HS2 protesters are branching out with a novel way to make their point.
Stop HS2 Warwickshire campaign manager Joe Rukin has been demonstrating his best wooden acting skills – playing a tree.
The Kenilworth resident is currently part of a protest camp at the ancient Cubbington Wood which is set to be torn down to make way for the controversial high speed rail.
And in between camp shifts, he is taking his street theatre piece, featuring an HS2 contractor felling a tree, on the road.
Mr Rukin has even taken his protest show to the Uxbridge constituency of Prime Minister Boris Johnson – who is reluctant to scrap the 190km line – and claimed most of his constituents did not share the PM’s view.
He told the Observer: “People loved a bit of comedy from a grown man in a tree costume and another man with a pretend plastic saw.
“I didn’t meet one person there who thought HS2 was a good idea at all. In fact in London people think it’s only going to bring in more commuters. No matter where we go no one wants it. There’s only a very small number of people with vested business interests but other than that nobody is actually for this.”
The novel demonstration comes shortly after leaked content from an independent review revealed recommendations the line should go-ahead despite spiralling costs reaching £88billion.
