Author: Sally Perry
Vesta Protest: Peaceful Eviction Concludes
Friday, 27th November, 2009 at 2:25 pm, Isle of Wight
Green Issues, Newport, News, Vestas Sit-In
As we left the Vestas Roundabout (the “Magic Roundabout”), the eviction of protesters who had set up camp four months ago was almost complete.
Following the arrival of bailiffs at just before 11am, occupiers were left to hastily pack away their belongings. Sometime after midday, bailiffs got their gloves on and started removing items and placing them at the side of the road.
Tents and belongings not already moved by the occupiers were recorded being removed by bailiffs, folded up and packed away into black bags.
Nearly gagged
A short while into the eviction process, we and the other media (photographer from the CP and Emma Filo from IW Radio) were told that we had to leave the site. The bailiffs stated they were within their rights to remove us under the high court writ, as it was designated to persons unknown and their jobs was to remove all people from the site.
We weren’t happy about having to leave and managed to convince the bailiff that he should allow the press to stay and report the eviction as the story has been in the public interest for over four months. Eventually he agreed and we were all able to continue with our reporting.
One arrest
Marina Pepper, one of the main spokespeople of the campaign was arrested for obstruction and left peacefully with police, but only after making a sprint around the roundabout for her kettle (pics to follow).
Dave Arbothnutt (Arbo) had climbed onto the roof of the kitchen structure in a final attempt to protest against the eviction. He sat on the roof for some time before the police advised him that he would be arrested for obstruction if he did not come down, after bailiffs failed in convincing him to do so. He decided to retreat and set about packing away his belongings.
Peaceful and good natured
The eviction was good natured and went off very peacefully. Occupiers of the roundabout complied with the request and managed to pack away tents etc in the intermittent strong winds and rain.
As we left there was just the kitchen structure left to be dismantled, which we assume will be piled at the side of the road along with many of the other items.
This may be the end of a chapter for many, but the Vestas’ workers who have still not received their redundancy pay because they protested about losing their jobs, will continue fighting for what they believe is rightfully theirs.
There’ll be interviews, photos and videos to follow.
Related posts:
- Vestas Protest: Noon Deadline For Eviction
The bailiffs have given the protesters until noon to dismantle... - Vestas Protest: Roundabout Eviction Due Friday
Eviction notice is served on the protestors occupying a roundabout... - Vestas Protest: Peaceful Action Planned
Peaceful action is planned today as occupiers of the Vestas... - Vestas Protest: Wight Trash Film of Eviction
John Cattle captures some great footage of the Vestas Eviction... - Vestas Sit-in: Eviction Notice Served UPDATED (Photo and podcast)
Bailiff's notice has been posted. VB speaks to Mark inside....
These people deserve more than just eviction. I hope they can be made to clean up the mess they’ve left. It’s typical that those ‘campaigning for the environment’ can happily leave what resembles the contents of a skip where they’ve been living, urinating and defecating this past few months.
This country is far too tolerant of idiots like this.
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Shobba
If you had been down to the Roundabout you would know that ever since the start of the occupation the Protesters have had a Portaloo – which is emptied regularly. I don’t know why you have to take the attitude you do, you really are sad and embittered. I have supported the workers throughout and will continue to do so. I think it is good that people are willing to stand up for their rights!!
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Please don’t associate ex-Vestas workers with these people. There have been 2 or 3 of the original sit in workers involved, but the rest of the 500 ex-workers have had nothing to do with this protest since the sit in ended.
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BRAVO!
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Shobba is of course entirely correct to point out all s/he knows to be so very true, and especially to remind us so poignantly of the fact that the landlords acted in defiance of the court by not allowing the protestors time to leave the site as tidy as they would have wished!
http://savevestas.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/hanslips-defy-court-to-go-for-rapid-eviction/
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For those of you who are convinced that the occupiers of the ‘Magic Roundabout’ lived there for four months knee deep in urine and faeces, let me please put the record straight.
Unlike some of you, these are clean tidy and extremely hygienic people who took regular showers and carried out major clothes washing in a machine just like the rest of society.
The only difference being, they chose to live under canvas while carrying out their protest at being sacked for trying to defend their rights to work.
Whilst under canvas they had a fully functioning porta-loo, which was regularly emptied by the supplying company and a standpipe and water meter, for which they paid monthly bills to the water company.
