Successful Lock-on: Tunnel Picket Monday

Kat atop the drill

Today we managed to slow down scheduled works, at the corner of Queens and Alexandra parades, for hours. Three protestors, noticing a drill being unloaded early and unexpectedly at this site, had managed to outfox police, enabling one of them to scamper up the rig. By the time I had to leave for work at 8.30am, Kat was still seated in her eyrie, from which the Search and Rescue squad had not yet arrived to extract her.

Kat above, supporters below

Drillers had returned to this familiar site for the third time, because on the last occasion they had mistakenly cut through the sewerage pipe, to the understandable displeasure of the neighbours. Presumably they had returned today in the hope of 'third time lucky'.
Picketers, drillers and police stood around, and stood around.

The waiting game

Periodically we thought action was about to happen as extra police approached picketers.

Changing of the guard

But while I was there, the activity only signalled a change of shift, enabling officers to take their break on the picnic tables under the trees on the median strip opposite.
At one point, there was a short scuffle when Mel attempted to climb on the truck to fill Kat in on events. Mel and Tony were dragged off by the police.

Tony being hauled off

Police themselves climbed up on the truck to take Kat's details - though you would think by now they would have them memorised!:

Kat cooperating with police by providing her details

The picketers stood firm and determined to prevent the drill entering the enclosure. Fortunately the weather today is beautiful, so if there is a prolonged delay with the Search and Rescue team, waiting will not be quite the hardship it has been on other occasions.

In for the long haul

I can only imagine that Kat, sitting and waiting anxiously for the S and R team, would have much preferred to exit via the vehicle floating above her.

'Beam me up, Scottie!'