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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Rachael Burford

Three HS2 protesters including Swampy leave Euston tunnel after 30 days

Veteran environmental campaigner Swampy, whose real name is Daniel Hooper, an 18-year-old known as Blue and a 22 year-old were forced out by HS2 bailiffs

(Picture: Handout)

Three HS2 protesters who have been living underground by Euston Station for 30 days left their tunnel this morning.

Veteran environmental campaigner Swampy, whose real name is Daniel Hooper, an 18-year-old known as Blue and a 22 year-old were forced out by HS2 bailiffs who have stepped up their campaign to evict the camp.

Activists started secretly digging the tunnel network last year in protest at tree felling to make way for the new high speed railway.

One of the nine original protesters is believed to still be underground, HS2 said. Swampy’s 17-year-old son was among those who left the tunnel network earlier this month.

In a statement, released by the anti-HS2 campaign, Blue said: “I did this because we are facing societal collapse and human extinction. People all over the world are already dying from climate and nature breakdown.”

An HS2 spokesman said the three were assessed by paramedics, taken to hospital and then handed over to the police.

He added: “As part of the ongoing operation at Euston Square Gardens we have successfully removed three further illegal trespassers from the tunnel.

“The safety of those trespassing and that of the HS2 staff and emergency service personnel in this operation is of paramount importance. We continue to do all we can to end this illegal action safely, and we reiterate our message to those who remain underground to comply with their court orders and exit the tunnel immediately.”

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