earthfirst – Page 137

update on resistance to High-Speed Railway in the Basque Country

Society has openly given response to the High-Speed Train (HST) in the latter times. We know, and so do they, that we are many people against HST. In Hendaya, there were more than 15.000 people in a recent demonstration against this project. Many referendums were placed and the response against the project was widely supported. There have been also many public appearances and actions all over. But power doesn’t seem to listen and the situation is getting worse day by day. Civil disobedience and direct action are the only means we have left to stop the HSP project, and that’s why four activists took the decision to take part in this action, putting their lives in danger. It’s been three days now since 4 activists decided to go inside a tunnel in the mines in Itsasondo (Gipuzkoa, in the Basque Country). They are actually blocked and chained inside the tunnel with no way to go out by themselves. Even if their situation has gone public, none of the public organizations involved have taken any measures or organized any rescue team. This has put their lives in serious danger. Besides, the explosions and the normal operations in the mines have not been stopped, making this danger even worse. As a result, we are facing a really dangerous scenario, not only because the explosions have not been stopped, but also because public powers are acting with absolute neglect, putting the lives of the activists in real serious risk. How can it be possible that in these times when life is publicly extolled, public powers show so little respect for the lives of those citizens? How can all those who talk so much about “the people’s choice” go on with their project to build the High-Speed Train, after many people and organizations have widely showed their refusal to this infrastucture? For all these reasons we encourage people to join us in the demonstration that will be held tomorrow, 4th of July in Ordizia (Gipuzkoa-Basque Country), 5 o’clock in the afternoon, and also to show their support to the activists in the mine by coming to the support camp in Itsasondo (Gipuzkoa).

2010-07-04
Under the slogan “Till stopping HST, resistance in Itsasondo’s mines” a demonstration left Ordizia yesterday in solidarity with the initiative of four activists whom chained themselves inside a mine on Thursday. At the same time, the demo demanded the cease of works for the High Speed Train. The event linked the towns of Ordizia and Beasain, making two stops in the works of this infrastructure, which particularly affects the valley of Goierri. The attitude of the Regional Home Department and the Basque Railway Network ignoring the presence of the activists inside the mines and continuing with the works has provoked big anger which was noticible during the demonstration. After teh demo, a large group of demonstrators cut the railway rail traffic for at least five minutes after taking over the Beasin RENFE train station (RENFE, the Spainsh railway company is the other companny involved in the project). The rally yesterday was not the only event held in solidarity with activists in recent days. On the evening of Friday, unknown activists cut the water supply for the Mariaratz construction site, where activists are chained. the action aimed also to show their disgust at the attitude of the institutions regarding the 4 chained activists and to disrupt in the same way the construction of this infrastructure. Remain underground Meanwhile, the four activists, who are now into their fifth day chained to concrete-filled drums without the option of leaving on his own feet, noticed their health deteriorating because of the harsh consequences of the mines, mainly high dampness and wetness. Yesterday morning a walk happened too with the aim of communicating with the activists, who said that they were “very tired and weak.” They were affected by the high humidity inside the mines where they are. There were no search Haitzuluetako Aurkariak (activist group) announced the exact location where the chain activists were last Saturday, in order to force a new search. The regional police claimed to have no record of the presence of these activists in the area. Therefore, the support group isisted for the search to be repeated. Apparently the Ertzaintza did not enter the area during all day yesterday. The action started on Thursday morning, but the explosions for the construction of the HST tunnel did not stop. There were constant blasting on Thursday and Friday and even the chained activists felt detachments of walls and ceiling inside the mine. According to the location they gave on Saturday, the activists would be in the 4th mining zone within the Ordizia-Itsasondo construction site, a few meters from the core of the explosions.

A day later (5/07/2010) the Basque police, the Ertzaintza, have evicted the four anti TAV activists who have been locked-on in the Itsasondo mines. The first two are currently (17:30) on their way to the station to give evidence, after going to the health centre for a check-up. The last two have since been evicted from the mines. Throughout the afternoon about a 100 people have been gathering at the mouth of the mine to show solidarity with the activists. They have been charged with “public disorder, resistance and disobedience to authority.”

On 6th July, despite the TAV trucks having security escorts, we sat in front of the vehicles. The truck driver was very aggressive, grabbing us by the throat and threatening us. He drove at us, so we got out of the way before being hit. He tried to attack with a club, but the security guards restrained him! We denounce this aggression and will continue to resist from the Leginetxe squatted workers’ cottages.

