Author: earthfirst

Three Remain in Jail Following Anti-Coal Resistance

Yesterday, four individuals halted blasting on Coal River Mountain. They are now charged with trespassing, conspiracy, obstruction, and littering; bail has been set at $2,000 cash-only per-person.

Yesterday, four individuals halted blasting on Coal River Mountain. They are now charged with trespassing, conspiracy, obstruction, and littering; bail has been set at $2,000 cash-only per-person.

Early this morning, we were able to bail Nick Martin out of jail. He gladly gave his thoughts on the action, “I’m proud to have been part of something that successfully stopped blasting. This act of nonviolent civil disobedience is only a small piece of a resounding call to save Coal River Mountain.”

The powerful actions of our friends did not go unnoticed by community members. Bo Webb, a resident of Naoma said, “The people of the Coal River Valley who are threatened by this sludge dam failure are appreciative, at least I am very appreciative, and proud of these folks to risk arrest of themselves in order to protect this community.”

In light of his return home, Nick further stated, “I am glad to be out of jail and back in a loving community of friends, thanks to everyone who supported us during this action. I can’t wait to see the others and I hope we can bail them out soon.”

Laura Von Dohlen, Grace Williams, and Dea Goblirsch will remain in jail until we can gather enough donations to bail them out as well.

Donate immediately via paypal to:

https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow&SESSION=4pPTofeW-F6XgKLYddqikPYPPq3YKsuU3mEAUScvmO07REnYgOYcfjPZeSq&dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1ffc45dc241d84e953d0e88f8d71535079b246201019c8adab

Please specify that the money is going to aid with bail.

Please actually donate as soon as possible.

Responding to Harmful Government Inaction, Protestors Stop Blasting on Coal River Mountain

Four Protestors currently on Coal River Mountain. Two locked down to drill rig on Bee Tree Permit site. Mine security and county police are currently there as well. Blasting is still halted.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 11/21/09
Contact: Zoe Beavers 304-854-7372
Email: news@climategroundzero.org

Four Protestors currently on Coal River Mountain. Two locked down to drill rig on Bee Tree Permit site. Mine security and county police are currently there as well. Blasting is still halted.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 11/21/09
Contact: Zoe Beavers 304-854-7372
Email: news@climategroundzero.org

PETTUS, W. Va. – Early this morning two concerned citizens, Dea Goblirsch and Nick Martin, locked down to a drill rig on Coal River Mountain’s Bee Tree mountaintop removal site, effectively stopping blasting. Two others, Grace Williams and Laura Von Dolen, joined them in direct support, holding a banner with the message “Save Coal River Mountain”.

These nonviolent protestors have taken this action to bring attention to the extreme danger facing residents of the Coal River Valley from blasting near the Brushy Fork Impoundment. They plan to stay locked down until law enforcement removes them.

Resident of Rock Creek, W Va., Delbert Gunnoe, stated his concerns with the blasting, “You know when they put a blast over there, and it shakes the windows over here, at what, ¾-a-mile distance, imagine what it does over there.” Gunnoe continued, “if [the impoundment] did bust…what would be the destruction? The town of Whitesville would no longer exist.”

The four are fearful of the blasting that Massey Energy began in late October. These blasts are 200 feet from the Brushy Fork Impoundment, permitted to hold nine billion gallons of toxic coal slurry. The impoundment sits atop miles of hollow, abounded underground mines, further endangering its integrity. By Massey’s own estimates, roughly 998 people will die should the dam break. The emergency evacuation plan states that a 40-foot wall of sludge, cresting at 72 feet, will flow through the valley, reaching 20-feet-high about 15 miles down the road. Apart from the initial flood, the impact of this potential spill would be felt along the Coal River’s 88 miles.

“The Brushy Fork Sludge Impoundment keeps residents of the Coal River Valley up at night, waiting for eight billion gallons of toxic coal slurry to come rushing towards them,” said Dea Goblirsch, one of the two locked down. “I don’t know how Massey executives sleep soundly at night.”

Hydrologist, Dr. Rick Eades spoke of concerns about the stability of the dam as blasting occurs. He questioned “blasting where underground mines existed in the Eagle coal seam, the possibilities for adversely affecting near-surface bedrock in a way that could possibly enhance pathways for slurry to be released via the subsurface and bypass the dam.”

