In the small village of Vevring outside Førde in Sunnfjord, 30 activists from Nature and Youth have once again cleared the fence in the hope of stopping the construction work by the Førdefjord.
They have been on guard for over a week, to prevent the controversial mining project of Nordic Mining from starting.
On Wednesday, the activists will be removed from the city by the police.
Police action
– We saw ourselves forced to ask the police for help in handling the situation, says Kenneth Nakken Angeldal, operations director at Nordic Mining.
Around 09.30, the police were in place at Engebø to ask the activists to move from the construction area.
The activists were given a 15-minute warning, before being drilled away from the city and arrested.
– We do not give up after a round. We have several local opponents and activists who are ready to chain themselves, says Simon Balsnes, deputy head of Nature and Youth.
– DEMONSTRATES: Many demonstrators have turned up to demonstrate against the mining project. Photo: Alf Vidar Snæland / TV 2
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Controversial project
For over a week, shareholders from Natur og Ungdom have been on duty at the construction site at Engebø, to prevent the controversial mining project for Nordic Mining from starting.
– Now the Minister of Trade and Industry must take action and stop this project, says Balsnes.
Nordic Mining has been granted a license to deposit 250 tonnes of mining waste in the Førdefjord. The company wants to extract the mineral rutile and garnet.
The project has been controversial, and it is not the first time that activists and locals have taken the trip to Engebø to mark their opposition.
This opposition, in addition to impact assessments, regulatory processes and several rounds in various appeal bodies, has led to the project being delayed.
– AGAINST THE MINING PROJECT: Activists from Nature and Youth and people from the local population express their dissatisfaction with the project. Photo: Alf Vidar Snæland / TV 2
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– Sad
Angedal says they are basically positive that people show up, get involved and demonstrate for what they believe in. Therefore, they have given the activists an area they can use to demonstrate. He thinks it is sad that they went beyond this, and took illegal measures to demonstrate against the project.
– I think it is unfortunate that the activists have not stuck to the adapted area we have given them. We have received an approved construction case from Sunnfjord municipality, and will start doing preparatory work. This means cutting down forests and clearing the area after old activity, and demolishing old farms and holiday homes, some of which are in very poor condition.
– SAVE THE FJORD: The demonstrators want Førdefjorde not to be used for a fjord landfill. Photo: Alf Vidar Snæland / TV 2
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– Unfair
– It feels incredibly unfair that we have an administration in Norway that allowed enormous environmental damage. Here, 16, 17 and 18-year-olds have to empty their savings account by paying fines or sitting in solitary confinement to stop such a terrible project, says Balsnes.
– But what they are doing here is illegal, isn’t it?
– I am aware of that, but environmental crime is a bigger crime than sitting on an excavator and refusing to move, says Balsnes.
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