earthfirst – Page 265

What Better Time? Issue One out now!

What Better Time? is a free news sheet from the Scottish Climate Activist Network. Issue one is out now, get em while they’re hot (actually after the demo on Saturday they’re a bit wet and soggy).
This monthly news sheet aims to inform people across Scotland, and further, from a wide range of back-grounds about a fight to save the planet (yes, that old chestnut). As I am sure you are aware human induced climate change is imminent, and every person on the planet has to do something about it. The Scottish Climate Activist Network brings together activists and concerned individuals from across Scotland so we can support each other in our work to stop climate change through protest and direct action along with building sustainable alternatives.

It is available in hard copy in all good social centres and hippy hang-outs or online.

Email: whatbettertime [at] riseup.net
Website: whatbettertime.livejournal.com

No Christmas Cheer as Arms Giant Lockheed Gets Locked Out

“We never forget who we’re murdering and spying for”. Cornerstone of the UK military-industrial complex / Orwellian state, US-based arms firm Lockheed Martin was targeted early on Thursday morning (13th December) at its central London HQ as activists from Trident Ploughshares and London Catholic Worker delivered a seasonal message to the company, locking workers out of the building for 45 minutes.

Lockheed Martin, whose corporate slogan is “We never forget who we’re working for”, was paid a visit on Thursday morning by a group of non-violent activists from a Trident Ploughshares affinity group called the Muriel Lesters, and London Catholic Worker. The group chained shut and blocked off all the entrances to the building for 45 minutes, from around 8am. The anonymous building (Manning House, 22 Carlisle Place, London. SW1P 1JA), hidden away in a side street near Victoria station, houses the UK corporate headquarters of the arms giant, which makes Trident nuclear weapons (warheads and missiles) and produces surveillance systems used by intelligence services to spy on the public and for commercial espionage. Several banners and placards were on display, including one that read “Lockheed Martin – Nuclear Crime Scene”, and workers and visitors to the building were leafleted, as well as passers by.

A crowd of workers and visitors trying to gain access to the building had gathered on the pavement within a quarter of an hour. Several accepted leaflets. Belgravia police were called to deal with the protesters. There was a delay as the police awaited bolt-cutters and back-up, but the chains were eventually removed from the front door, after which the protesters blocking the back entrances, including an elderly lady in a wheelchair, decided to unchain the doors and move round to the front. Police were admitted to the building for discussions, but no arrests were made (either of the peace campaigners or the arms dealers). The protesters were allowed to continue demonstrating and leafleting peacefully outside the building, until finally leaving of their own accord at 9.30am.

Father Martin Newell, a Catholic priest from east London, says: “I feel it is my duty as a Christian to follow the prince of peace and oppose the horror of nuclear weapons.”

Myra Garrett from east London says: “I felt I had to target the company because of the new nuclear weapons facilities they are developing right here in the UK, at Aldermaston.”

Chris Gwyntopher from east London says: “the building had to be closed in the interests of public security and world peace. Unlike Lockheed, I feel my purpose is to save life, not destroy it. I wish the workers would leave the building for good and seek more humane employment.”

Irene Willis from Essex says: “Christmas seems an appropriate time of year to reflect upon the horrific effects the arms trade and nuclear weapons have in the world and to ask ourselves whether we really need them.”

The group intends to pay the company another visit in the near future.

Notes:

1. Lockheed Martin, SERCO and – currently – British Nuclear Fuels Plc (BNFL) are equal shareholders in AWE Management Ltd, which the UK Ministry of Defence has awarded a multi-billion pound contract to manage and operate the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) sites at Aldermaston and Burghfield, both in Berkshire, until at least 2025. This is where Britain’s nuclear weapons are developed and maintained, and where new facilities are being constructed to enable the production of a new generation of nuclear weapons.

http://www.awe.co.uk/main_site/about_awe/the_company/index.html
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/11/385666.html
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/11/385357.html
http://www.awe.co.uk/main_site/scientific_and_technical/publications/Strategy_Plans/index.html

2. Lockheed Martin promotes itself thus:

“Our vision: As an increasing number of nations of all sizes around the world indicate the desire and capacity to develop nuclear, chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction, it is necessary to expand our field of vision.

“Our aim: To sustain capability to design a warhead to succeed Trident by facilitating production of British nuclear warheads.

“Our priorities: The key elements of the science-based programme we are putting in place to maintain the country’s nuclear stockpile.

“Our future: We can now look forward to a long-term stable future for AWE and for the UK nuclear weapons programme.”

