earthfirst – Page 272

French GM maize decontamination action

Monsanto files suit against French GMO activists

Oct 19 (Reuters) – The French unit of U.S. Biotech giant Monsanto has filed a lawsuit following the latest destruction of some of its test fields for genetically-modified maize. In a statement issued on Friday, Monsanto said that unidentified activists had ransacked three test fields in Valdivienne in central France after dark on Thursday.

Monsanto files suit against French GMO activists

‘This senseless new act of violence penalises French research into biotech crops yet again and has no scientific basis,’ Monsanto said.

It used a procedure in French law allowing legal action to be brought against unknown defendants.

Activists have ruined other Monsanto GMO test fields this year, prompting a series of official complaints which the company has said typically leads to court action.

Industry groups have denounced such attacks as disastrous for the country’s agricultural research work.

Some farmers supportive of GMO crops have called on the government during government-led meetings on the environment to pass a GMO law as soon as possible, in part to stress the illegal nature of such activities.

Heated debate has surrounded the use of GMO products across Europe and in France, where many consumers and green groups doubt the safety of GMO products and fear that they will reduce biodiversity.

REUTERS, October 19 2007
http://www.reuters.com/article/companyNewsAndPR/idUSL1944836620071019

“Common Ground” Community Garden Finally Evicted

Report on Thursday 18th Octobers eviction of Common Ground Community Garden.

It seems it was “fourth time lucky” for Reading Borough Council bailiffs today, when they finally realised that it’s not a good idea to inform anarcho-commies (and other assorted revolutionary reprobates) 2 weeks in advance if you want to evict them from council land. Arriving unannounced at 9.00am this morning, they began by evicting our squatting neighbours, giving us enough time to form an impromptu resistance of 3 people.

Report on Thursday 18th Octobers eviction of Common Ground Community Garden.

This reporter arrived at 10.00am, to find approximately 8 police, 4 bailiffs, 4 council representatives and a bunch of burly builders boarding up buildings. Council bailiffs had kicked a large hole in our garden fence, which they left unguarded. After a short consultation we decided to climb through it, sit in our garden and peacefully resist. This reporter is ashamed to say that his resistance lasted a matter of minutes, before he was convinced to leave the garden rather than face the possibility of arrest. The resilience of his comrades was somewhat more respectable.

Leaving the garden, he discovered that the 8 police had left just as the fun seemed to be starting, begging the question “why had they come in the first place?”

Bailiffs and council employees attempted to use diplomacy (a facet for which they are not well known) to convince the remaining two gardeners to leave. Both refused, and there ensued a minor kafuffle. A charming gentleman, sporting a fashionable red coat (pictured) blocked our photographer from taking any pictures of this. At one point, he even attempted to steal the camera prompting the question “What the fuck are you doing?”. He immediately desisted in his kleptomaniac-like actions, but refused to stand aside and allow further pictures to be taken of this incident.

By this time, there was but one comrade remaining in the garden. Council employees and bailiffs, unsure what to do about this final potential menace, decided to call for back-up. After a wait of 15 minutes, a riot van arrived containing 2 of Thames Valleys finest, aka da Five-0, da Fuzz, da Filth, da Feds aka PC 5479 A Hunt, PC 5292.

The officers of the law entered the garden and a new arrival from our group followed them. He was asked to leave, with the promise of some conversation, which he did not get. Once again we were down to one solitary individual, peacefully refusing to leave. The officers of the law asked him to move on; he refused. This called for extreme solutions: one police man got on the phone and asked his boss what he should do. The answer was clearly “do nothing”, for that is what they did….

It seemed that no police or bailiffs actually wanted to arrest our “last man standing”. Perhaps they realised the potential danger that they would be putting themselves in (for he is a 3rd dan black belt in origami…), but more likely there was nobody that was prepared to be “the one that arrested a gardener”. In any case, it eventually fell to a gentleman from the council to forcibly pick him up and remove him from the garden. This signalled the end of our resistance, and we called it a day.

At the time of going to press, several ideas are being floated about to keep up the momentum and build upon the community spirit that Common Ground has created so far. Needless to say, this is not the last that Reading Borough Council will hear from us, and it may not be the last time we set foot in our garden

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Common Ground Community Garden – on squatted land in Silver Street, Katesgrove – was evicted Friday morning. This is the third eviction attempt, the previous two, which the council announced in advance, were met with strong local resistance.

At about 9am on 18th October 2007 council officials, bailliffs, police and PCSO’s arrived, and council officials broke down the door to number 6 Silver Street (ex-Womens Information Centre). Police and officials entered the property and evicted the two people living there. They also broke a hole in the garden fence.

Around this time a couple of local residents, who have worked and relaxed in the community garden over the past 10 months, arrived on the scene, asking questions and attempting to take photographs of the event. After the eviction teams plans to “board-up” the garden were overheard, two more local people who have worked in Common Ground arrived.

Three people entered the garden and sat at a table, before council officials entered and told them to leave. An argument followed as the residents demanded that the community should be asked what it wanted to happen to the site, rather than a development being imposed without consultation, while council officials simply replied “its private property” – as if this is more important than social and environmental concerns or local democracy. When told “This isn’t right and you know it!”, officials replied “You may have a moral argument, but by the law this is right”. Surely there is something wrong with law when it conflicts with what is morally right or with local democracy?

One council official began to get aggressive and pulled one person’s seat from underneath them, throwing it across the garden. He then started shoving the resident and squaring up to him, while the resident stood his ground and asked the official his name. Eventually, two residents had to leave the garden for personal reasons, while one remained. Officials asked him to leave again, before asking the police, who had left, to return.

The Police once again asked the resident to leave, to avoid “embarrassment”, only to be told “I’m not embarrassed to defend this garden”. Eventually, following discussions between the council and the police, a reluctant council official was told to use reasonable force to evict the person. The protester was physically lifted and dragged out of the garden, before builders fitted boards over the garden gate and over the hole in the fence.

This is definitely not the end, and Common Ground Collective will discuss various options over the weekend.

The Council have stated in press releases and in the recent full council meeting that offers of alternative land had been rejected ‘out of hand’ by the gardeners. This is a misleading statement. Common Ground gave careful consideration to the offers and, as a group, agreed to continue defend the garden where it is, and push for a local democratic process where the community would decide what happens to the site long term.

