Green protesters threaten e.on with ‘subversive’ plot

Camp for Climate Action, the group that caused widespread disruption at Heathrow airport last year, has marked energy provider e.on as its key target for 2008.

The group is threatening to “subvert” the company’s marketing and advertising, including its sponsorship of the FA Cup, as part a campaign to oppose e.on’s plan to build the first new coal-fired power station for 30 years.

Last summer, the group staged a week-long mass-demonstration against the proposed third runway at Heathrow airport. It attracted widespread media attention as thousands gathered to support the camp, leading to a 24-hour siege that forced BAA to close its headquarters. BAA also gained a High Court injunction banning certain protesters from the camp.

The group is now turning its attention to e.on and the Government, in a bid to stop John Hutton, Secretary of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, giving the coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth the green light. A decision is understood to be due in the next month.

E.on is reported to have pulled out of its long-term sponsorship of Ipswich Town FC in January, saying it would focus on its other high-profile football partnerships as a sponsor of the FA and FA Cup.

Camp for Climate Action is planning to target this area of e.on’s activity, with the intention of forcing the FA to disassociate itself from e.on. One of the group’s activists, Simon Evans says: “Research is being done to establish how best to utilise the advertising and publicity platform that e.on is giving itself as our own platform.”

An e.on spokesperson says: “We recognise that everyone has a right to protest but clearly maintaining the safe operation of Kingsnorth is of paramount importance to us.”

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