{"id":21089,"date":"2021-01-27T14:46:43","date_gmt":"2021-01-27T14:46:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/?p=476944"},"modified":"2021-01-27T14:46:43","modified_gmt":"2021-01-27T14:46:43","slug":"hs2-protesters-reportedly-still-inside-secret-tunnel-network-despite-evictions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2021\/01\/27\/hs2-protesters-reportedly-still-inside-secret-tunnel-network-despite-evictions\/","title":{"rendered":"HS2 protesters reportedly still inside secret tunnel network despite evictions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Protesters campaigning against the HS2 rail development are continuing to dig tunnels in a central London park despite evictions taking place, fellow demonstrators have claimed.<\/p>\n<p>At least four people are said to still be in the 100 foot network of tunnels that activists have dug under Euston Square Gardens as bailiffs attempt to clear the area.<\/p>\n<p>HS2 Rebellion, an alliance of groups and individuals campaigning against the planned high-speed railway, claims the small green space outside Euston Station will be built over with a temporary taxi rank before being sold to developers.<\/p>\n<p><!-- EMBED START Image --><\/p>\n<figure id=\"embedded257759086\"><img src=\"https:\/\/image.assets.pressassociation.io\/v2\/image\/production\/c0e0d2f9c262c760ba131be22f263991Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjExODQ0ODE1\/2.57759086.jpg?w=640\" sizes=\"(max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/image.assets.pressassociation.io\/v2\/image\/production\/c0e0d2f9c262c760ba131be22f263991Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjExODQ0ODE1\/2.57759086.jpg?w=320 320w, https:\/\/image.assets.pressassociation.io\/v2\/image\/production\/c0e0d2f9c262c760ba131be22f263991Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjExODQ0ODE1\/2.57759086.jpg?w=640 640w, https:\/\/image.assets.pressassociation.io\/v2\/image\/production\/c0e0d2f9c262c760ba131be22f263991Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjExODQ0ODE1\/2.57759086.jpg?w=1280 1280w\" alt=\"HS2 project\" data-title=\"HS2 project\" data-copyright-holder=\"PA Wire\" data-copyright-notice=\"PA Wire\/PA Images\" data-credit=\"Aaron Chown\" data-usage-terms=\"\" \/><figcaption>A protester with a megaphone outside the encampment in Euston Square Gardens in central London (Aaron Chown\/PA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><!-- EMBED END Image --><\/p>\n<p>A spokesperson for HS2 Ltd said the company could not comment on the specifics of protesters\u2019 activities as it is yet to take possession of the land, but that \u201cillegal\u201d actions could be a danger to people\u2019s safety.<\/p>\n<p>Bailiffs from the National Eviction Team began evicting protesters in the early hours of Wednesday morning and continued to take down the camp throughout the day.<\/p>\n<p>But several activists remained in park, with some hiding in tents placed high-up in trees, while others sat on the roof of a make-shift wooden camp in the south-side of the site.<\/p>\n<p><!-- EMBED START PA Quote --><\/p>\n<figure>\n<div class=\"pa-embed\" data-type=\"quote\" data-quote=\"Activists right now, as we speak, are digging further passages, so it will take the National Enforcement (Eviction) Team longer to evict us\" data-source=\"Euston Square Garden protection camp spokesman\"><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/content-embed.pressassociation.com\/embeds.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/figure>\n<p><!-- EMBED END PA Quote --><\/p>\n<p>A spokesperson for the Euston Square Garden protection camp told the PA news agency that four people were still in the tunnel network and that the \u201cplan was to keep digging\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>He said that there was \u201cmore than one tunnel\u201d and that they were about 15 feet deep underground.<\/p>\n<p>One protester from Hendon in north-west London, who gave his name as Al, claimed at least seven people were still underground.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking from the roof of the makeshift camp, he told the PA news agency: \u201cActivists right now, as we speak, are digging further passages, so it will take the National Enforcement (Eviction) Team longer to evict us.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Enforcement officers used aerial platforms to dismantle the tents erected in the park\u2019s trees, and had managed to coax three protesters down by 2pm.<\/p>\n<p>Activist Martin Andryjankczyk said he had been carried out of the park by enforcement agents earlier in the day.<\/p>\n<p>He said: \u201cThis is a HS2 rebellion protest camp, we are trying to protect those trees from HS2 and stop them from being cut down.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey (the remaining demonstrators) aren\u2019t going to give up that easily. This camp will take at least a week or two to evict.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><!-- EMBED START Image --><\/p>\n<figure id=\"embedded257759085\"><img src=\"https:\/\/image.assets.pressassociation.io\/v2\/image\/production\/c1fc5ab88cdb95c5b8c8bd272a2faf63Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjExODQzODY4\/2.57759085.jpg?w=640\" sizes=\"(max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/image.assets.pressassociation.io\/v2\/image\/production\/c1fc5ab88cdb95c5b8c8bd272a2faf63Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjExODQzODY4\/2.57759085.jpg?w=213 213w, https:\/\/image.assets.pressassociation.io\/v2\/image\/production\/c1fc5ab88cdb95c5b8c8bd272a2faf63Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjExODQzODY4\/2.57759085.jpg?w=426 426w, https:\/\/image.assets.pressassociation.io\/v2\/image\/production\/c1fc5ab88cdb95c5b8c8bd272a2faf63Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjExODQzODY4\/2.57759085.jpg?w=853 853w\" alt=\"HS2 project\" data-title=\"HS2 project\" data-copyright-holder=\"PA Wire\" data-copyright-notice=\"PA Wire\/PA Images\" data-credit=\"Aaron Chown\" data-usage-terms=\"\" \/><figcaption>A protester, having been removed from a treetop camp, is led away from the encampment in Euston Square Gardens in central London (Aaron Chown\/PA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><!