However, individuals involved in Common Ground have begun engaging in discussion with local councillors and the Katesgrove Residents Association to discuss the viability of creating other community gardens on the land offered by the council. It should be pointed out however, that both alternatives are not without immediate problems as one is very small and slopes down to the river making it potentially dangerous, and the other is not wholly owned by the council. The identity of the part owner in the latter case is seemingly unknown. But all options will be considered and pursued as far as they can go.

Thanks for all support we have recieved over the last year, we’ll be back!

katesgrovegarden(AT)yahoo.co.uk
http://www.myspace.com/common_ground_garden

24-hour Total petrol station shuts due to protest

18.10.2007
During the Thursday evening rush hour, the 24-hour Total petrol station on Marylebone Road in London shut down due to the presence of protestors calling for Total to pull out of Burma.

Fifteen protestors began their peaceful protest at 5.00pm with banners and leaflets informing motorists and pedestrians of Total’s links with the Burmese dictatorship. Several campaigners talked to motorists who drove in to buy petrol. Many motorists were supportive and vowed not to buy Total again.

However Total complained to the police (after about an hour and a half) and the campaigners were asked to leave the forecourt. Shortly afterwards the station was shut down completely. Employees moved cones and bins to block vehicular access to the station and the lights were switched off, including the 24-hour sign!

The petrol station remained closed until the protest finished.

http://www.totaloutofburma.blogspot.com/

BP Executive pied as Europe’s largest BioFuels Event disrupted, Blockade of D1 Oils & demo outside exhibition

17th October, 2007

17th October, 2007
The exhibition, featuring over a hundred trade stands, ran alongside a conference which opened on Wednesday with a key note speech from BP Biofuels’ Europe & Africa Director Oliver Mace, but was quickly thrown into chaos when a number of people dressed in suits marched onto the stage to target BP’s ‘dangerous and dishonest’ greenwash and protest at the catastrophic effects of replacing climate-stabilising ecosystems with arable crops for biofuel feedstocks.

A stunned audience gasped as a cream-pie was launched at Mace, while activists swarmed the stage and handed out leaflets to attendees. One of the protesters D-locked himself to the podium, telling delegates “we need to reduce our consumption now – technological fixes are not the answer.” Panic alarms were then set off around the room and the conference was halted.

Later a press conference was held at which Eastside Climate Action gave a statement saying: “Biofuels are not part of the solution, they are part of the problem. We need lifestyle and economic change, a reduction in consumption and local production of all our own needs.”

BP, the main sponsor of the Biofuels conference, did not represent themselves at the press conference through fears that attention would be focussed on the protest. Oliver Mace was said to be ‘shaken’ by the morning’s events.

Richard Price, conference organiser and Biofuels Media director, said that one of the aims of the event was to have some debate which surrounds issues such as food versus fuel. He also offered a platform for those wanting to raise objections and concerns with the biofuels industry.

Price pointed to future biofuel technologies, known as second generation biofuels, which use plant matter such as Jatropha and algae, and do not normally enter the food chain. Price and others are claiming that these may offer advantages such as higher oil yields and the possibility of using otherwise unviable land.

Price admitted “we should be using less fuel, being more economical, as well as exploring biofuels. Next year we’ll see what the issues are, but clearly we need a much wider base.” Asked if the conference would accept sponsorship from BP in the future, Biofuels Media have so far declined to comment.

Later on there were further protests as campaigners gathered at the main gates to the Newark showground, where the conference was held. Activists from pressure group Biofuelwatch were in attendance to explain their concerns, and those attending the conference were engaged in discussions and handed leaflets explaining that deforestation -such as to make way for oil palms for fuel in Asia- is a major cause of climate change, accounting for up to 30 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Biofuelwatch campaigner Deepak Rughani referred to a recent study by scientist Paul Crutzen, which found that Biofuels produced from arable crops are directly responsible for greenhouse gas emissions of up to 70% more than the equivalent of fossil-fuel. Rughani added, “when you add in elements of deforestation or land-use change, you are looking at massive further emissions due to the release of carbon stored in trees, plants and within the soil.”

Biofuelwatch campaigns against the use of bio-energy from unsustainable sources, namely biofuels that are linked to accelerated climate change, deforestation, bio-diversity losses, water and soil degradation, and the displacement and impoverishment of local populations and loss of food sovereignty and security. Aside from technological solutions, Biofuelwatch and other environmental groups believe cuts in greenhouse gas emissions must be based on overall demand reduction. This means reducing energy use and transport as opposed to replacing one type of fuel with another.

Biofuels Conference – Audio clip (intro & pie) – mp3 1.7M

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Press release –

Date: 17th October, 2007
Embargo: Immediate Release
CONTACT: 07880 937 511
Newark Showground, Newark, Nottinghamshire

This morning a group of 15 climate change activists from protest group Food Not Fuel entered the BioFuel Expo & Conference taking place at the Newark Showground and took over the keynote speech. Oliver Mace, CEO of BP Fuels, the lead sponsors of the event received a cream pie in the face. Another campaigner was D-locked to the podium and various alarms were placed around the place. The hall was emptied and talks were cancelled. There were no arrests.

They were protesting against planned expansion of biofuels citing its contribution to deforestation and the fact that it will continue to contribute to climate change. The activists complained that biofuels on a large scale is greenwash and companies such as BP are ignoring its negative impacts on the environment.

Protester Michelle Lynch said, “What they are promoting is a replacement to fossil fuels, but the reality is that they are little better. Large scale plantations are not the solution; reducing our consumption is the only realistic way forward.”

Another protester, Thomas Bradshaw pointed out, “Biofuels will be taking food from the mouths of the hungary when there are already 800 million people suffering from malnutrition. These corporations are effectively encouraging the erosion of valuable arable farmland and rainforests vital for combating climate change.”

-end-

Notes for editors:

1. The protestors can be contacted at 07880 937 511. Their critique argues that radical social change is needed to deal with the impact of peak oil and climate change, and that seeking solutions such as carbon trading and biofuels are not the answer, as the real problem is unsustainable economic growth.

