earthfirst – Page 152

Tar Sands protests (Brighton & London)

Climate Camp Invades BP Petrol Stations Over Tar Sands

Climate Camp Invades BP Petrol Stations Over Tar Sands
On Saturday 13th February activists from the South Coast neighbourhood of the Camp for Climate Action invaded the three BP petrol stations in Brighton, on the Lewes Rd, Ditchling Rd and London Rd, to protest at BP’s plans to invest in the Alberta Tar Sands in Canada. Moving by bicycle 8 activists carried a banner reading ‘Tar Sands Oil Is Blood Oil’. They handed out information on the Canadian tar sands and BP’s plans to invest in it to customers and urged them to boycott BP.

Many of BP’s customers where shocked to hear about BP’s proposed involvement in one of the dirtiest businesses on earth, especially in the light of its past attend to project a green image, and in some cases left immediately left to get their fuel somewhere else. This action is the start of a campaign, which is hoped will spread across the UK. A one of the Brighton activists said: “We hope that other concerned local people across the UK will follow our example and begin putting the pressure on BP in their areas. Tar sands are an appalling example of placing insane greed ahead of the whole planet and everyone on it.”

Tar sands are deposits of tar, sand and clay under the forests of Alberta in western Canada. Tar sands extraction is an ecological disaster, sometimes referred to as ‘The biggest environmental crime in history’. Oil produced from tar sands is the filthiest most carbon intensive oil (over 3 times as much CO2 to produce as conventional oil). The Athabasca tar sands operations are the largest single industrial emitter of CO2 on the planet. Enough natural gas is used every day extracting this oil to heat 3.2 million Canadian homes.

Tar sands extraction involves the wholesale destruction of vast tracts of ancient forest over an area the size of England and Wales and the use of huge amounts of water that is left so contaminated that it must be stored in giant ponds. The toxic tailings ponds are so vast they can be seen from space. Leaks for these ponds are poisoning local rivers and the indigenous peoples that live there. The rush to extract oil from tar sands is also trampling on the rights of the local indigenous peoples.

While the tar sands are in Canada, much of the financing is coming from UK companies. BP which once tried to rebrand itself as `Beyond Petroleum’ to give itself a green image is planning on investing $10billion in the Sunrise Project a tar sands extraction project in Alberta. This week a number BP’s shareholders have started a revolt and are pressuring BP to stop. Other UK companies that are involved in tar sands include Shell, RBS and Barcalys.

Photos:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/4354992582_a300eeb4fb_b_d.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4062/4354252823_1123bd6cd9_b_d.jpg

Tar sands info:
http://www.ienearth.org/tarsandsinfo.html

Press:
BP faces protest over oil sands development
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/natural_resources/article7018483.ece
Shareholder group calls on BP to rethink oil sands project
http://business.scotsman.com/business/Shareholder-group-calls-on-BP.6050650.jp

Contact:
E-mail: southcoast@climatecamp.org.uk
Web: http://climatecamp.org.uk/get-involved/local-groups/south-coast

—

Tar Sands banner London Oil-ympics Come To Trafalgar Square
On Saturday, 13 February at 12 noon, UK and Canadian environmental activists opened the ‘Oil-ympics’ at Canada House in Trafalgar Square. The event, timed to coincide with the opening of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, highlighted the role of British companies in the single biggest industrial project on earth, the Canadian Tar Sands (1).

The Oil-ympics event saw activists divided into three teams: BP, Shell and RBS, all ready to ‘Race to the Tar Sands’. Traditional winter sports were subverted to illustrate the irony of Canada portraying the Vancouver Winter Olympics as an event which celebrates Canadian indigenous culture and environmental sustainability, while in the neighbouring province of Alberta, Canadian First Nations are finding that their lands, communities and health are being devastated by the Tar Sands (2).

BP received special attention after it recently unveiled plans to embark on its first Tar Sands extraction project. BP had previously sold its potential stake in Alberta in 1999, when BP’s chief executive at the time, Lord Browne, deemed Tar Sands extraction to be economically unviable and environmentally unpleasant. However, BP’s new chief executive, Tony Hayward, is now set to make BP a major player in the Tar Sands with a partnership with Canada’s Husky Energy – a venture that is facing sharp criticism from BP’s own shareholders (3, 4).

Alice Hargreaves, of the UK Tar Sands Network, said: “BP has been trying to prove that they are ‘Beyond Petroleum’ for years, but with their entry into the Tar Sands project, we can see the truth: Beyond Petroleum is nothing more than a Broken Promise.(5) BP shareholders are rebelling over this betrayal, and so are we. Over the next two months, we’ll be putting the pressure on to make sure BP get the message – stay out of the Tar Sands!”

Shell has been singled out as it is already a major operator in the Tar Sands, and RBS as it is the 7th biggest global investor in the Tar Sands. (6)

tarsandsinfocus@gmail.com

http://tarsandsinfocus.wordpress.com/

(1) Deposits of Tar Sands are spread out over 54,000 square miles of prime forest in northern Alberta, an area the size of England and Wales combined. Producing crude oil from the Tar Sands generates up to five times more carbon dioxide, the principal global warming gas, than conventional drilling: see

Environment Canada, 2007, National Inventory Report Greenhouse Gas Sources and Sinks in Canada 1990–2005, http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/ghg/inventory_report/2006_report/som-sum_eng.cfm

(2) This action is in solidarity with Canadian First Nations who have called for a moratorium on the Tar Sands. For more information see the Indigenous Environmental Network: http://www.ienearth.org/cits.html

(3) BP has entered a joint venture with Husky Energy to develop a Tar Sands facility which will be capable of producing 200,000 barrels of crude a day by 2020. In return for a half share of Husky’s Sunrise field in the Athabasca region of Alberta, the epicentre of the Tar Sands industry, BP has sold its partner a 50 per cent stake in its Toledo oil refinery in Ohio. The companies plan to invest $10 billion in the project, making BP a major player in Tar Sands extraction. The final investment decision will be made in the next few months.