There will be a protest action camp against the TAV from 26th July to 1st August.

Three Cellphone antennas destroyed

4 July 2010
Over the past three week three mobile phone antennas have been destroyed by fire in the Nottingham area. In each instance the action was performed with fervour and carried out in anger at the capitalist culture. A culture which seeks to dominate its surroundings in order to increase it’s power over it’s inhabitants.

These actions were simple and repeatable. The tools were old rags, flammable liquids and a lighter. They were carried out against a telecommunications industry which facilitates capitalisms ongoing destruction of the planet and the manner in which it deforms the social relationships we engage in.

We carry out this action, and actions like it in solidarity with all those who choose to fight against repression, the state and capitalism whenever and wherever the oppitunity arises.

We dedicate this action to all those who are imprisoned by civilization, but continue to struggle against its cage.

Beat the Boreholes! Stop Shell Hell in Mayo this Summer!

BEAT THE BOREHOLES!!
Stop Shell Hell in Mayo in 2010.
A continuous mass act of civil disobedience is planned against Shell this Summer in Mayo, Ireland.

BEAT THE BOREHOLES!!
Stop Shell Hell in Mayo in 2010.
A continuous mass act of civil disobedience is planned against Shell this Summer in Mayo, Ireland.
Shell plan to drill up to 80 boreholes to survey the Sruth Fhada Chonn estuary for their proposed raw gas pipeline. We plan to stop them! Work will start in July & continue till mid-October. The idea is that groups or individuals pledge to stop a borehole at a some time this summer. Actions could range from walking out on the sands to boarding drilling rigs. The aim is to get each of the 80 boreholes assigned a Beat the Borehole group. Between local groups, national Shell to Sea groups, other supportive political groups, groups from abroad, student groups, surfers, kayakers we might just do it! The project is already a decade late and three times over budget; impressive for a small community fighting one of the biggest multinationals in the world!

Why Stop the boreholes?
Shell plan to build a tunnel at a cost of 100million euro under the estuary linking up the offshore pipeline with the refinery. This new route avoids land at Rossport where 5 local men were sent to jail for opposing Shell 5 years ago. The new route is still close to several houses & crosses protected habitats including salt marsh, inter-tidal mud flats & blanket bog. The boreholes are to provide a survey of the estuary to determine the final plans for the tunnel. Due to the tides, & seasonal nature of the job any disruption to work will slow the process down & could prevent them getting an adequate survey done this year. They have to stop in mid-Oct on the arrival of the Brent Geese. The estuary is a Specially Protected Area & part of the Broadhaven bay Special Area of Conservation; protected under EU legislation. The operation will damage parts of the estuary & disturb the wildlife there, particularly Atlantic salmon,otters & several species of birds.

Information about the drilling operation
Each borehole will take 2.5 days & up to 4 a week could be made. They will be drilling from 7am-7pm every week day but not at weekends. There will be movement of barges & personnel outside these hours. Two jack-up barges will be working at once in the estuary.

Ideas for Action
We are asking people to come to Mayo & pledge to Beat a Borehole! Here are some ideas for action:

* Walk out on the sands at low tide to the drilling rigs.
* Stop the machines driving over the beach/mudflat areas
* Have a picnic & hold banners on the beach.
* Row out to the rigs in currachs & try & get in the way.
* Kayak in our inflatables out to the rigs & get in the way ( (training session essential, but as long as you can swim anyone can learn).
* Board the drilling rigs.
* Block the boats with nets.
* Disrupt the flow of personnel/equipment from Ballyglass pier

The Solidarity Camp is situated on land right next to the estuary. Everyone is welcome to stay here & we can provide equipment/training if required. There is also a camp house & a local hostel nearby if camping isn’t for you!
If you would like to pledge to Beat a Borehole please email/ring the camp +353(851141170)
rossportsolidaritycamp@gmail.com. For more information about Shell in Mayo see www.rossportsolidaritycamp.org
www.shelltosea.com

Direct action against the High-Speed Railway in the Basque Country

Itsasondo – FROM MINES AGAINST HIGH-SPEED TRAIN
Today, July 1, we have locked ourselves up inside an underground mine with the aim of stopping the construction of the HST and the destruction this is causing/will/would cause, to denounce the social model it represents.