2. The BioFuels Expo & Conference (www.biodiesel-expo.co.uk) is the largest of its kind in Europe, and brings together big industry players such as BP Fuels, Deloitte & Touche and many chemical, agricultural and manufacturing companies.

3. A comprehensive critique of biofuels can be found at BioFuels Watch (www.biofuelwatch.org.uk) who are a distinct group from Food Not Fuels, but are hosting their own demonstration against the Conference.

4. Text of leaflet distribute to attendees.

Biofuels & Fossil Fuels: Biofuels that are not produced by recycling waste oil are the direct product of large scale monoculture. Currently the amount of fossil fuels required to produce biofuels is greater than the amount of fuel you get out: you have to make the fertilizer, run the agricultural machinery, transport the feedstocks and fuels, and refine the plant matter into fuel.

Biofuels & Food: The land that is used to farm biofuels has to come from somewhere. If it is agricultural land used for food then there will be less food. Maize, Mexico’s staple crop, have increased massively due to American demand for bioethanol. Adding to the number of people living below the poverty line.

Biofuels & Land use: If not agricultural land, then biofuels will be grown on virgin rainforest or wetland. 1/3 of all greenhouse gas emissions come from the destruction of living carbon sinks. The Amazon rainforest is the largest driver of the climate on the planet and expanding bioethanol plantations will push it to extinction. Wetlands, eg peat, contain more carbon that the whole atmosphere and cover just 1% of the worlds surface. The largest peat bogs in the world, in Indonesia, are currently being drained for palm oil plantations. If greenhouse gas emissions continue as they currently are we will go beyond the climate tipping point causing mass extinction of life on earth.

Biofuels & Local Control: The driving force beyond the expansion in biofuels are big corporations such as BP & Monsanto, and government – the very people who have got us into this mess. They are using biofuels as a way to continue their position of power into the post peak oil world. To stand a chance of survival the control of land must be by local people for local people.

The Solution: We will need to reduce our consumption to levels that we can meet ourselves. This WILL mean a reduction in luxuries, like the luxury to travel. Some biofuels will be used, but at a fraction of our current oil use. We need to end the search for technological solutions to economic problems. We need to localise our economy, produce our own food, make our own tools and use less.

We need an end to economic growth.

foodnotfuel1@yahoo.co.uk

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Blockade of D1 Oils – anti-agrofuel demo

Protestors from No Agrofuels UK blockaded DI oils refinery and offices this morning to raise awareness of the detrimental impact of agrofuels. The protest was timed to coincide with the national Biofuels Conference in Newark.

18 Protestors chained the 3 gates to the refinery shut and 2 protestors were D-locked to the main gates. No vehicles were able to enter or leave the site and all work appeared to have been stopped.

Several banners were tied over the gates including “No Agrofuels, Land 4 People, Food, Biodiversity” and “Climate Change Profiteers”

Agrofuels (fuels produced from purposely and intensively grown crops) are not the green solution. They result in deforestation of tropical rainforests and burning of peatlands which increase carbon in the atmosphere. Studies have shown that when you include energy used to grow and produce the fuels including chemical production and transportation they use more energy then oil based fuels.

Agrofuels also cause food insecurity by reducing land availbale to grow food and increasing food prices. They result in land dispossession as people in Africa, Asia and South America are forced off their land to enable crops to be grown for the fuel of Europe and the USA. In Colombia there have been human rights abuses to gain control of the land.

D1 is one of the biggest traders worldwide of palm oil and oil seed rape. They have interests in India, Indonesia, China, South Africa, Zambia, Swaziland, El Salvador and are soon planning to get into Brazil and several otehr African countries. They are directly responsible for land dispossession, food insecurity and increasing poverty, they are not the providing the solution to our climate crisis, the only solution to climate change is a reduction in energy rather then exploiting the biodiversity, people and land of the Global South.

For more info see: www.biofuelwatch.org.uk

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Banner Protest outside Biodiesel Expo in Newark

About 40 protesters held a banner protest outside the Biodiesel Expo in Newark, Europe’s largest biofuel conference this year. Participants of the conference include BP, Virgin and D1 Oils, a biofuel company headed by former Shell CEO Lord Oxburgh which is acquiring rights over large areas of land in India and southern Africa. Protesters highlighted the devastating impact which the industry is having on global warming, rainforests, local communities in the global South and food security.

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PRESS RELEASE

Newark : 40 Protestors call for food for people, not cars

Over 40 environmentalists protested outside the ‘Biodiesel Expo’ today, Wednesday 17th October, at Newark Showground. The protest was to raise awareness of the damage that massive and rapid biofuels development is having on the climate, people, food security and forests.

The protest comes just the day after World Food Day October 16th when the UN Food and Agroculture organization (FAO) highlighted the impacts of biofuels of food security around the world.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Jean Ziegler, is so concerned that he has warned that rapid biofuel development is a total disaster for those who are starving. He will call for an international five-year ban on producing biofuels to combat soaring food prices in the UN General Assembly on October 25th. (see below).

Deepak Rughani from biofuelwatch says “The UN FAO is very concerned about biofuels. They have said that they ‘are gravely concerned that biofuels will bring hunger in their wake’. A battle is being created between food and fuel that will leave the poor and hungry in developing countries at the mercy of rapidly rising prices for food, land and water. The EU and the UK urgently need a moratorium of biofuels to make sure that we don’t push millions into starvation. We have protested today to support the call in the UN and demand the UK government stops the mad rush to biofuels”.

biofuelwatch, who are campaigning for EU moratorium on large-scale biofuel production and imports into the EU, say that from April 2008 UK consumers will have no choice about having to buy biofuels at the pump. The biofuels available will be blended from many difference sources across the globe depending on commodity market prices.

From April, consumers will not be able to avoid buying biofuel that may be accelerating destruction of tropical forests, increasing their carbon emissions, causing human rights abuses, and taking land from vital food production.

Information:

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food is to demand an international five-year ban on producing biofuels to combat soaring food prices at the United Nations General Assembly on 25th October. http://tinyurl.com/2ltgwd
The entire text of a report to the UN General Assembly from United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Jean Zeigler, highlighting the risks to millions from biofuels is attached to this Press release.