http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=2012968&contentId=7038865

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601082&sid=aGw2sL7JwHG8

(4) A coalition of shareholders has tabled a resolution for BP’s AGM on April 15 highlighting the environmental and social risks of Tar Sands extraction. http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/natural_resources/article7018483.ece

(5) http://tarsandsinfocus.wordpress.com/bpbrokenpromises/

(6) For Shell Investments see http://www.foei.org/en/resources/publications/pdfs-members/economic-justice/shells-big-dirty-secret/view?searchterm=shell%27s%20big%20dirty%20secret

For RBS investments see http://understory.ran.org/2010/01/31/banks-ranked-and-spanked-on-tar-sands/

UK Tar Sands Network
tarsandsinfocus@googlemail.com
http://www.tarsandsinfocus.wordpress.com

Riot police arrest 23 in night raid on peaceful protest against the destruction of Zagreb pedestrian zone

11.02.2010
At 03.30 this morning around 100 riot police arrested 23 activists from Green Action and the Right to the City initiative in Zagreb, Croatia. The raid took place just hours after 4000 people turned out in snowy conditions to protest against turning part of the pedestrian zone into a ramp for an underground garage planned as part of the Cvjetni shopping centre and luxury flats development in the old part of Zagreb.

The operation aimed to remove the accommodation container which the groups had put on Varsavska Street pedestrian zone as a 24-hour info-point in order to block the beginning of works on the ramp, which is still under legal dispute. Activists inside of the container and on the roof peacefully resisted removal by locking themselves together using arm tubes, and were arrested after the fire brigade cut the tubes. Around 50 more activists blocked the road exits of the lorry carrying the container but were also removed by the riot police.

The police also hacked to pieces a five-metre high wooden trojan horse which had been brought to the site for the previous evening’s protest as a symbol of private interests and corruption masquerading as urban redevelopment.

“Using riot police against a small group of peaceful protesters is a disturbing over-reaction to the civil offence of failing to obtain permission before temporarily placing the container in the pedestrian zone”, said Teo Celakoski from Right to the City. “Yet the whole Cvjetni project is based on dubious legal manoeuvres such as the city authorities’ decision to declare it a project of public interest when it is clearly nothing of the kind”.

“The Croatian authorities must concentrate on tackling the real problem of corruption instead of shooting the messengers, added Tomislav Tomasevic, from Green Action. “The European Commission has repeatedly identified corruption as a major remaining obstacle to Croatia’s EU Accession but if this project is anything to go by there is still a long way to go.”

Videos of removal of activists & removal of shipping container

Contact: Tomislav Tomasevic. +385 98 719 253
http://www.zelena-akcija.hr/

Chhattisgarh (India): 19 Mining Trucks Set Ablaze

From the Daily Mail

http://dailymailnews.com/0110/29/FrontPage/FrontPage8.php

Maoist separatists set ablaze 19 trucks of Indian Govt

From the Daily Mail

http://dailymailnews.com/0110/29/FrontPage/FrontPage8.php

Maoist separatists set ablaze 19 trucks of Indian Govt
NEW DELHI—Over 100 Maoist guerrillas stormed into a mining complex of the state-run NMDC Ltd in Chhattisgarh’s restive Dantewada district and set 19 trucks on fire in the early hours of Wednesday. The armed Maoist separatists raided the mining complex of India’s largest iron ore miner at Kirandul, about 400 km south of here, at around 2 am. “The rebels sneaked into Kirandul’s 11-B deposit of the NMDC and burnt 19 trucks hired by NMDC for iron ore transportation. This resulted in panic amongst the hundreds of NMDC staff engaged in mining in the hilly area,” Lakhan Thakur, in charge of the Kirandul police station, told media….

Bath Bomb #27 Out Now

THE BATH BOMB

@nti-copyright: copy and distribute!
Issue #27
free/donation
Feb 10

“I Can’t Believe It’s Not Better!”

B&NES Cuts It Fine

THE BATH BOMB

@nti-copyright: copy and distribute!
Issue #27
free/donation
Feb 10

“I Can’t Believe It’s Not Better!”

B&NES Cuts It Fine

In the ongoing saga of B&NES Council’s job-cutting bonanza, plans have been revealed to go on a massive redundancy spree, starting in April. Since the Bath Bomb got hold of confidential documents and blew B&NES’ axing plans out of the water back in November, they have been trying to gloss over and deny what will be a massive attack on public sector employees and service users alike. It now appears that the cuts will come in three stages: presumably a poor attempt at making the redundancies and service slashes seem less numerous, starting in earnest this spring. In the meantime, we have to satisfy ourselves with 70 immediate redundancies, affecting several key departments of the council. In April, the attacks will be switched up a gear, with 400 losses planned. To add insult to injury, those workers lucky enough to keep their jobs will suffer a proposed two-year pay freeze being discussed at Westminster (agreed on by all three mainstream parties) to recoup costs after their mates, the bankers, pissed the economy down the drain.

Unsurprisingly, redundancies so far won’t affect middle or high management, but are instead aimed at the ground-level workers who provide us with services and support. Workers that remain in their departments will also be expected to shoulder the workload of their former colleagues. Council workers have told the Bath Bomb that if the planned redundancies go ahead, it will be literally impossible to run their departments or provide any competent service to the public, as many of the job cuts affect workers with very specific skills and abilities, and departments would be left too understaffed to be fit for purpose. This latest round of attacks on council workers is coupled with mounting plans to privatize our public services and slash the effectiveness of what remains.

With this only being stage one of a three-pronged attack, we are left wondering what will be left of our public services by the time B&NES have finished mauling them. It’s not all doom and gloom though, with local activists, community groups and unions gearing up to fight back and defend our jobs, our services and our communities from the greed-driven onslaught being unleashed on us by these politicians – watch this space for news on the fightback!