Four people locked themselves up in underground mines Itsasondo, with no way out. But they are not alone, outside many people athered to protect them and to show them our support.

Near here, at the Mariaratz construction site, there are daily explosions – explosions which destroy Earth and everything on/in/within it. as a consequence of the tunnel digging these mines can collapse, endangering the lives of these four people. Therefore, we demand the immediate halt of the works.

We know the risk is high. We’ve got into the depths, to secure this land with our bodies. We are locked into the mines to defend our ideas and to denounce the lack of a sense of the powerful. Our bodies are our weapons, direct action our way. Once again we have gathered here in Goierri (one of the valleys where the railway linking Bilbo with Donostia (Saint Sebastian) would run through), because the situation in the area is really worrying. They are currently working on five points: Mariaratz, Olaberria, San Martín, and Berostegi Itsasondo.

In October last year we climb the trees to stop the work and warn people about the situation and today we had to get underground. Trees and land, two key elements and seriously affected by the HST works. They know and we know that many people are against the HST. More than 15,000 people in the manifestation of Hendaye, clearest results in popular consultations and other events.

But power is deaf to this massive opposition and the situation is worsening. Civil disobedience and direct action are the only way we can stop this disaster, and as long as they keep so adamant to build the HST we will continue to confront them. Horizontal organization and self-organization, that’s the way. To transform this social model we need to change the basis of it, priorizing proximity and small things, building local networks and promoting peoples’ lifestyle and culture.

Therefore, we invite you come along to Itsasondo, to participate in the organised activities and protests and to spread information and mobilize on behalf of these activists and against the HST in your villages and cities.

– Everyday vigil at 7 pm in Itsasondo.
– Demonstrations in the towns – Sunday 4th July, rally at 5 pm from the Plaza de Ordizia

ONGOING INFORMATION POINT at Itsasondoś main square Contact: 695 715 510
makinengainetik.animaliak@gmail.com

http://www.avatartherevolution.com/en/1
http://www.sindominio.net/ahtez/?q=es (Spanish)

(Brief update: the construction company, the Basque Railway Service and the police have all refused to stop the explosions of the tunnel excavations, thereby endangering the lives of the four activists who are currently underground)

Brazilian Indians protest against dams

1st July 2010
Enawene Nawe Indians in Brazil are demonstrating against a series of hydroelectric dams which are killing the fish they rely on.

Three hundred Indians have gathered in the town of Sapezal in the Amazon state of Mato Grosso, armed with bows and arrows to protest against the dam project.

Survival International is calling for the Enawene Nawe’s rights to their land to be upheld.

Unlike most tribes in the Amazon, the Enawene Nawe do not eat meat, so fish are essential to their diet.

A total of 77 small hydroelectric dams are planned for the Juruena River, upstream of the tribe’s land. Five are already under construction.

The Enawene Nawe were not consulted about the project, and they say that since work started the Juruena and its tributaries have become polluted.

During the protests the Enawene Nawe have met with the Brazilian authorities to reiterate their opposition to the dams. They are also demanding a full, independent environmental impact study.

Every year the Enawene Nawe perform yãkwa, an important ritual in which they build intricate dams across the smaller rivers and trap fish in large baskets.

The fish are smoked and transported back to the village, where some are offered to the yakairiti spirits of the underworld in elaborate ceremonies.

This year and last year the Indians caught almost no fish, a disaster for the tribe, who rely on fish as their main source of protein.

In 2008 the Enawene Nawe occupied one of the dam construction sites and destroyed much of the equipment on the site.

Lewes Road Community Garden V Tesco, Brighton

Gardeners and residents on Brighton’s Lewes Road Community Garden face the bailiffs in the next few days. THE GARDEN IS OPEN despite sub-contractors Terrins locking up the front gates today (June 30).
More bodies the better over next few days. Gardens By The Community For The Community – Fuck the Corporates…

On Monday (June 26) 200+ people protested outside the site after the gates were locked by the gardeners to comply with a court possession order. This was done to keep a community activist from coughing up £7,000 in costs.

A day later the garden had been re-occupied and opened up. It is currently open having been cleaned up and watered. Main contractors Gilbert-Ash are expected on Thursday July 1 with sub-contractors Terrins scheduled to clear the site and put up hoardings on either Friday or Monday.

Meanwhile a legal and planning battle continues over lack of consultation and flawed planning process involving Brighton Council, main developers Alburn Minos Ltd and Tesco.

