March Against Racism

On Saturday 18th March, members of Leicester Friends of the Earth went to London to take part in the March Against Racism. An estimated 30,000 people joined the march to protest against the wave of populism that led to Brexit and the election of Donald Trump. We joined the Climate Bloc, which highlighted how climate change is affecting those who have contributed least to the problem. We are now planning a local event as part of Refugee Week in June, to raise awareness of the way that climate change is forcing people to leave their homes.

Springtime Frack Free Festival

Barclay's are still funding fracking and we are still not happy about it. We held another festival outside Barclay's Bank on Humberstone Gate to protest against fracking in Yorkshire and stand in solidarity with the people of Ryedale. We collected signatures on a petition for a moratorium on fracking, we gave out lots of information, we sang, we made a collage of flowers to give to Kirby Misperton Protection Camp to stand in solidarity with them.  We also ate lots of cake and cookies. It was a good afternoon, very productive – raising awareness of what the fracking industry are trying to do around the country.

Preston New Road Protest

A group of LAOD supporters arrived in Leicester at 8.00am to get on the coach to Lancashire on a cold February morning.  We travelled to Preston New Road to march peacefully in solidarity with the people of Lancashire as a sign of support to them and a way of showing Cuadrilla our opposition to fracking in Lancashire.  It was a lovely supportive group and we had a very proactive/productive day.

The people from Preston were very welcoming with tea and cake. There were fantastic speeches and a long walk down Preston New Road to the fracking site accompanied by masses of police. We threw red roses over the fence onto the working site in memory of the beautiful field it once was, with cows grazing peacefully in it. 

A big highlight was the singing – we sang all the way down PNR to the site and standing in front of a line of police and security guards sang songs of peace – ‘We are a gentle, angry people and we are singing, singing for our lives. We are an anti-fracking people and we are singing, singing for our lives…’  We were very lucky to have members of Red Leicester Choir with us – it was beautiful and brought tears to my eyes and to a few other people's as well. The songs are still reverberating in my head.  An amazing day!  Highlights of my day were the number of people driving past honking their horns as a sign of support to the rally - it was constant all day - even after people had been in long queues of traffic, they honked down the entire road and waved and shouted out of windows.  

Report by Melanie Wakley, Leicester Friends of the Earth anti-fracking co-ordinator

Anti-nuclear Flash Mob

On Saturday 18th February, we joined Leicester CND in a flash mob to protest against nuclear weapons. A member of Leicester CND had made three banners that read 'Leicester against nuclear weapons because they cost the earth'. We unfurled these and stood silently, wearing black, to mark our objection. Other members of the group gave out leaflets and talked to passersby about why we are against nuclear weapons. Several people stopped to remark that they were glad to see our protest and we even received a spontaneous round of applause! It seems the general public have understood that nuclear weapons are pointless and dangerous, even if our government has not yet got the message.

Don't frack Robin Hood

A group of anti-fracking supporters from Leicester drove to Sherwood Forest in Nottingham on Saturday 7th January 2017, to join a public gathering in the forest.  Frack Free Notts and Friends of the Earth had been shocked out of their Christmas lunches, to learn from their latest investigation into fracking that chemicals giant INEOS wants to carry out seismic surveys in Sherwood Forest - the first step towards fracking in an ancient woodland.  Hundreds of people arrived in the forest at very short notice (including us) to show solidarity with Nottinghamshire. The people walked from the visitor centre to the Major Oak tree then listened to speeches and sang songs of support – showing in no uncertain terms that we would all stand together to stop such an atrocity!  The people said NO!!