Links to World Food Day press from around the world
Jamaica – Food prices set to rise – Tufton:

http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20071016/business/business1.html

Biofuels highlighted in Colombia :

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/biofuelwatch/message/1157

New Zealand: Food Prices Driven by Biofuels

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/biofuelwatch/message/1149

Worldwide Women’s Energy issue :: Feed People, Not Cars

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/biofuelwatch/message/1146

Biofuels and world hunger

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/biofuelwatch/message/1145

Contacts:

Andrew Boswell, Biofuelwatch , UK : T: +44-1603-613798 M: +44-7787127881 (at the protest)

E: andrew.boswell[at]yahoo.co.uk

Deepak Rughani, Biofuelwatch , UK : +44–7931-636337 (at the protest)

info@biofuelwatch.org.uk
http://www.biofuelwatch.org.uk

Burma activists ‘lock on’ to Total

16.10.2007
Three direct activists have today shut down a busy Total filling station in solidarity with the people of Burma’s nonviolent struggle for democracy.

Under a banner saying “May all beings be happy – Free Burma ” the activists have locked themselves together and begun to meditate, locking together the hoses, turning off the power and blocking the entrance to the premises in London’s Marylebone Road.

The group have targeted Total to highlight the company’s role in propping up one of the world’s most brutal dictatorships. The Burmese military rulers routinely torture prisoners, use rape as a weapon of war, and have forcibly displaced almost one million people from their land – including to make way for a 63 kilometre gas pipeline built by Total.

Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma’s pro-democracy leader, has said that “Total has become the main supporter of the Burmese military regime.” She told the French weekly Le Nouvel Observateur that “Total knew what it was doing when it invested massively in Burma while others withdrew from the market for ethical reasons”. She added, “the company must accept the consequences. The country will not always be governed by dictators.”

Matthew Herbert, one of the activists, said: “All the peoples of Burma will be free. There is no force as powerful as the nonviolent resistance of a united people, especially when the cause is as just and urgent as this. As Aung San Suu Kyi says, Total will be held accountable. Today’s action plays just one small part in that reckoning.”

A fellow activist, added: “The authority to rule comes from the people themselves, the people of Burma have had enough, they are withdrawing their consent to be controlled. This action is in solidarity with the people of Burma struggle for freedom and a message to Total to withdraw from Burma now.”

For more information contact 07796 430141

Activist Film Festival is seeking submissions

Undercurrents is calling for submissions of short videos and animations on the theme of the festival: social justice and environmental action.

Subject: Political Activist videos wanted
From: undercurrents

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS OF FILMS

FOR BEYONDTV FESTIVAL NOVEMBER 2007

What is BEYONDTV?
From November 28 to December 2, 2007, Radical media charity, Undercurrents will host the 8th annual BEYONDTV festival of political documentaries, animations and music videos from inspiring media directors.

Undercurrents is calling for submissions of short videos and animations on the theme of the festival: social justice and environmental action.

Important Note: We do not screen dramas using actors

BEYONDTV will be hosted at the Dylan Thomas Centre and Taliesin Cinema Swansea from November 28 – December 2, 2007

More details at http://www.beyondtvfestival.info
beyondtv@undercurrents.org

Undercurrents
Old Exchange
Pier st
Swansea
SA1 1RY
UK

Brighton police make early morning raid against squat.

16.10.2007
At 4am Brighton police demanded squatters leave a new squat on Franklin road. Despite resistance by 5am the squatters had been evicted by the police, who were acting unlawfully without a court order.

The police refused to acknowledge the ‘Section 6’ notice and said they were ignorant of the law, even though the group of squatters had been previously evicted by the some of the same police recently.

There was a dog unit, 4 squad cars, drugs unit, and 2 undercover/civil cars (whose registration plates were noted), as well as a senior officer who was overheard saying that he would personally not tolerate squatting in Brighton. Not really a surprise there.

3 coppers kicked the door in, whilst 8 squatters resisted their efforts. Whilst this was happening the pigs laughed and joked about going holiday outside.

When the squatters were hauled out of the building they were threatened with arrest for not paying electricity or water bills. When the cops saw that there was 8 people, they couldn’t be bothered with the paper work and just took peoples names instead.

The squatters argued with the cops for half an hour until they were threatened with detention, as the squatters left the area with the few possessions they could manage to take from the disused building which had been empty for the last 3 years, they were followed and harrassed by undercover police for about an hour.

It comes as no surprise that the police don’t follow the law, they are an armed gang protecting what they think is normal society, but it is clear that if they think kicking young homeless people out into the rain at 4am is normal, they got a lot to learn.

Right now we are not going to give up squatting, because we have no choice, but organising ourselves against the pigs, landlords and politicians is the best adventure going right now – and we sure as hell ain’t going to work for a living!

We won’t stop squatting until the pigs fly off a cliff !

Squatters Association of Brighton

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) Day of Action – protests throughout England, Scotland & Wales – from cake to locked-on polar bears

Protests in Bristol, London, Manc, Norwich, Cambridge, Sheffield, Oxford, Edinburgh, Truro, Birmingham, Glasgow, Aberystwyth, Cardiff, Bath, Bradford, St Andrews, Plymouth, Reading, Leamington Spa, Leicester & Altrincham (‘read more’ for details, photos, audio & video clips)

A group of ‘climate refugees’ blocked the vehicle entrance to the Royal Bank of Scotland’s Corporate Offices at Temple Quay to shine the spotlight on climate criminals RBS, the self-proclaimed ‘Oil and Gas’ Bank. Four people from Bristol Rising Tide for Climate Action dressed as homeless polar bears have locked themselves together and prevented all vehicles entering the RBS branch for six and a half hours.

Today’s blockade lasted six and a half hours with the last ‘climate refugee’ being finally chiseled out at 2.30pm. Four people are currently being held at Trinity police station.
The police used a dubious method of dealing with it – they lifted people and suitcases on to trolleys and then wheeled them away. This caused severe discomfort and panic for the people on the ground and at least one of them has bruising as a result.
RBS lost many hours today due to rocking up late cos of parking issues and the many employees that spent the day staring out of the windows watching the drama unfolding and taking photos on their phones (check out you tube for clips!).

