Protesters 'glued to Defra doors'

Anti-fracking protesters have super-glued themselves to the doors at the main entrance of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), campaigners have said.

The campaigners from the Reclaim the Power camp at Blackpool say the protest is in reaction to the release of a Government report last week which they say contains 63 redactions on the potential impacts of shale gas exploration on rural communities.

At 8am three activists super-glued themselves to the doors of Defra's main entrance and tried to prevent access, the group said.

Another activist climbed the building and unfurled a banner reading: "What's to hide Defra? - Don't frack with our future."

Some of the activists wore black tape across their mouths, campaigners said.

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A Metropolitan Police spokesman said officers were called at 7.30am and there were about 15 protesters on the scene. He said they had climbed scaffolding.

The campaigners claim deleted sections in the report include analysis around falling house prices and failing rural services.

They say the chapter examining the effect of drilling on house prices had three sections cut.

But a Government spokesman said: "There is no evidence that house prices have been affected in over half a century of oil and gas exploration in the UK or evidence that this would be the case with shale.

"This Government believes that shale has a positive part to play in our future energy mix, providing energy security, driving growth and creating jobs."

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One of the campaigners apparently super-glued to the building is Lindsay Alderton from London.

Speaking from the protest, she said it is "shameful" that the Government is "keeping secret the impacts of shale gas extraction", adding that the public "has a right to know".

She said: "This morning we're here at Defra to remind them that they work for the public that pays them their wages, and that the public demands to know the facts about fracking - censoring is not an acceptable option."

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