Charlie Gets Fat While He Tightens Our Green Belt

Yes, this just in – famous environmentalist and everyone’s least favourite jug-eared parasitical tax drain Prince ‘Last Tango in Paris’ Charles has decided to sell off part of his vast green belt estate to be used for new housing. Around 2,000 new homes are planned for Bath, half of which are to be on Crown-owned lands around Newton St Loe. Conveniently forgetting his supposed ‘green credentials’ for a second, Charlie has shown his royal streak by being won over by massive amounts of a different type of green – cash.

Local opposition groups have already sprung up in protest at the plans, which will see yet more of our treasured green spaces disappear under concrete. We wouldn’t mind so much, were it not for the abundance of disused and dilapidated buildings in Bath that sorely need rennovation and could provide homes for thousands. But once again, we are seeing that the royal family, who only clawed their way to the top through bloodshed and greed, are no friends of ours. What really worries us here at Bath Bomb, however, is once all the green fields have been concreted over, where are we going to take our horses and hounds when the time comes to stick a tail on Charlie and his degenerate ilk and chase them down?

Keep your ear to the ground, as more news of plans to fight the development are popping up all the time, and with the impending concreting of Bathampton Meadows, we’ve got a proper fight to get stuck into to save the green spaces around Bath!

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Contact us by emailing bathbombpress[at]yahoo.co.uk. Large print e-versions available on request. And for more info on any of our stories, check out http://www.thebathbomb.blogspot.com

In By The Catflap

The Black Cat, Bath’s best autonomous social space, is now up and running again for the new year. The old Black Cat building, on the Upper Bristol Road, was evicted late last year – and then almost immediately reopened by a group of local residents. This new collective ran the centre until early January, when the ‘owners’ of the building used a back-door legal process to resurrect their previous eviction order – despite such an act being flagrantly unlawful.

The two Black Cat collectives have now joined forces directly to open a new centre in Oldfield Park. Situated at the junction of West Avenue and Cynthia Road, and mere minutes from Oldfield Park Station. Once again the centre will house the Bath FreeShop, an extensive infoshop (including copies of this fine publication), plus an intensive program of dance classes, exhibitions, dub nights, debate clubs, film nights, cafes, open mic nights, and more. A suitable venue is also being sought to hold a follow-up to the last centre’s hugely successful benefit gig.

The Black Cat is open right now, unless you’re reading this between the hours of about 7pm and 1pm, and would love for you to drop by. They can be contacted at bathsocialcentre[at]googlemail.com, or on 07946 777609. The centre is open most days from 1pm to 7pm, earlier on Sundays, and extra hours as needed for events.

http://bathsocialcentre.blogspot.com

Bath Activist Network are a local umbrella group campaigning on issues as diverse as development, environmentalism, anti-war, animal rights, workers’ rights and more. Helping to produce the Bath Bomb, we are open to anyone, and our members range from trade unionists to anarchists, liberals and greens, and people who just want to change Bath for the better. For details on meetings, demos, or just to get in touch, email bathactivistnet[at]yahoo.co.uk or see our website: http://www.bathactivistnetwork.blogspot.com

Green Guerillas Hit Bath

The last couple of months have seen a number of mysterious gardens springing up in the Bath area, the most noticeable of these being an ongoing project on Park St, behind St James’ Square. The garden has been created by guerrilla gardeners – people who, sick of seeing useable land left uncultivated, have taken it upon themselves to create more local food sources. They’ve cleared the overgrown area and planted fruit trees and bushes to feed the local populace for free.

Anyone can be a guerilla gardener; just find a few seeds, a disused area and some mates, then pop along in a clandestine fashion and plant your veggies. There are lots of different reasons for guerrilla gardening – some people want to feed themselves, some hope to provide their community with free and local veg, while others, such as the cheeky gardeners who planted ganja in the floral display at the police station a few years back, may have other motives!

You don’t need to be part of a group or have much gardening experience to be a guerrilla gardener, but if you want to hook up with a local group, check out the local Transition Towns group at transitionbath[at]googlemail.com. Alternately, there are other communal gardening schemes, such as the allotments in Vicky Park – with Bath people cultivating more and more of the city every day, there’s never been a better time to go green!

Wheely Good News

Cycling enthusiasts will be pleased to hear that Bath Cycling Campaign are relaunching that old favourite, the Critical Mass. A Critical Mass is a celebration of pedal power in which cyclists take to the streets en masse to highlight the fun and eco-friendliness of the bicycle. It is a carnivalesque parade, so feel free to dress-up, dress down, or just dress plain old weird (non-fancy dress/ serious ‘politico’ styles are are also welcome!).

The Critical Mass is a worldwide event that happens regularly in Barcelona, London and New York to name but a few, and is always great fun, so why not come and get involved? The last Bath Critical Mass drew over 50 people and was a great success. The Mass is meeting at 1pm at Kingsmead Square on Saturday the 27th of March.

http://www.bathcyclingcampaign.org.uk

Smile, You’re On Camera!

In a humorous turn of events, the obnoxious Bath police spy vehicle has gotten itself into a spot of bother recently after being photographed parked in a disabled-only space! While on her way out, a conscientious member of the public manged to beat the cops’ personal voyeur wagon at its own game, snapping a few choice shots of the van in the disabled space. Bath police have since apologised and claimed that they were on “very urgent business“, but won’t say what; in other words, they wanted a bite to eat and felt above the law enough to deprive a disabled person of their spot while they went to get it.

So hopefully the sight of a few red-faced spy-cops will bring a smile to the face of all of us who hate police surveillance and the CCTV society, or just find it plain old irritating that the cam-van’s threatening, sinister motto “smile, you’re on camera” is written in such a lovely, friendly font!

