Medway Liberal Democrat councillor Andy Stamp has stepped in to replace some of the items which police allegedly confiscated during raids on Climate Camp. Police took away several items from the environmental campaigners when they began setting up the Camp at the end of last week. Officers seized equipment which they thought “had the potential to be used in criminal acts.”

Items seized included chalk, crayons, marker pens and a board game, albeit one called War on Terror. Cllr Stamp says the seizures left an estimated 50 children on site without anything to play with. Click here for Andy’s comments in full

Cllr Andy Stamp added: “When the Police took away these items, many of the children camping on the site had no toys to play with or crayons to draw pictures with.

“So the Lib Dems did a quick collection and purchased paper, crayons, chalk and a few games. It was great to be able to present the children with the equipment, they looked really pleased to have their crayons back.”

“The police behaviour is very disappointing. They have been totally inconsistent in their approach to seizing items, depending on which police shift is on patrol. How can they justify this petty confiscation?

“It appears they want to cause as much disruption to the Climate Camp as possible, regardless of their obligation to uphold the right to peaceful public protest.”

Fellow Lib Dem Councillor Maureen Ruparel added: “We popped in to the Climate Camp again yesterday and visited the Kid’s Activity Tent. As well as seeing all the craft items used, there was a clown entertaining the children and a general atmosphere of well-being, hardly a setting for terrorism.”

In a note to editors added to Wednesday’s release the councillors say there are up to 50 children on the climate camp at present.

The Liberal Democrats say they support the right to peaceful protest within the law by individuals and the Climate Camp protestors.

The councillors insist they do not condone any illegal attempt to close down Kingsnorth Power Station during the planned “Day of Direct Action” this Saturday (Aug 9)