ABSTRACT
An important factor in the impact of the new environmental protests has been the use of effective and imaginative tactics to prolong the occupation of sites of new developments. By prolonging evictions and creating a confrontation with the authorities, which can last for weeks or even months rather than the few hours duration of most protest actions, eco-activists have captured significant amounts of public attention. Although their aim is to disrupt construction directly, and they deny that media attention is an end in itself, one of their clearest successes has been in making and sustaining a dramatic news story. At most sites ecoactivists have been able to rely on the support of more conventional local campaign groups. Where the latter had tended to pursue procedural measures, eco-activists mainly concentrated on attempting to prevent construction on schemes that had already been officially approved.
