Police make 22 arrests ahead of planned protest at Drax Power Station amid 'robust' climate camp warning

8 August 2024, 10:39 | Updated: 8 August 2024, 10:56

The protest was set to take place at Drax Power Station this week
The protest was set to take place at Drax Power Station this week. Picture: Alamy
EJ Ward

By EJ Ward

Police have arrested 22 protestors in connection with a planned 'climate camp' at the Drax Power Station near Selby, North Yorkshire.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

In a joint operation, North Yorkshire Police and British Transport Police have arrested 22 people in response to a planned climate protest at Drax Power Station near Selby.

The arrests, made with support from West Yorkshire Police, are for alleged public order offences including conspiracy to interfere with key national infrastructure.

Various items associated with large-scale protests have also been seized by authorities. The 22 individuals remain in police custody at this time.

Read more: Sir Mark Rowley hails 'show of unity from communities' as 'fears of extreme-right' riots quelled by counter-protests

Read more: 'We will help clean up': Just Stop Oil explains protest pause over civil unrest

"Policing is not anti-protest, we are anti-crime and we are here to protect the public," said Superintendent Ed Haywood-Noble of North Yorkshire Police, who is serving as the Silver Commander for this operation.

"The right to peaceful protest is part of UK democracy, but we also have a duty to ensure that people who work at Drax and members of the local community can go about their daily business as usual."

The climate camp was scheduled to take place at the power station between August 8-13. In response, police said they will have a highly visible presence in the area for the duration of the event to minimise any disruption to the community.

"At a time when police resources are stretched nationally, it was essential that we acted both swiftly and robustly to reduce the risk of unlawful activity and disruption over the coming days," Superintendent Haywood-Noble added.

"Any offences, including outbreaks of disorder, will be dealt with firmly."

Yesterday, activists from Just Stop Oil, announced a pause on all actions during a period of "civil unrest" which has continued to sweep the UK.

In a statement, the group said that "without the elimination of the underlying causes of this unrest, the violent disruption we are seeing on the streets is likely to continue".

It comes as five Just Stop Oil activists were jailed for their role in disruption that saw eco-protesters halt traffic on the M25.

Noting "violence on our streets is endangering communities", the climate group added it was "deeply disturbed" by the violence seen across swathes of the UK.

Just Stop Oil protesters ‘arrested and removed’ after blocking Gatwick Airport

The planned climate camp is part of a series of protests against the Drax Power Station
The planned climate camp is part of a series of protests against the Drax Power Station. Picture: Alamy

There was "no disruption" to rail services to and from the power station site, BTP said.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Drax Group said its operations at the power station had not been affected by the protesters.

"We thank North Yorkshire Police for their swift action this morning to protect our colleagues and the wider community," they added.

“We respect everyone’s right to protest peacefully. However, this climate protest is completely misguided."

“Drax has been at the forefront of efforts to help the UK to decarbonise at a faster rate than any other country, and is the country’s biggest renewable power generator by output, keeping the lights on for four million homes and businesses across the UK."

  • This is a breaking news story - please refresh the page for the latest information

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Applegreen petrol station in New Town, Uckfield, Sussex.

Teenager dies after car overturned at Sussex petrol station

Starmer, Trump and Putin.

'Once in a generation moment': Starmer warns against NATO division ahead of Ukraine peace talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and United States President Donald Trump (right).

US officials heading to Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Saudi Arabia

Police in  Villach, Austria.

Boy, 14, killed and five injured after Syrian asylum seeker goes on knife rampage in Austrian town

Julie Buckley, 54, from the village of Christchurch in Cambridgeshire, has not been seen since late January.

Missing woman at centre of Cambridgeshire murder investigation named

Police at the scene after the car crashed into protesters.

Mother and her two-year-old daughter die after Munich attack where man ploughed car into crowd

Thousands attend the Pro-Palestinian demonstration held in London

Man arrested as thousands march to protest Trump's 'Riviera of the Middle East' Gaza plan

Partial lunar eclipse rising over Stonehenge, UK, on July 16th 2019

Rare 'blood moon' lunar eclipse is coming to the UK - here's how to see it

Ukraine war is the ‘front line’ for Europe and UK will up defence spending, Lammy says as Zelensky calls for European army

Ukraine war is ‘front line’ for Europe and UK will up defence spending, Lammy says as Zelensky calls for 'army of Europe'

Flag of the United Kingdom with surveillance camera and barbed wire

UK spending millions on ad campaign painting gloomy picture of Britain to deter Albanian immigrants

Flack, who was also known for presenting ITV's Love Island, took her own life on February 15 2020 at the age of 40.

Laura Whitmore shares heartbreaking final messages from Caroline Flack five years on from star's death

Exclusive
The former Deputy Foreign Secretary said: “Many countries in Europe are simply not spending anywhere near, in percentage terms, what America is spending.

UK needs to ‘spend less on welfare and more on defence’ to support Ukraine, former Shadow Foreign Secretary tells LBC

Craig and Lindsay Foreman

British couple on motorbike adventure held in Iran pictured for the first time as family break silence

The Jet2 plane was forced to divert.

Jet2 plane bound for UK makes emergency landing after passenger dies on board

he Philadelphia Eagles celebrate in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art during the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl Championship Parade on February 14, 2025

Two women shot and injured during Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl victory parade, police say

Social media footage showed a man being kicked on the ground by his knife-wielding attacker.

Two charged by police after shock footage shows man kicked and spat at by knifeman after ‘burning Koran’ in London