Bailiffs evicting tree-top protesters

Bailiffs moved in early on Thursday morning to evict tree-top protesters at allotments in Stapleton.

A Bristol City Council spokesman said: “Security specialists entered the site at 7.40am. The move follows several attempts to resolve the protest and for protesters to leave willingly”.

Reports from the allotments suggest that around 100 bailiffs are on site backed up by police.

Some protesters have been removed from the site already, although a number of people remain in the trees.

Video showing more protesters climbing into the trees this morning 

One protester who didn’t want to be named said of the bailiffs: “They weren’t heavy-headed. They were obviously consciously not heavy-handed and didn’t give the threat of being heavy-handed.” 

Peter Mann, the council’s service director for transport, said: “Our top priority is to safely and effectively bring a resolution to this protest.   We have engaged professional, experienced security experts to help protesters leave the site safely.

“We respect people’s right to peaceful and democratic protest but that cannot extend to the illegal occupation of someone else’s land.  Today’s actions follow several opportunities for the protesters to leave voluntarily and even today they are being offered the opportunity to leave of their own accord.

Bulldozers wait outside the allotments where protesters remain in the trees.

Mike Ginger, a spokesperson for Alliance To Rethink Metrobus said: “I suppose in a sense it’s inevitable, that the council would use all the resources that they needed to. They’d use the law to support them against people who obviously don’t have the ability to counter that tremendous overwhelming power that the council are exercising today.

“But I think it’s been a fantastic demonstration of just how concerned people are about this site and other sites around the city. Over 20 valuable green sites will be destroyed by Metrobus for very little transport gain, and at an enormous cost to local people.”

Mike continues: “I think this has been a fantastic rallying point and people have been tremendously courageous in what they’ve done, and I’m very grateful to them.”

“It’s a really, really sad day,” says protestor Suzan. “I feel heartbroken. It’s the absurdity, the ignorance, the lack of any people behaving like human beings, behaving responsibly.

“I have utter love and respect for these wonderful people who are prepared to put everything on the line, get up those trees and do what they can for our precious environment.

“I can only hope that from this, people will start to listen and to recognise, we have one earth – once she’s gone, so are we.”

Campaign group Rising Up said they have ‘no plans’ to leave the site and have urged people to support them peacefully.

Read about Bristol’s proud history of protest