EVENTS

Bath Hunt Saboteurs meetings, 2nd and 4th Monday of the month, 8pm, The Bell, Walcot Street

Free samba dancing classes, Mondays, 7-8pm, Black Cat Centre, http://www.blackcatcentre.blogspot.com

Debt advice drop-in, Tuesdays, 4-7pm, Black Cat Centre, http://www.blackcatcentre.blogspot.com

London Road Food Co-op, Wednesdays, 4-7pm, Riverside Community Centre, London Road

The Lost Plot workday, Thursdays, 10am-dusk, Bathampton

Bath Stop The War Coalition vigil, Saturdays, 11.30am-12.30, Bath Abbey Courtyard

Recycle Your Sundays, Sundays, 10.30am, starts Abbey Churchyard, the regular series of sociable, easy-paced cycle rides, http://www.bathrys.org.uk/ Hazel 01225 469199

Black Cat Centre general meeting, Sundays, 1-3pm, Black Cat Centre, http://www.blackcatcentre.blogspot.com

Antifascist benefit punk/ska/hip-hop gig, Friday 12th February, doors open 6.30pm, £6 entry, the Croft, 117-119 Stokes Croft, Bristol, featuring La Fraction, Left For Dead, Jakal and Rejected,
http://libcom.org/news/gentle-bonecrusher-life-death-ivan-khutorskoy-17112009

Orchard Management Workshop for all levels of experience, Saturday 13th February, 10-3.30pm, the Vine House, Bailbrook Lane, Solsbury Hill, Bath, £15 including light lunch, book with Jim Dowling/e-mail piltonman[at]googlemail.com/ tel 01225 481500

‘Incorporating Climate Change into your Community-Led Planning Process’, Saturday 13th February, 11-4pm, Brunswick Room, the Guildhall, Bath, re-mail sara_grimes[at]bathnes.gov.uk

Bath FreeShop, Saturday 13th February, 12-3pm, outside Pump Rooms, Stall Street

Broadlands Orchardshare Volunteering Day, Saturday 13th February, 12-4pm, Broadlands Orchard, Box Road, Bathford, http://www.bathford.net/broadlands.php

Allotment Fair, Saturday 13th February, 2-5pm, the Guildhall, Bath, e-mail alotta_thingsgoingon[at]yahoo.co.uk/ tel 01225 332246

EVICT THE BAILIFFS! Punk and folk benefit gig, Saturday 13th February, The Plough, Easton, Bristol, featuring KilnAboy, The Autonomads, Harijan and Hacksaw

AWE Aldermaston blockade, Monday 15th February, starting 7am, there is already a carload going from Bath (4 am start)

Bath Cycling Campaign meeting, Monday 15th February, 7.30pm, the Rising Sun, Grove Street, http://www.bathcyclingcampaign.org.uk

Talk by Alastair McIntosh: ‘Engaging the Powers’, Monday 15th February, 7.30pm, 3rd Floor, Bush House (above the Arnolfini) 72 Prince Street, Bristol, BS1 4QD, £3 entry, http://www.ecoshow.org.uk

Workshop: ‘Community Benefits of Renewable Energy’, Tuesday 16th February, 6-9pm, Council Chamber, The Hollies, Midsomer Norton, e-mail sara_grimes[at]bathnes.gov.uk/ tel 01225 477548

Tue 16 Feb – Transition Film: ‘Hawaii: Message in the Waves’, Tuesday 16th February, doors open 7.15pm, the Minerva Centre, 8 Combe Park, Lower Weston, Bath BA1 3NP, http://www.transitionbath.org

‘Junk Poetry’ open mic night, Thursday 18th February, 7.30pm, Black Cat Centre, http://www.blackcatcentre.blogspot.com

Camp for Climate Action national gathering, Friday 19th-Sunday 21st February, Bridewell, Bristol

Transition Bath open review: ‘How are we doing?’, Monday 22nd February, 7.15pm, back room of the Bell, Walcot Street, Bath, bring food to share, http://www.transitionbath.org

Free yoga class, Wednesday 24th February, 10.30-11.30am, Black Cat Centre, http://www.blackcatcentre.blogspot.com

Film: ‘Matwan’, Thursday 25th February, 7pm, Black Cat Centre, http://www.blackcatcentre.blogspot.com

Free yoga class, Wednesday 3rd March, 10.30-11.30am, Black Cat Centre, http://www.blackcatcentre.blogspot.com

North Somerset Council Meeting on future of Bristol Airport expansion, Wednesday 3rd March, 6pm, Town Hall, Weston Super Mare, come along to the meeting and show councillors your concerns, http://www.stopbia.com

Bath Activist Network meeting, Thursday 4th March, 7.30-9pm, downstairs at The Hobgoblin, St James Parade, http://www.bathactivistnetwork.blogspot.com

Bath Animal Action meeting, Monday 8th March, 8-9pm, The Bell, Walcot Street

Exhibition: ‘Loss of Innocence: Gaza Children’s Artwork’, Monday 8th March-Wednesday 17th March (not Sundays), mostly 10-4pm, St John’ Church, Frome, ffi e-mail adam.stout[at]virgin.net

Free yoga class, Wednesday 10th March, 10.30-11.30am, Black Cat Centre, http://www.blackcatcentre.blogspot.com

Bath Stop the War Coalition public meeting, Wednesday 10th March, 7.30pm, Friends Meeting House, York Street, Bath

Bath Green Drinks, Wednesday 10th March, 8pm, the Rising Sun, Grove Street

Radical debate club: ‘When environmentalism becomes fascism’, Thursday 11th March, 7-9pm, Black Cat Centre, http://www.blackcatcentre.blogspot.com

Free yoga class, Wednesday 17th March, 10.30-11.30am, Black Cat Centre, http://www.blackcatcentre.blogspot.com

Bath tree-planting project day, Saturday 20th March, more details tbc

Free yoga class, Wednesday 24th March, 10.30-11.30am, Black Cat Centre, http://www.blackcatcentre.blogspot.com