The concern is that slurry will break into underground mine shafts and blow out through old mine openings on the side of the mountain. This potentiality for Coal River Mountain mirrors the cause of the world’s largest slurry spill which occurred in Martin County, Ky. In 2000, 250 million gallons of slurry broke forth from a 2.2-billion-gallon impoundment, killing nearly all life in the Big Sandy River. Its impact reached all the way to the Ohio River, about 100 miles away.

Earlier this week, EPA sent out a letter to Marfork Coal Co., a subsidiary of Massey Energy Co., airing concerns about the absence of a valley fill permit, and requesting an extensive amount of information concerning the mountaintop removal operation on the Bee Tree site.

In note of this, Nick Martin, currently locked down, said, “The EPA’s recent action proves that the communities’ concerns about this site are shared at the highest levels of government.”

Matt Louis-Rosenberg, a Climate Ground Zero activist, adds, “Coal River Wind attempted to get a meeting with the governor for a year and it took people sitting in his office to get him to sit down and meet with concerned community members, just like it takes our actions up on Coal River Mountain to get the federal government to step in.”

The concern showed by the EPA reflects what the residents of the Coal River Valley have known for a long time; the Brushy Fork Impoundment is putting lives in danger, and the blasting on Coal River Mountain only increases that danger. The protestors on the Bee Tree site are putting out a call to action to save Coal River Mountain and protect all those who would be impacted by a catastrophe there. This action fits into a larger fight against mountaintop removal in Appalachia.

On the whole, Gunnoe’s sentiment was, “Don’t like much about Obama, but he’ll have one heck of a supporter if he stops mountaintop mining.”

Note: More information available at http://climategroundzero.org.

ELF Attacks Carso Cement Company in Mexico State

“On the night of November 18, we again attacked the enterprise CARSO in the state of Mexico. This time we saw that a wide hose coming out of the cement business was further contaminating the canal. The toxic waste of civilization completely destroys biodivesity, creating illness and additionally, these destroyers of the land push to the edge the last that remains of wild nature.

“On the night of November 18, we again attacked the enterprise CARSO in the state of Mexico. This time we saw that a wide hose coming out of the cement business was further contaminating the canal. The toxic waste of civilization completely destroys biodivesity, creating illness and additionally, these destroyers of the land push to the edge the last that remains of wild nature.

It is because of this that we decided to act and we threw bottles filled with gasoline at the hose, and after this we threw rocks wrapped in cloth and lit on fire. The person operating a big crane had a look of astonishment after seeing from the darkness of the branches of the trees, balls of fire coming directy at the property of the wretched CARSO enterprise.

We will not tolerate more environmental destruction. The vindicating fire lives not only in our words but also in our actions.

Earth Liberation Front”

http://www.elfpressoffice.org/comm111809.html

forest occupation

resistance to eviction of forest occupation in belgium

Dear friends of one of Belgium’s last remaining forests

The shit is about to hit the fan
the investor’s greedy eyes are casting their long shadows over the Lappersfort’s few trees;
their low wages puppets are sharpening their knives and licking their fingers

resistance to eviction of forest occupation in belgium

Dear friends of one of Belgium’s last remaining forests

The shit is about to hit the fan
the investor’s greedy eyes are casting their long shadows over the Lappersfort’s few trees;
their low wages puppets are sharpening their knives and licking their fingers
We expect the eviction of our beloved home within the next short month, the 30th/Nov, the 1st and 2nd/Dec so far being the dates of the highest eviction threat
I wished to be able to tell u differently but this place once buzzing with people is now pretty low in numbers. -BUT there are still people willing to fight, so this is a call-out
WE NEED MORE PEOPLE
preferably to stay

what else u can do:
20th/Nov gather in the forest
21st/Nov use media’s corrupted minds and play or don’t play along with their stupid game once more (details to be explained in case u come)
pass this message on to anyone u think appropriate
see u in the trees

http://lappersfort.freehostia.com/en/index/index.html
telephone-number: 0032 470 – 96 86 51
lappersfort@gmail.com

Reminder: Mainshill – weekend of action and workshops!

Weekend of Action and workshops
at MAINSHILL SOLIDARITY CAMP

Sat 28th Nov – Tues 1st Dec

With signs that the eviction may happen any minute the Mainshill solidarity camp need all the support they can get (see http://coalactionscotland.noflag.org.uk/ for more details on the current situation).

