After a five-year protest and court battle, government workers began forcibly taking down three tents erected by anti-nuclear protesters on the grounds of the economy ministry in Tokyo at around 3:30 a.m. on Aug. 21. A barricade was set up in front of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as the work began. Security guards were stationed outside of the barricaded area, but there were no major problems. The tents had long been a source of frustration to the economy ministry as well as a gathering spot for those wanting to end the use of nuclear energy in Japan. The work followed a Supreme Court rejection of an appeal by the anti-nuclear demonstrators who occupied the tents. The tents were erected on Sept. 11, 2011, six months after the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami triggered a triple meltdown at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. The promotion of nuclear energy is one of the many tasks under the ministry's jurisdiction. Protesters called for an end to nuclear energy while occupying the tents. The central government initially asked the protesters to leave the ministry grounds because the tents were interfering with ministry work. When the protesters did not budge, the central government filed a lawsuit in March 2013 asking that the tents be forcibly taken down as well as seeking compensation from the leaders of the protest group. On July 28, the Supreme Court rejected the group's final appeal, allowing the central government to proceed with the forced removal. It also ordered the group to pay a total of about 38 million yen ($380,000) for using government land as well as a penalty for late payment.