Since May 2009, when guerilla gardeners took over a derelict Esso garage, the Lewes Road Community Garden has provided a meeting space and green haven along the busy, traffic-clogged Lewes Road. It has been enjoyed by thousands of people, providing a venue for community events and bringing together local residents many of whom don’t have gardens themselves. There is a food waste compost scheme, vegetable growing and Fairlight school-kids have their own ‘pot up a plant’ project.

Attack on GM field in Pully, Switzerland

During the night of June 23-24, an experimental field of GM wheat was attacked with herbicides with the aim of killing the plants and preventing research into genetically modified organisms. This was despite 24 hour guard, a double fence, CCTV and plain clothes cops in the surrounding streets. Unlike in 2008 and 2009 when the field was also decontaminated, the research centre this year did not issue a press release about the ecotage.

The activists explained, “Opposition to genetic engineering is part of a wider opposition to the total control of society and life that is being created thanks to the development of nano and biotechnology.

For these reasons, we also want to express our solidarity through concrete actions with those who oppose this technoscientfic capitalist system, and in particular with Marco Camenisch, Silvia, Costa and Billy, revolutionary prisoners who are now jailed in Switzerland because they understood that words are not enough and that action is needed to create radical change, even if this means risking their own freedom.

Communique in full

Anti-GM cycle caravan and links to other anti-genetics info

Tesco targeted in Beeston, Nottingham

30.6.2010
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, the gates of a construction site of Tesco supermarket in the Beston area of Nottingham were d-locked shut and graffiti was sprayed on the boards surrounding the site saying ‘TESCO – FUCK OFF’ and ‘EVERY LITTLE HURTS – FUCK OFF TESCO’

The more we allow our food supply to be controlled by corporations, or to be administered by the logics of capitalism, the more we surrender our autonomy.

Tesco is just one cog in a capitalist machine that is based on exploitation and oppression, and is ruining our ecology and environment.

Solidarity with all those in active resistance against corporate power.

Licence to Spill – Liberate Tate create an oil spill at the Tate – inside & out

On the evening of the 28th of June at approx 7:15pm, Liberate Tate In protest over BP’s sponsorship of the arts performed a “Solemn” oil like spill at the Tate’s Summer party.

Dressed in black and veiled the performers carrying black buckets with BP logos spewed molasses over the entrance way as onlookers watched in amazement as the Portland stone floor was consumed by the black oil like mess.

Feathers were scattered and filled the air and in the same manner of approach the artists gracefully paced their escape.

Licence to Spill

“Apart from catastrophic spills like the Deepwater Horizon, there are a whole host of adverse impacts that are associated with the production of oil. On the local level, it often involves extreme forms of pollution for local communities, while regionally oil is frequently associated with greater militarization and conﬂict. Globally, carbon emissions, oil companies, and our collective dependence on the product they push, are taking us ever closer to the edge of climate catastrophe. “

To download Licence to Spill, a new release from Platform, visit http://www.carbonweb.org/showitem.asp?article=381&parent=39

Info : http://www.artnotoil.org.uk/

Watch the video of the action : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz-_2KLt1W0

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Another report, including what happened inside the ex-garden summer party:

Sipping Pimms and gobbling canapés many of the guests expressed confusion at whether these striking actions were ‘art’ or not. Despite inaccurate reporting in various media outlets, Liberate Tate would like to claim full responsibility for these acts of creative disobedience as art – art that refuses to pretend to do politics but is politics, art that makes transforming the world a beautiful adventure.

The Tate Summer Party had been planned to be in the museum gardens and involve speeches from BP executives. However, due to the rumours of disruption, Tate was forced to hold the entire event inside the museum and no speeches were made.

As the evening sun baked down on the stone courtyard of Tate Britain and members of the cultural and corporate elite made their way into the party, 13 figures dressed in black, their faces veiled, appeared from around the corner. In a mournful procession the art-activists approached the entrance carrying large barrels branded with the BP logo. Dozens of photographers and TV cameras swarmed and a moment of tense silence enveloped the area. Something was going to happen.

Then in a perfectly choreographed moment, the front phalanx poured hundreds of litres of the black liquid all over the entrance, whilst others threw feathers into the air which gently drifted down into the huge sticky black pools. The sombre figures walked calmly away, disappearing into the city, as the security redirected the guests to another entrance as the cleanup operation began.