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PRESS RELEASE: ‘Climate refugees’ locked up at the Oil Bank of Scotland, Bristol

A group of ‘climate refugees’ are blocking the vehicle entrance to the Royal Bank of Scotland’s Corporate Offices at Temple Quay to shine the spotlight on climate criminals RBS, the self-proclaimed ‘Oil and Gas’ Bank.

Six people from Bristol Rising Tide for Climate Action dressed as homeless polar bears have locked themselves together and are currently preventing all vehicles entering the RBS branch. This is part of a National Day of Local Action against the Royal Bank of Scotland called by those hugely concerned with the devastation to the climate, planet and people.[1]

RBS-NatWest publicly promotes itself as “The Oil & Gas Bank”. They provide the financial fuel that is accelerating climate change. Without these loans to oil and gas corporations the projects would not happen. [2]It is estimate that *in 2006, the bank provided over $10 billion to fossil fuels – more than five times that provided to renewable energy.[3]*

RBS provide oil corporations with loans to build new massively ecologically detrimental drilling rigs, pipelines and oil tankers. [4] And as RBS’s profits rise so does the carbon in the atmosphere.

Global climate change already forces more people from their homes each year than war. And as the effects worsen, one in seven people on Earth today could be forced to leave their homes over the next 50 years. [5]

A polar bear said, “I am here to let RBS know that their funnelling of cash into fossil fuel projects is making myself and millions of other animals, including humans homeless.”

Another polar bear said “If carbon dioxide molecules had corporate tags of responsibility, the atmosphere would be full of RBS logos mingling with those of BP, Exxon and Shell!”

Contact:

Bristol Rising Tide 07951789187
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Notes for Editors

[1] The day of action was called by the UK Rising Tide Network at this years Camp for Climate Action which took place next to Heathrow Airport. www.risingtide.org.uk

[2] In 2005 emissions from RBS financed oil and gas projects was about a quarter of the amount produced by all UK homes.

[3] taken from: *The Oil and Gas Bank; RBS and the financing of climate change * http://peopleandplanet.org/dl/ddd/rbs_report.pdf

[4] RBS is helping force open the carbon frontier, financing controversial projects in Nigeria, the Caucasus and Wales. Its involvement in Angolan and Nigerian oil fields encourages corruption and conflict, while gas projects from the Arabian Gulf to the Gulf of Mexico threaten environmental destruction.

[5] Figures from “Human Tide: The Real Migration Crisis,” by Christian Aid. The report calls for “urgent action by the world community” if the worst effects of this crisis are to be averted.

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

one arrest at Royal Bank of Scotland banner drop this morning in London

around a dozen activists from ‘rising tide’ highlighted royal bank of scotland’s shoddy record of investment in climate change. one clambered on the glass canopy of their city hq to unfurl a banner while others handed out more than 900 leaflets

shortly before 9am this morning police sealed off the pavement under the glass canopy in front of 280 bishopsgate, the london hq of the royal bank of scotland. an activist had clambered up with a banner proclaiming ‘the oil bank of scotland’, while a dozen others leafletted passers-by and bank workers outside the front doors.

the activists also had various banners, and one was fetchingly dressed as a polar bear.

the action lasted about an hour and a half, while police photographer steve discombe used up the battery of his long lens camera taking shots of everyone involved. luckily, police back-up arrived with another battery just as the banner man came down.

police tried to seize the banner from activists “as evidence” and after a short but comic game of ‘piggy in the middle’, they succeeded. in past cases around parliament square, it has been shown in court that if police have clear photos of the banner, under PACE they have no further right to seize the actual banner, so in effect they stole it this morning (as they often do!).

the banner man was arrested for ‘causing a public nuisance’ and it is believed he was taken to bethnal green police station.

activists were highlighting the fact that RBS-NatWest have in the last five years funded 655 million tonnes of emissions) which is more than the UK’s entire annual emissions. the bank has launched ‘aviation capital’ to help put more planes in the sky, and it has pumped over $10billion into the oil and gas industry, funding rigs, tankers and pipelines.

there is a further protest planned outside the bank at 5pm today

20071015_RBS_WMV – video/x-ms-wmv 15M

20071015_RBS_QT – video/quicktime 13M
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London pranks: ‘This Company is Out of Order’ signs left on 15 RBS and Natwest cash machines in central London. Pranksters do invisible theatre in branches, trying to open accounts, having arguments about RBS’ unethical policies in the queues, and leaving piles of anti-RBS leaflets amongst their corporate propaganda. They then go underground for some ‘Tube Education’, leafleting and talking to Tube passengers.

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National climate protests against Royal Bank of Scotland, ‘The Oil and Gas Bank’

15 October 2007
For immediate release, for photographs contact Mike J Wells 07799152888

POLAR BEAR PINS BLAME ON RBS DOOR

Climate Change direct action group London Rising Tide and friends, this morning occupied the headquarters of the Royal Bank of Scotland to expose their role in Climate Chaos. This was one of many actions happening across the UK today as part of a UK Rising Tide call out for a National day of action against RBS.

Activists dropped a banner reading “RBS profits, climate cops it” from the balcony, while others held placards on the street in front of the building on Bishopsgate.

A polar bear, currently sleeping rough since the artic ice became history, also attended to ask “why are RBS still investing in fossil fuel projects like ‘gas pipelines’ in Wales and ‘Tar sands strip mining’ in what was Canadian Arboreal Forest?”

The Bear said “Banks like RBS are the hidden drivers of climate change by offering loans to fossil fuel projects that otherwise the World Bank would not support”.

RBS calls itself the ‘Oil and Gas Bank’, and is the primary UK funder of fossil fuel extraction. RBS provides oil companies with the capital to build and operate drilling rigs, pipelines and oil tankers in some of the most sensitive and unstable places in the world. Through Aviation Capital, RBS financing allows airlines to expand their fleets and put more planes into the skies.

The thirty oil and gas finance deals RBS signed between 2001 and 2006 will create 655 million tonnes of carbon emissions over the next 15 years, which is more than the UK’s entire annual emissions. (2)

‘Banks like RBS who profit handsomely from climate-destroying projects have stood in the shadows for too long, but they are as guilty as the oil companies. If carbon dioxide molecules had corporate tags of responsibility, the atmosphere would be full of RBS logos mingling with those of BP, Exxon and Shell’, said Martin Redfern, from London.

