earthfirst – Page 234

News from the battles for free space in Copenhagen

Struggles around free space and squats continue abounds in Copenhagen, Denmark. Not only are there still weekly demos still for the campaign to have a new Youthhouse (Ungdomshuset) but a new extension to the famous squatted Christiania has been occupied with great success. It also looks like the council has given in to pressure from the squatters movement and agreed a new Youth House for the kids!!

69 WEEKS for UNGDOMSHUSET:
69 weeks. At least 1 demo every week. Thursday demo number 69 was obviously symbolic (It was the street number of the Youthhouse) and the demo crew had announced it was going to last 24 hours, going through most parts of Copenhagen with different sorts of activities planned throughout – four meals during the 24 hours, open air cinema, pirate party, blocking traffic, speeches, concerts and happenings.
Initially there was some sceptiscism from both activists and police, but it soon became apparent that people were going to stick it out all 24 hours. The demo moved around Copenhagen, stopping in different locations to give speeches or show political films. At many points there were disagreements with the police following the demo, but the demo always got its way in the end, often stopping for long stretches in main roads blocking traffic. After 21 hours – on Friday around 2 pm – the police had finally had enough of the demo acting autonomously and confined the demo to a square in Vesterbro. This resulted in a big public manifestation on the square with both bands and DJs coming from other parts of the city to play.
After 24 hrs the demo ended in a count down and a big greeting to the activists and the city which had both been upside down for 24 hrs through sun and rain, light and darkness.
PICTURES: http://english.indymedia.dk/publish/show/180

A NEW YOUTH HOUSE COMES SLOWLY INTO BEING:
On Wed June 11th, the last city council meeting before summer, the politicians of the council voted in favor of the agreement on a new Ungdomshus in the buildings of Dortheavej 61. The votes were 38 pro and 13 against. The votes were given after 2 hours of discussion. Activists has promised militant activity in the streets again if this meeting was unable to come to a decision on a YES vote for a new place and an address.
The new house will be in what is now a local culture centre under the council. It will be in two connected buildings, one of which will be split in half. The culture centre will remain in the other half of the building and the city council has agreed to build a new add on to compensate for the space lost to the new Ungdomshus.
The first part of the take over (the smaller building comprising 600 m2) will happen on July 1st. After that the main building will be available for take over on January 1st next year.
There has been very positive contact between the left radical scene and the leaders of the culture centre, who are welcoming the new house.
PICTURE: http://english.indymedia.dk/system/photo/file/111/616161.jpg

CHRISTIANIA EXPANDING!!
The area on Refshalevej right next to Christiania that was squatted on the 31st of May is stil growing and the different houses and constructions are taken shape. Neither the City council or the state approves of the situation but can’t figure out who has the authority to act on the squat since half the road is state property and the other half belongs to the city.
Neither the City council nor the state approves of the situation but can’t figure out who has the authority to act on the squat since half the road is state property and the other half belongs to the city. Apparently ‘the constructors’ on Refshalevej for once are benefiting from the bureaucracy, since nothing will be done to clear the street until the two administrations agrees on who’s doing what,
Meanwhile small houses are being built both on water and on the ground as well as roadblocks to slow down car traffic has been established. Around 28 different projects are currently under construction and ‘the constructors’ invited more people to join in!

PICTURES OF NEW SQUATTED REFSHALEEVEJ:
http://english.indymedia.dk/publish/show/175
http://english.indymedia.dk/publish/show/178

BUT EVICTION NOTICE NOW SERVED
The new area squatted near Christiania – Refshalevej – has been given notice. The eviction date is not finalised but will be up soon.
For some weeks activists have been building in the newly squatted ground just outside Christiania called Refshalevej. Now the builders have been given notice by the city council and the state who have joint ownership over the area. An eviction is said to be pending although no date has yet been officially given.
The activists have stated that they intend to resist the eviction non violently, and that they intend to resquat the area immideaitely following the eviction.

COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE STRUGGLE FOR UNGDOMSHUSET
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ungdomshuset

EVICTION AND RIOTS CHRONOLOGY + PICTURES/VIDEOS
http://www.emoware.org/ungdomshuset.asp
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/03/363973.html

COMPLETE HISTORY OF CHRISTIANIA:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freetown_Christiania

Manchester & London Critical Masses this Friday + South London

OH MY!
It’s CRITICAL MASS this Friday….how ace is that?

Friday 27th June 6pm
Central Library Manchester

Afterwards we’ll have a BBQ and hang out a park, so bring BBQ’s, food, music, drinks etc. (vegan BBQs preferred as then it can be accessible to everyone!)

OH MY!
It’s CRITICAL MASS this Friday….how ace is that?

Friday 27th June 6pm
Central Library Manchester

Afterwards we’ll have a BBQ and hang out a park, so bring BBQ’s, food, music, drinks etc. (vegan BBQs preferred as then it can be accessible to everyone!)

A totally ace bike ride around our city to meet other cyclists and ride on our roads…For a few hours once a month we can show how beautiful our city can be when bicycles, instead of cars, dominate the roads.

it’s such a nice and sociable and fun way to spend a Friday evening on a bicycle..wow. so ace. and now we’re getting bigger and bigger..someone said they counted at least 150 people on the one last month, how ace is that?!!. come and be part of our lovely friendly cruise around..to collectively enjoy the beautiful experience that is riding a bike.

—-

People’s comments about Manchester Critical Mass

“…it’s brilliant. Usually I’m charging around on my bike, getting where i need to go as fast as i can. Critical mass is different. It’s about enjoying riding. It’s the most relaxed ride around the city I’ve ever had. Where all my worries and fears float away. And I’ve met some lovely people too”

“I was scared it would be some angry bike militants but everyone is so friendly and the ride is fun no aggro at all. See you next month!”

“it’s quite something to have that many peeps riding round at once.”

“Critical Mass sometimes has a reputation for being an angry rabble of cyclists that want to string up any car drivers they see. This is not true of Manchester Critical Mass, it is a fluffy mass of people that like to have fun on bikes, there are often have children with us and a bicycle sound system to add to the party fun atmosphere. As well as being fun and
a social event it is also to show how great a car free city will be. This is achieved every month by showing motorists an alternative, yet critical mass Manchester doesn’t aim to annoy drivers we want them to join us..”

“I spend all month, every month, riding around behind exhaust pipes and swerving out of the way from angry, disrespectful drivers, I live in a world that is dying from climate change..only the other day it was announced the white rhino is extinct, it tears me up inside. Riding a bike isn’t going to change all of that instantly but I believe that not only does it mean less cars on the roads but riding a bike also gives a feeling of connection with one’s surroundings and other people and through this we can start to act in other ways that can create social change”

“Critical Mass isn’t a place to vent the anger that comes from having to deal with cars (I don’t think), because it’s nice to, instead, spend that time enjoying riding my bike. Sometimes it can feel so alienating riding a bike surrounded by so many motorists. Critical Mass shows that we are not alone and that we are growing. It’s the most fantastic piece of direct action I’ve ever done- I want there to be less cars on the roads and by
being one less car there is!!!”

(taken from emails we’ve received)

============

Critical Mass in London for Marie this Friday

Assemble under Waterloo Bridge 6pm on Friday

The Critical Mass in London will attempt to go all the way to Brixton to celebrate the life of Marie, who was killed by 2 cars on her way to the demonstration against the arms trade in Brighon, see:

https://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/london/2008/06/400604.html

Assemble under Waterloo Bridge 6pm on Friday

============

South London critical mass?!

The first ever south London Critical Mass is happening on Friday 4th of July, and every first Friday of the month there after.

It will take place @ 6.30, starting from Peckham library.

Help campaign for safer roads for cyclists. All other human powered transport welcome too!
Massive rolling sound system provided by rawkus rickshaws.

open cast plans for the north of england – meet in Newcastle to make plans, and for the Camp for Climate Action

The 2008 camp for climate action is to be held near to the proposed site for a new coal fired power station. E-on the company that wants to build the power station has stated that it will use a system called Carbon Capture and storage. C.C.S is still in an early development stage and has not been used on such a large scale.

