earthfirst – Page 238

Residents clash with riot police (Kozani power plant, Greece, 2/6/2008)

5:00 in the dawn and brigades of riot-policemen attacked the occupation of the ash and coal belt conveyors of the Agios Dimitrios power plant by residents of Riaki and Agios Dimitrios (Kozani), arresting 6 persons, members of the local Association on unemployment and for the environment. Next thing, technicians of the PPC (public power company) set in charge the auxiliary belt conveyor, putting away the possibility of a black-out and the political pressure it would bring. The police re-occupied the plant gate with riot police buses.

Same afternoon, residents of the area gathered outside the courthouse of Kozani, where the 6 arrestees were prosecuted, having their mobile phones taken away so as not to be able to communicate with a lawyer or a fellow fighter. The residents clashes face to face with the policemen outside the courthouse, but were repelled with excessive tear gas use.

The same time, 8 riot police brigades attacked against residents gathered near the factory, arresting 3 persons, the one of them they had previously injured and driven to the hospital.

These last mobilizations of the residents have started 3 years ago, under their demand for employment of local residents in the PPC plants and the immediate taking of measures against the pollution caused by the plants. The area of Kozani has several power plants, because of its coal resources, producing the largest part of Greece’s electric power, with the correlative effects on the residents health and life conditions and on the environment and its wildlife.

Sources-Photos:
http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=874556
http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=874093
http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=874075
http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=873959
—–

from libcom.org

After 23 days of blockading the input and output convayor belts of one of the major power-plants of Greece by the Union against Unemployment, demanding re-employment, environmental reform and withdrawal of charges against rebel workers, riot police evicted the Agios Dimitrios Power-Plant occupation. Serious clashes have ensued in efforts to release the arrested Union members.

In the morning of the 10th of May 2008, the residents of Agios Dimitris,a town near the north-Greek city of Kozani, where the National Electric Company (DEH) holds its majors units, employing the vast majority of the working population, having formed a local Union against Unemployment occupied the north gate of the Agios Dimitrios Power-Plant, interrupting the function of the feed-belts carrying lignite, as well as the ash-belts from the factory to the disposal area. The blockade was manned in shifts by all the residents of the township, including children, in solidarity with the industrial action.The Union demanded the reemployment of sacked workers at DEH units in the region, measures for the protection of the environment, and an immediate withdrawal of charged pressed against 70 residents of the area for similar mobilisations last year.

In response, on the 18th day of the occupation, the National Electric Company pressed charges against the Union arguing its action is causing it enormous loses, for which it claimed one million euros compensation per day (the minimum salary in Greece is 650E per month). Aiming to put public pressure on the squatters, DEH claimed the occupation was threatening to put on hold all four units of the Agios Dimitrios Plant, one of the biggest in the country, thus putting the electric supply of the entire country in danger. In reality the industrial action was decreasing averall electric production capacity only by 500 megawatt. Nevertheless, in the following days the DEH monopoly waged a media campaign warning of the necessity of black outs in response of the crisis.

Some days later, the squatters refused to hold talks with the local authorities and the minister of development when they demanded the unblocking of the conveyor belts as a guarantee of the negotiations.

On Monday the 2nd of June 2008, 5 am, riot-police forces violently ended the 23 day long blockade of the Electric Power-Plant at Agios Dimitris. The police warned the squatters to clear the DEH premises, and when the latter refused, the riot-police attacked arresting 6 men: the president and four members of the Union. During the consequent protest march in the industrial city of Kozani three more people were arested during major clashes with the police, with one protestor seriously wounded. After the economic secretary of the Union warned the police to release the 6 arrested or “face a general uprising; we shall torch the power-plant with crude oil and explosives, and get rid of this nightmare for ever”, the authorities agreed to release the arrested members of the Union who will stand trial next September.

The Union and the totality of Agios Dimitris residents pledge to continue their struggle.

Activists occupy labs associated with GM trials

2nd June 2008

Environmental protestors from Earth First! UK today staged a peaceful protest at the laboratory and offices of the National Institute for Agricultural Botany (NIAB), in Girton, Cambridge. About a dozen activists invaded the site and hung banners from buildings in protest at a trial for genetically modified (GM) potatoes being carried out at the Institute by BASF, a German based company.

2nd June 2008

Environmental protestors from Earth First! UK today staged a peaceful protest at the laboratory and offices of the National Institute for Agricultural Botany (NIAB), in Girton, Cambridge. About a dozen activists invaded the site and hung banners from buildings in protest at a trial for genetically modified (GM) potatoes being carried out at the Institute by BASF, a German based company.

The protest was timed to coincide with a national day of action on food and climate change and with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Summit, being held this week in Rome.

Rosie Perkins, a spokesperson for Earth First! UK said:

“Today’s protest was staged to send a clear message to scientists, companies and politicians across the world; that message is that genetically modified food is not the answer to either climate change or world food shortages and we stand here today in solidarity with the many farmers and local food producers across the world who are speaking out against GM crops.

“In recent months, scientists have been pushing and pushing for more GM crops to be grown, claiming they are the solution to many of the problems we face today. However, their claims consistently ignore the social and environmental impacts of GM crops, which include the vulnerability of crops to disease as global agriculture becomes more industrialised and less genetically diverse, as well as the impact of tying food production even closer in to big business and global corporations. We firmly belief that the increasing industrialisation of agriculture benefits neither producer nor consumer and we need to look to a future of low-input, diverse, local food production.”

“The GM trial at NIAB is being conducted under siege-like conditions with high levels of security, including a permanent security personnel presence, high metal fences, alarms and floodlights. The fact that this trial is taking place under such conditions clearly demonstrates the contempt in which the people of this country hold the development of these crops.”