This was for the use of preparing and cooking of vegan food, washing up after every meal, and general hygiene.
They had various rubbish and recycling bins which were regularly emptied and several piles of wood for their rocket stove which was made by one of the occupiers, the wood was supplied for free by local traders on the Industrial Estate in support of their cause.
On Thursday 26 November, they hired a large white van to clear away all unwanted items and remaining rubbish from the campsite with the help of local supporters prior to their formal eviction at 11:00am this Friday morning.
At the same time some of the collapsed fencing around an adjoining plot of land was also removed from the pavement and made safe.
I agree with your statement that this country is far too tolerant of idiots, albeit neither my friends who occupied the roundabout nor the thousands of supporters who donated freely to their cause, come under this heading!!
It’s only ill informed people such as yourself who idiotically believe they are far more superior than the rest of us mere mortals.
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The nearest Ferry is at East Cowes – off you pop
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I am an ex Vestas worker and fully support the campaign. I wish to thank the many people who have come to our island and fought for our jobs. I was wary of these people at first but after taking the time to get to know them found them to be decent caring people.
I find it ironic that this eviction today has mirrored the Vestas Blades UK ‘move the goal posts’ attitude, any one who ever worked there will know exactly what I mean.
I applaud the campaigners, salute the occupiers and thank the organisations who stepped in and helped when many ‘Islanders’ chose to ignore what was happening.
They should consider that the tyranny of Island employers will continue and they themselves may be next unless they take a stand.
(To those who don’t know, a Mould Monkey is a blade technician who worked in the mould shop.)
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Who paid for the portaloo? These people were rent-a-mob climate protesters not Vestas workers. I doubt the hardworking used and abused former Vestas staff could sit around for weeks on end protesting. Unlike the goons on the roundabout, most workers went looking for work.
Only in Britain would this sort of nonsense be tolerated. Good riddance to the anarchist hippies.
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Well Driver57: As a mere mortal and resident of the Island I have to admit to being completely mystified as to where you have been getting your information from, concerning the protesters who were camping on the roundabout in front of Vestas for these past four months.
Firstly, let me please make it clear that neither my friends nor myself are anarchist hippies, rent-a-mob climate protesters or goons, but we are in essence a collection of people who believe in the rights to work and that certain matters appertaining to the climate, need to be addressed.
With regards to my colleagues who decided to spend the past four months under canvas, they are some of the last remaining stalwarts who protested on the balcony and continued to be prepared to go without the comfort of their homes to fight for what they believe in.
They came together from the Island, West Sussex and London as a collective body with common concerns, and between them have University Degrees own their Businesses, work for Island based companies, and attend the Isle of Wight College for retraining.
In answer to your question of who paid for the porta-loo? The Service Charge for this and the Southern Water Company Bill, was paid for by the Ryde TUC out of the funds donated by their supporters.
Might I suggest that if you really must continue venting your anger against myself and friends, you get your facts 100% correct before doing so!!
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I FOR ONE AM SORRY TO SEE THE RESIDENTS OF THE MAGIC ROUNDABOUT GO. THEY HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR WORKERS RIGHTS AND GREEN ISSUES FROM THE START, EVERYTIME I VISITED THE SITE THEY WERE EXTREAMLY FRIENDLY AND WELL MANNERED, AND OFFERED WHAT EVER THEY HAD. I HOPE THEY FIND ALTERNATIVE ACCOMODATION AND CONTINUE THE BATTLE
AS FOR SHOBBA YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT,IF YOU EVER TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT THE SITE THEN YOU WOULD HAVE REALISED WHAT YOU HAVE STATED IS COMPLETE AND UTTER GARBAGE, NOT THE PROTESTORS.
I WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THIS CAUSE AND WISH THE MAGIC ROUNDABOUT PERSONELL ALL THE LUCK FOR THE FUTURE.
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I have visited the magic roundabout on neumerous occasions, they have always been friendly well mannered highly educated people extreamly clean and environmently friendly. They have been fighting for lacal peolpe unlike the Island Council who seam to be against and green issue. we were lead to believe that the Council supported a green eco Island. In a recent County Press article there was talk of making Cheverton and Limerstone down a land fill site. I for one would prefer wind turbines to umpteen lorries poluting the area with rubbish and increasing vermin population.
