Police descended on the protest today over concerns the large gathering in Haven Road breached Covid regulations. The furious campaigners are battling against proposals by Oikos to more than double the amount of fuel stored at its plant on the island. Police informed the group that under Covid regulations only 30 protestors are permitted to gather at once. Documentary maker Jessi Gutch, 29, from south east London co-ordinated the rally after researching and working with residents and praised the huge turnout. She said: “It went really well and we had speeches and chanting and then the police came and we had to disperse. You are allowed 30 people at a protest.
She thinks the site is too near to households. She said: “We should be investing in more renewable energy and it just feels like this is not the answer. “It’s not as if it will create lots of jobs so I do not know what the community will gain out of this. “It doesn’t seem right to me knowing a lot of the time these sites are far away from residents but this one is very close to residents.” Canvey resident John Webb who has lived on the island most of his life also blasted the plans. He said: “This is a protest by islanders against greed, this is not in the national interest at all and the firm’s profits were fine before Covid so there’s no reason why it can’t carry on as it is.