Weekend of Action and workshops
at MAINSHILL SOLIDARITY CAMP

Sat 28th Nov – Tues 1st Dec

With signs that the eviction may happen any minute the Mainshill solidarity camp need all the support they can get (see http://coalactionscotland.noflag.org.uk/ for more details on the current situation).

Since June, the Mainshill camp has been occupying the site of a new open cast coal mine in Lanarkshire with lots of local support and seriously delaying work with digger diving, drill rig occupations and sabotage actions.

If you can, go now! Otherwise, join us for our open weekend Sat 28 Oct – Tues 1st Dec. There’ll be direct action workshops, legal briefings, a guided tour of the site and a small possibility of a ceilidh with local people on Saturday night, plus whatever actions people are up for.

There’s lots and lots to do – not only are contractors busy felling trees on site, there are also four opencast coal mines within spitting distance of Mainshill, as well as the Ravenstruther coal rail depot.

From jumping on machinery and building momentum and support in the community, to chopping wood and cleaning out the compost loos – there’s something for everyone!

A brochure of coal targets in Scotland plus Digger Diving for Beginners can be found at http://coalactionscotland.noflag.org.uk/?page_id=10

WHAT TO BRING:
*warm clothes, boots and waterproofs, a tent, sleeping bag and mat
*tools for building work and action materials if you can
*Most importantly bring yourself and friends.

FOOD:
There’ll be communal vegan food for a donation, so come prepared to help with chopping veg.

GETTING THERE:
The camp is right next to junction 12 of the M74, which runs from Carlisle to Glasgow. The nearest train stations are Lanark and Hamilton and there are frequent direct busses to the site.
Email us if you need a lift from the train station.

Detailed travel directions:
http://coalactionscotland.noflag.org.uk/?page_id=415

MORE INFO AND CONTACT:
info@leaveitintheground.org.uk
http://coalactionscotland.noflag.org.uk/?page_id=827

Please note: People arrested at Mainshill are held overnight, then taken to the Sheriff’s Court in Lanarkshire on the next working day before being released, (i.e. if you’re arrested on Monday you’ll be let out on Tuesday, but if you’re arrested on Friday or Saturday you’ll have to wait til
Monday!) If you are planning to take action, make sure you’ve got the next work day off too.

Mainshill Eviction Alert: the National Eviction Team show up on Site

20.11.2009
This morning the process to evict Mainshill Solidarity Camp began. Members of the National Eviction Team, along with police climbers, are currently on site, walking around taking pictures. At the moment there are about 10 police/eviction team on site, they are attempting to gain access to dwellings and making threats.

20.11.2009
This morning the process to evict Mainshill Solidarity Camp began. Members of the National Eviction Team, along with police climbers, are currently on site, walking around taking pictures. At the moment there are about 10 police/eviction team on site, they are attempting to gain access to dwellings and making threats.

The National Eviction Team, for those who dont know, are a specialist group of sheriffs officers that evict Activists, Hippies, and Squatters from tunnels, treehouses and buildings.

Residents of the camp are asking for anyone who is able to go to site as soon as possible to boost numbers and strengthen the camps position.

More information as we get it.

Fore directions see here http://coalactionscotland.noflag.org.uk/?page_id=415#How%20to%20Get%20There

COP15 OUT, 5th December 2009

*they call themselves leaders?*

On Saturday December 5th 2009, Climate Camp London will be joining the tens of thousands of people descending on London to help put the spotlight on the failing international climate talks in Copenhagen.

*they call themselves leaders?*

On Saturday December 5th 2009, Climate Camp London will be joining the tens of thousands of people descending on London to help put the spotlight on the failing international climate talks in Copenhagen.

Now is the time to challenge the vested interests, corporations and political systems that are causing climate change and so we’ve got a secret plan to take a space in the city away from and after the wave.

It’s time to show our ‘leaders’ how we’re going to take action to reduce emissions ourselves.

*COP OUT WHEN*

05.12.09, after the wave

*COP OUT WHERE*

London – at a secret location

Watch out for details and sign up for txt messages at www.climatecamp.org.uk/london

There are plenty of really cheap coaches headed for London on Dec 5th and they’re leaving from all over the country.