The climate camp(www.climatecamp.org.uk) at Kingsnorth in the Medway valley will highlight and take direct action against the black hole in the governments climate change policy. COAL.

Power stations like Eggbrough, Drax and Kingsnorth produce huge amounts of filthy emissions, drax alone produces approx 21 millions tones of Co2 per year.
All this coal has to come from somewhere and it would ‘seam’ the money men have set their greedy eyes on the north of England again.
U:k coal and the banks group have several planning application to surface mine/open cast across the North East.
*Bradley Co. Durham- 550 000 tonnes
*Park wall north Co. Durham- 1 275 000 tonnes
*potland burn Northumberland- 2 000 000 tonnes
*Shotton Northumberland- 3 000 000 tonnes
*An extension to the exsisting site at widdrington

In addition to these applications there is already one of the largest open cast sites in the U:K at Stobswood near Morpeth. Surface mining sites are also operating in Widdrington, Blagdon estate in Northumberland. Steadburns and stoney heap near to Consett Co. Durham.

In the case of shotton/cramlington planning application, Shotton is in an opencast constraint area which means that there is a presumption against Surface mining. Northumberland county council up held the constraint and re-jected the application. However the communities and local government secretary Hazel Blears M.P Stepped in and overruled the county council allowing the opencast operation to go ahead much to dismay of the local community
(www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2008/02/08/ministers-quizzed-on-opencast-policy-61634-20450633/ )
The potland burn site is also in a constraint area yet U:K coal has still lodged an application probably because they feel the political climate is in their favor.

As if the ecological destruction, industrial injuries/deaths and disruption to the community that opencast mining leaves behind Npower have stated that they have an imminent planning application to build a new coal fired power station in Blyth on the site of the existing power station. Construction is due to begin 2014 on the same timeline as Kingsnorth.
Whilst the focus is on the climate camp and Kingsnorth, the North of England and our resources are central to the U:K government and their capitalist bosses plans for a new generation of dirty power stations .
This new generation of coal fired power stations and the unacceptable mining practices that accompany them must be stopped.
One of the key features of the climate camp is direct action.
The Banks group have offices in West Cornforth near Ferryhill, U:K coal head offices are in Doncaster’ leave it in the ground’ have began regular noise demos outside the next is 14th July. All the opencast sites are easily accessible.

People are meeting to discuss and plan for the upcoming climate camp at the star and shadow cinema, Newcastle upon tyne. Next meeting is Thursday July 3rd at 6pm why not come along and join the move against climate change.

Links and info:

www.climatecamp.org.uk
www.earthfirst.org.uk/leaveitintheground
www.greenpeace.com
www.thecoalhole.org
www.indymedia.org.uk
www.pontvalley.net
www.banksdevlopments.com
www.ukcoal.com

A visit to the Opencast Squat

21.06.2008
I decided to take a trip to Shipley today to see how the new residents of Prospect farm were settling in.

Just to recap the story so far. In the early hours of last Wednesday morning a group of caring individuals took possession of a building on the site of UK Coals planned new open cast site in Derbyshire. There aim is to protest/prevent the countryside and wider environment being devastated by the extraction and burning of the dirtiest fossil fuel.

As if we needed any reminding of the climate chaos coal burning contributes to, when I arrived on Saturday (21st June!) it was wet and drizzly and the forecast was for storms.

But the rain had not dampened the spirits of the crew now living at Prospect Farm (now re-christened Bodge farm). While they were still busy with all those jobs that need doing when you move into a new home they had already achieved a great deal and the place was very homely. A well-stocked kitchen was set up and a welcoming open fire means there is always a kettle on the go.

To the sounds of acoustic guitar from one of the tree-houses I watched a couple of people fixing fencing and looked up to admire the suspended cargo netting between the trees.

There have been other visitors coming to show their support including three generations of the family who used to live in the house before UK Coal kicked them out.

