By Dalkeith Supporter, submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 10/12/2005 - 06:59
Yesterday in court, the Scottish Ministers got a second order for IMMEDIATE eviction of the Dalkeith protesters approved, so everyone get ready to help!
Eviction likely early this week!!
In Sheriff's Court yesterday, a judge approved a second order for *immediate* eviction against the protesters in Dalkeith Park. The Ministers brought a large team to court, and read off web-pages from http://www.eco-action.org and even Indymedia, claiming that giving the protesters even more time would allow themselves to prepare to commit civil disobedience even further, so letting them stay under for reasons of "self-help" and "necessity" would be a "mask of anarchy."
The protesters, without a solicitor since none could be found that would dare take on the Ministers, lodged the defense that their actions were necessary to defend the public interest against the illegal actions of the Scottish Executive, in particular their lack of a Environmental Impact Assessment (since the road is currently being built using over a decade-old data) and the possibly criminal destruction of bat habitat the road would create. While the judge acknowledged that the defense was "heartfelt and eloquent," and that while the protesters did put forward a good "political case," since the Ministers had the legal title to the property they could do whatever they fit there, and so an order for immediate eviction was granted.
Police Intimidation at court hearing