The BASF potato trial at NIAB is one of only 2 outdoor field trials taking place in the UK this year and is a trial for blight resistance in GM potatoes; a further trial for nematode resistance is taking place near Leeds, under the auspices of Leeds University and has also met with local opposition.

Spirit of Freedom (June 2008)

Produced by
EARTH LIBERATION PRISONERS SUPPORT NETWORK

“The whole experience has been tough, but all the kind and strengthening words and wise thoughts from strangers made it much easier!”
(Former Swedish Animal Rights Prisoner)

Produced by
EARTH LIBERATION PRISONERS SUPPORT NETWORK

“The whole experience has been tough, but all the kind and strengthening words and wise thoughts from strangers made it much easier!”
(Former Swedish Animal Rights Prisoner)

Welcome to the June 2008 edition of Spirit of Freedom. As ELP goes to print we look around the world and see a tragedy of events unfolding. In America, vegan activist Eric McDavid has been sentenced to just under 20 years imprisonment for THINKING about carrying out direct action. In Britain, vegan activist Sean Kirtley has been sentenced to over four years imprisonment for running a website that encouraged lawful direct action. In Italy, more raids & arrests have occurred against Il Silvestre activists resulting in vegan prisoner support activist, Paola Gori, being remanded into custody. And in Austria, a number of vegan & vegetarian activists have been arrested accused of a series of animal rights actions. None of the Austrians can be named by ELP at this point, but we understand that out of the ten people who have been remanded into custody, five of whom are on hungerstrike. Certainly the news is not good at the moment. However, despite the raids, arrests & overtly political sentencing there is good news. Within days of the Austrians being arrested a solidarity network was set up for them. This network has called for an international day of action and ELP has heard of a number of planned demonstrations, across Europe, in support of the Austrians. Likewise within hours of Paola being remanded prisoner support activists where busy circulating her details and calling on people around the world to support her. When Sean Kirtley was first remanded, and then sentenced, news of his remanding circulated like wild-fire. Around the world people care about the prisoners. Around the world people are active in fighting for the prisoners. This is the strength of the international prisoner support network that we can all be proud to be a part of. Remember, no matter where you are in the world, support the eco-prisoners and no compromise in defence of Mother Earth!

ECO-DEFENCE PRISONERS

Tre Arrow, SWIS #640393, Multnomah County Detention Center, 1120 S.W. 3rd Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97206, USA. Awaiting sentencing having reached a non-cooperation plea-bargain with the authorities who accuse him of involvement in two arsons. 1) an arson on logging trucks 2) an arson on vehicles owned by a sand & gravel company. (Tre is a raw energy vegan – He has asked that his letters of support are written on scrap paper or tree-free paper).

Grant Barnes #137563, San Carlos Correctional Facility, PO Box 3, Pueblo, CO 81002, USA. Serving 12 years for setting fire to a number of SUV vehicles. The letters ELF were spray painted onto all of the vehicles. (Grant is a vegan).

Nathan Block, #36359-086, FCI Lompoc, Federal Correctional Institution, 3600 Guard Road, Lompoc, CA 93436, USA. Serving 7 years & 8 months for an ELF arson against a Poplar Tree Farm and an ELF arson against an SUV dealership. Also admitted his role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy. (Diet unknown).

Marco Camenisch, Postfach 3143, CH-8105 Regensdorf, Switzerland. Serving 18 years. 1) Ten years for using explosives to destroy electricity pylons leading from nuclear power stations. 2) Eight years for the murder of a Swiss Boarder Guard whilst on the run. In ’02 Marco completed a 12-year sentence in Italy for destroying electricity pylons in Italy. (Marco is a meat eater who encourages organic living).

Daniele Casalini, Casa Circondariale, Via Burla 59, 43100 Parma, Italy. Il Silvestre activist awaiting trial accused of using explosives to damage an electricity pylon in protest at nuclear energy. (Daniele is a vegan).

Rod Coronado – See details in Animal Liberation Prisoners List.

Francesco Gioia, C.C. Sollicciano, Via Girolamo Minervini 2/R, 50142 Firenze Sollicciano (FI), Italy. Il Silvestre activist awaiting trial accused of using explosives to damage an electricity pylon in protest at nuclear energy. (Francesco is a vegetarian and Straight Edge).

Paola Gori, Via delle Macchie 9, 57124 Livorno, Italy. Il Silvestre activist awaiting trial accused of allowing her house to be used to plan illegal activity. (Paola is a vegan).

Jeffrey Luers, # 13797671, CRCI, 9111 NE Sunderland Ave, Portland, OR 97211-1708, USA. Serving 10 years for arson on a SUV dealership & the attempted arson of an oil truck. The original sentence was 22 years & 8 months, but was reduced on appeal. (Diet unknown).

Eric McDavid [Being moved from one prison to another], USA. Serving 19 years & 7 months for planning to destroy the property of the U.S. Forestry Service, mobile phone masts and power plants. At the point of his arrest no criminal damage has actually occurred. (Eric is a vegan).

Daniel McGowan [Being moved from one prison to another], USA. Serving 7 years for an ELF arson against a Poplar Tree Farm and an ELF arson against an old growth logging corporation. Also admitted his role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy. (Daniel is a vegetarian).

Jonathan Paul – See details in Animal Liberation Prisoners List.

Briana Waters, 36432-086, FDC – Seatac, Federal Detention Center, P.O. Box 13900, Seattle, WA 98198, USA. Awaiting sentencing having been found guilty of involvement in an ELF arson on a University. (Diet unknown).

Joyanna Zacher, #36360-086, FCI Dublin, 5700 8th St.- Camp Parks- Unit F, Dublin, CA 94568, USA. Serving 7 years & 8 months for an ELF arson against a Poplar Tree Farm and an ELF arson against an SUV dealership. Also admitted her role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy. (Diet unknown).

