Financial Times (London, England) (pg. 2), September 11, 2008

GREENPEACE SIX CLEARED OF DAMAGING POWER PLANT

By Fiona Harvey

Six Greenpeace protesters were acquitted of criminal damage yesterday after they scaled a chimney at Eon's Kingsnorth power station in Kent to protest against government support for new coal-fired generation.

The verdict, after an eight-day trial at Maidstone crown court, is a further blow to the government's energy plans.

The future of coal is now the subject of fierce debate, with the two main opposition parties united against the government in opposing new coal power plants.

Greenpeace argued that the risks from climate change were so great that it was reasonable for members of the public to attempt to stop new plants being built.

It called several expert witnesses, including James Hansen of Nasa, one of the world's leading climate change scientists, Aqqaluk Lynge, a Greenland Inuit, and environmentalist Zac Goldsmith.

"This verdict marks a tipping point for the climate change movement," said Ben Stewart, one of the defendants. "If jurors from the heart of Middle England say it's legitimate for a direct action group to shut down a coal-fired power station because of the harm it does to our planet, where does that leave government energy policy?"

Eon said it was "surprised and disappointed" at the verdict. "We support the right to protest but it is unacceptable for people to behave in a way that breaks the law and puts people's lives at risk," the company said.

Eon added it was too early to say what its next steps would be as a result of the verdict, but the company hoped it would not be taken as a signal that protesters could disrupt power plans with impunity.

The six protesters targeted Kingsnorth last year because, as well as housing an existing plant, it is the proposed site of a new £1.5bn coal-fired power station, which would be the first in the UK for decades.

They climbed a chimney and painted "Gordon" on the side, causing damage that cost £30,000 to clean up.