The New BCP Council Condoned Eco-Terrorism and Civil Disorder - Why I believe that was a mistake....
Printed in the Echo 22/07/19.
Dear Echo,
In the 90s I worked for a company where we had to give advice to employees who were under threat of terrorism – they had to check their cars for bombs, were afraid of bricks through their windows and worried about getting a bomb through the post. Their only crime was working for a pharmaceutical company and therefore being a key target for animal rights sympathisers. The point was that extremists were taking the law into their own hands and had decided to conduct organised terrorism.
This country still works to the rule of law and the first duty of government whether national or local is the protection of its citizens and the preservation of their right to go about their lawful business free from harm.
There is now a broad consensus around the need for action on climate change and both of the Unitary Councils in Dorset have signed up to the climate change emergency and pledged action which I support.
That argument is won.
However, at the last BCP council meeting, there was an amendment put forward to preserve the safety of our residents and reduce the burden on police resources. This asked the Unitary Alliance not to condone eco-terrorism and civil disorder.
It is unacceptable and indeed shocking that they were unable to do this and voted the amendment down. The consequence of this is effectively to condone such action so taking our future down a path where matters are decided by individuals uniting to disrupt in common cause rather than allowing healthy debate and respecting the ballot box.
This now gives encouragement so that extremists might now feel more able to lie down and block the Wessex Way – put drones over Hurn Airport or take any other irresponsible action that comes to mind knowing that the administration in power tacitly condones it. Peaceful protest is part of our national heritage - however, this is now going beyond that and affecting peoples lives out of all proportion to the cause it represents as both councils did vote almost unanimously to declare a climate change emergency.
If this escalates, what will the new Council's answer be to individuals who could lose contracts, jobs or miss important interviews as has happened in London? What will they say to families who could have their holidays wrecked? What do they say to the gentlemen who could not reach his dying dad in Bristol?
This isn’t about the veracity of the argument on climate change – those facts are accepted by most if not all – this is about the sanctity of the rule of law and the preservation of democracy in the face of extremism.
The Unitary Alliance have missed an opportunity to demonstrate their legitimacy and show themselves to be a serious administration - please take a pause and rethink this quickly and condemn civil disorder and eco-terrorism in the same way you would condemn similar acts for other causes.