I was delayed on leaving as a large van full of provisions had just arrived and needed unloading. This had been spontaneously arranged and paid for by locals and included just about everything you could think of from tinned beans to cotton buds, fresh veg to bottled water.

Please get along there and support them, it’s a lovely location and the squat/camp has a great feel.

But get along there because at some point we have just got to draw a line. For all our futures and for generations to come, leave it in the ground.

http://www.leaveitintheground.org.uk

Solidarity actions for imprisoned liberationists

Italy, Mexico, Spain & UK
Solidarity actions for; Paola Gori, Jeff Luers & Sean Kirtley

Communiques reported to Bite Back Magazine: 15th – 19th June:

Italy, Mexico, Spain & UK
Solidarity actions for; Paola Gori, Jeff Luers & Sean Kirtley

Communiques reported to Bite Back Magazine: 15th – 19th June:

anonymous reports:

30th May – h 21.00 – Mountains of Emilia Region, Italy.
We set on fire a hunting tower placed in a wood populated by boars.
We have destroyed it with two liters of gasoline ignited by a retardant primer.
– A.L.F. –

Night of 5th June – Emilia Region, Italy.
A small chicken farm was visited again (see the communique of last month).
We have liberated one cock (the only male present) and slashed the tires of the car of the farmer.
– A.L.F. –

These actions are dedicated to Paola. She is a vegan, animal rights activist, prisoner in ‘Le Sughere’ Italian jail.
Please write* and support her.
Also, please support the victims of state repression in Italy and Austria.
Freedom for all!
Liberta ‘per tutti!”

received anonymously (translation):

“On the night of June 14 (International day in support of the earth liberation warrior Jeffrey Luers and all radical environmental prisoners), the Earth Liberation Front and Animal Liberation Front got together and went to the doors of one of the many companies guilty in the domination, destruction and extermination of the earth and its living beings.

Various slogans were painted such as ‘No More Vivisection,’ ‘ALF,’ ‘No HLS,’ ‘Support Jeffrey,’ ‘Murderers’ and others which attacked the company Unilever which shares property with DHL (an HLS supporter). Now as one passed through these modern-day extermination camps, one can read the slogans of the FLA and FLT on most of its walls.

Compañero Jeffrey we know about your situation and it gives us great pleasure to know that soon you’ll be out here on the front line fighting again like you’ve done before. We hope that those bars and life in prison leave you with even more strength to continue.

To all those radical environmentalist prisoners, an embrace from Mexico.

For Animal Liberation!
For Earth Liberation!
For Human Liberation!
Direct Action!

FLA & FLT”

excerpt from anonymous report:

“In support of Jeffrey Luers and the struggle for animal liberation
During the early hours of June 14, the locks of every fur shop in the Bilbao city center were glued, in support of this prisoner and many others, and in general of the struggle for animal liberation.”

reported anonymously:

“Activists in the North West decided to ‘pimp’ a hunt scums ride.

The car was easy to find as it had both the pro-hunt ‘Felix Says’ sticker and a BASC (Shooting) sticker in the rear window. The BASC sticker sealed the car’s fate, the Judge in the Sean Kirtley case was into shooting and a member of BASC. The car had paint stripper applied, spray paint over the windows, windscreen wipers wrecked and one wing mirror smashed. Looked really pretty once we’d finsihed.

If the owner wants compensation then they should write to Judge Ross and NETCU. It’s the criminalisation of legal protest that has caused this.

ALF”

ARRESTED & CHARGED McLibel Protester!

On the 21st June 08, as part of the anniversary of the now famous 1997 McLibel court case in which two campaigners were sued by the McDonalds Corporation for distributing a leaflet critical of the company, camp

After being removed from the restaurant by police a campaigner was approached and his details requested. He gave his name and address but was told if he did not give his date of birth he would be arrested under Section 5 of the Public Order Act. He refused, as he believes that a person is only required to give their name and address for the purpose of a summons and no additional details. He was subsequently arrested under Section 5 of the Public Order Act. The arrest got public attention with people making use of their cameras and coming up to take leaflets.

