ‘NHS not HS2’ as contractors lining the entrance to the site insist they must keep a two-metre distance.
In another clip from April 9, a protestor pans across a landscape void of trees as he explains how ‘the old oaks’ which were once at the back of the shot have now ‘gone.’
‘It’s a bit of a devastating scene really if you knew this area at all,’ he continues. ‘Within another day or two all of this will be completely cleared and flattened.’
One protester Samantha Smithson, 37, from Nottingham, describes herself as a ‘full-time tree defender’ with the Crackley Woods Protection Group.
The former fashion designer has spent the last three nights in a hammock near a tree that was due to be felled.
She said: ‘I’m currently sat on top of a cherry picker transport vehicle which is what they use to carry people to cut off branches from the trees before felling them, so I’m stopping that.
‘There is also another lorry behind with the sleepers they use for the line which can’t get past. It’s hard to say but I think I’ve been up for 45 minutes. There are six to 10 police officers here.
‘They have given me a warning and have to wait for specialist services to get me down because I’m elevated above two metres.
‘Because the traffic was stopped in the road it was quite easy to climb on top above the bonnet. I’m planning to stay here indefinitely.
‘I didn’t plan to do this but we have got to stop this destruction. I’m a member of Extinction Rebellion and I joined HS2 Rebellion quite recently.
‘I’m doing this because HS2 is destroying hundreds of ancient woodlands we need to fight climate change. This is our Amazon.’
Pictured: A ‘reflect, rebel, restore’ sign seen in a tree in Crackley Woods amid the protest
Pictured: Members of environmental protest group Extinction Rebellion in trees outside Euston Station in London, to protest against the building of the HS2 rail project
Pictured: HS2 line, phase one, is seen running close to Crackley Woods in Warwickshire
Another camp protestor, a former tree surgeon known only as Quercus – which is latin for Oak – said he was ‘overcome with grief’ when he saw trees being cut down.
He added: ‘Even before we had the pandemic and lockdown, there were a vast minority of people that were able to come out and do protests like this – certainly far fewer people now.
‘People’s democratic right to protest and have their say has been taken away at this time.
‘I wouldn’t say I’m happy to be arrested again, but I’m privileged enough to be arrested without it affecting me too much.’
A spokesperson for HS2 said more than 35 people have been arrested at the site since the protest began in March.
Campaigners have claimed some 108 ancient woods could be destroyed by the high-speed railway, though HS2 insists this is an exaggeration.
Paul Faulkner, chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, told the BBC only a ‘tiny fraction’ of the country’s ancient woodland will be cleared.
Demonstrations across 20 other sites including London also took place amid the coronavirus crisis today, with protesters blocking access to building sites for the railway
The group, who call themselves HS2 Rebellion, claim the work is non-essential and that, by failing to stop during the lockdown, it is putting the lives of workers and their families at risk
He added: ‘HS2 is aiming to be the world’s most sustainable high-speed railway. It’s got a whole host of pro-environmental measures that it’s introducing, and that’s before we get on to the massive economic benefits that HS2 is going to bring.’
Demonstrations across 20 other sites including London also took place amid the coronavirus crisis today, with protesters blocking access to building sites for the railway.
The group, who call themselves HS2 Rebellion, claim the work is non-essential and that, by failing to stop during the lockdown, it is putting the lives of workers and their families at risk.
They say that health workers remain without personal protective equipment (PPE) and that money used for construction projects should be channelled to such medical supplies instead.
The protesters said they were respecting social distancing guidelines by wearing gloves and masks and claimed the actions were part of their state-sanctioned daily exercise.
Pictured: Members of the HS2 Rebellion group wear face masks and gloves as they protest outside Euston Station
Pictured: HS2 Rebellion handout photo of protesters at the HS2 site in Colne Valley, Greater London
Demonstrators wore gloves and face masks and remained two metres apart throughout the protests (Pictured: Protesters in Broadwells Wood)
‘Our nurses and doctors are without PPE, yet these workers can continue because the Government deems them key workers,’ said one, in a video posted online.
‘Our real key essential workers are without PPE because of projects like this.’
Demonstrators wore gloves and face masks and remained two metres apart throughout the protests.
A statement said the HS2 Rebellion ‘wish to emphasise the public resistance to HS2’S destruction of our ancient woodland and wildlife habitats, and HS2’S failure to stop construction works at multiple sites breaching HSE Covid guidelines and exposing their workers, protesters, families and communities to unnecessary risk during a national health crisis’.
A HS2 spokesperson said: ‘The Government has given the green light to start building Phase One of HS2, which will generate thousands of jobs across the country and create 400,000 contracts opportunities, many for small businesses – an important investment in Britain’s future as we recover from the pandemic.
‘Encouraging the harassment of our staff for doing their jobs, alongside dangerous and costly protests and damage to our work sites, is unacceptable.
‘All leading environmental organisations agree that climate change is the biggest threat to wildlife and habitats in the UK. By providing a cleaner, greener way to travel, HS2 will help cut the number of cars and lorries on our roads, cut demand for domestic flights, and help the country’s drive to a net zero carbon economy.
‘We’d urge all green groups to help us in getting people out of their cars, off planes and onto low-carbon, high speed rail.’