MARK KERRISON | Photojournalist

Harefield, UK. 16 January, 2020. Enforcement agents acting on behalf of HS2 continue with the eviction of Stop HS2 activists from the Harvil Road wildlife protection camp in the Colne Valley. Three activists had been evicted and arrested by police officers the previous day. Two activists, Freeman and Quercus, today agreed to come down trees where they had taken refuge and successfully avoided eviction to date; neither were arrested. Freeman had been in a tree for over two days and two nights and was accompanied to Hillingdon hospital suffering from hypothermia by a paramedic after having been denied food, water and sleeping materials by enforcement officers who had also used large generators to shine bright lights onto him throughout the night so as to deny him sleep. Quercus had been in an oak tree avoiding eviction for a day and a night. Both activists had livestreamed extensively whilst up the trees, attracting large audiences. Another activist, Mark Keir, was forcibly prevented from reentering the wildlife protection camp by enforcement officers after coming out with two dogs belonging to Freeman with prior agreement from the enforcement officers. 108 ancient woodlands are set to be destroyed by the high-speed rail link and further destruction of trees for HS2 in the Harvil Road area is believed to be imminent.