Lockheed Martin is the world’s largest arms company. Besides nuclear weapons, it produces a host of killing and spying machines, devices and systems, including ‘bunker buster’ bombs, cluster bombs and landmines.

The company also provides military interrogators for places like Guantanamo Bay and Iraq. It is also a leading partner in the Echelon global surveillance network. Its employees work alongside the American NSA (National Security Agency) at Menwith Hill spy station in Yorkshire.

See the following for details of the above: http://censusalert.org.uk/lockheed_martin.html

As well as being one of two lead bidders for the 2011 UK Census
http://censusalert.org.uk/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/05/09/census_boycott/ , Lockheed Martin also has civilian contracts in the UK with:

Metropolitan Police Service
http://www.lockheedmartin.co.uk/products/metpolice.html

Transport for London
http://www.lockheedmartin.co.uk/products/lul.html

Network Rail
http://www.lockheedmartin.co.uk/products/networkrail.html

Railways – Positive Train Control
http://www.lockheedmartin.co.uk/products/ptc.html

Royal Mail
http://www.lockheedmartin.co.uk/products/ai.html

More on the company here: http://www.schnews.org.uk/archive/news402.htm

The company’s corporate websites:
http://www.lockheedmartin.com
http://www.lockheedmartin.co.uk

3. Trident Ploughshares is committed to bringing about the disarmament of British nuclear weapons through peaceful non-violent direct action. They call upon the British government to stop deploying its submarine-launched Trident nuclear weapons system with immediate effect, safely decommission every one of its warheads as soon as practicable, reverse its decision to renew / replace its (US-dependent) Trident system, and insist that the UN adopt a global Nuclear Weapons Convention outlawing all nuclear weapons at the very earliest opportunity.

See: http://www.tridentploughshares.org

Reports on recent Trident Ploughshares actions against Lockheed Martin (Oct 2007):

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/10/384043.html
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/10/384284.html

Reports and pics from Trident Ploughshares London ‘weapons inspections’ earlier this year (Feb 2007), which included Lockheed Martin:

http://www.tridentploughshares.org/article1485

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/02/363646.html

Reports from previous Trident Ploughshares actions at Lockheed Martin’s UK headquarters:

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/09/351270.html

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/06/314195.html

http://www.tridentploughshares.org/article1248

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/oxford/2004/12/302877.html

Sustainable Xmas – Cheadle leafletting, free space & bike protest

CheadleHighStreet Against Climate Change say ‘A planet is not just for Xmas’

Activists from CheadleHighStreet Against Climate Change have commenced their campaign for a sustainable Xmas. National research has indicated that people through holiday eating, travel, Christmas lights, and gift giving produce on average 650 kg of CO2 emissions per individual. This is 5.5% of the yearly carbon footprint of the UK.

CheadleHighStreet Against Climate Change say ‘A planet is not just for Xmas’

The average person during the Holidays produces 26 kg of CO2 from Christmas food, 96 kg of CO2 from Christmas Car travel, 218 kg of CO2 from extravagant lighting displays, 310 kg of CO2 on Christmas Shopping.

CACC members recieved a good response from shoppers of all nationalities with their leaflets ‘ A planet is not just for Xmas’. Shoppers were urged to buy locally grown conifers in pots rather than imported Scandanavian trees and to use solar powered lights . An exchange has been set up for recycled presents and those wanting an alternative to farm produced cruelty have been offered soya textured protein in exchange for the Xmas turkey.

A ‘Xmas free space ‘ will be opened for those suffering stress at Xmas and those who worship other religions or who are aetheists and pagans.There will also be a Boxing Day bike protest against traffic congestion

National Squatters Meeting 9-10 February 2008 Leeds

So we are inviting people involved in all squatted autonomous spaces around the UK to meet and discuss the squatting situation and some preparation for the days of action in April.

So we are inviting people involved in all squatted autonomous spaces around the UK to meet and discuss the squatting situation and some preparation for the days of action in April. The idea for this meeting is inspired by the recent international meeting in Dijon.

Some of the ideas of what could be discussed at this meeting are…
• Building a stronger network between the squats/Autonomous spaces throughout the UK.
• Initial planning for the days of action.
• The repression and resistance facing Autonomous spaces in the UK.
• How we can make better use of Autonomous spaces in terms of connecting them to issues such as increased surveillance, housing problems, gentrification and the fundamental issue of who owns and controls our land, space and lives.
• The impact of non squatted Autonomous spaces on the squatting movement.
• Breaking out of the “squatting scene”.
• The impact of drugs on the movement.