Bath Critical Mass, Saturday 27th March, 1pm start, Kingsmead Square

Trapese Collective course: ‘Tools for Social Change’, training in grassroot organising for social change, Saturday 27th March-3rd April, Ragman’s Lane Farm, Forest of Dean, £175-£350, limited places available so book early! http://www.stuffit.org/trapese/ragm.pdf

Free yoga class, Wednesday 31st March, 10.30-11.30am, Black Cat Centre, http://www.blackcatcentre.blogspot.com

Free yoga class, Wednesday 7th April, 10.30-11.30am, Black Cat Centre, http://www.blackcatcentre.blogspot.com

Radical debate club: ‘Radicalism & religion’, Thursday 8th April, 7-9pm, Black Cat Centre, http://www.blackcatcentre.blogspot.com

Free yoga class, Wednesday 14th April, 10.30-11.30am, Black Cat Centre, http://www.blackcatcentre.blogspot.com

Free yoga class, Wednesday 21st April, 10.30-11.30am, Black Cat Centre, http://www.blackcatcentre.blogspot.com

World Day for Lab Animals march in London, Saturday 24th April, coach 8.30am, leaving Bristol Temple Meads, £10 ticket

And now, to the disclaimer: As anyone is free to contribute, the opinions expressed in each article are not necessarilly reflective of each contributor. Naturally, any right-wing or corporate bullshit will be binned and spat upon. Needless to say, the opinions of the author of this disclaimer do not necessarilly represent the views of any other contributor.

Insane In The B&NES

Meanwhile, back to other news. The Save Bathampton Meadows campaign to save, err, Bathampton Meadows, recently suffered a blow when B&NES Council gave themselves permission to proceed with their four-stage Bath Transport Plan – including the wildlife-devouring Bus Rapid Transit route, the expansion of two existing Park & Ride schemes, and the sacrifice of the Meadows to be gloriously reborn as a new flood-prone P&R. The much-hated A36/A46 link road plan still remains too, despite constant public denial. Though the Council’s complete lack of transparency and democratic representation (66% of Bathonians objected to the Bathampton scheme in Nov 08) defied all expectations, and the traffic congestion and air quality benefits (less than 1%, according to government studies) of the plan are implausible at best, B&NES’ true motive is clear as glass: money. Yep, the £5.75 million carrot of government grant has got them all wet, and residents or the environment can fuck off.

In response, the seven-year strong SBM lot hosted a packed-out community meeting in Batheaston on the 27th of last month. The campaign is now psyching themselves up for a pincer attack legal challenge, taking first the Secretary of State to court, and then B&NES… if they can afford it. To this end the ‘protest company’ VeraCity Ltd have been formed, and with court costs expected between £10,000 and £30,000 (with even the sending of a letter costing £500, those solicitors get pricey!) they are now eager for investors to share out the burden of a quid each. Paradoxically, most of these challenges take six years, but VeraCity are only being given three months.

B&NES have now started tending out for construction, spin and architects contracts with which to waste their money. With luck, any info about companies showing interest will come to light either on our own blogspot, or the SBM one.

Whilst we here in the office have some doubts on the efficiency of wading through all that red tape, this, various NIMBY legalese and Compulsory Purchase Order courtroom battles could very well be the key to save the ecologically-important meadows. And if not, here’s to hoping the VC doesn’t lead the campaign away from its direct action commitments.

http://www.vcbath.blogspot.com
http://www.newbridgematters.blogspot.com
http://www.response2route.co.uk/wordpress/?p=221
http://www.savebathamptonmeadows.org.uk

A Censorble Response To Islam4UK

A lot has been made lately of the antics of the pro-Sharia Muslim group ‘Islam4UK’ (a front group for Al-Muhajiroon led by Anjem Choudary), who advocate the turning of Britain into an oppressive Muslim state, complete with capital punishment and flogging for public drunkenness (amidst a host of other gems). They also recently received notoriety for the government’s banning of their proposed Wootton Bassett demo – the repatriation town for British war dead. White nationalists were quick to condemn the march, but you don’t have to be a flag-waving skinhead to oppose these nutcases.

Since the opening of hostilities in Iraq and Afghanistan, various groups have sunk to using the parading of war casualties in Wootton Bassett as a propaganda tool. While some revel in the body count to promote anti-western sentiment, others like the BNP use coffins and grieving families to fly nationalist flags. The truth, though, is that dead soldiers are neither heroes nor monsters – they’re simply men and women who have paid a harsh price for doing the dirty work of corrupt politicians.

Really, the BNP and Islam4UK are both a threat to the working class, and pander to a political elite who desire only to see us divided along their lines of race, religion, gender and sexuality, instead of class. Surely we want to build a society based on tolerance, respect and equality, and must resist the authoritarian regime envisioned by the far right? If so, then we need to wake up and treat these people – no matter the colour of skin or the faith – like the fascists they are. And whilst we can’t condone state control and bans, it’s the job of our communities to crush them.

To Vote Or Not To Vote?

On Thursday the 11th of February, the Black Cat Centre held a debate on the subject of voting. Should we vote? If so, for whom? If not, why not? I have been asking around to get a feel of what people passing through the centre think, and the results are far from unanimous. They range from not voting as a categorical imperative, to voting for the Tories so the revolution comes, with middle-ground positions as well, contrasting national election with local ones. The debate promised to be mighty interesting.

There is not enough space to explore this issue in depth, so I will use the little I have left to present the act of voting under different lights, which will hopefully allow us to have a constructive exchange. There can be two ends in voting; voting to rule the country, and voting to destroy the system. Those who propose to vote, at least the ones I’ve spoken to, are referring to the second one; and, you’ve probably guessed, those who propose that we don’t vote are referring to the first; that is, someone has yet to say that we should form a party and win the elections.

There is no disagreement, then, on the right to rule. It doesn’t exist. What the people I’ve spoken to disagree on is whether it does us any good, as an activist movement, that one party or another is behind the wheel. Can it help us build the resistance? Or does voting, as such, undercut it?

