HOLMSEY: My plan to bring attention to our plight
Would you join me if I blockade one of the Island’s ferry ports?
In my imagination, we drive a big vehicle onto the linkspan, park up and apply the handbrake. We jump out, and quickly chain ourselves to the truck with massive padlocks, thus preventing anyone from moving us or dragging us away until the bolt cutters arrive. Obviously, the ferry service would grind to a complete halt, the boats won’t be shuttling back and forth as they normally do, cars and people would pile up on either side. I see the impacted crowds cheering us on, grateful that finally someone is doing something. OK, I know delays happen most weeks, but bear with me. If several of us do this, it could take several hours to move us on.
Direct action is justified because we’ve had enough of unreliable ferries and the excessive fares charged. We must raise awareness and get publicity, because talking and being reasonable has got us nowhere. Frankly no other cause is close to being so important, although of course the majority of the UK population has no idea what pain we go through.
Some Islanders are angry and possibly, slightly obsessed. So, are you willing to stand up and be counted? Will you join me? If so, what do you think they’ll do to us when we’re arrested? In court, we could explain how our lives are seriously impacted by ferries, tell them how we’ve missed exams, flights, work, golf days, shows and family funerals. We’ll explain how politicians consistently ignored us, idly standing by while the problem got worse year on year. We’ll tell them we can’t reliably access mainland hospitals for vital NHS services, including cancer treatments and heart surgery. We’ll explain how we no longer see family and friends as often, because only the desperate would pay the extortionate fares and risk wasting hours getting over here and safely home again. We’ll remind them the Office of Fair Trading investigated (back in 2009!), but essentially and wrongly concluded there was nothing wrong, the ferry ‘market’ is free and fair, so we’ve nothing to complain about.
Our barrister will prove that the number of ferry services offered since then has declined by a third, and that the boats cross more slowly than they used to. He’ll explain how we no longer enjoy mainland sport, theatre or concerts, because the last ferries home all sail early evening. They’ll describe how we used to have nights out over there and catch the midnight boat home. The last sailings now are 8-9pm now, so there’s barely enough time for a decent dinner. With powerful mitigation like this, we’re bound to get a small fine, or a slap on the wrist.
OK, I’m teasing. If you were thinking of agreeing to my imaginary plan, like Roger Hallam, the Just Stop Oil (JSO) protester and his co-conspirators, you could be jailed for five years. Hallam and co were convicted of “conspiring to cause a public nuisance.”
The judge in their case said, “The protests caused massive disruption and interference with key national infrastructure.” He pointed out the cost incurred ran into millions, and that those affected were pretty much doing all of the things I’ve mentioned above. That includes vital cancer treatment – which was cancelled and took two months to reschedule. However passionate you are about a specific issue – even ferries – you don’t have the right to prevent others from going about their lawful business.
For that reason, I believe the sentences handed down to Hallam and his Just Stop Oil mates are completely justified. Read the judge’s full remarks, and I think you’ll agree. Earlier this week, JSO activists tried ruining peoples’ holidays at Gatwick and Heathrow. Thankfully they failed this time; no holidays were ruined. Let’s hope they still get some jail time.
