A confrontation occurred at a music festival in Dorset, England, when businessman Justin Langham drove a JCB vehicle towards Olympic canoeist Etienne Stott, who was part of a protest against a planned waste incinerator. The incident took place last weekend outside DorsetFest, a music festival held on land owned by Langham, whose company, Langham Industries, backs the development of the incinerator at Portland Port.
Dorset Council initially rejected the proposal for the incinerator, which is designed to process over 200,000 tonnes of waste annually. However, the UK government approved the £150 million project in September 2024 following an appeal. The "Stop Portland Waste Incinerator" campaign group has initiated legal challenges, asserting that the plant will negatively affect the heritage-listed Jurassic Coast.
Video footage shows Langham, dressed in a colorful shirt, hat, and sunglasses, appearing to take leaflets from protesters and subsequently pushing and shoving Stott. Stott is heard telling Langham, "You don't have to be rude about it." Langham reportedly told the group they were not welcome on his property, while a protester indicated they were on public land.
Festival volunteers attempted to de-escalate the situation, with Langham stating he would not permit the distribution of leaflets. Shortly after, he returned in a yellow JCB, raising the forklift prongs, and drove it towards Stott, stopping mere inches away. Stott, who was filming, remarked, "I don't know quite what he's hoping to achieve here."
Campaigners described Langham's actions as "threatening and intimidating," especially as they maintained they were protesting peacefully. The group stated their protest aimed to highlight a perceived contradiction between Langham's company supporting local charities and events while also backing the controversial incinerator project, which has faced significant local opposition.
Stott, a gold medalist in canoe slalom at the London 2012 Olympics, stated he was determined to remain calm but acknowledged his heart was beating faster during the encounter. He expressed concern that the situation could escalate to him being harmed, noting a nearby bush he could have used for escape.
Stott stated that Langham's behavior exemplified how campaign group concerns were being dismissed. He added, "I don't think the behaviour is becoming of him and reveals the side of this project - they just don't respect us as human beings." He also raised concerns about the incinerator's proximity to residential areas and its potential impact on health and the future.
Fellow campaigner Tracy Wilson corroborated the account, stating Langham took leaflets, attempted to snatch Stott's, pushed him in the chest, and shouted. Wilson said she felt intimidated, adding, "You don't bring out a big vehicle like that without meaning to intimidate someone."
Langham, whose family businesses are valued at £136 million, denied his actions were threatening or intimidating. He claimed the situation arose from safety concerns, alleging that the protesters were obstructing vehicles on the narrow Cuckoo Lane leading to the festival site. He stated that the protesters were handing out leaflets he considered defamatory and that he confiscated some, suggesting they would be suitable fuel for an incinerator.
Langham also stated he asked Stott to remove his car from his land, and threatened to move it himself. He said that when Stott realized he was serious, he removed the car himself. Langham defended the incinerator scheme, emphasizing its approval through the planning process, with no objections from seventeen statutory bodies that could not be resolved. He criticized opponents for not offering viable alternatives. DorsetFest, in its tenth year, is run by volunteers to raise funds for local charities and causes. Langham expressed irritation on behalf of the volunteers and felt the festival was an inappropriate venue for protests.