A protester who blocked roads in an effort to force the UK government to insulate more homes ironically ended up blocking a train carrying ash that would have been used to do just that.
The twitter account for Insulate Britain tweeted yesterday that retired GP Diana Warner “chose to defy” a summons by not appearing at London’s High Court and instead “halted the delivery of destroyed forests to Drax power station”.
1/2 Today Diana Warner, retired GP, from Bristol, chose to defy the court summons by not appearing at the High Court.
— Insulate Britain (@InsulateLove) December 14, 2021
☠️ Instead she halted the delivery of destroyed forests to #Drax power station.
‼️A warrent has been issued for her arrest. She will be trialed in absence. pic.twitter.com/qic8sLyk7C
However, it has since emerged that the train was not actually carrying wood pellets to power Drax, but was taking away ash from the station to be used in part as insulation.
Responding to a tweet I had posted about the train being blocked, the company taking the ash, Power Minerals, said the stunt was “ironic” and also criticised the action for putting “people in harm's way”.
Ironically stopped a train collecting ash for use as a sustainable mineral in thermally efficient insulating building products whilst putting people in harms way.
— Power Minerals Ltd (@Power_Minerals) December 14, 2021
Power Minerals further explained that the ash leftover after pellets are processed at Drax was destined to be used “as a sustainable mineral in thermally efficient insulating building products”.
The company describes itself as the UK’s “leading independent supplier” of power station ash products. It is owned by Germany-based parent company EP Power Minerals.
Power Minerals runs a UK-wide network supplying ash projects in the “construction, housing and infrastructure sectors”.
Insulate Britain’s tweet further stated that a “warrent (sic) has been issued” for Warner after missing the court date.
Warner along with other defendants was due to face contempt of court proceedings over allegations the group broke a High Court injunction stopping them from blocking motorways.