Meanwhile, despite the heavy security at the door, two Liberate Tate art-activists managed to infiltrate the party wearing large floral bouffant dresses underneath which were concealed large sacks filled with the oily molasses. Calling themselves Toni Hayward and Bobbi Dudley, they began their performance in the crowded central gallery. At first drips began to fall from their handbags. “Oh, I seem to have a leak” whispered one of them to the lined up waiters dressed in brilliant white, who kindly provided napkins to stem the spill.

Soon the sacks under their dresses burst releasing tens of litres of ‘oil’ across the shiny parquet floor. As a crowd formed around them, the two donned BP branded ponchos and scrambled on all fours trying to clean up the mess using their high heel shoes to pour the slick back into their handbags, but to no avail. “Compared to the size of the gallery this is a tiny spill, a drop in the ocean,” they apologised to the viewers, “we’ll definitely have it cleaned up by, say, August”.

The polite crowd that had formed continued to watch appreciatively for another 20 minutes, amidst a sea of camera-phones. Many began debating among themselves whether this was art or not (“I think it is. I like it”), whether Tate had organised it, and what their personal aesthetic reactions to it were (“If I had seen this outside, I think I would have felt as I do seeing it… inside”). More than one invited artist openly described this to their fellow drinkers as the most sophisticated work in the room.

LIBERATE TATE

Liberate Tate, is a network dedicated to taking creative disobedience against the Tate until it drops its oil company funding. The 28 June art activist performances follow on from last month’s disruption of Tate Modern’s 10th Birthday celebrations by hanging dead fish and birds from dozens of giant black helium balloons.

The network was founded during a workshop in January 2010 on art and activism, commissioned by Tate. When Tate curators tried to censor the workshop from making interventions against Tate sponsors, the incensed participants decided to continue their work together beyond the workshop and set up Liberate Tate.

www.twitter.com/liberatetate

Images: www.immoklink.com/BP-Tate/index.html

www.youandifilms.com/2010/06/license-to-spill/

See also LIBERATE TATE COMMUNIQUE 1 http://bit.ly/9RFfxJ (MAY 2010)

Full Video Report http://www.youandifilms.com/2010/06/licence-to-spill-full-report/

Just Do It: Get Off Your Arse and Change the World

Documentary following the fortunes of environmental activists in 2009 launches innovative crowd-funding appeal

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Documentary following the fortunes of environmental activists in 2009 launches innovative crowd-funding appeal

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In early 2009, Emily James began filming the clandestine activities of several environmental direct action groups across the UK. Allowed unprecedented access, Emily documented a year of escalating action that began in spring with the now infamous G20 demonstrations in London. Always in the thick of it and with ever her trusty camera to hand she saddled up with The Climate Rush “Bike Rush” as they brought Westminster to a standstill, pitched up with The Climate Camp as they occupied Blackheath, masked up with The Great Climate Swoop as they stormed the fences at Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal power station, and then accompanied them all to wintry Copenhagen as they took their protest to the streets outside the UN COP 15 climate talks. And those are just the headlines!

‘Just Do It’ follows the triumphs, traumas and clandestine activities of civil disobedient environment activists as they take on the combined forces of global capitalism, run away climate change and the pesky Metropolitan Police. Having gathered over 250 hours of material, she and her team are now embarking on the challenging task of turning this footage into a feature length film, which will inspire people to take action on climate change. Check out the trailer here: http://just-do-it.org.uk/.

Set for release in 2011, the Just Do it model can be thought of as the ultimate in independent film production. Unlike a TV funded documentary, our innovative crowd-funding model allows us to work completely free from external interference, be it editorial or stylistic. This means that we can focus entirely on making a film that does justice to the exciting footage we have captured. Our production model gives us complete control. This is bottom up filmmaking, not the usual top-down, and it is driven by passion and creative vision, rather than by desire for ratings or commercial imperative.

“It’s precisely the kind of film that wouldn’t get made within the existing profit and ratings-driven funding structures,” explains Just Do It director, Emily James, “Crowd-funding through donation enables us, as creative artists, to be supported by our audience in a more direct way, without the involvement of cultural gatekeepers. This is another nail in the coffin for traditional media.“

‘Just Do It’ aims to tell an important story frequently obscured by the agenda of the corporate media. If you too think this is a story which should be told, then please donate here: http://just-do-it.org.uk/fund-this-film – whether it’s a tenner or a grand, it will be gratefully received.