He has been charged and bailed to attend Cambridge Magistrates – Narey – Court 613 – Magistrates Court at 43 Hauxton Road, Cambridge on the 3rd July at 9.30 a.m. – ANY SUPPORT APPRECIATED.

The protesters hoped to highlight the issues that originally comprised the leaflet that led to the court case ranging from animal farming to environmental degradation. According to a campaigner, “McDonalds hasn’t really changed. Whether it be the environmental impact of animal agriculture or the fact they continue to market junk food to children in the middle of an obesity problem, McDonalds still makes a lot of people very Mcangry.”

Many of the original leaflet’s criticisms of McDonalds were vindicated in court. According to the ruling of the High Court, Mcdonalds had ‘exploited children’, was ‘culpably responsible for animal cruelty’ and used marketing that had ‘pretended to a positive nutritional benefit which their food did not match’.

The campaigners are calling on the people of Cambridge to boycott the restaurant chain. We can all make a statement about our values by the way we spend our cash. We call on everyone to say no to this business in our city.

– You can learn more about the McLibel case at http://www.mcspotlight.org/

– An additional video of the protest was taken by an independent camera man see http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/06/401610.html (thanks!)

– Protester’s video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ld3I4zVxc2A

COURT DATE:

Cambridge Magistrates – Narey – Court 613 – Magistrates Court at 43 Hauxton Road, Cambridge on the 3rd July at 9.30 a.m.

arrest charges dropped – round-up: Fossil Fools Day & M1 Conspiracy

As with the majority of protest arrests (if you do a NO COMMENT interview), though there’s been a load of people arrested recently, they’ve released without charge, on bail to return to a police station.

This gives the CPS time to decide what to do, but also hinders protest because the police can dictate punative bail restrictions.

—-
M1 Conspiracy Case Thrown Out

1st May 2008

This gives the CPS time to decide what to do, but also hinders protest because the police can dictate punative bail restrictions.

—-
M1 Conspiracy Case Thrown Out

1st May 2008
Seven climate camp activists against the widening of the M1(1*) had the case against them dismissed from Sheffield Crown Court yesterday. Charged with conspiracy to cause a public nuisance Judge Robinson said that: “there was not a jot of evidence” for a jury to infer an endangerment of any member of the public.

Seven climate camp activists against the widening of the M1(1*) had the case against them dismissed from Sheffield Crown Court today. Charged with conspiracy to cause a public nuisance Judge Robinson said that: “there was not a jot of evidence” for a jury to infer an endangerment of any member of the public.

Arrested over a year ago the protesters had their houses raided with property such as computers and phones taken and held for the duration of the investigation.

This ruling in the midst of a crack down (2*) on green protest sets a precedent for policing of environmental demonstrations. The Judge resoundingly rejected the prosecution’s argument that the hanging of banners over the motorway would constitute a public nuisance. He went on to say: “that all of the available material (presented to
the court) is consistent only with peaceful protest.”

Campaign spokesperson Dr Julie White, a GP from Sheffield, said: “this is victory for the right to protest in the face of government policy of expanding roads, runways and coal-fired power stations in a time of climate crisis.”

The activists say that the experience has not deterred them from taking action against the root causes of climate change and will be attending the Camp for Climate Action(3*) at Kingsnorth coal-fired power station in Kent this August.

Contact Julie White on 0779851073.

NOTES FOR EDITORS
1*) The Department of Transport have decided against widening the M1 any further: http://www.nowideningm1.org.uk/

2*) this month the Sunday Herald reported that protestors in Scotland had been harassed by police after peaceful demonstrations: http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.2210574.0.protesters_police_treated_us_like_terrorists.php

3*)The Camp for Climate Action went to Heathrow last summer over the building of a third runway this year it will pitch up at Kingsnorth over the potential building of the UK’s first new coal-fired power station for 30 years:
http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/

—-

Bacton gas terminal 19

On 1st April, EF!ers blockaded the gas terminal at Bacton to celebrate Fossil Fools Day. The police tried to arrest everyone, and got 19 people. For a full report, see http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/20420

Due to return to a rural Norfolk police station, people were keen to phone up the police station to find out what was happening. The police had not taken any decision, and a few days before decided to drop charges against all but 3 people locked-on who got off with cautions.