Here EDO Again

For the last five years, Brighton-based bastards EDO/ITT have been the subject of a concerted activist campaign initiated when locals learned that EDO supplies the Israeli and US military with bomb release mechanisms and other nasties that have been used in Gaza, Iraq and elsewhere. Since the beginning of the campaign, EDO has been subject to numerous protests, lock-ons, blockades, vandalism and other actions and has seen their share value plummet, and gone through four directors in as many years.

On January the 18th, over 300 people gathered in Brighton to mark the first anniversary of the bombardment of Gaza that EDO made possible. Throughout the day, activists, including Bathonians, dodged batons and police dogs to make their way to the EDO factory, which they eventually did via a little-used footpath. Upon the march reaching the factory, sections of the fencing disappeared, allowing protesters entry to the site, where a brief skirmish with the police ensued. From there, the demo, which by this point had been officially banned by the police, headed back into town to let Brightonians know what grotty death merchants peddle their trade on their doorsteps. It was later discovered that, in anticipation of the protests, the factory had been closed the entire day. To add to EDO’s financial misery, later that night the factory was visited and heavily paint-bombed and lock-glued in solidarity with the people of Gaza – not a bad day’s work! The campaign against EDO continues, and you can find out more at http://www.smashedo.org.uk

In support of the Brighton demo, BAN supporters and others picketed Barclay’s Bank in Bristol. Barclays was targeted because it is the main bank of arms companies. 20 people gave out leaflets and held a banner in support of Elijah Smith, a Bristol-based anti-militarist who has been remanded in custody without a trial for a year following an event last year where EDO was subjected to the single action that brought it closer to collapse. Seven ‘de-commissioners’ entered the factory and destroyed almost every piece of equipment they could find. There has been a campaign to keep his spirits up, including sending letters and gifts, and even loud gigs held outside the nick by supporters! To send Elijah your support, send him a letter at – Elijah Smith, VP 7551, Sheppey Cluster (Elmley), Church Rd, Eastchurch, Sheerness, Kent, ME 12 4DZ.

TESCO UPDATE: Former Jesters Squatted. Huge Turnout for Meeting on Monday. Stokes Croft Organises its own Consultation. Website

11 February 2010

11 February 2010
The former Jesters Comedy Club at 142 Cheltenham Road, Stokes Croft, whose lease has been taken over by Tesco, has been squatted. It is believed that the squatting action took place on Tuesday night. Astonished at the lack of proper consultation and Tesco’s underhand tactics, local residents moved into occupation of the premises determined not to allow the development to go ahead. This pre-empts work beginning on the 32nd Tesco store in Bristol alone.

There are 2306 Tesco related premises in the UK at present and with Tesco accounting for about £1 in every £8 spent in the UK retail sector we seriously believe they are breaking EU Monopoly Laws.

We have been informed that security personnel, presumably working on behalf of Tesco PLC, arrived sometime on Wednesday armed with sledgehammers, intent on regaining the property. The Police were called and they ordered the Security gang to desist from their intended action, thus heading off the possibility of needless violence. The squatters remain in situ.

Monday night’s meeting, hosted at Hamilton House, attracted over 200 local people. In view of the lack of Community Consultation, it was decided that the Community would organise their own.

In order to co-ordinate the Community’s response to Tesco’s proposed incursion into Stokes Croft, a dedicated website has been set up.
www.notescoinstokescroft.org.uk

A message from the occupiers:
“We will resist eviction, and are calling out for like minded people across bristol.
There is no need for another plastic store local shops are adequate enough. Let’s mobilise, even if we manage to win this one we know they’ll want more!”

Find out how you can join in. Posters for your window, or the window of your business,surveys and postcards to send to BCC can be obtained from PRSC HQ between 11 and 6pm.

http://www.tescopoly.org/

Sea Shepherd update – whaling shut-down, and skirmishes

February 8 2010
Sea Shepherd Has Shut Down Illegal Japanese Whaling

Steve Irwin Joins Pursuit of Nisshin Maru

The Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin joined the Sea Shepherd ship Bob Barker this morning at 0700 Hours (Sydney time). Both Sea Shepherd ships are now on the tail of the Japanese factory ship Nisshin Maru.

February 8 2010
Sea Shepherd Has Shut Down Illegal Japanese Whaling

Steve Irwin Joins Pursuit of Nisshin Maru

The Japanese fleet was running fast to the Northeast not knowing that the Steve Irwin was on a course of Southwest coming directly for them. With the fleet doing 15 knots, and the Steve Irwin doing 15 knots, the Steve Irwin and the whaling fleet closed the gap at 30 knots cutting the rendezvous time in half.

The Steve Irwin sat motionless by an iceberg for two hours at a distance of thirty miles to allow the Nisshin Maru to continue towards it. At a distance of only three miles, the Steve Irwin got underway and intercepted the Nisshin Maru.

As the Steve Irwin passed by the Nisshin Maru, the factory ship turned on their water cannons and were surprised when the Steve Irwin responded with a more powerful water cannon that had a couple of the whalers diving for the bridge doors as the frigid water struck their bridge wing deck.

The Steve Irwin is presently tailing the Nisshin Maru a few cable lengths and slightly to the port side of the factory ship. Across from the Steve Irwin, the Bob Barker is tailing the Nisshin Maru slightly to the starboard side.

Following in the wake of the Nisshin Maru are the Japanese vessels Shonan Maru 2, Yushin Maru 1 and Yushin Maru 2. There is no sign of the Yushin Maru 3.

Six ships, two from Sea Shepherd and four vessels from the Japanese fleet, are heading at full speed northeastwardly.

“Not a single whale has died since the Bob Barker intercepted the fleet at 0100 Hours on February 6th. It is now the third day that the whaling fleet has been unable to kill a whale. We intend to turn these three whaling free days into three whaling free weeks,” said Captain Paul Watson. “I am confident that once again we will severely cut their kill quotas and we will once again negate their profits.”

