All six of their distribution depots were to be blockaded on 22nd February. Glasgow Earth First! and TAPP (Tyneside Action for People and Planet) were to do the only one north of Liverpool, at East Kilbride (aka Kilmarnock).
The whole thing was ridiculously easy. We travelled down on the normal public bus, met up with the TAPPites, walked the last bit and took up our positions. Surely the fact that we were late and the blockades were already happening at the other depots would have meant they'd be expecting us, but no. Maybe they believed us about Kilmarnock, and wre waiting at some tiny Sainsbury's store there!
The TAPPites locked on over the 'in' barrier, while we locked on across the 'out' road. Another D-locked himself to the emergency gate. As it turned out, he needn't have bothered, as the gate was jammed shut. (Did some hippy vandal superglue the lock?)
A few truckers got annoyed at first, including one who picked me up and dragged me a few metres (he hurled a crook around Hurlawcrook Industrial Estate!). Funny how they like protesting themselves, but don't like it when they're on the receiving end. But they soon got friendly, and even supportive, maybe when they realised how much overtime they'd be getting.
The depot was blocked for about three hours. We were taken to the cop shop, and released within a few hours, except Fungus, who, due to give birth that day, was simply checked out in an ambulance, then released!
Altogether a brilliant action, and excellent press coverage too. Er, well, front page headline and very positive double page spread inside the East Kilbride News. You probably didn't read about it anywhere else because the mainstream media missed it out, worried about losing advertising revenue.
Amazing thing #1: The police were extremely fluffy, both at the depot and the police station.
Tim
You'll probably know that it food contains genetically modified ingredients, it has to say so on the label. But did you know that if an animal used for meat or dairy products has been fed G.M. feed, the company don't have to admit it? Some supermarket chains had already pulled out of using G.M. animal feed, but we needed to tell those that hadn't they needed to as well. So after a series of individual actions against Asda, a national action was planned, to blockade all their distribution depots at the same time on the same day. However, a few days beforehand Asda announced they were pulling out of using G.M. feed. Result! But Sainsbury's still hadn't.
Amazing thing #2: I don't think the telly was on at all the previous night at Crusty Mansions.
Crusties one. Sainsbury's nil. The fight against Sainsbury's continues.
(edited for accuracy by Stephen)