Mainshill Solidarity Camp media release:

In a farcical court hearing this morning in Lanark Sheriff Court the eviction order brought by Lord Home, the landowner and Scottish Coal, the UK’s largest open cast producer against the occupiers at Mainshill Wood was granted. Despite having just two working days to seek legal advice and work on a defence the Sheriff refused to allow the occupiers more time.
The eviction order comes into effect immediately with no grace period where the occupiers are asked to leave. This is owing to the “vast costs being incurred” by the contract drilling work being prevented at the site by campers, according to Lord Home’s solicitors.

The Chairperson of Douglas and Glespin Community Council had prepared a statement to present to the court in support of the occupiers and raising serious concerns about the timescale of the eviction order. The Sheriff, however, would not even allow the statement to be heard, saying only: “Given that you’re a lay person, I’ll cast my eyes over it”.

It became increasingly obvious that the occupiers were denied sufficient time to seek legal advice, raising questions of breaches of international human rights. Tracey Mitchell from Douglas said of the proceedings: “It was damned ridiculous and money talks”. John Brozy, a former miner and former justice of the peace also from Douglas said: “the occupiers have given us new heart and made locals understand that they’re not alone”.

The Mainshill Solidarity Camp is determined to stop this coal mine from going ahead. Ross Jones of the camp said: “We knew all along that this would be Lord Home’s response – not engaging with us or the community, but using his money and court bailiffs to remove us without getting his hands dirty. We will not go until we are forcefully removed or until we have won.”

Anna Kee also said: “The work we are stopping here is illegal and contravenes planning law – they are breaking seven conditions of their planning approval, including the condition that they carry out comprehensive ecological surveys for the presence of protected species such as badgers and bats before felling any trees. This eviction order is therefore also illegal, as we are not stopping anyone from going about their lawful business, and violates our right to protest. The courts and legal system are just as complicit in the demise of this community as the mining company and aristocrat are.”

Yesterday from 3pm community members from around the area gathered at the camp for a picnic and tea party. Over 100 people joined the camp from surrounding communities to show their opposition to Scottish Coal and Lord Home’s plans to turn this woodland into a 1.7million tonne coal mine, and to show their support for the occupiers of the wood.

In a surprise move, Lord Home came down from his mansion to visit the camp at around 6pm, claiming he thought the picnic started then. The response he received from the locals and campers still there showed that turning up late was a good move – he was immediately surrounded and questioned angrily over why he holds profit from coal mining above the health of the community.

This is the first time that Lord Home, the land owner of Mainshill Wood has visited the camp. He returned to South Lanarkshire last week after the wood had been occupied, presumably to arrange the eviction order. The Solidarity Camp has been angered by the fact that the first visit and consultation from the land owner has come after the eviction order has been served, and the day before it was to be heard at Lanark Sheriff Court.

Lord Home also argued that a trust fund would be set up for the Douglas community ensuring that funds from the coal mining benefit locals. The community, however, was not convinced, saying that this trust would be staffed by his cronies and yes men, and certainly not bring real benefits. Another  community member said “how can you put a price on the woods and wildlife? We don’t want profits from the coal, we want Mainshill Wood!”

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Press Contact: 07806926040
Further information:    http://mainshill.noflag.org.uk
http://coalactionedinburgh.noflag.org.uk