Wow! I can't quite believe that this week (first week in May) marks 25 years since the bailiffs and those **** climbers moved in to evict the tree people back in that once lovely valley near my home town.
25 years later we are in 'weird times'. As I sat here inside reading news about the HS2 ripping through ancient woodlands unopposed it almost brought a tear to my eye.
What's happened to the youth and young adults these days? I don't think anyone has the stomach for it these days do they? It seems that social media, online petitions and occasionally banging a few drums in a pre-arranged 'protest' seems to have pacified people. I know there are some groups still involved in some forms of direct action - like XR - but it seems we'll never see anything like those hardy folks from the 90s, living in those trees for months through a cold and dark East Lancashire winter.
1995 will always hold a special place in my heart as Blackburn Rovers also won the Premier League title a week or so after the eviction, and people were still around the site as I recall someone was listening to football on a radio in those same woods on that very day. It was also a hot hot summer as people will remember. I could hardly get the tent pegs in the hard ground down at Glastonbury in June and also Reading Rock festival that August.
Does anyone remember the M65 protest and the tree village? I think I'm right in saying it was the first ever protest where people actually took to and lived in the trees. I still have some photos from back then (although admittedly they aren't so professional). Wow! I almost forgot how high some of those trees were, certainly a high danger of death fall.
If any of you guys find this message I'd like to say a massive thanks for coming to the aid of the planet in our neck of the woods (Blackburn). As I recall from the accents at the time, people did come from all parts of the country. Now everyone will be in their 40s and 50s
I did find a few remnants of the protest in a few random blogs with some photos and also some news footage of the time (the 90s looks like the 70s to me now). I remember as a teenager that it gave me a very early wake-up call in regards to government propaganda. I remember clearly seeing stuff going on there during the eviction and then when I got home later that evening seeing the complete contrast on the local news with the Sheriff etc. talking complete BS and also wild exaggerations about the tactics used by the tree people etc.
The more things change. Now in the futuristic date of 2020 we've got probably the worst government I've ever known in my lifetime.
Anyway. I HOPE YOU ARE ALL KEEPING WELL. I AM CURRENTLY DRINKING A BOTTLE OF GOBLIN BEER (6.4%) IN YOUR HONOUR.
HERE'S TO THE TREE PEOPLE AND THE LOST SPIRIT OF 95.
Here's a bit of linkage for those of you who may not know what I'm banging on about:
In the treetops, awaiting chainsaws
http://banmarchive.org.uk/collections/soundings/03_27.pdf
25 years later we are in 'weird times'. As I sat here inside reading news about the HS2 ripping through ancient woodlands unopposed it almost brought a tear to my eye.
What's happened to the youth and young adults these days? I don't think anyone has the stomach for it these days do they? It seems that social media, online petitions and occasionally banging a few drums in a pre-arranged 'protest' seems to have pacified people. I know there are some groups still involved in some forms of direct action - like XR - but it seems we'll never see anything like those hardy folks from the 90s, living in those trees for months through a cold and dark East Lancashire winter.
1995 will always hold a special place in my heart as Blackburn Rovers also won the Premier League title a week or so after the eviction, and people were still around the site as I recall someone was listening to football on a radio in those same woods on that very day. It was also a hot hot summer as people will remember. I could hardly get the tent pegs in the hard ground down at Glastonbury in June and also Reading Rock festival that August.
Does anyone remember the M65 protest and the tree village? I think I'm right in saying it was the first ever protest where people actually took to and lived in the trees. I still have some photos from back then (although admittedly they aren't so professional). Wow! I almost forgot how high some of those trees were, certainly a high danger of death fall.
If any of you guys find this message I'd like to say a massive thanks for coming to the aid of the planet in our neck of the woods (Blackburn). As I recall from the accents at the time, people did come from all parts of the country. Now everyone will be in their 40s and 50s
I did find a few remnants of the protest in a few random blogs with some photos and also some news footage of the time (the 90s looks like the 70s to me now). I remember as a teenager that it gave me a very early wake-up call in regards to government propaganda. I remember clearly seeing stuff going on there during the eviction and then when I got home later that evening seeing the complete contrast on the local news with the Sheriff etc. talking complete BS and also wild exaggerations about the tactics used by the tree people etc.
The more things change. Now in the futuristic date of 2020 we've got probably the worst government I've ever known in my lifetime.
Anyway. I HOPE YOU ARE ALL KEEPING WELL. I AM CURRENTLY DRINKING A BOTTLE OF GOBLIN BEER (6.4%) IN YOUR HONOUR.
HERE'S TO THE TREE PEOPLE AND THE LOST SPIRIT OF 95.
Here's a bit of linkage for those of you who may not know what I'm banging on about:
In the treetops, awaiting chainsaws
http://banmarchive.org.uk/collections/soundings/03_27.pdf
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