Last Friday, we headed up to meet residents in Carrickfergus who were concerned that a company called Infrastrata were about to start drilling works in the Woodburn Forest. After a blockade and an arrest the day before, things were at a lull when we landed.

You can take a look at our report here for some background on their concerns. It’s heating up again though, as this report just hit the wires via Anthony Flynn, a Green Party activist in the area. You can hear the sound of chainsaws in the background as a public order citation is used to prevent the works meeting protest.

“Police are facilitating Infrastrada workers on site at Woodburn and claiming that protestors cannot intervene under the offence of aggravated trespass (section 68, public order act 1994) which states that “A person commits the offence of aggravated trespass if he trespasses on land and, in relation to any lawful activity which persons are engaging in or are about to engage in on that or adjoining land”.

“Woodburn is PUBLIC land and is NOT owned by any private company, the PSNI are using a possible misinterpretation of the law to facilitate private business that is currently destroying habitat and could potentially poison our drinking water without the proper waste management strategy that has not been put forward.”

Follow the Stop The Drill North Belfast page to keep up to date.