Is a top class chap. One of the reason’s he a top class chap is that he puts his time and effort where his mouth is, and gets involved in protests. And today he brought this little lot to my attention:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/3561015.stm

http://bristol.indymedia.org/newswire/display/14130/index.php

http://www.warband.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=news;action=display;num=1080044129

Now, I personally am not terribly bothered about this specific protest beyond my general abstract “cutting down trees is often quite bad”. But what does fuck me off is this: There is a court order against these protestors. That’s fair enough, even if I’d perhaps rather there wasn’t. But the order is under appeal, as is their right.

And today, while the legal situation remains unresolved, they have been evicted. Now, I am not a lawyer, and off the top of my head, the only lawyer on my friends list is a Scottish lawyer, but y’know, if anyone can advise me as to whether or not it’s legal for the construction company to go ahead, I’d be interested. Because, as Ali pointed out to me and a few others, if it is, it makes the whole appeals process a bit fucking toothless, because all that a construction company needs to do is budget for any fines they might recieve, and go ahead anyway while the order is under appeal.

And y’know, I’d like to believe that the law of the land has some teeth, especially when it might help my mates out a bit…