Residents plan legal action over roof top Olympics missiles

Residents of a local authority block of flats are poised to take legal action to stop the Ministry of Defence from placing surface-to-air missiles on their roof during the Olympic Games. Although the plans remain unconfirmed it is thought that the Ministry will deploy the weapons should a security scare arise during the games.

Solicitors representing the residents of the Fred Wigg Tower in Leytonstone said “It is incredible that the MoD think it acceptable to present women, children and men living in a block of flats in a densely populated residential area of east with the fait accompli of having a live high-explosive missile salvo above their heads whilst they go about their daily chores and whilst they sleep at night.

“Security of the Olympics is, of course, extremely important but could the MoD not find any other way of protecting the Olympic village than by putting the lives of hundreds of innocent council tenants at risk by turning their homes into a military battlefield position?”

“The MoD has had seven years to work out its security plans and it needs to rethink this issue swiftly.”

The residents seek an injunction to stop the deploy of the missiles and a ruling that officials have breached the Equality Act as no due process of consultation had taken place with the residents. It is thought that several other blocks of flats are also under consideration by the MOD as possible sites for the weapons.

This entry was posted on Tuesday 3rd July, 2012. Edit this entry.