Activist arrested after 11 days underground protesting HS2

HS2 protester whose millionaire father is laird of his own Scottish island hands himself over to police after 11 days underground

• Protestor Lazer spent 11 days underground protesting £98billion HS2 project
• HS2 Rebellion group activist locked himself underground with a steel device
• Several more of the group remain in the tunnels, including veteran Swampy 

An anti-HS2 eco-warrior has been taken into police custody after voluntarily leaving a network of tunnels they secretly dug below Euston Square Gardens. 

Lazer Sandford, the son of an island-owning millionaire Scottish laird, was one of six activists who have spent 11 days underground to protest the £98billion HS2 project.

The demonstrator had previously locked himself in place underground using a device made of steel and concrete wrapped around his arm to stop bailiffs dragging him away.

HS2 Rebellion protestor was seen in handcuffs after leaving the series of tunnels the group secretly dug near Euston station tonight

He later threw a peace sign to a watching crowd as he was led away from the entrance to the tunnel

A spokesman for the HS2 Rebellion group said Mr Sandford left in exchange for supplies including hygiene and sanitary products and lights for the remaining demonstrators.

He added Lazer was being checked by paramedics.

A statement from the activist said: ‘Eleven days in a tunnel and 30 hours in a lockon were painful, but that’s nothing compared with the current and coming suffering caused by the Climate and Ecological Emergency.

‘As the UK’s most Ecocidal project, HS2 is accelerating the climate and ecological emergency, through unprecedented tree felling and roughly 14 million tonnes of CO2.

‘I was inspired to do this by my dear friend Fox who died tragically a year ago today fighting for what he believed in. He was an inspiration to countless people who want to mend the world.

‘Me and my tunnelling friends are choosing to protect lives by means of protest.’

Mr Sandford’s departure comes after one of the demonstrators voluntarily left the tunnels and was arrested on Friday evening.

Lazer is pictured during his 11-day stay underground, which is said to have ended in exchange for goods for the remaining protestors

A lone supporter of the protestor stood by the police shield, close to the entrance to the tunnel near Euston station 

Lazer locked his arm into a metal device to stop bailiffs taking him away from the secret tunnels

A HS2 Ltd spokesman said: ‘A second illegal trespasser chose to leave the tunnel this evening, and we urge the others to follow.

‘On-site paramedics provided immediate medical assistance. The trespasser has now been handed over to the Metropolitan Police.’

Roc Sandford, father of Lazer and fellow tunnel protester 18-year-old Blue Sandford, previously said he was ‘scared and distressed’ as their parent but was ‘right behind them’ and understood ‘exactly why they know they have to do this’.

Commenting on the tunnellers he told the PA news agency on Friday: ‘I am in awe of all of those incredibly brave spirits down there, not just my children, but all of them.’

HS2 Rebellion has called on the Government to scrap the ‘expensive, unpopular and destructive’ railway scheme and claims plans will see Euston Square Gardens built over with a temporary taxi rank before being sold to developers.

The group has claimed that the protest in Euston is the ‘longest UK protest tunnel occupation in two decades’, breaking the ten-day record previously set by a pair of environmental campaigners in Derbyshire in 2008.

Other activists in the tunnels include veteran environmental campaigner Swampy, real name Daniel Hooper, and his son Rory.

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