For interviews from the protest call 075 1311 9047

For more details visit
. www.risingtide.org.uk
. http://www.carbonweb.org/showitem.asp?article=268&parent=267
(www.platform.org.uk)
. www.londonrisingtide.org.uk
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ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND….THE ‘OIL AND GAS BANK’

Manchester Climate Action targeted the RBS headquarters on Deansgate, Manchester, as part of a national day of action called by the Rising Tide network.

Local groups which formed to mobilise for this year’s Camp for Climate Action, have this morning taken action against RBS, a major backer of the aviation industry and the world’s self-described ‘Oil and Gas Bank’.

Banners were displayed reading: ‘Climate Change: RBS Makes It Happen’ and ‘No Pipeline! Green Energy Not Gas’. Protesters were greeted by 3 Tactical Aid Unit Vans and security guards, but despite police attempts to stop noise under the public order act, the samba band played and flyers were given out to workers, customers and passers by.

RBS employs some 5,000 staff in the Greater Manchester area and is the 2nd largest private employer in the area.

RBS provides oil companies with the cash to build and operate drilling rigs, pipelines and oil tankers. RBS also profits through the aviation industry. From the Niger Delta to the Arctic, RBS loans play a key role in
forcing open the new carbon frontier, which contributes to environmental destruction,disruption of indigenous peoples and increased conflict across the planet.

RBS is the second-largest bank in Europe and has global assets of over $1120 billion, including UK brands NatWest, Direct Line and Churchill Insurance. Despite creating a heavily green washed public image through
sponsorship of sports and the arts, RBS activities have major destructive impacts on the environment and society. The thirty oil and gas finance deals RBS signed between 2001 and 2006 locked us all into 655 million
tonnes of emissions over the next 15 years, more than the UK’s entire annual emissions.

Manchester Climate Action meet regularly, for more information email:
manchester@climatecamp.org.uk. Next meeting is Tuesday 16th, 6pm, Eighth Day café, Oxford Rd (near Manchester Metropolitan University, opposite All Saints Park.)

radio report of rbs protest – mp3 2.2M
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Triple whammy for RBS in Norwich

Last night, the doors of the RBS-Natwest Group Technology office on Exchange Street and the main RBS branch on Queen Street were locked shut. When staff showed up for work this morning at the Queen Street branch they found themselves locked out, and gathered opposite the branch to see what would happen. Soon after, 6 activists from Norwich Rising Tide turned up with leaflets and banners reading ‘RBS: Financing Climate Change’ and ‘Closed for a Total Re-think’. The d-lock proved to be a good one, and the bank was delayed from opening for business for over an hour. Rising Tiders handed out leaflets and chatted to the waiting staff and customers, with the usual mixed response. Passers-by were generally supportive, and the police showed up only at the very end, once the bank had re-opened and we were running low on leaflets. After our 500-strong leaflet stash had been exhausted, we decided to call it a morning.

norwich@risingtide.org.uk
http://www.risingtide.org.uk

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Cambridge RBS action

At lunchtime on Monday 15 October, around ten activists assembled outside the Royal Bank of Scotland branch on Trinity Street, Cambridge, as part of the national day of action against the UK’s main bankroller of carbon emitters. The protesters put up placards next to the ATM, handed out leaflets, and engaged passers-by and customers in discussion.

Four police officers were also in attendance, one taking pictures of all the leafletters. A number of people who happened to be passing by wanted to know the reason for this. Among these were an American woman who got quite stroppy with the officers, and a young guy who wanted to have picture taken with one of the protesters (the police dutifully obliged). Although the police came across all friendly, they did play their usual intimidation tactics of dropping details of protesters into the conversation that they could only have lifted from FIT files. On the flipside, they asked for the placards to be moved away from the ATM, as “customers might feel intimidated.”

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Royal Bank of Scotland Targeted for Investing in Climate Change

A group of activists leafletted the Royal Bank of Scotland in Broomhill, Sheffield as part of a National Day of Action. Over 20 actions have taken place all around the country including banks being locked up in Norwich and polar bears blockading in Bristol. This is all part of a campaign against the Royal Bank of Scotland which invests heavily in oil and gas, which is accelerating climate change.

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Quick Update on Today’s Oxford RBS Actions

Oxford climate activists targeted a branches of both the Royal Bank of Scotland and NatWest as part of the today’s National Day of Action. With banners and oil-spattered T-Shirts declaring “RBS Group – Funding Climate Change”, “Dirty Bankers – Shafting The Planet”, and “The Oil Bank Of Scotland”, they caused a stir in Oxford’s busiest shopping precinct and distributed hundreds of leaflets to interested customers and passers-by.

Activists also entered both branches with a large oil pipeline, explaining to customers and staff that they were delivering it to the branch, but couldn’t leave until they’d spoken to Head Office to confirm that it had arrived safely. They stayed in each branch cheerfully (and loudly) reminiscing with staff and customers about all the other pipelines and fossil fuel projects the bank was funding, and how much climate change they were causing, until removed by the police. In the NatWest branch, they also managed to get a call put through to Head Office and asked them why RBS were funding so many climate-trashing projects (they didn’t get any decent answers though).

No-one was arrested, although one protester had to give their name and address under Section 50 of the Police Reform Act for “anti-social behaviour” (they were apparently causing “alarm and distress” by standing in a bank, talking about climate change and holding a cardboard oil pipe).

Oxford Climate Action meet on Mondays at the Oxford Action Resource Centre (OARC – www.theoarc.org.uk). To get involved, contact oxford@climatecamp.org.uk – new members always welcome!

Link to video of Action

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Students from Edinburgh University protested outside RBS’s Central Branch in Edinburgh as part of Rising Tide’s national day of action against RBS’s funding of oil and gas extraction.

Students from Edinburgh University People & Planet group stepped up their campaign against the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) this morning. Alongside other People & Planet groups in Scotland, and campaigners from Rising Tide, they took part in a national ‘day of action’ targeting the Edinburgh-based bank.

The protests aim to highlight RBS’s role as one of the world’s largest funders of climate-wrecking oil and gas extraction. Emissions resulting from RBS-supported projects around the globe are greater than those of the whole of Scotland.

