Friday 25 September 2009

Sizewell blockade - pre-trial press release

Are Sizewell Activities Lawful?

25th September 2009

Five local activists calling themselves the Sizewell Blockaders are appearing in Lowestoft court next week (w/c 28 Sept 09) charged with aggravated trespass at Sizewell Nuclear Power Stations.

The charges relate to a blockade, which took place back in July 2008 when the 5 activists locked themselves together on the end of the only entrance road to the nuclear power stations. The five activists claim that the stations should be shut down for health and safety reasons and therefore the activities on the site are not lawful.

Some of the defendants are calling Ian Fairlie, a Consultant on Radioactivity in the Environment who will be giving evidence about recent German studies (the KiKK study) which found that all types of cancer as well as leukaemia occurred significantly more frequently in the vicinity of nuclear power plants (within a radius of 5 km) than in further distant areas

Mell Harrison, 38, from Geldeston, a Campaigns officer for Campaign For Nuclear Disarmament said ‘when we took the action the government was pressing ahead with Nuclear power despite accidents such as the leak at Sizewell in 2007 and the worrying results of the German study. There are many cleaner and quicker ways of meeting our energy needs and cutting carbon emissions.”

The ‘Sizewell Blockaders’ are appearing at Lowestoft magistrates court for the four day trial from 28th Sept – 1st October.

Three of the defendants are represented by Bindmans Solicitors of London and two are representing themselves at the trial.

ENDS

Further Information

KiKK report

Background to report and links to report: http://www.bfs.de/en/kerntechnik/kinderkrebs/kikk.html

Ian Fairlie comments on the KiKK report in the New Scientist: http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19826535.300-comment-lets-take-cancer-clusters-seriously-this-time.html

Sizewell Leak

Sizewell nuclear disaster averted by dirty laundry, says official report, Guardian June 2009: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jun/11/nuclear-waste-nuclearpower

Alarm did not sound for Sizewell leak, Evening Star January 2007: http://www.eveningstar.co.uk/content/eveningstar/news/story.aspx?brand=ESTOnline&category=News&tBrand=ESTOnline&tCategory=news&itemid=IPED09%20Jan%202007%2014%3A08%3A23%3A043

The defendants details


Rebecca Dale an accountant , 34, from Bungay

 Mell Harrison who works for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, 38 from Geldeston

Nicola Stikles is a environmental education teacher, 39 from Saxmundham

Irene Willis, retired teacher, 61 from Essex 

Pete Lux, an office manager, 47 from Beccles

For more info, including during the trial, contact

Mellcndeast [at] cnduk.org

07760 161755
 


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