Happy Valley Activist in Court

Dan Rae, a member of the Save Happy Valley Campaign appears in court today on a charge relating to a protest at Solid Energy's headquarters in March when four activists locked themselves onto the building.

The action was in protest at Solid Energy's planned new open cast coal mine in Happy Valley on the West Coast.

“Solid Energy has an appalling track record and its proposed mine in Happy Valley will be a disaster, killing kiwi and many rare Powelliphanta “patrickensis” land snails, as well as causing climate chaos and pollution of waterways,” stated Dan Rae.

Recently members of Save Happy Valley Christchurch blockaded Solid Energy coal trains for five hours and Forest and Bird has continued opposing the mine through the courts. The campaign has been characterized by creative actions like occupations of the proposed mine site, tree sits-ins and ‘kiwi’ digging up the front lawn of Solid Energy's Headquarters.

“The real crime is Solid Energy's continued environmentally destructive practices not our actions which are minor in comparison. Our campaign so far is just the start of our direct action against this mine and further actions are planned,” said Dan Rae.

The mine is opposed by a wide range of groups as well as the Save Happy Valley Coalition, including the Buller Conservation Group, Te Runanga o Ngati Waewae, Forest and Bird, the Green Party and Greenpeace.

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