The Steve Irwin and the Bob Barker have enough fuel to pursue the whaling fleet for another month.

“It does not matter where they go, east or west along the Antarctic Coast,” said Steve Irwin 1st Officer Locky MacLean. “We intend to stick to their rear like glue and we will not allow a single whale to be loaded onto the decks of that foul floating abattoir.”

There are 41 crew (29 men and 12 women) on board the Steve Irwin from Australia, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Estonia, France, Japan, Hungary, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, South Africa, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States (15 nationalities).

There are 30 (6 women and 24 men) crew on board the Bob Barker from Australia, New Zealand, United States, Sweden, United Kingdom, and South Africa (6 nationalities).

—

February 09, 2010
Sea Shepherd Escorts Whaling Fleet Out of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary

The Sea Shepherd ships Steve Irwin and the Bob Barker have successfully escorted the Japanese whaling fleet out of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

After repeated orders from Sea Shepherd to desist their illegal activities and remove themselves from the Southern Ocean, the Nisshin Maru, Yushin Maru, Yushin Maru #2 and Shonan Maru #2 have crossed north of sixty degrees and continue to head North by Northwest.

“We did not actually expect them to follow our orders to quit the Whale Sanctuary but they have indeed exited and are now running outside the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary”, Said Captain Paul Watson, “They have not killed a single whale since February 5th. We intend to turn four whaling free days into weeks.”

At 0500 Hours on February 7th the Nisshin Maru was intercepted by the Steve Irwin at 64 Degrees 2 Minutes South and 80 Degrees 11 Minutes East. The whaling fleet then ran Northeast for 95 miles on a course of 060 Degrees and then changed course at 1600 Hours on February 7th to 260 Degrees began to run Northwest for 260 miles. The whaling fleet left the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary at 1830 Hours (Sydney Time) at 60 Degrees South and 77 Degrees East. (February 9th, 2010)

The Sea Shepherd ships Steve Irwin and Bob Barker continue to chase the Japanese whaling fleet.

“We intend to keep on their tail and to prevent any whaling operations for as long as our fuel reserves last and that should be for another few weeks at least,” Said Bob Barker captain Chuck Swift.

The Sea Shepherd ships are with the entire whaling fleet except the Yushin Maru #3. That ship has not been seen since the collision with the Bob Barker on February 6th.

—

February 11 2010
Five-Hour Battle At the Gateway of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary

A battle erupted between the Sea Shepherd ships Bob Barker and Steve Irwin and the Japanese whaling fleet when the whalers ignored a warning from Sea Shepherd to not reenter the Southern Ocean Sanctuary.

The Japanese fleet was escorted out of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary at 1530 Hours on Tuesday, February 9th. They left the Sanctuary at 60 Degrees South and 76 Degrees and 36 Minutes East.

The fleet fled north on a course of 310 Degrees to the position of 57 Degrees 14 Minutes South and 69 Degrees 6 minutes East and then turned back one hundred and eighty degrees and headed back towards the Sanctuary on a course of 230 at 1700 Hours on February 10th.

At 1650 on Thursday, February 11th the Japanese fleet reentered the Whale Sanctuary at 60 Degrees South and 62 Degrees East.

As the Japanese fleet reentered the Whale Sanctuary, the Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin pulled up alongside the Nisshin Maru to deliver a message by loudspeaker in Japanese warning them not to enter the Whale Sanctuary. The Nisshin Maru responded with water cannon and LRAD fire. The Steve Irwin returned water cannon fire.

The Steve Irwin then attempted to launch a helicopter when the three harpoon vessels moved in with water cannons and LRADs blazing in an attempt to destroy the helicopter on the deck. The Bob Barker moved into position to block the harpoon vessels and the Steve Irwin was forced to fire warning flares in front of the harpoon vessels to force them to back off.

The six ships, four whaler and two conservation vessels, engaged for over five hours. There were many near misses but no collisions. There were no injuries.

A Sea Shepherd Delta launched from the Steve Irwin annoyed the harpoon vessels with rotten butter bomb attacks.

All ships have backed off and the convoy of whalers and anti-whalers continues in a Southwestern direction into the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

“Tomorrow marks a full week that not a whale has been killed,” said Captain Paul Watson. “Our goal now is to make it two weeks and then three weeks. We will not tolerate the death of a single whale. If they attempt to kill and transfer a whale to the Nisshin Maru there will be inevitable collisions, because we will neither move out of harms way nor cease blocking the slipway. That I can promise.”

Climate Change Activists: Join the Vancouver Convergence

A coalition of environmental activists led by GatewaySucks.org is calling on climate change activists to join the convergence at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver.

When the 2010 Winter Olympics start a couple of weeks from now in Vancouver, BC the athletes and spectators will be joined by organizations with some of the worst records on climate change.

General Motors is a national partner for the games, and one of the leading corporate opponents of effective action on climate change. Only two years ago, a vice-chairman of GM called global warming a “total crock of shit.” GM is supplying a large fleet of vehicles for the games, almost all of which are gas-guzzling SUVs.

Petro-Canada, another National Olympic Partner, is the retail arm of the largest extractor of Oil Sands bitumen. The Oil Sands are Canada’s biggest ghg emissions point source.

RBC (the Royal Bank of Canada) in addition to being a prominent Olympic sponsor is the largest commercial bank funder of the Oil Sands,. TransCanada pipelines, whose pipelines connect to the Oil Sands, is also an official supplier.

The government of British Columbia is the main funder and promoter of the games. They kicked off a massive plan to add over 1,000 km of new highway lanes (an increase of over 2,000,000 annual tonnes of CO2e emissions ) with the Sea-to-Sky Highway expansion for the Olympics. These plans include the controversial Gateway Program. It continues to heavily subsidize the oil and gas industry which resulted in it being the only Canadian province to see ghg emissions from industrial sources increase in 2008.

