City of York Council
The City of York Council is the local authority of York and North Yorkshire.
North Yorkshire is extensively covered in Petroleum Exploration and Development License (PEDL) blocks and controversial fracking firms Third Energy, INEOS and Cuadrilla hope to exploit the county’s shale gas reserves. The possibility of fracking has prompted strong opposition from the local people, NGOs, parish councils, town councils and district councils. Dozens of peaceful protests have taken place across the county in recent years, including a huge anti-fracking rally in York, which attracted thousands of peaceful protesters in July 2016. North Yorkshire County Council received over 4000 letters objecting to Third Energy’s application to begin fracking in Kirby Misperton. In November 2016 residents of Ryedale and Friends of the Earth were jointly contesting the company's plans at a judicial review in the Royal Courts of Justice in London. [1]
Linking 'anti-fracking' protestors with extremism
It was reported in November 2016 by Russell Scott that the City of York council has been working with the North Yorkshire Police Force and used the strategy to link ‘anti-fracking’ activism with terrorism risks in North Yorkshire. On the City of York’s ‘Prevent Story Board' published on their website, ‘anti-fracking’ was included alongside ‘extreme right wing activity’, together with groups linked to the ongoing war in Syria, anti-Israel/pro Palestinian activities, hunt saboteurs and animal rights activists. [1]
The City of York council’s story board included a section titled ‘local picture of need’ and the following statement:
- 'The Counter Terrorism local profile for York and North Yorkshire highlights the key risks to York as evidence of activity relating to Syria, presence of the Kurdistan Worker’s party (PKK), anti-fracking and extreme right wing activity.' (City of York council; December 2015)
The inclusion of fracking campaigners on the ‘Prevent’ list is likely to be highly controversial within the council, which passed a motion to oppose fracking in late October 2014. The council voted overwhelmingly (23 for, 11 against) to pass an ‘anti-fracking’ motion which recognises the serious risks fracking poses to climate change. [1]
The 'Prevent Story Board' was removed off the City of York council website a few days later.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Russell Scott, More police forces and councils labelling peaceful anti-fracking protestors as 'extremists' alongside ISIS and far right, SpinWatch, 02 December 2016. Accessed 6 December 2016.