—-

Police drop charges against Wunderman protestors

The three activists arrested following the invasion of Wunderman’s offices have had all charges against them dropped.

The environmentalists, from direct action group London Rising Tide, had been charged with “burglary of pens, paper and phone calls”.

They were held after staging a four-hour sit-in over two of parent agency Y&R’s key clients – Land Rover and BAE Systems.

The action was part of a worldwide campaign against climate change, dubbed Fossil Fools Day. In the UK, the group also staged demonstrations outside Porsche dealerships, the head office of E-on, and a coal mine in Wales.

The three activists managed to get into the Y&R building –Greater London House on Hampstead Road, NW1 – by posing as executives from a newly-privatised wing of the MoD called HarrionProjects, a spoof company whose centrepiece is the Harrion, a civilian version of the Harrier Jump-Jet.

Once inside, they barricaded themselves into the conference room, opposite Wunderman EMEA chief executive Marcus Starke’s office.

Blockade of Faslane – One year since Scotland said NO

19/06/2008
Today a group of 5 Trident Ploughshares activists blockaded the main gate of Faslane nuclear submarine base for one and a half hours. The roadway was closed from 6.40am until 7.45am, and unable to fully reopen until 8.15am. Traffic was turned away and had to find an alternative entrance.

One of the activists, Janet Fenton, said “We chose today because it is one year since the Scottish government voted NOT to support Gordon Brown’s plan to foist illegal, immoral and unaffordable nuclear weapons on Scotland for another 50 years. Along with the majority of people in Scotland, we don’t want them here or anywhere else.”

The five were cautioned by MDP police at 7am as they lay across the roadway to the North gate, locked-on using tubes and clips. A specialist cutting team had to be called out to remove the activists individually who had their arms in tubes of steel, plastic and concrete. They were arrested for Breach of the Peace and taken for processing inside the base.

See video footage at http://youtube.com/watch?v=tGAHAUHMwjo

The protesters said that they were at the North Gate peacefully acting to block the entrance to the nuclear submarine base to play their part as citizens of the world in stopping the deployment of nuclear weapons:

* to remind the UK Government of their obligations;
* to support the politicians and others who are willing to work to get rid of nuclear weapons;
* and to make it clear that matters of conscience are the responsibility of all concerned people, and can never be reserved.

Another activist said, “By using our hands and our bodies in this way, without causing harm to others, we hope that we can make it easy to see how it is the simple actions of ordinary people that are needed to rid the world of weapons of mass destruction.”

Nigerian attacks closes oilfields

19 June 2008
Oil company Royal Dutch Shell says it has temporarily stopped production at its main offshore oilfield in Nigeria, following a militant attack.

The raid took place overnight on the Bonga oil platform about 120km (75 miles) off the coast of the Niger Delta, the company said.

It is the first attack on the oilfield, which normally produces about 200,000 barrels a day.

Attacks on the inshore Niger Delta have helped drive up world oil prices.

Nigeria’s valuable offshore oilfields had always been considered difficult for most militants to target, the BBC’s Alex Last reports from Lagos.

But early on Thursday gunmen in boats reached the Bonga installation, Shell’s flagship project, for the first time.

A Nigerian navy spokesman confirmed reports that militants had kidnapped a US oil worker from a separate vessel on their way back from the raid.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) claimed it carried out the attack in an email sent to journalists, and named the American as Captain Jack Stone.

They said he would be released “in the coming hours”.

Sophisticated

The gunmen failed to get inside the platform, but attacked a key vessel used for production storage and offloading, a Shell spokesman said.

Several people were reported to have been injured.

Mend says it is campaigning for a greater share of the region’s oil wealth to be kept by local people, but the government says they are criminals motivated by the ransoms they receive from oil companies.

The shutdown has cut a tenth of Nigeria’s total output in one go.