Thoes who disrespect the work the magic roundabout have done are in all likely x vesta workers remeployed, vesta managers still on a overinflated wage and the secuity guards being paid by them not to mention the elderly retired overners that think they can speak for the younger population and thoes who have lived here all their lives. You all are the ones who should exit on the next availabe BOAT.
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an absolute pointless waste of time: the end
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portaloo paid for by donations from supporters all around the country and a visitor last sunday said it was the cleanest one he had ever seen,unlike the ones we will experience at next years pop festival!.
still roll on next thursday for the meeting at the high school concerning the wind turbines on the island but i don’t expect the negative ones will be there.
the photos make the site look ok but i shall check it out tomorrow
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sarah and dave wana know whats happened to our comments they were not offensive
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There was nothing wrong with your comments, we’ve been offline since yesterday afternoon, and only just got back online to approve the comments left over the last 24 hours.
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I think the roundabouter’s deserve a huge round of applause for sticking it out.
Regardless of who they are, and some for sure are ex-Vestas workers, there are 11 ex-vestas workers who never got paid redundancy money – because they had the guts to stand up for their jobs.
The Roundabout was campaigning for them, and as I understand it the people there will continue to right for this at least. Good on them. Those workers deserve that money.
Whenever I visited it was clean and tidy, with regular tidying up. I’m sure they made every effort to tidy up before leaving, but were forced off at a time not of their choosing (and against the order of the Judge to negotiate with the landowner, rather than be set a short time limit).
Put your predjudices aside and visit the next time something like this comes up – it might change your world…
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So Braveheart, you were/are all unemployed? You’ve certainly not been available for work (no doubt you informed the beneits agency?) Sadly you’ve been wasting your time. The story moved on months ago.
Vestas are not a cruel island employer, they’re an overseas employer who having claimed millions of pounds in subsidy for the IW factory but have now moved elsewhere to make even more money. Turbine blades are of no real interest to them, they only want to make money. If you want respect, why not admit you’re anti-capitalist demonstrators / socialist worker party stooges. Spare us the climate change lies and myths.
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Sorry to burst your bubble Shobba!! But I think you will find that it is not obligatory for a disabled pensioner to visit the local benefit office and sign on for work. Nor does signing on for work apply to college students, and company owners.
With regards to Vestas! Actually they are still Island based and the blade factory is at present being used for R&D, until their new £56m factory is up and running.
What the sacked workers are fighting for, is the redundency package they have been denied because they had the courage to stand up and be counted.
I would suggest you get your facts correct, before making a complete ass of yourself with inconclusive evidence!!
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College students? Should they not be studying rather than protesting?
‘Disabled pensioners’ sound like they may be too frail to be camping in the middle of winter. Unless they’re among the 3 million people in Britain on incapacity benefit not actual oldies of course?
Any ‘company owner’ wasting time acting as a climate change zealot is likely to end up bankrupt. None I ever met could afford the time, nor would they have the inclination to support lost causes. Maybe the ‘business’ you’ describe them running is supplying bongs or legal high substances or some such nonsense?
Have no fear, the law dictates ALL Vestas workers will get paid due redundancy. No-one needs to camp outside the premises making a terrible stink and mess. Fact.
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Shobba: The disabled pensioner to whom I referred is myself, I am now 67 years of age and was declared disabled by medical specialists at the age of 18 months and if it were not for the specialised medical equipment I have to use daily to stay alive, would willingly have slept under canvas for these past four months, as a show of solidarity!
The college students are in fact members of the sacked Vestas workforce who are undergoing re-training in alternative manual work, and had you cared to visit the ‘Magic Roundabout’ in person, rather than jump on the band wagon of media attention. You could have seen signs of their new skill being put to very good use around the camp, one of the best ways of improving is to constantly practice what you are being taught.
Regarding your comment about company owners! Or to be more correct about everyone who decides for whatever reason to support a cause of their own choice, this neither makes them a Zealot or as you suggest a Drug Runner. Although one might easily deduce from your verbal ranting on the various issues you are commenting about on Ventnor Blog, that you are in fact completely stoned!
Your behaviour of being totally delusional, is typical of drug abuse!!
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he is just a troll..one of several just trying to be contentious to add a little meaning to their lives..They come and go.