This is just some ideas of what could come out of this meeting, obviously there is no set agenda as this is decentralized so we want to make a collective decision about what will be discussed at the start of the meeting.
We feel this could be a really positive weekend; we’d like to see loads of you there. We’ve chosen Leeds as a location even though not all of us live there, because although it might not feel like it to you down south but it’s a central location on this island!
Please get in touch if you’re gonna come along, our e-mail is below. It is important for us to know how many people to expect. Please also get in touch if you want help set up or get involved in any other way… Hope to see you all in February….

Squat Network
squatmeetup@googlemail.com

LOGGING LOCK ON in Bridgetown

2007-12-13
Concerned south west citizens hold up Jarrah log truck in Bridgetown to highlight the continual destruction of native forests.

Today 12 concerned residents of the Southwest have stopped a log truck on Bridgetown’s main street to highlight the continual destruction of Australia’s native forests.

Australia has just been named the biggest carbon emitter in the world on a per-head basis. Industrial scale logging and burning of native forests is a major contributor to carbon emissions in Australia.

“By keeping the carbon in the forest and protecting native forests is one of the easiest and simplest solutions to reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions,” said Brett Thompson. “Native forests are the lungs of the planet they store vast quantities of carbon. By protecting native forests Australia can significantly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and halt the devastating affects of climate change,” commented spokesman Brett Thompson.

Bridgetown local resident Saffire Grant quotes” “We need to take action on a local level. Native forest logging in our own backyard needs to be stopped now if our community is to actively help provide solutions to climate change.”

“We call on Federal and State Labor parties to protect native forests as an active strategy to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and become a world leader in the struggle against climate change.”

6 Arrested in Brigetown halting a Jarrah Log Truck for 6 hours in main street

Concerned residents of the S.W have halted a log truck for six hours on the S.W highway in Bridgetown. This follows an action at Simcoa three weeks ago highlighting the continual destruction of native forests throughout the S.W and Australia.Six protests were arrested for disorderly behavior with police confiscating mobile phones cameras and video equipment. Protesters have vowed to continue to highlight the destruction of native forests in W.A throughout the coming months with further actions planned. The six arrested will face court in Bridgetown next Wednesday the 19th of December with a peaceful gathering of support out the front of the court planned for 9:30am.

Thursday the 13th of December 2007, six protesters were charged with disorderly conduct after holding up a log truck in Bridgetown.

During the protest police seized cameras, video recorder, mp3 player, all recording equipment and mobile phones.

See the video footage here:
http://www.globalwarmingfg.com/

Fed Up Polar Bear Disrupts National BBC Wildlife Magazine HQ

This morning, Tuesday December 11th, at 10am, two members of “Arctic Associates” (aka Bristol Rising Tide), and one grumpy refugee polar bear paid a visit to the national offices of the BBC Wildlife Magazine at the top of Tower House in Broadmead, Bristol. More than a hundred employees looked on aghast (some winking in support) as “J. Smith” from Arctic Associates, flanked by Mr. Pole R. Bear, made a long and passionate speech about the sad and dangerous irony of allowing the world’s second largest oil company- responsible for endangering thousands of species through oil spills, toxic pollution, and climate change- to sponsor their Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award Contest, which is coming to Bristol Museum this Saturday December 15th.

The visit evidently created quite a stir, as employees of BBC Wildlife gathered around to hear what the commotion was all about, and the press team, directors, and building security simultaneously converged on the protesters, who were finally asked to leave, after circulating through both the 9th and 14th floors of the building, and speaking to the entire national staff of the BBC Wildlife Magazine, who are now more aware than ever of the historic blunder than was made when Shell’s £1,500,000 two year sponsorship deal was accepted.

Ironically, the poster child of this year’s Photography Award is a polar bear stuck on a melting iceberg, the most visible symbol of the climate-damaging nature of Shell’s core business.

If you’d like to get involved, come to the sHELL Wildlife Photography Exhibit PROTEST this Saturday Dec. 15th starting at Noon, in front of the Bristol Museum at the top of Park St. Please come dressed as any wildlife that sHELL is endangering, and invite all your friends- putting a stop to greenwashing is a key battle in the war against climate change, and we want to stop our public museums being used for this purpose**

The exhibit will remain at the Museum until the 13th of January.

**We are having a costume making party/ planning session this Wednesday the 12th at Kebele- 14 Robertson Rd. in Easton from 1700 to 2200 or so, with an open discussion happening at 1930. There will be at least one sewing machine there, so bring material, (fake) fur of the Shell- damaged wildlife of your choice- available at all fine fabric shops, newspaper, black felt, banner and sign making materials, and your favourite beverage to share.**

More information about the campaign:

Despite dozens of people contacting the Bristol City Council and the museum and asking them to reject the exhibition, these requests have been met with excuses, buck passing, or simply silence. It’s clear that our leaders would rather not face up to the fact that our public museum is in fact advertising and greenwashing one of the worst multinational oil companies which is wreaking havoc on people, wildlife, and habitat the world over (all in the name of wildlife protection?)

