MARK KERRISON | Photojournalist

Denham, UK. 24th July, 2020. Environmental activists from HS2 Rebellion seek to prevent the destruction of an ancient alder tree during works connected to the HS2 high-speed rail link. Some activists, including Swan and Larch, secured themselves to a line running across the shallow river Colne to the alder tree, Swan remaining on the line for almost fourteen hours before her safety line was slackened by police officers from a cherry picker adjacent to the tree, causing her to fall off. An activist on a line had been hospitalised the previous day when the National Eviction Team had used a similar procedure and experienced climbers among the activists continuously warned against the use of this technique. Tree surgeons working with the National Eviction Team continued to cut the alder tree throughout the day, with sections of tree falling very close to the activists, and the tree was finally removed in the late evening. A large policing operation was in place to ensure removal of the tree, with officers in attendance from the Metropolitan Police, Thames Valley Police, City of London Police and Hampshire Police (Marine Support Unit) as well as the National Eviction Team. At least five arrests were made by the Metropolitan Police, with assistance from Hampshire Police.