‘Hypocritical’ climate activists caught dumping plastic waste

Farmer Charles Goadby is furious at ‘appalling’ eco-protesters

An angry farmer has lashed out at the “hypocrisy” of Just Stop Oil campaigners after filming fly-tipped rubbish dumped by the group at a protest site.

Charles Goadby, 44, filmed the mound of litter that was left behind by protesters in a hedgerow on his land near Kingsbury Oil Depot in Warwickshire .

The footage shows sleeping bags, plastic bottles, plastics chairs and bags full of rubbish scattered close to a tunnel near the site on the edge of his farm.

The environmental activists have been campaigning on and off for several months at the site by blocking off streets and trying to tunnel underneath the road.

Mr Goadby shared a video on Twitter demanding an explanation for the mess, branding it “complete hypocrisy”.

The farmer also claimed protesters had caused long-term damage to hedgerows that mark the boundaries of his fields.

He said: “This rubbish was dumped on one of our farms near Kingsbury Oil Depot, I just couldn’t believe the complete hypocrisy of it.

“Just Stop Oil have contacted me today after a lot of social media attention.

“They have apologised and accepted responsibility and are going to get someone to come and clean it up.

“Not only have they now got to clean all the rubbish up, but they also need to fix the hedge which they have done a lot of damage too.

“So I also want to ask is who is going to repair all the hedgerow? This is the hedge which marks a field boundary and the protesters have been tunnelling inside it and have hollowed out the hedge.

“I suggested that they plant some new hedges to replace it. This hedgerow needs repairing. It needs replanting with new sampling and re-establishing.

“Fly-tipping is becoming a constant problem on my farm, it blocks our access and if it’s dumped on our land it becomes our responsibility, not the council’s.

“We’re the ones that have to pay to get it moved and clear it up ourselves.”

The environmental activists have been campaigning for several months against nearby Kingsbury Oil Depot (Charles Goadby / SWNS)

In the video shared online on Tuesday evening, Mr Goadby said: “All this crap has been left heer by Just Stop Oil campaigners.

“So, what I want to know from someone senior at Just Stop Oil – how can you justify this?

“People dumping crap over our British countryside, polluting it, destroying our countryside, and putting our wildlife at risk with rubbish.

“How can you justify this and tell me this is acceptable?

“You can see covered up, concreted in, one of the tunnels where they have been trying to dig underneath this main road right outside the Kingsbury Oil Terminal.

“And there are more concreted areas, where they have been filling in the holes.”

Plastic chairs and coffee cups were among the waste (Charles Goadby / SWNS)

A spokesperson from the Countryside Alliance added: “This is incredibly appalling and selfish behaviour. This appears to be fly-tipping which is illegal.

“It is incredibly damaging to the natural environment and there can never be any excuse for it.

“Farmers are often left to deal with the devastating impact of fly-tipping, usually at a cost to themselves.

“If you are visiting the countryside, please ensure you correctly dispose of your rubbish and if you are unable to find a bin, take the rubbish home to bin there.”

After the video was shared widely on social media, Just Stop Oil apologised and accepted responsibility. The group has promised to move the rubbish in the next few days.

A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said: “The farmer is right to be angry, Just Stop Oil is sorry that the site was not cleaned up, this is now being organised.

“The area should have been cleaned, so that the land, people and wildlife are protected.

“If you are rightly outraged and furious about this mess then join the ordinary people who are in civil resistance with Just Stop Oil.

“Because the damage that is coming, aided and supported by our government can not be picked up and taken away”.