HS2 Ltd & SSfT v Persons Unknown & Ors
Approved Judgment:
9 23. Mr Dobson summarised an announcement by the Prime Minister on the 4th of October 2023 that phase two of the HS2 project had been abandoned but he did not set out the Prime Minister's words. Mr Dobson summarised various pronouncements about hit and run tactics published by Lousy Badger, social media threats to re-enter CPL and vague threats to “be back”. Overall, Mr Dobson asserted that the Claimants reasonably fear a 34 machinery. In the same month a naked rambler walked onto an HS2 site in Western Cutting near Brackley (phase 1) and was escorted off. In the same month a local resident blocked access to an HS2 site at Washwood Heath in Birmingham (phase 1) but left when shown the injunction. In September 2023 D16 and another person entered HS2 land in Warwickshire (phase 1) and two other areas and took photographs which were posted on social media. The next day they went to two further HS2 sites in Warwickshire. The next day they went to one or two sites in Staffordshire (phase 2). In October 2023, at Addison Road, Calvert, (phase 1) fire extinguishers were discharged overnight. In the same month a group of urban explorers entered property at Drayton Lane, Tamworth (phase 1) and posted images. In the same month a group of urban explorers trespassed at Whitmore Heath, Whitmore (phase 2A) and shared photos with other urban explorers online. In the same month fireworks were fired towards security officers on HS2 land at Leather Lane, Great Missenden (phase 1). In November 2023 five members of a group called Unite The Union attended Old Oak Common Road, London (phase 1) with a megaphone but left when informed of the injunction. Later in November, a farm property at Swynnerton in Staffordshire (phase 2A) was entered by urban explorers. Later in November, 13 Unite The Union activists blocked access to HS2 logistics hubs at Channel Gate Road in London (phase 1). In December through to January 2024, D69 flew drones over multiple HS2 sites. However, he has given an undertaking which is satisfactory to the Claimants and so he is not being joined to the claim. In December 2023 vandalization occurred to a site in Aylesbury (phase 1). In January 2024 urban explorers entered an HS2 building at Birmingham Interchange (phase 1) and were escorted off site. Later that month urban explorers trespassed at Drayton Lane, Tamworth (phase 1). Finally, in February 2024 a person asserting to be a social media auditor flew drones over HS2 land at Victoria Road in London (phase 1) and caused a nuisance. 22. In his evidence Mr Dobson set out records of what he described as the displacement of activists to other causes and unlawful direct actions by them for other causes. He asserts that direct action protesters have transferred their interest to other causes including Palestine Action and Just Stop Oil. Mr Dobson asserts that activists will look for loopholes in injunction orders, relying on evidence that D6 made such a pronouncement in relation to Balfour Beatty and the injunction they obtained, which I have set out above, asserting that protesters would attack Balfour Beatty elsewhere, outside the scope of the injunction. Mr Dobson also sought to raise his concern that the group: Universal Law Community Trust had ties with protesters wishing to Stop HS2 because their occupation of a property owned by HS2 was mentioned on some anti HS2 websites. Mr Dobson also raised his concern about urban explorers.
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