ANIMAL LIBERATION PRISONERS
(All Animal Liberation Prisoners follow a minimum vegetarian diet and most are vegan).

Jon Ablewhite TB4885, HMP Lowdham Grange, Lowdham, Nottingham, NG14 7DA, England. Serving 12 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied guinea pigs for vivisection. (Jon is a vegan).

Gregg Avery TA7450, HMP Winchester, Romsey Road, Winchester, SO22 5DF, England. On remand accused of conspiracy to blackmail, in relation to his involvement with the SHAC campaign. (Gregg is a vegan).

Natasha Avery NR8987, HMP Bronzefield, Woodthorpe Road, Ashford, Middx. TW15 3JZ, England. Jailed for breaching her parole conditions imposed on her for telling a fox hunting murdering scum what she thought of them. Also awaiting trial accused of conspiracy to blackmail, in relation to her involvement with the SHAC campaign. (Nat is a vegan).

Mel Broughton TN9138, HMP Woodhill, Tattenhoe Street, Milton Keynes, Bucks MK4 4DA, England. On remand accused of involvement with an arson and blackmail campaign against an Oxford University vivisection establishment. (Mel is a vegan).

Jacob Conroy #93501-011, FCI Victorville Medium I Federal Correctional Institution, P.O. Box 5300, Adelanto, CA 92301, USA. Serving 48 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Jake is a vegan).

Rodney Coronado #03895-000, FCI El Reno, PO Box 1500, El Reno, OK 73036, USA. Serving one-year imprisonment after he informed people how to make an incendiary device during a speech at an animal rights gathering. (Rod is a vegetarian).

Donald Currie A3660AA, HMP Parkhurst, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 5NX, England. Serving an Indeterminate Sentence, of not less than six actual years, for carrying out arsons against targets associated the vivisection industry including HLS. (Don is a vegan).

Lauren Gazzola #93497-011, FCI Danbury, Federal Correctional Institution, Route #37Danbury, CT 06811, USA. Serving 54 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Lauren is a vegan).

Sarah Gisborne, LT5393, HMP Downview, Sutton Lane, Sutton, Surrey, SM2 5PD, England. Serving 5½ years for conspiracy to cause criminal damage following the damaging of 8 vehicles owned by people linked to Huntingdon Life Science. (Sarah is a vegan).

Joshua Harper #29429-086, FCI Sheridan Federal Correctional Institution, P.O. Box 5000, Sheridan, OR 97378 USA. Serving 36 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Josh is a vegan).

Sean Kirtley WC 6977, HM Prison Blakenhurst, Hewell Lane, Redditch, B97 6QS, England. Serving four and a half years for running an anti-vivisection campaign website. (Sean is a vegan).

Kevin Kjonaas #93502-011, FCI Sandstone, PO Box 1000, Sandstone, MN 55072 USA. Serving 72 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Kevin is a vegan).

Daniel McGowan – See details in Eco Defence Prisoners List.

Heather Nicholson VM4859, HMP Bronzefield, Woodthorpe Road, Ashford, Middx. TW15 3JZ, England. On remand accused of conspiracy to blackmail, in relation to her involvement with the SHAC campaign. (Heather is a vegan).

Jonathan Paul, #07167-085, FCI Phoenix, Federal Correctional Institution, 37910 N 45th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85086, USA. Sentenced to 51 months for an ALF arson on a horse meat plant. Also admitted his role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy. (Jonathan is a vegan).

Andrew Stepanian #26399-050, FCI Butner Medium II Federal Correctional Institution, PO Box 1500, Butner, NC 27509 USA. Serving 36 months for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Andrew is a vegan).

Kerry Whitburn TB4886, HMP Lowdham Grange, Lowdham, Nottingham, NG14 7DA, England. Serving 12 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied guinea pigs for vivisection. (Kerry is a vegan).

PLOUGHSHARES PRISONERS

Helen Woodson, 03231-045, FMC Carswell – Admin. Max. Unit, POB 27137, Ft. Worth, TX 76127, USA. Serving 8 years 10 months for actions that focused on the interrelationship of war & the destruction of the natural world. The actions included pouring red paint over the security desk of a federal court and making threatening communications. Previously Helen had served 20½ years for: 1) Using a hammer to disarm a nuclear missile silo. 2) Burning $25,000 on the floor of a bank whilst denouncing war, environmental destruction & economic injustice. 3) Mailing warning letters with bullets attached to Government & corporate officials. (Diet unknown).

THE LECCE FIVE
The Lecce Five have been charged with “subversive association” accused of damaging Esso petrol pumps to oppose the War on Iraq; sabotaging the cash machines of a bank which funds an immigration centre; and targeting the multinational company Benetton in support of Mapuche land rights activists in Chile. All of the defendants are currently either under house arrest or released on bail. (All follow vegetarian diets).

ANTIFA PRISONERS

Vahtang Devitlidze, ul. Libbedova 42, UO 68/2, otryad 14, brigada 142, g. Hagyshensk, Krasnodarskiy Kray, 352680 Russia. Serving 2½ years for stabbing a neo-nazi in the leg whilst defending himself from attack. (Diet unknown).

Augustin Kraus, Vazebni veznice, PP-1, Litomerice, 41 201, Czech Republic. Serving 14 months for his participation in attacks against local neo-nazis. His charge was “bodily harm”. He speaks Czech, Slovak and Polish. You can also write him short postcards in English. (Diet unknown).

Fabio Milan, C.C. via Pianezza 300, 10151 Torino, Italy. On remand accused of fighting with the police after an anti-fascist protest. (Diet unknown).

Andrea Neff, Bnr: 746/07/2, Justizvollzugsanstalt fur Frauen in Berlin, Arkonastrasse 56, 13189 Berlin, Germany. Serving 14 months for anti-fascist activity. (Diet unknown).

