Police thanked for protest '˜restraint'

Pro-frackers have publicly backed police who have come under fire for the way they are handling protests at Cuadrilla's controversial fracking site.
Police hold back protesters outside Kirkham Police Station during one demoPolice hold back protesters outside Kirkham Police Station during one demo
Police hold back protesters outside Kirkham Police Station during one demo

Lancashire Police officers have been forced to deal with repeated ‘lock-on’ protests by anti-frackers, campaigners climbing on lorries delivering to the site and accusations of facilitating Cuadrilla’s business.

But those who are supporting the industry say officers have maintained their professionalism despite “extreme provocation and unnecessary abuse.”

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A letter, purportedly signed by 351 people, was handed into police at Kirkham last week by pro-fracker Brent Crossley thanking officers for trying to maintain public order with “dignity”.

He said: “Anyone that has driven past the site, or followed events in the local media, will be very well aware that national activists have shown scant regard for the law or the rights of people trying to use the A583 to get to work or school. All of this has diverted valuable police resources from more important duties and cost the decent, hard-working council taxpayers of Lancashire a lot of money.

“But it was seeing the daily abuse that officers receive that made me think of organising a jointly signed letter to the Chief Constable.

“The response has been amazing, and shows that the police are fully supported by the vast majority of law abiding people who, regardless of their views on fracking, just want these activists to stop wilfully breaking the law and wasting everyone’s time and money.”

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Lancashire Police is now monitoring the site 24 hours a day after revealing it is costing them £450,000 a month to police it.

Anti-frackers have staged repeated protests at the site throughout July as part of a pre-warned month of action.