Campaigners gave out information to customers, held banners, and waved oil covered hands outside RBS’s central branch in St. Andrew’s Square.

People & Planet recently worked with climate change experts PLATFORM to write a report into RBS (2). The report draws attention to the bank’s crucial role in supporting the global oil and gas extraction industry, where it publicly markets itself as ‘the oil and gas bank’.

Sarah Holliday, a member of Edinburgh People & Planet said:

“RBS call themselves ‘the oil and gas bank’. They provide huge amounts of advice and funding for new oil extraction. Their fossil fuels projects worldwide will lock us in to emissions for decades to come – making a low carbon economy impossible. They are the UK’s main financial drivers of climate change.”

The campaign is a part of the People & Planet national campaign, “Ditch Dirty Development”, which is also calling on the Department for International Development to stop using aid money to fund fossil fuel projects (3).

More photos can be found here.

1) People & Planet is the UK’s largest student campaigning network. It campaigns on world poverty, human rights and the environment: www.peopleandplanet.org http://pandp.eusa.ed.ac.uk

2) The report, entitled ‘The Oil and Gas Bank’, can be found here

3)“Ditch Dirty Development” campaign website
“Oil Bank of Scotland” campaign website

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Also in Edinburgh: The locks of the main entrances to at least six Edinburgh RBS branches were glued shut last night, and all of them had to have the locks replaced today.

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2 branches in edinburgh were given ‘pollution awards’ – along with various other posters about RBS policy. unfortunatly the police drove by while one branch was just being finished off, and took the still wet posters off. 🙁 – next time…

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Truro demo at RBS branch: Twelve activists from across Cornwall gathered at the RBS branch in Truro for a two-hour demo with a friendly atmosphere and good response from passers-by. They handed out leaflets and slices of cake from a clock-shaped ‘11th hour’ cake, and made new connections that built the foundations of a climate action group for Cornwall.

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Birmingham Uni flood campus NatWest: Over thirty students from Birmingham People and Planet descended upon the Natwest branch on campus. Some were dressed in boiler suits and carried oil pipelines. Others, dressed as bankers and impersonating members of the RBS Oil and Gas Team gave a highly sarcastic presentation extolling the virtues of RBS’ oil and gas investments. Oil pipes and boiler suits. Dressed as bankers. Went in and gave mock presentation, impersonated oil and gas team. Extolled virtues of RBS. 20 minutes. Did presentation again a few more times on campus. 30 people. Couldn’t all fit in. Birmingham People and Planet.

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Glasgow Treacle Tart Cabaret: After a half hour discussion with the central Glasgow RBS branch manager in which they expressed their anger about RBS’ investment in oil and gas, two intrepid activists left the branch, only to make a quick costume change and return as the hosts of the Treacle Tart Cabaret. They sang, danced, waved banners and placards, got up on the cashiers’ desks and strutted their stuff, and even performed an Oil Rap. At this point the bank decided to lock its doors, locking the Tarts in and customers out, and effectively shutting the bank down for an hour. Inside the atmosphere was positive, with the locked-in staff and customers getting into the swing of things. One of the Tarts capped off the performance by cutting up her RBS debit card as a magic trick.

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Around a dozen climate change refugees queued outside Nat West Bank in Aberystwyth today, Monday 15th October, to beg a ‘bank official’ for a home loan because climate change was destroying their current home. The refugees ranged from an Aussie through a Greenlander to an Artic Cod. As the refugees were interviewed, volunteers handed out fliers on Royal Bank of Scotland , Nat West and their investment in projects linked to climate change. Meanwhile, RBS and Nat West ATMs all mysteriously displayed signs reading ‘OUT OF ORDER’ in large letters. On close inspection with a magnifying glass, the very small print read ‘RBS and Nat West investment policy’. The possible effects of climate change on a number of countries were mapped on the pavement with chalk – disturbing before and after snapshots. As the refugees were all turned down for home loans, they carried a protest banner into the bank. Unfortunately, being weakened by loosing their homes, the refugees dropped the banner and, being weighted down with helium balloons, it drifted up and displayed itself from the ceiling for a good half an hour before staff managed to get it down.

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The main cardiff branch RBS on st Mary’s Street was closed 3 hours after 20 activists entered the building causing distruption. Hundreds of leaflets were handed out and banners displayed outside. The process was repeated at Natwest afterwards.

Lots of Police were in attendance including intelligence gatherers. Photos to follow.

cardiffanarchists@riseup.net
http://southwalesanarchists.org

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Don’t Bank On Oil In Bath

As part of today’s national day of action against the Royal Bank of Scotland, 7 activists from Bath Activist Network picketed the RBS branch on Quiet Street in Bath, for two hours over lunch time. Banner on display, customers and passers-by were leafleted with mock-up imitation RBS literature and invitations to ‘Open an oil rig today!’, informing the public about the Terms and Consequences of banking with RBS, their dodgy investment record in fossil fuel extraction and aviation industries, and the 160,000 estimated global deaths a year due to the effects of climate change. Whilst staff and police complained about the seemingly out-of-order ATM outside their door, we listened to stories of customers’ poor treatment by their bank, and also helped at least the one student find more ethical options for his new account. Also bemusing were the members of public who mistook the business-suited activists for bank employees, and chatted about the service.

bathactivistnet@yahoo.co.uk
http://myspace.com/bathactivistnetwork

To read PLATFORM’s report on Royal bank of Scotland, go here: http://peopleandplanet.org/dl/ddd/rbs_report.pdf
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Bradford students leaflet campus Natwest

Students from the university of Bradford People & Planet group leafleted at the Natwest branch on campus. That’s all the details I know, hopefully more details to follow.

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St Andrews Uni P&P also did some protest performance art – ‘attempting’ to open accounts in the town, etc.

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Plymouth – after a procession along North Hill Street, a group of people held a four-hour demo at the RBS branch near Drake Circus, complete with music and drumming. A good response from passers-by, with lots of customers asking directly for leaflets.

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Reading Rising Tide held a demo at the Reading RBS branch.

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A group of 5 held a demo in Leamington.

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Cash-points were stickered with anti-RBS stickers in Leicester.

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Leaflets were stuck on lamp-posts in Altrincham.

