Anti-incinerator protesters storm council meeting (From Sutton Guardian)

Anti-incinerator protesters storm Sutton Council meeting

9:00am Saturday 16th March 2013 in News By Mike Pyle

Anti-incinerator campaigners interrupted a council meeting with a protest they called the "money shot".

Stop the Incinerator protesters, including one dressed as Doctor Toxic, walked into Sutton Council's development control committee meeting on Wednesday and protested in silence by standing with £5, £10 and £20 notes taped over their mouths.

The group staged the protest to illustrate its belief that Sutton Council has put money before its residents health.

South London Waste Partnership, made up of Sutton, Croydon, Kingston and Merton councils, wants to build a controversial energy recovery facility (ERF) on the landfill site in Beddington Lane.

The site is on the border of Sutton, Merton and Croydon boroughs.

Contractor Viridor has come up with a design for the project which is set to go in front of Sutton's development control committee next month.

Ahead of that meeting the protevstors wanted to let the councillors know their feelings so walked into the meeting as it started.

Stop the Incinerator spokesman Shasha Khan said: "The development committee on Sutton Council thought they were holding a routine meeting when suddenly the doors opened and a number of Stop The Incinerator protesters entered with placards and sat down at the front of the public gallery.

"Once the meeting officially started, the startled councillors looked over to see the protesters were all now stood up, and taped to their mouths were either: £5, £10 or £20 notes.

"Looking perplexed, and a little shaken, the chair appeared to speed through the agenda in 120 seconds and then drew the meeting to a close.

"Protesters then heckled councillors as they moved to the exits, leaving the protesters alone in the meeting room."

The ERF is planned to incinerate household waste from the four boroughs and convert it into energy for the surrounding area.

The protesters say the plant will emit pollution which will be harmful to its neighbours in Hackbridge and Beddington.

Viridor denies the claims.