Book your seat now – http://bit.ly/CRtCO

*COP OUT WHY*

Because the failing UNFCCC talks in Copenhagen are at best planning false solutions to climate change like carbon trading. If the government and corporations get their way, then the next crisis won’t be financial. It’ll be much worse. The stupidity of total trust in markets will only bring catastrophe.

Buy Nothing Day (Bristol, Birmingham, Falmouth, Leeds, Lincoln, Sheffield…) – Steal Something Day (everywhere)

Bristol: To buy, or not to buy…

Saturday November 28th is Buy Nothing Day (UK). It’s a day where you challenge yourself, your family and friends to switch off from shopping and tune into life. The rules are simple, for 24 hours you will detox from shopping and anyone can take part provided they spend a day without spending!

Shop Less Live MoreBristol: To buy, or not to buy…

Saturday November 28th is Buy Nothing Day (UK). It’s a day where you challenge yourself, your family and friends to switch off from shopping and tune into life. The rules are simple, for 24 hours you will detox from shopping and anyone can take part provided they spend a day without spending!

Everything we buy has an impact on the environment. Buy Nothing Day highlights the environmental and ethical consequences of shopping. The developed countries – only 20% of the world population are consuming over 80% of the earth’s natural resources, causing a disproportionate level of environmental damage and an unfair distribution of wealth.

As consumers we need to question the products we buy and challenge the companies who produce them. What are the true risks to the environment and developing countries? The argument is infinite – while it continues we should be looking for simple solutions and Buy Nothing Day is a good place to start.

As last year’s buy nothing day was a huge success in the city centre, we will be doing the same event again – a free shop, where people can take away things for free. We will be right at the heart of the mad shopping world that is Broadmead.

Helping people think about the material world we live in, and making conscious decisions in the way we exploit the world, its people and the natural resources.

Bring musical instruments, things to give away in the free shop, chalk, and your lovely self!

Hope to see you there.

Happy 10th Buy Nothing Day!

Buy Nothing Day started in North America in the early 90’s and has grown to an international day celebrated in over 50 countries. The Buy Nothing Day UK website went online in January 2000. We’re not quite 10 years old, but on November 28th Buy Nothing Day will be just 10 days young – another reason to celebrate the frugal festival.

http://www.buynothingday.co.uk/

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Birmingham: We are holding our 8th annual Santa Parade in Birmingham City Centre for Buy Nothing Day on 28th November at 12:00 noon. Email: joe (at) birminghamfoe.org.uk. For last years parade click here.

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Falmouth:
Free Shop
Kernow Action Now! a new direct action group in Cornwall will be launching what will become a regular Freeshop on Buy Nothing Day. The Freeshop will be from 1pm outside the old Woolworths in Falmouth, Cornwall.

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Leeds:

Buy Nothing Day is trying to make people think about the goods they buy – think before you shop!  We are NOT asking you to go without milk if you run out. Instead, before you buy think about where things come from, how they got here, what resources were used to make them and: do you REALLY need them?

The idea is to encourage people that instead of buying something for Christmas they could make something (see our alternative Christmas gifts for ideas).  There is so much advertising saying BUY THIS we thought that there should be some saying BUY NOTHING.

Last year we had Christmas Carols, a free shop, food and all for free in Briggate.  Lots of people interested in the concept and lots of cups of tea.

Join us.

See website below for meetings or come to Briggate – 11am

http://www.greenactionleeds.org.uk/buy-nothing-day-09

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Lincoln:

My Dads Strip Club out again on Buy-Nothing-Day-Release, this time three events in three days in the city of Lincoln.

Thurs 26 Nov 2009 8-10pm Dog and Bone, St Johns St, Lincoln.
BITE THE HAND feeds thoughts of breaking conditioned responses … subverting systems upon themselves… interrupting needless consumption… and cutting off the power. Enjoy an evening at the Dog and Bone with My Dads Strip Club as they demonstrate to you ‘the art of reclaiming space’. Putting embarrassment aside, they will address the delicate subject of carnal knowledge of Coke machines. The comedy in the work runs very close to anger, and excites all kinds of stuff in on-lookers.

Fri 27 Nov 2009 5.30-7.30 pm at the Healthy Hub cafe Beaumont Fee
(after The 4pm Mini-Wave happening at the cathedral )
FROM DIRTY CASH TO CLEAN GREEN come watch us try to navigate our way out of the chaos of climate change through drawing and performance capturing the connections between slag heaps and supermodels green-washing and the titanic and our flooded out cumbrian towns. Sound by FLOTEL.

