A group of anarchists claims to have torched a police firearms training centre being built in Somerset, a G4S security van, and a van belonging to GEOAmey, a firm that transports prisoners.
The blaze, which began on Monday night at the Black Rock centre in Portishead, was spotted in the early hours of Tuesday by a passing police officer. A group called the Angry Foxes Cell posted on the Bristol Indymedia website to say that the fire was planned to coincide with the start of the planned cull of wild badgers in the south-west of England.
“Through attempting to facilitate the cull and stop resistance the police shore up the interests of agricultural industry and the land-owning classes,” the post says, “We hope this will be one of many rebellions against this slaughter. The struggle will continue until all are wild and free.”
The group said in the post that it “used accelerant to burn the major electrical cables.”
Police said it is too early to decide “cause or responsibility.” A spokesperson said the group’s claims were “one of the lines of enquiry and forensic team will be investigating the incident. He stressed the facility was still under construction and did not contain ammunition or anything that posed any danger to the public.
A fire service spokeswoman said the cause of the blaze was not yet known.
"Firefighters are likely to be there for some time checking for any hot spots to make sure the blaze doesn’t reignite," she said.
"Once the building is secure an investigation into the circumstances of the fire will take place."
Firefighters are expected to be on site for several days.
The centre, which is being built at Black Rock Quarry, is to be used by the Avon and Somerset and the Gloucestershire and Wiltshire forces. The facility, which will contain two indoor firing ranges and classrooms, is due to open in January. It is part of a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) deal, worth more than GB pound 100m, which will also see police stations and other operational facilities built in Patchway, Keynsham, and Bridgwater.
The statement from the Angry Foxes Cell claimed the group also slashed tyres and poured paint stripper on two vehicles in Bristol — one belonging to the security company G4S and the other to GEOAmey.
Avon and Somerset Police said no-one had been arrested in connection with the cull.
A G4S spokesman confirmed one of its vehicles had been damaged, while GEOAmey said none of its fleet in Bristol had been vandalised.
Bristol Indymedia is a volunteer-run open-access news website which is part of the global Indymedia movement which covers "grassroots, non-commercial news."
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