Judges grant Olympic bosses injunction against Leyton Marsh protestors

A protester paints a banner on Leyton Marsh. Photograph:Tim Sullivan

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has said it welcomes a High Court injunction barring protesters camped out on Leyton Marsh from engaging in activity that would disrupt work to construct a private basketball training facility in the treasured green space.

The peaceful protesters from group Occupy London set up an encampment on the site, a ‘greenfield’ nature reserve, and have been blocking diggers from entering.

A spokesman for the ODA, which insists its basketball structure will be temporary, said: “We welcome the High Court’s decision to issue an injunction to prevent any activity that would disrupt the construction of a temporary basketball training venue at Leyton Marsh.

“We have been forced into this position by protestors who have stopped our work and repeatedly prevented vehicles getting on the site. We regret that it has been necessary to pursue this course of action, but had no option in order to fulfill the ODA’s obligations to provide practice facilities for Olympic and Paralympic athletes.”

However Hackney councillors Ian Rathbone and Deniz Oguzkanli, who represent the Leabridge ward bordering the marshland, said the ODA’s actions had been ‘high handed’ and a waste of public funds.

In a joint statement Cllr Rathbone and Cllr Oguzkanli said: “We understand a claim for £300k is being made by the ODA against persons unknown. This in our view an attempt to silence people who have very valid questions about their environment. It would be interesting to see if local people sued they would have a counter claim for loss of amenity, irreversible loss of wildlife in an inner city area.”

The case has exposed splits in the local Labour Party, with another Hackney councillor, Haggerston ward’s Barry Buitekant, criticising the decision by Labour-run Waltham Forest Council to grant planning permission for the ODA’s scheme.

Hackney residents from campaign group Save Leyton Marshes said the ODA was being “fundamentally untrue” in claiming it had no option but to pursue legal action against the peaceful protesters.

A spokesman for the group added: “Eleven questions were put to them [the ODA] in December by a number of local councillors and still remain unanswered, including why the ODA chose not to utilise one of several alternative sites that would not require destroying this much loved green space.

“Kelmscott Leisure Centre is less than 10 mins from Leyton Marsh with recently refurbished basketball courts suitable for disabled athletes, it will be shut for the duration of the Games.

“Walthamstow dog track is a disused brownfield site within 30 min of the Olympic park – specified as a requirement for the training facility. These both appear to be reasonable alternatives, but whether these sites were even considered has not been forthcoming despite requests for the selection process to be made available to the public.”

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