Protestors Storm E.ON facility in Nottinghamshire

Authorities arrested 52 individuals at a climate change protest after violence broke out outside of the Ratcliffe coal facility in Nottinghamshire over the weekend. One office needed medical treatment at the hospital late Saturday, after hundreds of picketers attempted to manhandle their way into the plant.

The facility, a coal-fired power station in Nottinghamshire, is owned by E.ON and produces 2,000 MW of coal energy for the UK. The scene turned violent when protestors attempted to break into the locked facility forcing police officers to step in and break up the demonstration.

Many of the protestors got injuries as authorities had to use force to calm the angry group attempting to force their way into the facility. The activists want E.ON to shut down the facility. Nottinghamshire officials said that protestors were arrested for various offenses such as aggravated trespassing and criminal damage.

Groups that descended upon the power facility included the Camp for Climate Action, Climate Rush, Great Climate Swoop, and Plane Stupid. One of the officers was taken to the hospital after collapsing in an altercation with a protestor. Another protestor had to be taken to the hospital as well after throwing up and claiming he could not breathe. The protestor also confessed to being involved in the skirmish.

The violence occurred when hundreds of the activists rushed the facility’s gates at 3.10 pm in attempt to bring them down. Several of the protestors clipped ropes to the gate and then tried to pull down the gates. One woman climbed the fence and protesters gathered around her to prevent police from pulling her down. After that the skirmish began with both police and protestors getting involved.