Sat 28 Nov 2009 at various locations in the city of Lincoln.
GOOD SHIT DOESN’T HAVE TO COST THE EARTH Making our annual dis-functional attempt to relate to the shopping experience MDSC will try to coerce innocent shoppers to break their addiction to mass produced poorly made products (cheap-shit) instead offering for sale alternative organic and sustainable high-priced merchandise. Meet us for a report back at the Dog and Bone pub 1pm sharp.

______________________

Lincoln Mini Wave – meet Friday 4pm outside Lincoln Cathedral. The event is in solidarity with mobilisations around the UN conference in Copenhagen www.ecolincs.org
Buy Nothing Day – sabotage the shopping
www.buynothingday.co.uk
www.dogandbonelincoln.co.uk – Best community pub in Great Britain award 2009

http://www.mydadstripclub.com

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Consumer Virus Outbreak, Sheffield

Meet by the statue in the main Meadowhall concourse at 1pm and do anything but shop!
We know that sweet tasty braaaains will be short supply during the run up to Christmas, but let’s see what we can do … Zombies and outbreak cleanup crew are all welcome : bring friends, costumes, signs and fake blood aplenty!!!
A facebook event page can be found here : www.facebook.com
FEEL FREE TO INVITE FRIENDS : ALL ARE WELCOME IN THE ZOMBIE HOARD!!!

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Steal Something Day
Steal Something Day

“…Unlike Buy Nothing Day, when people are asked to “participate by not participating,” Steal Something Day demands that we “participate by participating.” Instead of downplaying or ignoring the capitalists, CEOs, landlords, small business tyrants, bosses, PR hacks, yuppies, media lapdogs, corporate bureaucrats, politicians and cops who are primarily responsible for misery and exploitation in this world, Steal Something Day demands that we steal from them, without discrimination….

…Unlike the misplaced Buy Nothing Day notion of consumer empowerment, Steal Something Day promotes empowerment by urging us to collectively identify the greedy bastards who are actually responsible for promoting misery and boredom in this world. Instead of ignoring them, Steal Something Day encourages us to make their lives as uncomfortable as possible.

As we like to say in Montreal: diranger les riches dans leurs niches!

And remember, we’re talking about stealing, not theft. Stealing is just. Theft is exploitative. Stealing is when you take a yuppie’s BMW for a joyride, and crash into a parked Mercedes just for the hell of it. Theft is when you take candy from a baby’s mouth.

Stealing is the re-distribution of wealth from rich to poor Theft is making profits at the expense of the disadvantaged and the natural environment. Stealing is an unwritten a tax on the rich. Theft is taxing the poor to subsidize the rich. Stealing is nothing more than a tax on the rich. There is solidarity in stealing, but property is nothing but theft….”

For the full original text and call-out, go to http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/432

Black Cat Occupied Social Centre website now online + events info

*Firstly, we have a shiny new website. It is still undergoing a bit of work, but has all the important info you need to know about the place. You can check it out at – http://blackcatcentre.blogspot.com/

Black Cat Centre logo*Firstly, we have a shiny new website. It is still undergoing a bit of work, but has all the important info you need to know about the place. You can check it out at – http://blackcatcentre.blogspot.com/

*Just a quick reminder about our benefit gig this Friday (20th) featuring Robb Johnson & the Irregulars, Tracey Curtis, Cosmo and a cool, though un-named acoustic ska outifit we found busking in Bath town centre! At only £3/4 suggested donation, plus donation dinner and bar, it looks set to be a wicked night raising funds for decent causes (the posties, the black cat and local radical rag the Bath Bomb), so drag yerself over to the Westcountry for the night. (we have plenty of crash space, so why not kip over, then find yer way over to Bristol’s Kebele Centre for their birthday bash on the Saturday night?)

*From 1pm saturday, we will be having an open day, with various workshops (including bike repair and making wallets from junk, squatting Q&A, film showings in the evening, lunch and much more). Everyone welcome!

So, between us and Kebele, we have a cheap and nifty weekend of radical relaxing, creating and partying going on – there’s never been a better weekend to spend in the South West!

There is always someone in at the Black Cat, so if you want to pop over at any time, drop us an email.

Black Cat Collective
bathsocialcentre@gmail.com
http://blackcatcentre.blogspot.com/