PROTESTORS are set to march outside the gates of the oil production facility at the centre of the major Poole Harbour oil spill.
Extinction Rebellion (XR) groups from across Dorset will stage a peaceful protest at Wytch Farm on Monday, May 1, calling for oil company Perenco to lose its operating and license.
It comes after 200 barrels of oily liquid spewed into Poole Harbour causing pollution and a major incident being declared.
The demonstration will start at Norden Park and Ride at 9.45am with protestors marching in a procession towards Wytch Farm.
Dorset Police will maintain a presence at the production site gates for two hours.
Event co-organiser, Adam Osman from XR BCP said: “Join us to make a stand against site owners Perenco and their risky oil business. Perenco polluted Poole Harbour and we believe this production site is now past its expiry date.
“It’s time for oil production to end here, and for fossil fuel production to wind down everywhere.”
Dr Martin Price of the environmental group Friends of the Earth East Dorset added: “We have been arguing since 1984 that Wytch Farm oil should not be tapped, as the area is too important for nature. Instead, we should have invested in renewables - solar, wind, wave and tidal.
“We should be investing in a clean future, not a dirty, outmoded fossil fuel technology from the past.”
Extinction Rebellion member Joanna Bury leads chants of “Parenco out” at Poole Quay. She told me today was a “solemn day”. @Bournemouthecho pic.twitter.com/3Lt5ZD7hve
— Andrew Goldman (@AndrewDailyEcho) March 27, 2023
The event comes soon after XR’s The Big One in London, which saw more than 60,000 people demand an end to new oil and gas projects.
It also follows a protest staged at Poole Quay on March 27, one day after the Poole spill took place.
Rebecca Saville from XR Purbeck stressed the protest at Wytch Farm would be family-friendly, adding: “Bring your voices and your love for Dorset’s beautiful environment and nature, and your rage at how it is being mistreated.”
As previously reported by the Echo, Perenco previously received two formal warnings from the Environment Agency (EA) in a ten-year period for incidents at its Wytch Farm facility.
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