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http://www.ukip.org/ukip_news/gen12.php?t=1&id=3079
UKIP
Brussels bulldozes peaceful protest
21-06-2007

The Bulldozer

Four MEPs were threatened with arrest today after Belgian police objected to a
peaceful protest outside the European Union summit.

Divisional Commander Pierre Vandernissen said he was "acting on instructions
from a higher authority" when he confiscated an inflatable bulldozer and
threatened to arrest MEPs Nigel Farage, John Whittaker, Derek Clark and Gerard
Batten. When questioned why he was doing it, he answered "because I have the
power" and refused to say whether or not it was politically motivated. "I don't
have to answer you" he said.

Part of the discussions over the new EU Treaty is the plan to decide Justice and
Home Affairs by Qualified Majority Voting and remove the veto which Britain
currently has.

The inflatable bulldozer was part of an 11,000 euro display by the Independence
and Democracy group attacking EU politicians for their secrecy over the treaty.
On it was written, 'Clearing the way for the EU constitution' and 'don't let
them bulldoze the treaty through'.

Within 20 minutes of the bulldozer being inflated, just yards from the entrance
to the European Council on the 'Zone of Free Expression', 35 policemen had
arrived, switched the generator off and parked their police vans to obscure the
view of the world's TV cameras which had been trained on the spot. The
inflatable was confiscated and will not be returned until the end of the summit,
if then.

The police commander told Mr Farage that "you will go to a cell for 12 hours and
then we will sort it out." He later threatened to arrest everyone in the area,
including civil servants and members of the press.

UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage slammed the moves by police as "storm
trooper tactics."

"I have seen the future of Europe, and I don't like it." said Mr Farage. "It was
an outrageous response to what was intended to be a humorous counterpoint to the
debate over the future of the continent".

"We have protested all over Europe without a complaint from anybody. This is a
deliberate attempt to stifle any objection to the new EU treaty.

"Once again we have seen that the EU don't want to know about concerns people
may have. They can't accept that 'no' means 'no' which is why they are holding
discussions over this treaty in secret, and they are trying to sneak in parts of
the EU Constitution even though the French and Dutch voted against it.

"How Labour, Conservatives and Liberal Democrats can want to hand over more
power to these people is, frankly, astonishing."