Last week’s direct action news from Greece

direct action report 7-15 October
DIRECT ACTION NEWS FROM GREECE – http://directactiongr.blogspot.com

This blog is an attemp to cover, publicise and translate all known direct action news (mostly concerning Greece but also near countries as well), apart from the mass media mediation, providing an open database on sabotage-vandalism-rioting and other fine popular arts that blossom throughout the ruins of our post-industrial society. It came as a personal response to a wider need for all direct action to have its own proper spaces, in order to speak for itself, spaces available to anyone that cares. So, i am willing to publish all communiques and comments concerning the actions found here. There will not be published here actions claimed by any formal organisations or parties. These gentlemen can -at least- afford their own image-making. You are welcome to send your own reports to directactiongr@yahoo.gr

direct action report 7-15 October
DIRECT ACTION NEWS FROM GREECE – http://directactiongr.blogspot.com

http://directactiongr.blogspot.com/search/label/english

LAST WEEK’S NEWS…

15 surveillance cameras destroyed, Polytechnical School (Athens, 15/10/2007)
Source & leaflet text (greek only): athens.indymedia.org

Today at 3 o’clock people from the self-managed infoshop of the polytechnical school and other companions, broke down 15 surveillance cameras around the school’s library and destroyed the monitors and the whole control room.

A leaflet explaining the reasons of this action circulated last days as well as during the action, slogans against surveillance and social control were spray-painted and two banners were hanged on the library area.

***

Arson at Ethniki Bank and ruling party’s offices (Thessaloniki, 15/10/2007)
Source (greek only): http://www.kathimerini.gr/4dcgi/_w_articles_kathremote_1_15/10/2007_207901

A double arson attack was realised around 3:10 in the morning, when a subsidiary of Ethniki Bank on Leontos Sofou Str. in the city center and the local offices of Nea Dimokratia (the greek ruling party) were made targets of gas-canister bombings.

***

Deputy education minister’s office attacked (Athens, 14/10/2007)
Source: http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100021_15/10/2007_88953

Unidentified persons left a incendiary device with gas canisters that exploded in front of mr. Lykourentzos office, on the second floor of an appartements block at Solonos Str. in central Athens.

Another resident of the block found the device and called the police, but in his effort to extinguish the fire that burnst out, he got some minor burns himself.

***

Municipal Police offices attacked (Athens 12/10/2007)
Source (greek only): http://news.antenna.gr/articleDetail/0,3091,167424,00.html

Some 15 persons wearing hoods attacked the offices of the municipal police in Paleo Faliro, Athens, late Saturday night. They threw stones and caused minor damages to the offices entrance.

Note: Two anarchists are being detained for an alleged arson against a municipal police car in Faliro, Chrissostomos Kontorevithakis and Marios Tsourapas, (for more information: http://www.geocities.com/anarcores/faliro3)

***

Two banks burnt up (Athens, 12/10/2007)
Source (greek only): http://news.pathfinder.gr/greece/news/434581.html – http://www.ethnos.gr/article.asp?catid=5592&subid=2&pubid=48619

A little before 22:00 around 20 persons wearing hoods attacked two banks (one “Ethniki” and one “Agrotiki” bank) in Ilisia area in Athens. They broke the glass windows and threw molotov cocktails inside the banks. They all managed to escape police forces and run to the Zografou university area.

Later on, the police arrested eight persons but left them free because they found no evidence, except from one of them that carried a wooden glob and will be prosecuted.

***

OTE telecommunications office firebombed (Athens, 10/10/2007)
Source (greek only): http://www.naftemporiki.gr/news/static/07/10/10/1423317.htm

A few minutes before 6:00 a group of about ten unknown persons attacked the offices of OTE telecommunications company in Exarcheia, Athens.

***

Sports Museum under attack (Thessaloniki, 07/10/2007)
Source (greek only): http://www.kathimerini.gr/4dcgi/_w_articles_kathremote_0_07/10/2007_206771

According to the newspaper’s report, a small group of unidentified persons, a few minutes before 3:00, hurled molotov cocktails at the entrance of the Sports Museum, located near the Aristotle University. The fire caused minor damages and was extinguished by the museum’s guards. The group left the area when the police arrived.

***

Demonstrators mess up “anti”terrorist convention (Volos, 07/10/2007)
Source (greek only): Athens Indymedia

After a solidarity to the immigrants march, demonstrators invaded a convention held at the Thessalia University, during the criminologist Mairy Bossi’s speach.

Mairy Bossi has been the scientific consultant of the ministry of public order, she was as well willing to lead a “study of the social characteristics” of the 529 arrestees of the technical school’s occupation in Athens, 1995, and she has also been a witness of accusation at the so-called ELA (people’s revolutionary struggle) jury, etc.
Her speach was interrupted and she was forced to leave the room, when people threw coffees and snacks from the buffet at her.

The night before there was also an attack against the immigrants concentration centre in Volos.

http://directactiongr.blogspot.com/search/label/english

Samhain bagpipe gathering at Tara, plus action days 31st October -5th November

Samhain Bagpipe Gathering
Feis-Teamhrach (The Great Feast of Tara)

Come celebrate the Celtic New Year at Tara

Samhain Bagpipe Gathering
Feis-Teamhrach (The Great Feast of Tara)

Come celebrate the Celtic New Year at Tara
Hill of Tara, near Navan, co Meath, Ireland.

Relighting the Ancient Beacon fires & Samhain Shindig

Bring your feasting food that you want to eat and share

Wed Oct 31st Lighting Taras 7 Beacons And Feast
Thurs 1st/Fri 2nd Nov DAYS OF ACTION
Sat Nov 3rd Fire, Music and Banquet
Mon 5th (and every Mon) direct action Route walk.

Vigil camp 00353 861 758557 Action camp 00353 861 537146

Calling all musicians, bards, performers & poets
Bring your flutes, whistles, drums and voices to the Halls of Tara. Big call out to all
BAGPIPE players to gather on the Wed and Sat.
Calling all People to join in the Defense of TARA
Act now to preserve this world heritage site!

Fliers/posters to download at www.tarapixie.net

For directions to Tara check the websites below
www.savetara.com www.tarawatch.org
www.tarapixie.net

SAVE IRELAND’S TARA VALLEY!