Kingsnorth 2008
The 2008 camp (51°26′23″N -0°32′54″E / 51.43972°N 0.54833°E / 51.43972; 0.54833) took place in Kent, near E.ON UK's Kingsnorth power station, and run from 4 to 11 August to highlight E.ON's plans to build another coal-fired power station, which would be the first to be built in thirty years in the UK.
The action was also to highlight what is seen as an expansion to the fossil fuel economy, by corporations and government, and what activists claim is a demand for the opposite by scientific consensus. Furthermore, the camp attempted to challenge the businesses which will profit from the agrofuel industry, which they see as false solutions to the problems of climate change.
The camp began with a one day event at Heathrow, the site of the previous year's camp followed by a march across London to Kingsnorth power station, in common with seven other camps globally that were targeting coal.
Over 200 workshops and debates were held during the camp, including ones with George Monbiot, Caroline Lucas, Arthur Scargill and John McDonnell MP. Arthur Scargill, former General Secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers and Dave Douglass, attended the camp to represent many in the mining community who disagreed with the protesters' anti-coal position which they saw as a continuation of the state's assault against them stemming back to the UK miners' strike (1984–1985). They addressed the campers highlighting the oppressive conditions that miners face all over the world put forth their arguments especially against nuclear power. They also expressed solidarity with the camp against police repression and urged a class perspective.
On Saturday 9 August the protesters attempted to shut down the power station. The day was organised to highlight the impact on climate change with activists marching to Kingsnorth power station. Violent scenes developed between the police and the protesters, with many non-threatening protesters being hit and knocked to the ground by police with batons.
The camp provided facilities that many of the people needed such as showers, cheap food, internet access, entertainment, a TV studio and medical services. Complaints were made about the excessive policing of the event which are now being investigated officially.
On August 11, 2008, several protesters from Oxford and Thames Valley Climate Action glued their hands to the doors of BHP Billiton's headquarters in protest of the use of coal as a fuel. BHP Billiton is the world's largest coal producer.
Read more about this topic: Camp For Climate Action