The lowdown
Hundreds of climate change protesters attempted to shut down one of the UK's largest coal-fired power stations at the weekend, in what they dubbed 'the Great Climate Swoop'. The activists were made up of supporters from the Camp for Climate Action, Plane Stupid and Climate Rush. The group has also been protesting on the web against the German energy firm E.ON, owner of the power station. Protesters posted video responses on the firm's 'talking energy' YouTube channel.
Why the protest?
The 'Great Climate Swoop' protest comes two weeks after E.ON said it was putting plans to build a new coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth on hold. The activists turned their attention to Ratcliffe because it is one of the largest producers of carbon dioxide in Britain.
How did E.ON respond?
It took out an injunction to give the police the power to arrest anyone attempting to enter the site. It has been engaging with the activists on YouTube.
How did the media cover it?
The Independent and The Guardian covered the build-up last week. Bibi van der Zee, on her Guardian blog, questioned the police using 'conspiracy laws that carry ten-year jail sentences' to arrest protesters. The protest achieved national coverage over the weekend, focusing on injuries received in scuffles by protesters and the police.