This comes on top of a reduction of at least 20% in recent years following inland attacks.

Our correspondent says Bonga was new, expensive and working well despite the difficulties and repeated attacks affecting the company’s inshore operations in the Delta.

The militants in the Delta are getting more sophisticated and better equipped and armed, he says.

Now they have proven that in terms of distance at least, all of Nigeria’s facilities are within their reach.

Amnesties promised

Next month, a peace summit organised by the government on the Niger Delta unrest is due to begin in the capital, Abuja.

The government has promised amnesties to any militants who take part.

Mend has refused to attend unless Henry Okah, one of their leaders currently on trial for treason and gun-running, is also granted amnesty.

But the government has refused.

“We want everyone to be there to air their grievances,” vice-presidential aide Akilu Indabawa told the BBC’s Hausa Service.

“But in Henry Okah’s case the issue is in front of a court and the government can’t intervene because it respects the rule of law.”

Other reports to balance this –
Nigerian militants demand government accept mediation by ex-US president Carter
Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta Declares War
Nigerian militants: We killed drunken soldiers

—–

21st June 2008
Nigeria oil pipeline ‘attacked’

US oil giant Chevron has halted onshore oil production at its Escravos oilfield after an attack on a pipeline.

The loss could equate to about 120,000 barrels per day, about 6.6% of Nigeria’s total daily crude production.

The Nigerian military said militants blew up the Niger Delta pipeline, but the region’s main armed group blamed angry youths for the attack.

Earlier this week, Nigeria’s president ordered tighter security in the Delta after an attack at a Shell facility.

According to the BBC’s Alex Last, in Lagos, sources in the western Niger Delta believe the latest attack is the work of illegal oil “bunkerers” – involved in the lucrative trade in stolen oil.

Significant loss

The earlier attack on Shell’s floating oil platform at Bonga, which cut a tenth of Nigerian oil production in one go, was carried out by militant group the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend).

News agencies quoted Mend as saying that it was not responsible for the Escravos incident, which occurred on Thursday night.

Mend said it had been contacted by angry youths who reported having blown up the pipeline, the Associated Press said.

The Escravos incident highlights the vulnerability of the oil infrastructure in Nigeria, our correspondent says.

With the government planning to hold a big summit of Niger Delta leaders and more money expected to flow to the Niger Delta, perhaps the armed groups there feel it is a good time to show how relevant they are to any chance of peace, our correspondent adds.

While the loss to Nigerian crude output is significant, it is a small fraction of the daily global oil output, of about 85 million barrels per day.

News of the Escravos attack comes ahead of a meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, of major energy producers and users – where the rising price of oil will be the key topic for discussion.

On Friday the Nigerian government announced how it would spend a $10bn (£5bn) windfall from the rising oil price.

It will spend just over $5bn fixing the country’s power supply and the rest will be shared among the 36 state governments.

FIGHT SPECIESISM! #2 – Out Now

The second issue has expanded from 6 to 10 pages because of the quantity of news and analysis that has been published since the first edition.

Click HERE to read or HERE to print.

ISSUE 2, July 2008
Articles:

– Solidarity actions for Sean Kirtley
– ALF target NFU – “no badger cull”
– Fur Industry – Oslo under attack
– Falling towers – 43 in 92 days, Sweden
– Judge Ross & NETCU – crucify civil liberties
– NETCU and SOCPA – a nasty dictatorship?
– Earth news – Leave it in the ground & burning mansions*
– Anarchy in Brighton – Smash EDO Carnival*

Please distribute far and wide!

NOTES

Fight Speciesism! is the newsletter from Antispe Britain. Issues are published sporadically, dependent on when there is enough to news to fill the pages.

**Due to popular demand, FS! now features a small portion of Earth news and a column for the latest anarchist action.

We would also like to apologise for not including the recent repression in Austria against anti-fur activists. It was decided that because the issue is developing swiftly, the news printed would unfortunately be out of date when published.

However, please see the Indymedia UK feature that has been created to keep you up to date with the latest.