Blockade against Danish test centre for giant wind turbines
Peter Skeel Hjorth, Donnerstag, den 21. Juli 2011, windwahn.de
Peter Skeel Hjorth, Donnerstag, den 21. Juli 2011, windwahn.de
Appeal for support from activists in Denmark
Thursday morning, the local Danish police gave up removing the activists who since Friday, 15 July 2011, have prevented the cutting down of forest to make room for the planned national test centre for 250 metres high windmills in Thy, Northern Jutland.
Ten police officers turned up to end the blockade but withdrew when it turned out that there were more activists than expected. They are camping in the forest area where the authorities intend to cut down the forest to create the right wind conditions in the test centre. We shall be back in great numbers, the police said.
The test centre will be situated right between a protected birds area, a so- called Ramsa area, and a Natura 2000 area. The Danish Society for Nature Conservation finds that the law regarding the test centre violates the EU habitat directive and has brought the case before the EU Commission who has requested a detailed statement from the Danish government. Furthermore, a local association has filed a case against the Danish State.
Friday, 15 July, the bird breeding season ended and by midnight the Danish authorities intended to start the cutting down. During the day, the local population protested against the demolition of Denmark’s last wild nature.
The activists simply laid down in front of the authorities’ machines to prevent the cutting down to start. They are staying in the area in tents day and night. [click here to see photos]
The ruling of the EU Commission is expected within a couple of weeks. The activists demand that the cutting down is postponed until the ruling of the EU Commission and the verdict of Danish court have been made public. The Danish press is following the case every hour. An open letter from a Danish association to the Minister for the Environment was published today requesting the Minister to stop the work.
”We find it very problematic that you, as the government’s representative, wants to force through a very controversial test centre for windmills, as the most basic investigations of the negative impact on the surroundings have not yet been made”, the Association for Improved Environment writes to the minister.
The demonstration in Thy has no central organization but arose spontaneously. A spokesman for the activists appeals for support and assistance from both Europe and the rest of the world. And, preferably, as soon as possible.
Please contact Peter Skeel Hjorth, spokesman of EPAW (European Platform Against Wind) in Scandinavia and the Baltic States: Email peter@skeelhjorth.dk, Phone +46 708 166521; or Aleksander Sønder: Email aleksander.soender@gmail.com, Phone +45 26160630.
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/07/22/blockade-against-danish-test-centre-for-giant-wind-turbines/