New call for Fylde frack protest crack down

The plea comes after protesters last month staged demonstrations outside the premises of companies which supplied goods and services to Cuadrilla which is building a shale gas drilling pad on the Fylde.

National climate change group Reclaim The Power is planning a fortnight of protests against the drill site which would again focus on the supply chain firms.

Today the businesses have been joined by the GMB and Community unions to demand the police and judiciary take a firm line. Babs Murphy, from the North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, which has co-ordinated a jointly signed letter to MPs, said: “They (800 potential supply chain firms) deserve the chance to be part of this exciting new industry without fearing that they will be targeted with some sort of retaliation, be that physical blockades by protestors or reputationally damaging and distressing comments on social media.”