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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Questions over role of police spy in closure of music festival | Questions over role of police spy in closure of music festival |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| What role did undercover police spy Mark Kennedy play in the closure of a long-running music festival that was enjoyed by thousands of environmental supporters? It is a question that has so far remained unanswered. | What role did undercover police spy Mark Kennedy play in the closure of a long-running music festival that was enjoyed by thousands of environmental supporters? It is a question that has so far remained unanswered. |
| In 2009, up to 15,000 people were due to go to the Big Green Gathering festival and listen to music, plan political action and raise money for environmental causes. | In 2009, up to 15,000 people were due to go to the Big Green Gathering festival and listen to music, plan political action and raise money for environmental causes. |
| But then at the last moment, the festival was abruptly closed down. The organisers of the festival say they were forced to cancel it after police and local officials raised a series of objections. | But then at the last moment, the festival was abruptly closed down. The organisers of the festival say they were forced to cancel it after police and local officials raised a series of objections. |
| Related: How the scandal of Scotland Yard's secret spy unit emerged | Related: How the scandal of Scotland Yard's secret spy unit emerged |
| At the time, the organisers accused the police of taking a politically motivated decision to shut down the festival on flimsy grounds as it raised money for environmental protests. It was a place where many activists gathered, they added. | At the time, the organisers accused the police of taking a politically motivated decision to shut down the festival on flimsy grounds as it raised money for environmental protests. It was a place where many activists gathered, they added. |
| Details of what happened can be read in articles here and here from the time by my colleagues George Monbiot and John Vidal. | Details of what happened can be read in articles here and here from the time by my colleagues George Monbiot and John Vidal. |
| Vidal quoted Brig Oubridge, the festival chairman, saying : “What the police have done is put more and more pressure on us over all our arrangements. It was a deliberate attempt to make it impossible to go ahead. We got in exactly the same paperwork as in other years. We know the officers were under pressure to close us down.” | Vidal quoted Brig Oubridge, the festival chairman, saying : “What the police have done is put more and more pressure on us over all our arrangements. It was a deliberate attempt to make it impossible to go ahead. We got in exactly the same paperwork as in other years. We know the officers were under pressure to close us down.” |
| The organisers say that the cancellation in 2009 caused them to go bust owing many thousands of pounds to suppliers and caused businesses to struggle. | The organisers say that the cancellation in 2009 caused them to go bust owing many thousands of pounds to suppliers and caused businesses to struggle. |
| A year later, in October 2010, activists unmasked Mark Kennedy as an undercover police officer who had infiltrated environmental groups for seven years. Those he had spied on began to piece together what he had been up to (see this chronology of his activities, for instance, and here and here for more information on his covert mission). | A year later, in October 2010, activists unmasked Mark Kennedy as an undercover police officer who had infiltrated environmental groups for seven years. Those he had spied on began to piece together what he had been up to (see this chronology of his activities, for instance, and here and here for more information on his covert mission). |
| Among them were the organisers of the Big Green Gathering who recalled that the police spy had been one of the volunteers who had helped run the festival. | Among them were the organisers of the Big Green Gathering who recalled that the police spy had been one of the volunteers who had helped run the festival. |
| Related: Undercover infiltration scandal - what's it all about? | Guardian Undercover Blog | Related: Undercover infiltration scandal - what's it all about? | Guardian Undercover Blog |
| While pretending to be an environmental activist by the name of “Mark Stone”, he had for a few years been part of a group that ran a cowboy-themed bar at the festival. It was called the Last Chance Saloon. According to one account, he was involved in many aspects of the bar, for instance, doing shifts serving drinks and ferrying people and equipment to and from the festival. | While pretending to be an environmental activist by the name of “Mark Stone”, he had for a few years been part of a group that ran a cowboy-themed bar at the festival. It was called the Last Chance Saloon. According to one account, he was involved in many aspects of the bar, for instance, doing shifts serving drinks and ferrying people and equipment to and from the festival. |
| The aim of the Last Chance Saloon was partly to raise money to fund environmental protests against climate change. Campaigners say he knew how important the festival was for raising money for the environmental movement. They say he had been one of the first people onto the site when the festival was being set up in 2009. | The aim of the Last Chance Saloon was partly to raise money to fund environmental protests against climate change. Campaigners say he knew how important the festival was for raising money for the environmental movement. They say he had been one of the first people onto the site when the festival was being set up in 2009. |
| What remains so far unknown is what intelligence (if any) did Kennedy gather about the festival and feed back to his superiors, and how this intelligence was used by the police (if at all). | What remains so far unknown is what intelligence (if any) did Kennedy gather about the festival and feed back to his superiors, and how this intelligence was used by the police (if at all). |
| If anyone has any information about this, I am interested to see it. | If anyone has any information about this, I am interested to see it. |
| After The Big Green Gathering went bust, the organisers were able to relaunch a new festival. This year’s festival starts next Thursday (August 13) near Chepstow on the Welsh border. More details about the Green Gathering can be found here and here. |