Christian Sümmermann, Bnr: 441/08/5, JVA Plötzensee, Lehrterstr. 61, 10557 Berlin, Germany. Serving 40 months for breaching the peace whilst serving a suspended sentence issued for anti-fascist activities. (Diet unknown).

Tomasz Wiloszewski, Zaklad Karny, Orzechowa 5, 98-200 Sieradz, Poland. Serving 15 years for accidentally killing a neo-nazi whilst defending himself. (Diet unknown).

OTHER PRISONERS

Olga Aleksandrovna Nevskaya, UU163/5, 7 Otryad, pos. Dzerzhinskiy, Mozhaysk 140090 Moskovskaya oblast, Russia. Eco-activist serving 6 years for arson, criminal damage and causing explosions in protest at the war in Chechnya. Due for release in 2009. (Diet unknown).

Vaggelis Botzatzis, Komotini Juridical Prison (“Dikastikes Fylakes Komotinis”), T.K. 69100, Greece. On remand accused of setting fire to two company cars owned by a energy/power company. It is believed that the person or persons unknown who carried out the arson did so in protest at the destruction of the natural environment and in support of two workers who died at the power plant. Vaggelis is also accused of setting fire to a bank and starting a fire inside a car yard. (Meat Eater).

Michael W. Sykes, 100 East 2nd St, Monroe, Michigan 48161, USA. Youth held on remand accused of anti-sprawl arsons, criminal damage, spray-painting an anarchist sign and burning the American flag. (Diet unknown)

Fran Thompson, #1090915 HU 1C, WERDCC, PO Box 300, Vandalia, MO 63382, USA. Serving Life for killing, in self-defence, a stalker who had broken into her home. Before her imprisonment Fran was an eco, animal & anti-nuke campaigner. (Fran is a vegan).

MOVE
MOVE is an eco-revolutionary group who carried out protests in defence of all life. All move prisoners describe themselves as vegetarians. There are currently eight MOVE activists in prison each serving 100 years after been framed for the murder of a cop in 1979. 9th defendant, Merle Africa, died in prison in 1998.

Debbie Simms Africa (006307), Janet Holloway Africa (006308) and Janine Philips Africa (006309) all at: SCI Cambridge Springs, 451 Fullerton Ave, Cambridge Springs, PA 16403-1238, USA.

Michael Davis Africa (AM4973) and Charles Simms Africa (AM4975) both at SCI Graterford, PO Box 244, Graterford, PA 19426-0244, USA.

Edward Goodman Africa (AM4974), SCI Mahanoy, 301 Morea Rd, Frackville, PA 17932, USA.

William Philips Africa (AM4984) and Delbert Orr Africa (AM4985) both at SCI Dallas Drawer K, Dallas, PA 18612, USA.

Mumia Abu Jamal, (AM8335), SCI Greene, 175 Progress Drive, Waynesburg PA 15370, USA. In 1981 Mumia, former Black Panther and vocal supporter of MOVE, was framed for the murder of a cop. He was originally sentenced to death but is currently awaiting re-sentencing following a court hearing in 2001.

STATEMENT ON VIOLENCE
Some people listed in this newsletter have carried out violent actions. ‘Spirit of Freedom’ does not condone violence. But we are also against censorship & believe people can decide for themselves who they wish to support.

ABOUT E.L.P. SUPPORT NETWORK
ELP is an international eco-prisoner support network founded, in Britain, in 1993 to support jailed eco-activists. We support the prisoners by producing various regular prisoner lists:

Spirit of Freedom is ELP’s international monthly prisoner listing which is circulated by e-mail.

Urgent ELP! Bulletin is an e-mail service that distributes the names of any new eco-prisoner as soon as ELP gets their details. For more info e-mail ELP4321@hotmail.com

On-Line Newsletters – ELP has a number of websites that provide news, prisoner lists and additional info about ELP & the prisoners.

English language ELP Website
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

Greek language ELP Website
http://greekelp.blogspot.com

North American ELP Website
www.ecoprisoners.org

Turkish language ELP Website
www.geocities.com/yesilanarsi/elp.htm

ELP Extra is an e-mail group that circulates the details of political prisoners, ELP learns about, who do not fall within the remit for support by ELP. To subscribe to the list e-mail ELP4321@Hotmail.com

Australian ELP.SN is our Australian contact. For more info e-mail elp4321@hotmail.com

Belgium ELP.SN is our Belgium contact. For more info e-mail elp_bel@hotmail.com

German ELP.SN is a prisoner led initiative run by eco-prisoner Marco Camenisch. For more info contact Marco Camenisch, Postfach 3143, CH-8105 Regensdorf, Switzerland.

Greek ELP.SN is our Greek contact. For more info e-mail greekelp@yahoo.gr

North American ELP is our North American contact. For more information e-mail naelpsn@mutualaid.org

Turkey ELP.SN is our Turkish contact. For more info e-mail yesilanarsi@yahoo.com

Action Days for Autonomous Spaces; Berlin – updated with longer report of actions during the week

31.5.2008
Reports below –

***A short report on Action Days for Autonomous Spaces in Berlin

31.5.2008
Reports below –

***A short report on Action Days for Autonomous Spaces in Berlin

On Tuesday last a squat that had only been open for a few hours was brutally evicted by the Berlin police. The response from the anarchist and autonome movement has been devestating; well over one million in damages from decentralised actions over 4 nights. The actions have included property destruction, over 50 car burnings and sabotage, spontaneous demonstrations, squatting and paintbombing. Many people have been arrested. Two comrades are facing charges or arson.

As well as the decentralised actions there have been many workshops, presentations, shared meals and social gatherings. A pirate radio station is providing constant reporting on events around the city.

