4 Supermarkets and a Garden Centre

JOY

4 Supermarkets and a Garden Centre

PART 2           30.5.18         4PM

Numbers escalated to the max – 14 people inclusive of ‘seasoned’ activists from the days of Global Resistance, Climate Camp (Heathrow), Reclaim the Streets, War on Want, ‘Occupy’- to name but a few.

After the hostile reception we got at the Bideford ASDA the week before we were on full alert when we, in 3 cars, approached the (larger) ASDA in Barnstaple. One member of this elite posse had taken me aside earlier and explained my chaining myself to a metal upside down U frame would be pointless and a bit ‘weak’. He said if I were to do a proper job I’d need to chain myself to the doors of ASDA stopping customers from getting in or out – for which I’d “certainly get arrested”. With double the dose of adrenaline flowing through my endocrine system (still fairly untainted by Roundup I feel due to the healthy food I’m privileged to have from our garden plus high quality meat from our purely grass fed Highland cattle) I agreed and mentally began building my energies to prepare for (what I felt to be the ‘inevitable’).

On arrival at ASDA a journalist was waiting and I did an interview after which we hit the forecourt, whipped out banners – one saying ‘Sygenta, Monsanto we don’t want your GMO’s’ and another (first used at the Hague 2 years ago which got us into a lot of trouble)saying “GMO’s UK . . . .YOU GROW IT – WE’LL BURN IT” (a threat we don’t make lightly).

I then approached the doors of ASDA with the heavy duty chains in my rucksack when . . . .Horror of Horrors – Automatic doors with NO handles or bars to chain myself to. (last time I looked they definitely had handles) ‘should have done a proper rekey myself’ some b . . .  . .stormed into the supermarket and whispered in my ear.

The main body got straight into their stride and filled up their trolleys with Roundup from the shelves. When Tony, myself and a couple of others went in the group had filled up their trolleys and covered them (and some of the aisles) with the magic yellow and black tape (a sign of danger in the wild) saying . . .”Glyphosate Precautions . . .Causes Cancer (skull and crossbones) KEEP OUT”.

The security had clearly been briefed NOT to behave with aggression and threats as per last week and hit the charm offensive “we understand where you’re coming from bla bla” and, I’m ashamed to say I’m a sucker, for politeness so we packed up and off we went to our final destination where we’d complete our ‘4 Supermarkets and a Garden Centre’ remit.

Sainsbury’s were clearly fully primed and quite simply allowed us to do whatever we wanted . . .so, to make it ‘slightly’ interesting, we got, Tony Finney – our folk musician in residence to get out his guitar. I then chained myself to some railings lying on the ground with banners scattered hither and thither where Tony blasted out the Tapeley and (GR) anthem “Our World is not for Sale” followed by a brilliant off the cuff nursery rhyme sing along about Sainsbury’s . . .

“Don’t buy Roundup weed killer

It will kill you dead

If you’re shopping at Sainsbury’s

Buy something else instead . . .”