-- EMBED END Image --><\/p>\n<p>A community notification issued in December detailed the need to build an \u201cinterim\u201d taxi rank on the east side of Euston Square Gardens to support the construction of a proposed HS2 station.<\/p>\n<p>Construction work is due to begin this month and continue until December.<\/p>\n<p>Tunnellers had worked \u201caround the clock\u201d using pickaxes, shovels and buckets to create the network, code-named Calvin, HS2 Rebellion said.<\/p>\n<p>With the help of local residents, soil from digging has been used to \u201cfortify the barricades\u201d at the network\u2019s entrance and insulate the \u201cpallet fortress\u201d to keep tunnellers warm as they sleep between shifts.<\/p>\n<p>Tunnels are supported by wooden joists and thick boards to prevent collapse and inside there are stashes of food and water, protesters said.<\/p>\n<p>HS2 Rebellion said an \u201cillegal eviction\u201d of the camp began shortly before 5am on Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p>It said bailiffs from HS2\u2019s private contractor, the National Eviction Team, \u201centered the camp under cover of darkness\u201d and that \u201ctree protectors\u201d had entered the tunnels and were \u201cprepared for a lengthy siege\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>The group previously said they believed they \u201ccan hold out in the tunnel for several weeks and hope in this time that a court will rule against HS2 for breaking the law by attempting an eviction without a court order and during the national coronavirus lockdown\u201d.<\/p>\n<p><!-- EMBED START PA Quote --><\/p>\n<figure>\n<div class=\"pa-embed\" data-type=\"quote\" data-quote=\"I\u2019m in this tunnel because they are irresponsibly putting my life at risk from the climate and ecological emergency\" data-source=\"Blue Sandford\"><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/content-embed.pressassociation.com\/embeds.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/figure>\n<p><!-- EMBED END PA Quote --><\/p>\n<p>The Metropolitan Police said officers were also at the site to prevent any breach of the peace but added any potential eviction would lie with the landowner.<\/p>\n<p>One protester, Blue Sandford said: \u201cI\u2019m angry that the Government is still effectively ignoring this crisis despite declaring a climate and ecological emergency two years ago.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m in this tunnel because they are irresponsibly putting my life at risk from the climate and ecological emergency.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey are behaving in a way that is so reckless and unsafe that I don\u2019t feel they are giving us any option but to protest in this way to help save our own lives and the lives of all the people round the world.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Construction work started in September on phase one of HS2 from London to Birmingham.<\/p>\n<p><!-- TRACKING START GA --><script>(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){ (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o), m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m) })(window,document,'script','\/\/www.google-analytics.com\/analytics.js','ga');  ga('create', 'UA-72310761-1', 'auto', {'name': 'pacontentapi'}); ga('pacontentapi.set', 'referrer', location.origin); ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension1', 'By Luke Powell, PA'); ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension2', 'd4f43ff0-e5d6-4739-a56e-5a204cacac84'); ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension3', 'paservice:news,paservice:news:uk'); ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension6', 'story'); ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension7', 'composite'); ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension8', null); ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension9', null); ga('pacontentapi.set', 'anonymizeIp', true); ga('pacontentapi.send', 'pageview', { 'location': location.href, 'page': (location.pathname + location.search + location.hash), 'title': 'HS2 protesters reportedly still inside secret tunnel network despite evictions'});<\/script><!-- TRACKING END GA --><\/p>\n<p>By <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/author\/thecanary\/\">The Canary<\/a><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"syndicated-attribution\">This post was originally published on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/uk\/news\/2021\/01\/27\/hs2-protesters-reportedly-still-inside-secret-tunnel-network-despite-evictions\/\">The Canary<\/a>. <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At least four people are said to still be in the 100 foot network of tunnels that activists have dug.<\/p>\n<p>By <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/author\/thecanary\/\">The Canary<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1541,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5669,5670,5640,393,5606,5614,4,1156,1395],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21089"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1541"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21089"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21089\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21090,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21089\/revisions\/21090"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21089"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21089"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21089"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}