Environmental protest at Kingsnorth power station

Robin Henry
More than 1,000 environmental protesters joined hands to form a ‘Mili-band’ around a power station today.
Demonstrators, who encircled Kingsnorth Power Station, in Kent, are calling for Energy Secretary Ed Miliband to reject plans for a new coal-fired plant there.
The Stop Climate Chaos Coalition marched on the Hoo Pennisula site this afternoon wearing yellow sashes bearing the words ‘Climate change kills’.
They then used the sashes to form a giant chain around the plant and chanted slogans including; “Oi Ed Miliband, keep the carbon in the ground” and “Miliband, don’t be a silly-band.”

According to the World Development Movement, who took part in today’s demonstration, the environmental damage caused by the proposed E.ON plant could lead to100,000 more people in the developing world losing their water.
If Miliband greenlights the scheme it would be the first coal-fired power station to be built in UK for 30 years.
In March he postponed a decision on the plant, which E.ON say would use carbon capture and storage technology to reduce its emissions.
WDM claim a new coal power station would undermine the government’s own climate change targets.
Speaking at today’s demonstration WDM director Deborah Doane said: “We want to send a message to Miliband that he shouldn’t approve a new coal-fired power station.
“We are taking responsibility for our future. We have two choices, we can go for a low carbon future by creating energy in ways that is clean and sustainable for both us and the developing world, or we can lock ourselves in a future that is going to cause a great deal of harm.
“If Kingsnorth goes ahead it will completely undermine the Government’s objective to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050.”
Kent Police confirmed that the demonstration had passed peacefully and there had been no arrests.