http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/08/407369.html

" Yesterday (21st August), four protesters were convicted of
‘willfully obstructing a public highway’ and sentenced with an
‘unconditional discharge’ under the Highways Act (1) in Gray’s
Magistrate’s Court’s, Essex.

The four protesters, together with another four, locked-on the road
entrance to the Vopak Terminal in Essex, blocking the road and
preventing tankers from entering or leaving . Another 4 climbed up a
blended diesel silo to hang an agrofuels banner that advertised the
climate camp.

The Vopak terminal is the biggest supplier of agrofuels in the South-
East of England; distributors Tesco and Greenergy (2) supply fuel
stations in the South East with blended diesel. A tanker filled with a
diesel and agrofuel mix leaves the terminal every 3 minutes.

The protesters caused the terminal to be closed until 12.30pm,
successfully causing massive disruption to the operation of the
terminal, with no tankers entering or leaving during this time.

Police tried to clear the blockade with too few officers and did not
wait from the cutting team. This resulted in the use of excessive
force carried out on protesters even after the blockade had been
cleared.

The magistrates (3) made the stereotypical distinction between “lawful
and unlawful” protesting, warning the protesters to continue
protesting peacefully, apparently acknowledging that this is not their
last action.

*Notes*
(1) Section 137(1), Highways Act 1980.
(2) Tesco and Greenergy biofuels are produced from massive
monocultures of palm-oil, soya and sugar cane. Greenergy Fuels claims
to be the UK’s largest biofuel supplier, while Tesco claim to be the
market leader in the sale of biofuels.
(3) Two males and one female, all white."