Moment wealthy businessman drives his JCB toward Olympic champion who was protesting against new waste incinerator

By OLIVIA DAY, ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR, AUSTRALIA Published: 16:15, 1 July 2026 | Updated: 16:19, 1 July 2026 This is the moment a businessman drove his JCB towards an Olympic champion protesting against a controversial waste incinerator.  Olympic canoeist Etienne Stott and other members of the Stop Portland Waste Incinerator campaign group were protesting outside DorsetFest last weekend.  The family-friendly music festival is held on land near Blandford in Dorset owned by Justin Langham of Langham Industries. The company backs plans for a waste incinerator and owns the planned location at Portland Port.  Dorset Council originally refused planning permission for the incinerator, which is expected to process over 200,000 tonnes of waste a year.  Following an appeal, the Government approved the £150million energy-to-waste project in September 2024. Stop Portland Incinerator responded by launching legal challenges, arguing the plant will have negative impacts on the heritage-listed Jurassic Coast.  In footage of the clash, Mr Langham, dressed in a colourful shirt, hat and sunglasses, appears to snatch leaflets from the protesters before pushing and shoving Mr Stott, who tells him 'You don't have to be rude about it'. The businessman is heard telling the group 'you're not welcome on my property', with a protester responding that they are on public land. Businessman Justin Langham (pictured in a colourful shirt) is seen arguing with protesters against a waste incinerator expected to be built at Portland Port in Dorset by 2030 Mr Stott, pictured in the high-vis vest, said of the exchange: 'He tore the leaflets out of my colleague's hand and came quite close into my space and shoved me around' After arguing with protesters, Mr Langham drove his JCB toward the group (pictured) The campaigners said Mr Langham's actions were 'threatening and intimidating' Festival volunteers attempted to intervene and defuse the situation as Mr Langham said he would not allow them to hand out leaflets. In a second clip, he returns in a yellow JCB with the forklift prongs up and drives towards Mr Stott, who is holding the camera, stopping just inches away.  Mr Stott is heard saying: 'I don't know quite what he's hoping to achieve here.' The campaigners said Mr Langham's actions were 'threatening and intimidating' when the group had been acting peacefully.  The group said they were protesting to highlight the 'contradiction' between the company supporting charities and events like the festival while backing plans for a waste incinerator that has sparked strong local opposition.  Campaigners argue the incinerator will worsen air pollution and impact locals and the tourist industry in surrounding seaside resorts. Mr Stott, who won gold in the canoe slalom at the London 2012 Olympics, said he was determined to stand his ground as the JCB approached.  'Justin Langham appeared and he was obviously angry,' he said.  The family-friendly music festival is held on land near Blandford in Dorset owned by Justin Langham (pictured) of Langham Industries, which owns the proposed site at Portland Port Mr Stott (pictured) and other members of the Stop Portland Waste Incinerator campaign group were protesting the plant at DorsetFest last weekend  'He tore the leaflets out of my colleague's hand and came quite close into my space and shoved me around. 'Eventually some people from the festival ushered him back in to the grounds. A short time later he came back in his telehandler and manoeuvred it to the side of my car.  'I was running towards it and then he stopped doing that and started driving towards me with the prongs just above my head. 'I am very determined and try to act calmly and respectfully in that situation but my heart was definitely beating faster. I just thought "surely this isn't going to end with him squishing me?" but there was a bush I could have jumped into if needed.' The gold medallist said Mr Langham's actions were just another example of the campaign group's concerns being dismissed by those involved.   '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 said.  'This incinerator is totally unwelcome. It's completely unique in its location with residential areas above and behind the chimney. It's our health and our future.' Fellow campaigner Tracy Wilson said: 'He took Tony's leaflets, and tried to snatch Etienne's leaflets whilst pushing him in the chest. 'He then went on to push Etienne, whilst shouting at him. You don't bring out a big vehicle like that without meaning to intimidate someone.  'I did feel intimidated. It takes a lot to make me feel like that.' The gold medallist (pictured left) said Mr Langham's actions were just another example of the campaign group's concerns being dismissed by those involved Mr Langham, whose family businesses have a net worth of £136million, denied his actions were intimidating. He said the situation arose due to safety concerns and alleged the campaigners were stopping vehicles on Cuckoo Lane, near the festival site.  Mr Langham said: 'Nothing I did can be said to be threatening or intimidating. 'Mr Stott and his group were persuading cars approaching the festival to stop in the road, something we strenuously try to avoid for safety reasons as the lane is narrow. 'They were wearing high-visibility jackets and handing out leaflets which I personally consider to be defamatory.  'I did confiscate some of these leaflets, telling Mr Stott that the best use for them was fuel for an incinerator. 'I asked Mr Stott to remove his car from my land and told him I would remove it if he didn't. I then went to get my telehandler to move his car. When he realised I might be serious, he ran down the road and removed his car himself.' Mr Langham defended the waste incinerator scheme, saying it had been approved through the planning process. It is expected to open around 2030.  He said: 'The plant will be built because it has been approved by the planning process and none of the seventeen statutory bodies consulted raised objections that couldn't be alleviated.' The businessman criticised opponents of the scheme, arguing they had not put forward viable alternatives. DorsetFest, now in its tenth year, is run entirely by volunteers and raises money for local charities and community causes. Mr Langham said he was 'irritated on behalf of the many volunteers' involved and felt strongly that the festival was 'not an appropriate forum' for protest activity. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. 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