Apparently the Bristol Museum, Bristol City Council, the Natural History Museum, and BBC Wildlife Magazine see no problem with exhibiting photographs of endangered polar bears on melting ice as part of a photography exhibition sponsored by Shell. Do they think we’re stupid?

Our goal is to put pressure on the latter two organisations to reject Shell as a sponsor, and for Shell to decide that the negative publicity involved with sponsoring the competition simply isn’t worth it anymore.

More information about Shell:

http://onthelevelblog.wordpress.com/2007/10/04/shells-wild-lie/

Shell operates in 145 countries worldwide- one of the worst impacts is in Nigeria, where Shell was complicit in the 1995 murder of Ken Saro-Wiwa, an environmental activist, as well as eight others by the Nigerian military junta.

Shell has been working in the Niger Delta since 1956, causing problems to:

• local communities – gas flares burn day and night, roaring like jet engines and polluting the air with thick sooty particles that stick to almost everything and have serious health impacts

• livelihoods – oil is a root of conflict and suffering in Nigeria. Over 1000 law suits have been filed against Shell, yet it still refuses to pay compensation costs.

• the environment – polluting oil spills and fires have occurred for decades due to Shell’s rusting pipes seriously affecting local villages, biodiversity, and contributing towards climate change.

Come to the protest at noon on Saturday, and let ‘em know that Bristolians won’t stand idly by while our planet is ravaged, and our museum is complicit in covering up oil company lies.

The time for blind obedience has passed- it’s time to start disobeying…..

“Where oil reigns, life is hell”

-Oronto Douglas, Environmental Lawer, Niger Delta

rampART gets eviction papers – meeting planned

12.12.2007 – the rampART social centre in London today received court papers for re-possession on the grounds of Trespass. The hearing date is the 20th Dec.

So much for the season of good will.

The rampART and neighbouring houses have all been served court papers for a hearing on the 20th Dec. Bad timing to say the least as a bunch of us were off to do a presentation about the space and show films at an event in Barcelona next week and are potentially homeless by xmas.

We’ve started the process of seeking advice regarding the court hearing but don’t hold your breath, the end is nigh.

This obviously impacts on a whole bunch of stuff. For example we’ve just had the a campaign group move their office into the rampART, Bicycology were planning on doing up the bike workshop this weekend and there’s various groups got dates booked for events next year, not to mention the new years eve party.

Basically we need to have a meeting of all the effected groups/individuals to discuss our response and plan what will happen over the next month or so.

Assume this meeting will be at the rampART next monday 7pm.

Strike, demonstrations, clashes (Athens-Thessaloniki-Larissa) – luxury cars, cash machines, CCTV & McD all trashed or burned

12/12/2007
All reports come from athens.indymedia.org Another report in greek can be found at www.anarchy.gr.

One-day long general strike was called by federations, labor unions and syndicates that belong to the GSEE (general syndicalist union), PAME (tied to the Communist Party) but also independent syndicates and other groups, against government plans to overhaul the pension system (raising retirement ages, cutting benefits etc).

Athens: The police repeatedly attacked with tear gas and flash light and sting ball grenades in order to tear apart the anarchist/antiautoritarian blocs (more than 1.500 persons) from the other demonstrators (more than 150.000) while the demonstrators fought back with stones and sticks. A luxurius car had its windows broken and was set on fire, together with a bank’s ATM and a police surveillance camera. Near Great Britain hotel, the cops attacked again the demonstration but were held back by the people. In Omonoia Square, the cops attacked once again the demo and cut back the anarchist/antiatoritarian blocs. In Panepistimiou street, some demonstrators attacked the cops and set free 2 persons that were handcuffed by the cops, in a previous police attack. Then, there was a constant tear gas attack and police striking the demo in order to separate the anarchist/antiatoritarian blocs from the rest of the demonstrators, though they never manage to do so, thanks to the strong self-defence of the anarchists/antiautoritarians and the support of the rest of the demonstrators that did n’t run away, regardless the amounts of tear gas and police attacks. In the same time, employees of “Olympic Airways” some of them protesting with greek flags against the bunkruptsy of this state-sponsored company, were offering flowers to the policemen ouside the parliament house… During the demonstrations, bank ATMs and surveillance cameras were destroyed, and 2 linemen of the Public Power Corporation got arrested a few hours after the demonstrations, for covering up police surveillance cameras with bags. In total, there were dozens of arrests, and 4 of them are prosecuted under misdemeanours (disruption of public order, damaging public property).