Visit http://wba.blogsport.de/ for more info, for up to date news reports visit http://ticker.so36.net/ (both in German)

***Longer report –
A personal report from last week’s action days for autonomous spaces in Berlin. This report reflects the thoughts and opinions of the authors, not of any campaign, although these opinions may be shared by others.

Berlin- in Chaos!
Action Days for Autonomous Space
May 27 to June 1

“If we do not wish to find ourselves in a world where no one really lives, where no one really knows anyone else, where everyone has become a mere cog in a machine meshing with other cogs but
remaining truly alone, then we must have the strength to attack alienation in every way we can.”

“We believe for a space to be truly autonomous it must first be liberated. Liberated in our sense doesn’t just mean taking something out of the hands of capitalists (the mere re-appropriation of a building) but rather taking space and finding ways to use it as a weapon against the State and Capital.”

Last week, anarchists set their own dates for a confrontation with the State and Capital. Not prepared to be crushed by increasing repression against the spaces in which we live, plot and fight
from, the Action Days for Autonomous Spaces put Berlin in chaos.

Following the three-day ‘Interspace’ meeting in Kesselberg (a previously squatted land project outside Berlin) from May 24-27, many people headed into Berlin to put theory into practise and to
join forces on the streets with those already preparing for the Action Days. An info-point was set up at the Kopi, radical left projects provided voku (people’s kitchen) for the week as well as
hosting theoretical and practical workshops.

But, most importantly, hundreds of people from Berlin and from elsewhere went on the offensive and instigated 6 charged days of diverse and often militant action. In a city which has one of the
harshest anti-squatting policies in Europe – the Berlin Line – where squats can be evicted immediately and brutally, people showed they were undaunted and defiant.

The focus of these action days in many ways remains the defence of certain threatened physical structures. However, as the diversity of actions that took place demonstrates, what was being fought for is not confined to or by the walls of such buildings. By expanding the definition of what we understand by ‘free space’ we are able to broaden our attack beyond these physical spaces to an attack against social control as a cornerstone of capitalist logic – from autonomous space to liberated space.

Highlights of the week taken from the info-ticker:

4 cars burnt and caltrops (bent-nail devices used to puncture tyres) left on the surrounding streets to deter cops and the fire brigade from getting there in order to put the fires out.

Construction crane burnt.

A truck and four more cars burn.

Squatting of building on Michael-Kirch Platz.

8 cars burnt as a response to eviction of Michael-Kirch Platz and in solidarity with those arrested.

Anti-Gentrification Rally at Bethanien.

Parts of Rigaer 84 squatted and opened to public.

Luxury apartment attacked with paint bombs and stones.

Bike Tour of Media Spree buildings, the company responsible for much redevelopment in Berlin.

A Mercedes, a rental car and 2 cars from a telecommunications/security company burnt out.

Windows of bank Sparkasse smashed.

8 luxury cars, 2 bins and billboards burnt or destroyed.

Offices of estate agent Oliver Rohr who works for Rigaer94/Liebig14 landlord Beulker attacked with graffiti, paint bombs and glue in the locks.

O2 advertising screen at Warschauer Strasse attacked with paint bombs.

McDonalds in Kreutzberg- trashed.

2 unfinished lofthouses have their windows smashed- one attack takes place in broad daylight.

Cop car windows smashed by Mauer Park.

18 windows of SAP, a software company connected to arms trade, smashed.

Windows of Verdi Hotel by Kopi smashed.

Cops attacked with stones and bottles outside Kopi.

Banner drop in support of Rigaer94 from the roof of the cathedral Berliner Dom.

Barricades built in Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg and Wedding.

There was also a pirate radio (originally set up for the April Days of Action in Defence of Free Spaces) and a web-based real time info-ticker which provided up-to-the-minute information on everything from demos, actions, arrests, police locations and detailed descriptions of undercover cops and their vehicles.

The constant prowling of undercover cop cars and a rumoured 250 civil police (as well the politically motivated crime unit) deployed in Kreuzberg did not deter people from taking action, and
nor did brutal attacks on crowds of demonstrators or the imposition of “Platzverweise” or “banning orders” from particular areas on anyone who looked ‘autonomous’ – the use of these was ruled
illegal by a judge later in the week. Despite beatings and arrests, the cops were finally unable to contain, control and crush the spirit, energy and daring of the week-long revolt.

After years of simply responding to dates set by institutions, governments and trade fairs etc, those acting to resist the repression of free space – which extends to the totality of what we conceive as freedom – are left with a revived feeling of strength and energy. Discussions and analyses have been sparked; creative, autonomous participation has been inspired and face to face affinities built on. Above all, what has emerged from and what underpins these elements is the offensive action that people have taken which has let loose the reins of our imaginations and our resistance.

We hope it does not stop here, and that the quality and diversity of attacks, as well as a deepening understanding of what it means to liberate space in lives held hard in the velvet claw of
capitalism, continues everywhere.

Put Berlin in Chaos! Put Everywhere in Chaos! …

One note of sadness and anger from last week is the state-murder of an 18 year old boy in custody on May 29. Not known to be connected to the autonomous scene, he was arrested with two friends after attacking traffic lights and a car and was found hanged in his cell at 1.20am, only 3 hours after the time of his arrest. It is unlikely that it was suicide – as the cops have stated – because of the
design of the cells in Templehof nick and the short amount of time that would have been available to him while being driven to the police station and processed.

London Critical Mass ride 30-5-08

Quick report on the ride.

Video Short mp4 clip. – video/mp4 1.4M

Video Short wmv clip. – video/x-ms-wmv 1.2M

Quick report on the ride.

