Vestas wins court order as protest spreads

• Activists climb second plant as four workers leave• Sit-in workers vow to stay on until bailiffs move in
Rachel Williams
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 4 August 2009 21.47 BST

The owners of a wind turbine company on the Isle of Wight won a court ordertoday to end a fortnight-long factory sit-in by workers, as another group of protesters occupied a second site belonging to the Danish company.
Six men remain barricaded inside the Vestas plant at Newport, on the Isle of Wight, protesting against its closure with the loss of 625 jobs. Five more activists climbed on the roof of a building facing the Solent at East Cowes after climbing up at 4am.
Four workers decided todayto leave the main protest, where a growing "red and green" coalition of trades unionists and climate campaigners is camped. The departing workers met with applause and cheers, and embraces from their wives.
Those still inside were said to be determined to stay until the bailiffs arrive. On Monday night, the protesters managed to get out of the offices that they have been stuck in and move into the rest of the building, where they were able to have a shower for the first time in two weeks.
One of the occupiers, Ian Terry, said they would stay until the workers were moved on.
"We're sticking to our guns," he said. "We're strong enough to fight on and we're determined to stay until we're moved. It was a rollercoaster waiting for the court decision, but everyone's cheery now."
Terry said the protesters hoped they would be less hungry now that there were only six people sharing the food, especially as one of those who had left the main protest "could eat for England".
One of four who left was due to take part in a charity cycle ride from Land's End to John O'Groats, while another had a wedding to attend. The men quickly got into waiting cars and drove away, but left a statement.
"We felt the time was right for us, but this is not the end for us. We're eager to get home, we miss our loved ones and we're dying to take a shower, so please excuse us for leaving swiftly. We will be back very soon to fight on."
Four Climate Camp activists, including a woman and an RMT union member, scaled the Vestas building in East Cowes at 4am, using a ladder attached to the building, which is decorated with a huge painted union flag. The protesters are all experienced climbers.
"There was no James Bond stuff, we just climbed up," said protester Martin Shaw, adding that they had plenty of vegan food and were erecting tents.
"We intend to stay for a long time. We'll be here until the occupying workers leave the other site."
The judge's decision to grant Vestas a repossession order was met with jeers and boos outside the court from a crowd of around 200 people, who then marched to the plant on the St Cross industrial estate, where they were cheered from the occupying workers out on the balcony.
Gathered outside the building, as RMT and Climate Camp flags fluttered in the breeze, they chanted: "We fight on."
Addressing the crowd, one of the workers inside called for a national day of action on which workers around the country would down tools or organise a rally in support.
Over the past fortnight the camp has grown from a handful of protesters to 25 tents set up on a traffic island at the far end of the St Cross industrial estate.
Climate campaigners have set up a play zone under one gazebo, where local children queue to get their faces painted. Others make paper windmills erected on the temporary fencing around the site, or play on a bongo drum. A makeshift kitchen area has a "wishlist" penned on a whiteboard outside. "Recycling boxes" is the top item, followed by "Locals to take our waste home please".
A local fastfood van has set up stall nearby, offering not just bacon rolls and cheeseburgers at special solidarity prices – pretty much anything plus a coffee for £2.50 – but also Southern Fried Quorn burgers.
The van proudly advertises that only free range eggs are used, meeting a request from the green protesters.
"We've sold an awful lot of Quorn burgers," said the chef, Phil.
On the balcony where the occupying workers often gather, signs bearing messages to their wives adorn the windows, professing "Love you Ali" and "I love you Leanne".
A play on a Vestas slogan written in felt-tip pen reads: "All global Vestas workers have the will to win."
Partners of those inside wore company T-shirts customised in white paint with the phrase: "Failure is not an option." Many of the workers' friends and family members have been at the camp each day since the protest began.
Barbara Moody, 67, whose son Justin is inside the building, said: "The lads up there have got more courage between them than the whole of the government have. They're just cowards and they can't even talk to the people."
The RMT's general secretary, Bob Crow, said of the men: "Every single one of them is a hero and the country should be proud of them. They've done more for the future of green energy and green jobs in the UK in two weeks than the government has done in 12 years."
James Fieldsend, representing the occupying workers, had argued at Newport county court that the application for a possession order had not been properly served, but the judge, Graham White, decided it had and granted the order to Vestas.
It remains unclear how soon bailiffs could move in, but Peter Kruse, a spokesman for Vestas, said the company "was in no hurry". "We are as patient as we have been all the way. We have been in wind turbines for 30 years – we are very patient in everything we do."