UK'S LARGEST ANTI FRACKING PROTEST HEADS TO MANCHESTER

This weekend will see thousands of people from all corners of the country head towards Manchester in protest of the highly controversial (hydraulic fracturing shale gas extraction technique) more commonly known as Fracking, in what is thought will be the biggest demonstration staged in the UK yet.

A march against the governments stance on Fracking will take place with campaigners gathering in Piccadilly Gardens from 11am and marching to Castleton  around midday to hear speeches around 1pm from fellow Anti Frackers, including Labour GM Mayoral candidate Andy Burnham and Bianca Jagger the former wife of Rolling Stones front man Mick Jagger who will give speeches alongside former climate change diplomat John Ashton.

The last time a rally of this size was held it was at Barton Moss where well in excess of two thousand people turned up from as far across the nation to protest against iGas who were undertaking exploratory borehole drilling in the area. It is hoped by organisers that this event will top that and say that all are welcome to attend.

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“Everyone is welcome and invited to bring banner, costumes, musical instruments and everything else to make this a huge, fun, family day out that also sends the message loud and clear to the government that the ‘bleak and desolate north’ will not be fracked.”

From November 2013 to April 2014 Campaigners inhabited the Barton Moss protection camp through hail rain and snow to raise awareness of the environmental impact Fracking would have on the fragile moss-land eco system. Protests included “slow walking” in front of vehicles accessing the site, non-violent direct action, and rallies, music events and family days.

Saturdays event is a direct response to the Government who dramatically over-ruled Lancashire County Councils decision to block Fracking and hand Quadrilla a licence for the Little Plumpton site.

Salford and indeed the Northwest are not alone in protesting against the oil and gas industry, protesters from across America have recently descended on Standing Rock to stop a controversial pipeline being placed across Native Indian owned land. This has lead to a confrontation and now a stand off with the police and protesters.