The Federal government of Canada which consistently earned “Fossil Awards” at the most recent international climate talks also is a major funder for the Olympics.

These corporations and governments want to fool the world with their claim that these are the “Greenest Games Ever” despite the links to climate change deniers, highway expansion and the Oil Sands.

If you would like to endorse this call-out or get involved directly please contact info@gatewaysucks.org.

MORE INFORMATION:

Convergence Info: http://olympicresistance.net/

Welcoming Committee: http://2010welcoming.wordpress.com/

Green Olympic Watch: http://2010greenwatch.org/

GatewaySucks.org: http://www.gatewaysucks.org/

2010 Climate Crime Scene: http://2010climatecrime.org

Manchester Airport and Heathrow residents join forces

Sunday 7th February 2010

Sunday 7th February 2010
Residents and campaigners against the expansion of Manchester and Heathrow airports have joined forces in a show of solidarity between both places threatened by airport expansion. Around 80 people turned out for the launch of the ‘Adopt-a-Resident’ scheme on Hasty Lane which involved campaigners from across Manchester and across the country pledging to support the residents in their battle to save their houses and that if it came to it – to take direct action against the bulldozers trying to demolish their homes.

Peter Johnson and daughter Holly Johnson hosted the event in front of their house. They were joined by Tracy Howard – a resident from Sipson, as well John Stewart, Chair of AirportWatch, and activists from Stop Expansion at Manchester Airport (SEMA) coalition and Plane Stupid.

The day also involved a visit to the nearby 300 year old natural pond and home to endangered Great Crested Newts.

SEMA spokesperson Sian Jones said: “The residents aren’t alone in this – climate justice campaigners from across Manchester and the country are backing them all the way.”

Hasty Lane resident Peter Johnson said: “Together with Sipson residents, we are going to fight these irresponsible and unnecessary plans. Our local councillors all opposed the plans, but they were overruled. The council has let us down, but we’re not going to give up that easily.”

Sipson resident Tracy Howard, 35, who made the trip up north for the twinning event said: “The story of Hasty lane is a way too familiar story to ours. Local communities suffering from a big airport that is destroying our homes, our health and the climate. If a 3rd runway at Heathrow is built I face losing my home, my job and my grandmother’s grave will be dug up. This is why I have been adopted by a Plane Stupid activist as there direct action tactics could be all we have left.”

PRESS COVERAGE
———————————–
BBC Website
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/8502871.stm

Manchester Evening News report
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1191887_tea_party_protest_over_airport_extension_plan

Background information
———————————–
In November 2009, Manchester City Council approved plans to bulldoze
people’s homes on Hasty Lane to expand the World Freight Centre at
Manchester Airport. This overturned the decision by local councillors from the Wythenshawe Area Committee, who rejected the Airport’s plans.

Manchester Airport is one of the region’s biggest polluters (2.5 million tonnes of CO2 annually, based on departing flights only). Yet it was recently omitted from Manchester City Council’s Climate Change Action Plan ( http://www.manchesterclimate.com/)

Manchester City Council own 55% of Manchester Airports Group – which also owns Bournemouth, Humberside and Nottingham East Midlands Airport.

Manchester Airport was recently rejected from the 10:10 campaign.
http://stopmanchesterairport.blogspot.com/2009/11/manchester-airport-rejected-from-1010.html

For more information, see:
http://www.stopmanchesterairport.org.uk

TAR SANDS – OILYMPICS – CALL TO ACTION – solidarity actions against green washing, 13th Feb

*Call to Action*

The Canadian Tar Sands Oil-ympics – The Race to the Tar Sands is On!
Saturday February 13th, is the opening day of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. That’s right, it’s time for the Oil-ympics, and you can participate!

*Call to Action*

All you need to bring is ‘sports clothing’ (winter if possible) and a sense of mischief and fun to Canada House in Trafalgar Square, this Saturday, February 13th at 12:00 pm. Attendees will be divided into three oily teams: ‘BP’, ‘Shell’ and ‘Total’, all ready to ‘Race to the Tar Sands’?

Ever tried curling? Come along and and help sweep out BP, Shell, and RBS as they all race headlong into the Tar Sands.

The Canadian Tar Sands in Alberta is one of the single biggest industrial projects on earth, the environmental and social nightmare that is the Tar Sands – is currently producing the dirtiest oil on the planet. There is currently a global “race to the tar sands” and the main competitors Shell, Total and BP are all racing ahead to extract unconventional oil from the Canadian Tar Sands, regardless of the environmental and social costs of extraction and opposition from local communities affected by the
extraction.

Although the oil is being extracted in Canada, there are direct links to the UK. Royal Bank of Scotland, HSBC and Barclays are all invested in the tar sands. Britain’s very own BP are about to reverse their decision to stay away from the destructive project, making ‘Beyond Petroleum’ nothing more than a Broken Promise.

This action is in solidarity with Canadian First Nations groups whose lands and communities are being devastated in the name of corporate profit, and who have called for a moratorium on the tar sands.

For more info about the Canadian Tar Sands, the Oil-ympics and the UK Tar Sands Network check out these links.

http://www.tarsandsinfocus.wordpress.com
http://oilsandstruth.org/topics/2010-olympics
http://olympicresistance.net/
http://www.ienearth.org/cits

courts attacked in bristol

Last night the magistrates court next to the bus station in the middle of bristol was attacked. all the reachable windows were smashed out and spray paint messages left on the walls “fuck the law not the poor!”
we know that the court ‘justice’ system is nothing but a farse designed and run to protect the wealth and power that rules this rotten society. we know that this system is our enemy, it does not protect us. we know that to achieve a world where we might control our own lives and find solutions to our own problems we must first fight to bring this world to the ashes that it so deserves.
this done in solidarity and anarchist greetings to everyone fucked over by the courts, probation, police, bosses, and everyone fighting class struggle against the power in the social war that is brought down on us.