Video Short mp4 clip. – video/mp4 1.4M

Video Short wmv clip. – video/x-ms-wmv 1.2M

Several hundred riders, good weather, a very enjoyable ride, apart from police slowing things down as usual by blocking the front of the ride at intersections. Later they seemed to stop doing this and made a good job of corking instead. This time a confrontation with police over sound systems in the SOCPA zone was avoided, by not going into the SOCPA zone. Instead a stop was made outside Buck House, complete with full-on sounds.

CANCELLED – Survival Picket in Solidarity with the Dongria Kondh Tribe – Stop Vendanta Mining Orissa, India.

The Dongria Kondh tribe of India and the land they live in is threatened with destruction by the UK company Vedanta. Vedanta wants to create a giant open-cast mine on the Dongria Kondh’s sacred mountain, destroying the lush forests that grow there and polluting the rivers.

The Survival demonstration outside Coutts Bank previously advertised on this website planned for the 10th June has been cancelled. In reaction to the planned picket Coutts has just informed Survival that they no longer hold shares in Vedanta, the British-based company whose planned bauxite mine will devastate the lands of India’s Dongria Kondh tribe. More info to follow.

—-

WHERE? Outside Coutts Bank, 440 Strand, London
WHEN? Tuesday 10th June 2008, 18.45 – 20.00

WHAT IS THE EVENT?

Coutts Bank hold shares in Vedanta. When Vedanta makes money, Coutts make money, so they are profiting from the abuse of the Dongria Kondh.

On 10th June Coutts are hosting the opening party of London Jewellery Week, which they are sponsoring. Survival will be there, urging Coutts to withdraw its shares in Vedanta, and to recognise the rights of the Dongria Kondh to live independently on their own land.

For directions, please see the following link:
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=530188&y=180575&z

Background info:

There are 8,000 Dongria Kondh living in the Niyamgiri Hills in Orissa, India.

The Niyamgiri Hills are an area of outstanding natural beauty, rich in wildlife and dense forests. The Dongria Kondh farm the hill slopes, growing crops in among the forest and gathering wild fruit, flowers and leaves for sale. Their lifestyle and religion have protected the forests of Niyamgiri for centuries.

The top of the mountain, which is worshiped by the Dongria Kondh as the seat of their god, has rich deposits of the aluminium ore bauxite.

The mining project would lead to displacement of thousands of tribal people and destroy biodiversity and water sources. Niyamgiri hills are the source of Vamshadhara River and major tributaries of Nagaveli rivers – sacred to the Khonds. A large number of wildlife species including tiger, leopards, elephant and mouse deer also abode in Niyamgiri hills. Many of these species are endangered. In the past, efforts have been made by various governmental and non-governmental bodies to declare Niyamgiri hills as sanctuary or reserve area to protect its pristine natural habitat.

The local resistance against the project started with the land acquisition process but because of the poor economic and political clout of Dongria Kondhs, their voices and concerns are ignored by local and state authorities. This is hardly surprising given the Orissa government’s thrust on ‘accelerating economic development’ by handing over rich natural resources to big private companies, both domestic and foreign, for a pittance. Pressure on the financial backers of the scheme in Europe has already resulted in significant disinvestment is Norway and similar action in the UK could really stregthen the tribes hand.

More Details can be found on the website of ‘Survival – The Movement For Tribal People’:

http://www.survival-international.org/tribes/dongria

Noise demo against imminent open cast coal mine 9th June

A new open-cast coal mine site is about to get underway in beautiful Derbyshire, unless we stop it now.

A new open-cast coal mine site is about to get underway in beautiful Derbyshire, unless we stop it now. Help us send the message loud and clear to UK Coal to leave it in the ground!

Noise Demo at UK Coal, nr Doncaster
Monday 9th June
Meet 12 noon at Doncaster train station.
There will be lifts to UK Coal’s HQ – but bring transport if you can.

UK COAL, Harworth Park, Blyth Road, Harworth, Doncaster DN11 8DB

Bring: banners, things to make noise with, food, people, tents, room to give people a lift.

For more info phone 07852 460871 or email derby@earthfirst.org.uk

Download leaflet (includes map of proposed open-cast) – please print and circulate

What’s going on?
Lodge House site, which is east of the village of the Derbyshire village of Smalley, is one of seven
sites that UK Coal is to open-cast. The area is rich with wildlife and backs onto Shipley Country Park. It is about to be devastated, despite objections from local councils, residents and local environmental groups. The Secretary of State granted planning permission in 2007 and work is to commence any day now.

More destruction to come?
The 122 hectare site will have one million tonnes of coal ripped out over five years and ‘returned back to its natural state’ according to UK Coal. However, they will not be able to replace ancient edges and mature trees, and they will be able to expand beyond the 122 hectares without needing further permission. Residents were excluded from parts of the planning meeting on grounds of commercial confidentiality, which suggests that the plans may be bigger than UK Coal is letting on.

A dirty fuel, a changing climate
Coal is not clean energy, and with the new onslaught of proposed power stations, UK Coal are looking to cash in on climate devastation and destruction unless we stop them. Burning coal to produce electricity is threatening the global environment and all our futures..

To combat open-cast mining, a new action group “Leave it in the Ground” has formed, supported by Earth First! and other environmental groups.

If you can’t make the demo then you could contact UK Coal directly to let them know what you think: UK Coal Tel: 01302 751751 Fax: 01302 752420.

Links

Leave it in the Ground
Homepage: http://www.leaveitintheground.org.uk

Report on previous action http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/20727

For a bit of history on protests against open cast mining see:
http://www.eco-action.org/dod/no7/23-32.html

More info on coal…
http://thecoalhole.org/

03/06/08……TAKE ACTION ON FOOD AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Within the past year, global food prices have risen by 75%. Prices of wheat, soya, oilseeds, maize and rice are now at record levels. The World Bank has warned that 100 million more people are facing hunger and malnutrition because of rising food prices.

