“We call on elected councillors to retract this scandalous planning proposal and adopt instead a positive vision for the future – where people and not profit are the priority,” said a spokesperson for Bristol’s Tree Brides, so called because they had “married” trees in an attempt to prevent development. “Let’s unite against the predatory forces which threaten our historic Harbourside and make our children proud of us.”

The subject of their anger was a proposal for 166 new flats on a brownfield site in the centre of Bristol. The flats would be built by the city council’s own housing company for actual people – maybe even their children one day – to live in.