Thessaloniki: Demonstrators broke down the McDonalds at Lagkada street and bank windows, and burnt up power supply boxes of police surveillance cameras. In total, more than 30.000 people participated in the demonstrations.

Larissa: Paint bombs and eggs were thrown at banks and party offices.

Marches and open gathering were organised in most cities and towns of the country.

Enawene Nawe blockade dam construction site

12th December 2007
Continuing their struggle against a large hydroelectric dam project in the Brazilian Amazon, the Enawene Nawe set up a blockade at one of the dam construction sites late last week. According to Survival, about 100 members of the 420-strong tribe occupied the building site, demanding an independent study into the impact they will have.

The Enawene Nawe maintain the dams will have a devastating effect on the breeding cycle of the fish they depend on to survive. They say the fish might not even be able to make it to their breeding grounds. The grounds themselves are of great cultural and spiritual significance to the Enawene Nawe. If the 11 dams go ahead as planned, the area may be destroyed.

The grounds are already heavily burdened by cattle ranchers, and the Soya Industry–who is behind the dam project.

Of course, this would not be happening if the Brazilian Government demarcated the area, in fact the entire Rio Preto, when they recognized Enawene Nawe territory in 1996. The government refused to do so.

Since then, the Enawene Nawe have been working to have the Rio Preto included, but so far their voices have fallen on deaf ears.

When the dam project came into focus late 2006/early 2007, they increased their efforts, for one, by organizing blockades. The ongoing one is the third this year.

The previous blockade, set up on May 31, 2007, was met with some success.

Brazil Amazon Indians Take on Soy Barons Blocking Dam Site
From Brazzil Mag, 11 December 2007

The remote Enawene Nawe Indians have blockaded the construction site of a hydroelectric dam in the Brazilian Amazon, which they say will destroy their vital fishing grounds. Around 100 members of the 420-strong tribe occupied the building site and a nearby highway on Thursday, December 6. They want to stop the construction of a vast complex of hydroelectric dams being built on the Juruena river, upstream from their land.

Companies led by the world’s largest soya producers, the Maggi family, are pushing for the construction of the dams. But the Enawene Nawe, who eat no red meat, say that if the dams are built, the fish they rely on will no longer be able to reach their spawning grounds.

The Enawene Nawe say they have not been consulted about the dams. They are demanding and independent study into the impact they will have.

A previous blockade of a major highway in June led the government to negotiate with the Indians, but plans for construction of the dams continued.

After the first opposition action, the Brazilian government agreed to several key demands of the Enawene Nawe. The government’s Indian agency, FUNAI, promised that it would survey lands claimed by the Enawene Nawe and other tribes, with the aim of officially recognizing the areas as indigenous.

For three days in May, the Indians erected barricades in Mato Grosso state to protest against plans to build a series of hydroelectric dams along the Juruena river. They were also demanding the official recognition of their vital fishing waters in the Rio Preto area, which are being rapidly destroyed by cattle ranchers.

Neighboring tribes joined the protest in support of the Enawene Nawe’s demands, swelling the number of protestors to 200. The government responded quickly by dispatching officials to negotiate with the Indians on the barricade. It even agreed to pay for representatives of various tribes in Mato Grosso to travel to Brazilian capital Brasília to meet with FUNAI’s president.

Tasmanian forest defenders halt logging in the Styx Valley

2007-12-11
Yesterday morning, forest activists from Still Wild Still Threatened halted logging in coupe SX10F in the Styx Valley, to highlight the ongoing devastation of Tasmania’s World Heritage valued forests. This coupe has gained an international profile over the past few years as an iconic example of Tasmania’s unique old growth forests.

“This pristine tract of ancient forest, located within 1.5km of the World Heritage boundary, is of outstanding conservation value and has been visited by thousands of people. Right now, bulldozers and chainsaws are ripping apart this irreplaceable ecosystem” said Still Wild Still Threatened spokesperson Ula Majewski.

“We are calling on the federal Labor Government to honour their international environmental commitments and put an immediate halt to this senseless devastation of some of Australia’s most outstanding natural heritage” said Still Wild Still Threatened spokesperson Jess Wright.

“Here we have yet another example of a unique forest being decimated in order to further the interests of greedy woodchip barons and corrupt politicians. As world leaders gather in Bali to discuss the climate emergency, the island’s most significant carbon sinks are being destroyed, rendering Tasmania an international disgrace” said Ms Majewski.