The greenhouse gas emissions caused by livestock and industrial fishing account for 18 per cent of global warming; more than the emissions from the world’s entire transport system, at 13.5 per cent. Techno fixes such as GM crops and Biofuels are not the answer to climate chaos, we need to change our patterns of consumption and switch to a low impact, cruelty free lifestyle!

With one week to go before the food and climate change day of action; get creative and get involved!

“Livestock’s contribution to environmental problems is on a massive scale. The impact is so significant that it needs to be addressed with urgency.”
– United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation 2006

“The grain required to fill a 25-gallon SUV gas tank with ethanol will feed one person for a year.” (Lester Brown, Director of the Earth Policy Institute).

The UN Conference on World Food Security and Climate Change runs from 3rd to 5th June 2008. The Network for Climate Action is inviting you to take action on and around the 3rd of June 2008. There’s stuff happening all over the country, and internationally, on the day itself, and before and after it.

Climate action starts on your dinner plate, at the supermarket, on your allotment and in your back yard, at the food processing and distribution centres, down on the farm, in your high street, at the airport and at the lorry park. Use this day as a way to highlight the complexity of food related issues, and also to promote specific campaigns..

It’s time to detox the planet and take action on food and climate change! Groups all over the country are planning actions, demonstrations, film nights, workshops and free food events. For more ideas, and resources, visit the website: http://daysofclimateaction.org.uk; and let us know if you need anything else, or if you have resources that could be shared!

Remember, the list below is only a list of public events, actions to follow when announced! If you want information about whats going on in your area, please get in touch!

MANCHESTER 01/06 Vegan picnic, demo and surprise activity!
Free vegan food
12-4, Piccadilly Gardens email: manchester@climatecamp.org.uk

BRISTOL 31/05-01/06 Bristol Vegan Fayre
http://www.bristolveganfayre.co.uk/

SHEFFIELD 31/05 Free vegan food stall
email:sheffieldanimalfriends@googlemail.com

LIVERPOOL 31/05 Free vegan food event 12-4 Next to Nowhere, (this event kick starts the vegan drop in which will happen 1-5 every Saturday, Next to Nowhere). http://www.liverpoolsocialcentre.org/

LONDON
31/05 Protest against the proposed Combined Cycle Biofuel Electricity Generation Plant. Stall on Myrtle Road, East Ham from 10:30 to 6:30.
Banner drop from 3:00 to 5:00pm outside Newham Town Hall, East Ham. 04/06
Protest outside the final consultation meeting at Newham Town Hall 6:30 to 7:10pm , Barking Road, East Ham.
http://www.biofuelwatch.org.uk/files/thames_gateway_biodiesel_project.pdf
As part of the national day of action on food and climate change called by the Network for Climate Action, Food Not Bombs and Reclaim Your Food will be serving *free vegan food* at a *secret location* in South London!
* All the food will be skipped, reclaimed from the waste of an affluent capitalist society.
* All the food will be vegan, minimizing the climate-impact of the food. Meet on Tuesday the 3rd of June at Camberwell Green (in the Green itself), 2PM sharp to move on to a *secret location*
Camberwell Green – http://tinyurl.com/5h25yq
London Food Not Bombs – http://www.londonfnb.org

NOTTINGHAM 24/05-15/06 ‘Greenweeks’: allotment open days, organic growing courses and more!
http://www.greenweeks.org/

AMSTERDAM: Veganism and Climate Change film night
http://www.aseed.net/

The food we eat contributes up to a third of the emissions that are poisoning the planet. It’s time for a detox … Changing our diet is one of the most effective steps we can take!

Whether you’re working on local organic food, growing your own, veganism, permaculture, food security, humanitarian issues, transport campaigning, agrofuels, anti – GM food … make the links on climate change … take action on the 3rd of June toward a low-carbon diet!

Whatever your tastes, there’s something for everyone on this action menu! There are many proposed solutions – we think it’s time to start the debate. Get creative and get involved!

Please let us know what you are planning (if its appropriate!) or if not, tell us as soon as you’ve done it! Don’t forget to send us your photos too!

The media phone no for the day will be 07961917535; or you can email food@daysofclimateaction.org.uk.

This Day of Action on Climate Change is called by the Network for Climate Action in co-operation with the Rising Tide Network and the Camp for Climate Action.

Film of anti-GM demo

This film shows the anti-GM demo at BASF. For the report on what happened, and photos, click here.

Video Film of anti-GM action – video/mp4 5.4M

This film shows the anti-GM demo at BASF. For the report on what happened, and photos, click here.

Video Film of anti-GM action – video/mp4 5.4M

On May 6th around 30 protesters shut down the BASF UK headquarters at Cheadle Hulme near Manchester. BASF is planning to run the UK’s only trial of GM crops this year, a trial of blight resistant potatoes.

Leave it in the Ground’s Picnic in the Park trespass report

Around 70 people had set of to travel on a bank holiday Monday which is no easy task as public transport has a natural tendency not to run or has a limited service on bank holidays, for a picnic in a remote part of Derbyshire. The weather reports had all predicted thundery showers for the day, which seems to be normal for a bank holiday outing, but this did not seem to deter the people who had gathered at the visitors centre at Shipley Country Park, Heanor, Derbyshire

The event had been organised by a new campaign group called Leave it in the Ground and Earth First! to oppose new and existing open cast mining in the UK and solidarity to international groups who are having their lives and land trashed in places like Phulbari, Bangladesh by British company GMC Resources PLC http://www.gcmplc.com

After every one had finished socialising at the visitors centre with cups of tea, they headed of through the park to the area of plush green fields and ripped out hedgerows, which is to be the area of the new open cast mine called Lodge house owned by UK Coal as we were followed by an evidence gatherer and a few other police officers who were making notes on how friendly and sociable we were.

