Ineos Court Injunction: It Won’t Stop UK Anti-Fracking Movement

By Andy Gheorghiu, Policy Advisor, Food & Water Europe: Washington/Brussels/London – Today, the High Court of the United Kingdom upheld an injunction sought by petrochemical giant Ineos intended to stifle protest against the company’s plans to frack sites in the UK.

 

In response, Food & Water Watch and Food & Water Europe Executive Director Wenonah Hauter issued the following statement:

 

“This decision undermines our basic democratic rights to protest and defend our communities.

“Ineos is facing sustained protests for a reason. The company has amasssed an atrocious environmental record across Europe, from chemical leaks and substantial pollutant releases to fires and explosions. If this company is being allowed to frack the UK, more pollution and more accidents are likely to follow.”

“The public knows the dangers fracking poses to our clean air and water, and that’s why activists in England are taking bold action to protect their communities against these threats. Ineos would like to stifle this movement, and unfortunately this High Court injunction has given the company a potentially powerful tool to threaten those advocating for a healthy climate and a livable world. If Ineos thinks a court injunction will stop the movement to protect our water, climate and communities from fracking, they are in for a surprise.“

 

Further note:

We at Food & Water Watch and Food & Water Europe have pointed out at a very early stage that Ineos‘ push for more fracking on both sides of the Atlantic to produce more plastics harms communities in the US and will eventually pollute the oceans and UK’s shores. We’ve also recently examined Ineos’ environmental record, including government and media reports of its plants in the UK, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Norway and Sweden, and found that many of the facilities had accidents, safety lapses, chemical leaks, substantial pollutant releases and even fires and explosions. If this company is being allowed to frack the UK, more pollution and more accidents are likely to follow.