PROTESTERS have lost a High Court battle over the right to campaign against an Olympic training centre being built on public land.
The mix of local people and Occupy London group members are preparing to leave their campsite on Leyton Marshes after the High Court approved an eviction order this afternoon applied for by the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, which manages the green space.
The peaceful protest was in opposition to building temporary Olympic basketball courts on the land.
Yesterday the High Court approved a 14-day injunction against the protesters blocking construction vehicles from accessing the site after it was sought by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA).
Campaigners are furious that the green space is being closed off to the public and fear the works could cause lasting damage to the beauty spot.
The ODA has denied this and promised to return the land to its original condition.
Local group Save Leyton Marshes plan to seek a judicial review over both orders and aim to compile a legal case within a fortnight to prevent the ODA's injunction being renewed.
Member Caroline Day said: "We felt disappointed and we feel as though the critical issues are not being explored in court. It seems a travesty of justice to us. This is not the end.
"The judicial review would cover the nature of the judgement against us but how the construction has gone ahead.
"The onus should be on the ODA to explain themselves rather than us because there's questions about the environment and various health and safety concerns they have failed to answer."
She added that their argument will focus on these issues, such as an unexploded bomb being found last month which triggered an evacuation of the area and rubble containing asbestos being dug up.
Meanwhile two Hackney Council councillors Ian Rathbone and Deniz Oguzkanli have thrown their support behind the campaign.
The pair accused the ODA of wasting public money on a court case when it could have listened to people's concerns and worked with them.
In a statement they added: "They have been high handed and unreasonable in their dealings with local people on the ground - including us as elected representatives.
"That’s their idea of ‘communications’ – don’t answer, just go to court and sue."
An ODA spokesman said: "We welcome the High Court’s decision to issue an injunction to prevent any activity that would disrupt the construction of a temporary basketball training venue at Leyton Marsh. "We have been forced into this position by protestors who have stopped our work and repeatedly prevented vehicles getting on the site. We regret that it has been necessary to pursue this course of action, but had no option in order to fulfil the ODA’s obligations to provide practice facilities for Olympic and Paralympic athletes.
"The ODA is legally committed to restoring the land to its previous condition immediately after the Games and returning it to LVRPA by 15 October.
"We hope that those who have been opposed to the temporary training venue will accept the High Court’s decision and let us re-start work as soon as possible in order to complete construction speedily and without disruption or delay, and avoid any further needless loss of public money."
The Guardian is awaiting comment from the park authority.
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