UK coal had erected new fences within the boundaries of the fields declaring the 122 hector site of destruction waiting to happen and activists out for the day just walked through the gap that will eventually have huge earth moving vehicles and plant machinery tearing up the fields. There was no attempt by the police to stop us or asking us not to go in, it was already decided we were going to trespass, and there was no way they could keep us out anyway.

After a short breach of the boundary we came across a farm, complete with tree house, dog kennel with its bedding still inside and the odd toy in the garden that looked as if it had been abandoned in a hurry from some pending disaster. We gathered in the garden of the farm to hear a local person explain what was happening in the area.

We heard how UK Coal owns the land and that the locals in the surrounding villages of Smalley, Mapperly and West Hallem had been fighting against the company for the last 5 years against the plan to turn the area into an open cast site. Despite it being against planning regulations the secretary of state gave the plan the go ahead in 2007. The fields we had just walked across is going to have its soil stripped in July and August of this year and the field to the south of the farm is going to be stripped this July, so it was a last look to see it in its natural state, even though UK Coal are taking the unusual step of returning the site back to green fields, not that the grass grows well or the hedgerows are replanted and the fields lack the natural diversity of species.

More alarming is that this is not just unique to Derbyshire; open casting or strip mining as it is sometimes known is on the agenda of the government and a change in policy 2 years ago forced by power stations and coal companies through lobbying has forced it as a legitimate way for them to make money, despite the fact it is seriously damaging to the climate and the UK is not going to be able to cut its agreed emissions by burning coal and that the Lodge House site is going to have 1 million tonnes of carbon removed which means when it is burnt that’s 3,666,666 tones of carbon dioxide.

There was also a bit of brief history of open cast mining in Derbyshire and the resistance to it in 1997 at the Tibshelf site near Alfreton and how 250 activists from Earth First! NUJ and miners support group had bussed there way to the site and caused an estimated £375,000 to £4 million of damage with vehicles needing to be repaired on site as they were incapacitated!

We all moved off back into the fields with the fence an ominous marker in the distance to the size and scale of what is to be lost and sat down to enjoy some food. Veggies had gone mobile and supplied us with vegan pasties and their famous cake, so we sat in the long grass, drank some excellent Elderflower Champaign that was being passed around while the police hid at the farm without refreshment keeping an eye on our activity and social refinement. A kite flew over head and the children played football with the adults, all the usual accompaniments for a picnic.

We headed off through the south field and saw a bungalow with its windows and doors sheeted up in steel, another victim of the site I thought. Both properties are the place most people dream of owning with the scenic views.

After a stroll on this bottom field we headed on to Bell Lane which divides the Lodge House site and headed into Smalley with another tea stop at the local Village Hall and an opportunity to use the toilets and more of Veggies cake and pasties. Some local people were there waiting for us and the group broke out into a meeting, in which we assessed the situation over open cast mining in the UK and what we could do about it. The energy and enthusiasm of which was enormous and in a very short time action plans had been drawn up. Smaller meetings in regions ensued so they could organise into affinity groups. People had travelled from Oxford, Cambridge, Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham, Lancaster, Norwich, Crew, Sheffield and Derby as well as other areas that I probably missed and showed how much concern there was over the matter of open cast mining

After a quick tidy up in the hall some set of back the way we came for the long journey home while others decided to take a slightly longer route over the fields of the site, just to keep the trespass going. We went into the main entrance of the site still unopposed by the police after a slight navigational error this all changed.

The local farmer had objected about us to our yellow jacketed escorts and we were being told we had to go back or face being arrested and after checking the map, or not being allowed to go to the few steps more to the nearest footpath we went back the way we came to join the footpath at the back of the farm, again to be blocked by the police, one of which had led the farmer around the back and out of sight. One of the group decided to go and have a word with the farmer and next thing we were being shouted to come this way; the chat with the farmer was obviously a success and we headed for the footpath with a happy farmer and some of his family waving us on like we were champions. This however made us question what the police had said to the farmer?

For the latest information on the next actions check Leave it in the Grounds website http://leaveitintheground.org.uk or blog http://leaveitintheground.wordpress.com

Or to get involved go to the Climate Camp 3rd – 11th August at Kingsnorth http://www.climatecamp.org.uk and the Earth First Gathering 27th August – 1st September in Norfolk http://www.earthfirstgathering.org.uk or find your local Earth First! group http://earthfirst.org.uk

BBC report on the trespass http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/derbyshire/7420634.stm
Do or Die http://www.eco-action.org/dod/no7/23-32.html
Phulbari Resistance, Bangladesh http://phulbariresistance.blogspot.com

Why not organise a protest against one of these?
UK Coal http://www.ukcoal.com/home
GMC Resources PLC http://www.gcmplc.com

—–
BBC report:

Trespassers oppose coal mine plan26th May 2008
People who do not want a new opencast coal mine on land adjoining a country park in Derbyshire have held a protest.

UK Coal wants to extract a million tonnes over four years from Lodge Hill in Smalley, near Heanor.

But campaigners said this would have a devastating impact on the environment. About 50 protesters marched on the land in a mass trespass on Monday.

UK Coal said the matter had gone through a public inquiry, and been properly approved by the government.

It said Britain needed energy, and it was better to get it locally than to import it.

Climate campaigners from the groups, Leave it in the Ground and Earth First! joined local residents opposed the plans for the mine on land adjoining Shipley Country Park.

Opponents of the plans claimed nearly 70 acres of greenbelt land would be destroyed if the plans went through and were also worried about noise and pollution in the area.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/derbyshire/7420634.stm (also go here for a bit of history to the initial refusal of planning permission, overturned by the Secretary of State)

A report from people who went, plus photos, to follow