They will be posting on ‘A Different View…’ on the forum soon, more used to it over there
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Shobba, since universities has existed, it has been the obligation if not absolute duty of students to demonstrate in order to question the methods, rules and institutions of our society. This makes society address itself in order that we renew our thinking about the appropriateness of our standards. It stops our culture from degenerating at the hands of smug self-righteous bigots like you.
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The coalition of sacked Vestas workers and numerous supporters of various cultures who rightly or wrongly believe they have a common ground between them, regarding matters that concern man made pollutants and deforestation, of which affects all the planets inhabitants. Is according to some people on here, a contribution towards your anger and ridicule!
Living in a democratic country gives each one of us the freedom to follow our dreams and ideologies and therefore, can in a peaceful way fight for whatever cause we deem right. What some forget is that wars are raging on our planet and thousands of innocent people dying in a bid to have that which we take for granted, the freedom to follow a cause!
Upon reading the many comments posted on this site, I am surprised by the amount of anger and bitterness that is expressed not only towards those who chose to camp out on the ‘Magic Roundabout’ as it was known. But also against anyone who was not born on the Island, which is an extremely unhealthy racist attitude towards people of our own ethnicity.
I would in fact be so bold as to say! That the authors behind certain aliases on here could if they are not already make good foot soldiers for the BNP.
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THE BNP…I wouldn’t have thought so as they can clearly read and write….just ostriches
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I am sick and tired of Shobbas comments – he’s not only making accusations that the roundabout protesters sell drugs (which they dont) and that they lived in mess and stink (which they didnt – the site was very clean and extremely well managed for what was to hand), and they are deliberately not looking for work?? – one of the ex-vestas workers living there atttends college full time and was very consciencous of attending his course. As for getting redundancy – Shobba, you obviously don’t keep up with the news, the occupiers wwere sacked a day or so before they were due to be made redundant therefore not entitled to redundancy pay.
As for the campers being socialist worker party stooges and such like – there were no socialist worker representatives living there. Shobba – if you don’t know the facts, unlike those who actually took the time to visit and talk to the protesters, then i sugest you shut up, or comment on something you DO know about. FACT!
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Well said Superman.
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Angry? Don’t make me laugh, it’s you lot who are angry. You obviously gang up and shout down anyone who doesn’t share your ecomentalist zealot far left viewpoint. In any other area of life, if you were on the other end of your tirades you’d want compensation for ‘bullying.’ No wonder Bob Crow came down to hijack the dispute. He knows a kindred spirit when he sees one.
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You are displaying the completely typical behavior of someone who doesn’t find their views are supported – accuse other people of ganging up on them and being shouted down.
Shouting (beyond writing in capitals) simply doesn’t exist online.
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I’m pretty sure I’m the only ecomentalist in Ventnor.
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Shobba: Here is a little extra fuel to add to your fire……
My Ode to The Working Man!
Let all working class people unite
Stand shoulder, to shoulder
And keep up the fight!
The right to work, is all we crave
To be treated with respect
And not as a slave!
Allowed to say what’s right or not
Without living in fear
Of being sacked on the spot!
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If anything all the fracas put the Island on the map!Personally I get quite excited when I see the IW on national news!!
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As a tribute to the ‘Magic Roundabout’ let me please say……
To all who stayed under canvas and the numerous supporters! I salute your commitment to the cause of the working man and tireless campaign for justice, the camp may have been forced to leave the ‘Magic Roundabout’ but neither the spirit nor strong desire to peacefully fight for what is right. Shall ever be broken, and will continue to thrive!
Good luck and many, many Thanks to everyone concerned.
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Can I just interject and say yes actually there were a few Socialist Workers Party representitives camping at the roundabout, and I saw at least one person smoking weed there.
I supported the green energy side of things at Vestas, but I am not in the least supportive of the lefties and neither have I been anywhere near drugs in my life, so don’t tar us all with the same brush…
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Shobba: Here is the definition of two of your most favoured words to help you understand their meaning better.
Ecomentalist:-
Someone obsessively concerned with the environment, hypocritically, who wants others to suffer to enforce a static notion of nature.
Zealot :-
One who is religiously devoted to an ideal, cause, object, person, or culture. Typically to an extreme.
The people of the ‘Magic Roundabout’ who were only there to enforce their rights to redundancy payments, quite frankly did not fall into either of these categories!!
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