With the meadow 'translocated' and blasting imminent, it was time to say goodbye, but not without the last few laughs. Ashton Court was given to the people of Bristol in 1959 with the condition that nothing be done that ' would detract from its value as a recreation ground or prejudice the enjoyment of the people'. Realising that turning the park into an open quarry and destroying the habitats of rare orchids and other wildlife might just 'prejudice their enjoyment' of it, two protestors abseiled into the quarry and occupied a ledge above a load of explosives that were due to be detonated five minutes later. They were evicted by police after 32 hours and are in court at the end of the month. Meanwhile the quarry manager had his lawn translocated onto his driveway - and a daffodil planted on the roof of his car.
Translocation means digging up everything and placing the land elsewhere.
All at SchNEWS towers can sleep soundly tonight, safe in the knowledge that we are free to stand on the verge next to the road-side and not fear arrest. The clause was originally intended to make assemblies of 20 or more people a criminal offence, but the ruling could make this unworkable. Rest assured, we can continue to protest peacefully, while our lungs fill up with carbon monoxide. It is surely only a matter of time before all land in the UK is collectivised, and we live in anarchist communes, eating root vegetables, sharing stories of the revolution. However, don't get too excited, as there's no timetable for legislation, and it could get amended beyond all recognition by House of Commons committees, or by those well known guardians of the freedom to access, the House of Lords.