earthfirst – Page 278

Scotland’s first SOCRAP charges – 6 arrested inside Faslane high security area

Faslane Naval Base, Scotland, September 4, 2007, 06.30 a.m.
Police say 3 women have been arrested inside the high security fences at the Trident nuclear submarine base after entering the base to get further information on the weapons of mass destruction deployed by the UK government in contravention of Scottish and International Law. According to the police, the women, who were acting to uphold the law, are being charged under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act, which is increasingly being used to prevent peaceful protests at sensitive sites, including Britain’s nuclear bases.

Lavinia Crossley, Tansy Newman Turner and Emma Bateman, all part of a group calling themselves the ‘Faslane 365 Serious Organised Crime Investigation and Prevention Team’, went into the base to find evidence on the rules of engagement, policies and procedures for the deployment, targeting and use of nuclear weapons and to discover what information is provided to personnel about the legal, safety and security implications of their work on Trident. Their action kicks off the last month of the Faslane 365 year-long blockade, in which almost 1000 people from all over the world have been arrested.

In carrying the nonviolent resistance to the illegal deployment and renewal of Trident into the submarine base itself, the women took this action because they consider that the deployment of Trident constitutes preparation for a war crime. This violation of Scottish and international law is compounded by the UK Government’s policies of deployment, constituting an ever-present threat to use Trident. The women’s action was against both the current deployment and the government’s stated intention to replace the current Trident-carrying Vanguard-class submarines with new ballistic missile submarines, in breach of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), of which Britain is a Party.

“Nuclear weapons are immoral and illegal,” said Lavinia Crossley (22) from Bradford. “I feel I have to act because if I do not, who will? The Government continues to cover up the illegality of these weapons and instead pretend that we are the criminals.”

Emma Bateman (40), from Leicester, said, “It is ridiculous to threaten Iran with sanctions for possibly wanting nuclear weapons when we have actual WMD here and ready to be used.”

Tansy Newman Turner (21), also from Leicester, said, “Nuclear weapons are not much use against terrorism and this legislation is an admission that Faslane is a target for terrorists, thus putting us in more danger. Nuclear weapons pose a threat and danger to us, not a protection or deterrent.”

The “Faslane 365 Blockade” started on October 1, 2006. Thousands have participated and more than 930 people have been arrested. On October 1st there will be a celebratory “Big Blockade’ involving all the blockading groups that have participated throughout the year.

See www.faslane365.org for photographs and further information.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

At 11.00a.m. today, 3 more peace protesters breached security at the North gate of the Faslane nuclear submarine base, entering on bicycles. This second team from the ‘Faslane 365 Serious Organised Crime Investigation and Prevention Team’ follows the earlier arrest of 3 women inside the base. It is understood that they are being charged under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act (SOCPA). The total number of Scottish SOCRAP arrests is now 6.

Like the 3 earlier Faslane 365 activists, arrested at around 4.30 a.m. this morning after climbing the high security fences, Janet Fenton, Angie Zelter and Wolf Konowski entered the Faslane base to find evidence on the rules of engagement, policies and procedures for the deployment, targeting and use of nuclear weapons and to discover what information is provided to personnel about the legal, safety and security implications of their work on Trident.

Janet Fenton (60) from Edinburgh said, “The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act does not have backing in Scotland. It is there to stop people exposing the real law-breaking of the UK Government. The deployment of Trident is illegal according to the World Court.”

Angie Zelter (56) from Norfolk said, “The law must not be used to protect illegalities. SOCAP is political legislation that makes it a criminal offence for protesters to go into Faslane when it is our legal, civil and moral duty to uphold the law by exposing and preventing preparations for mass murder.”

Wolf Konowski (43) from Germany, added, “For evil to triumph it is only necessary for good people to do nothing.”

Note for editors:
The “Faslane 365 Blockade” started on October 1, 2006. Thousands have participated and more than 930 people have been arrested. On October 1st there will be a celebratory “Big Blockade’ involving all the blockading groups that have participated throughout the year.

The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act (SOCAP) became law in 2005, and amended by the Terrorism Act 2006. Under the rubric of defending against terrorism, SOCAP makes it a criminal offence to “trespass” on certain areas of land, including military facilities, such as the Trident nuclear weapons base at Faslane

The United Kingdom currently deploys up to 200 nuclear warheads on US Trident missiles, carried on nuclear submarines based at the Faslane Naval Base in Scotland. The majority of warheads are 100 kilotonnes, which is more than 8 times bigger than the bombs used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. The UK is facing a highly controversial decision on whether to get the next generation of Trident nuclear weapons or move towards genuine nuclear disarmament, as required under the 1970 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and subsequent international agreements, as specified by the International Court of Justice in 1996. Recent opinion polls show that 80 percent of people living in Scotland (and 55 percent in the UK as a whole) are opposed to nuclear weapons and want Trident to be cancelled. On June 14, the Scottish Parliament voted against Trident by 71 votes to 16 (with 39 abstentions).

See www.faslane365.org for photographs and further information.

CONTACT Rebecca Johnson: 077333 60955
www.faslane365.org

2 coal actions in Australia

Australia: Coal Power Station shut down in APEC climate protest
3.09.2007

Activists have shut down power generation at the Loy Yang power station in Gippsland’s Latrobe Valley in Victoria on Monday morning for five hours, as a protest against inaction on climate change by the Australian Government of John Howard, and policies that maintain the coal power industry and its contribution to climate change at the expense of developing renewable energy production. The action was undertaken to send a message to APEC leaders to take real action on Climate Change and the Kyoto protocol.

At least four activists from Real Action on Climate Change entered the power station at 5am and locked themselves on to a coal conveyor and an overburden conveyor belt, forcing the shutdown of the 600 megawatt generator, halving production from Victoria’s biggest coal fired power station that supplies 30% of the states power, the dirtiest power supply in the developed world.

Another power unit at Loy Yang is out for maintenance and today’s forced shutdown has dropped power output to half. The electricity price in Victoria has risen to $63 because of the action and is expected to cost the operators thousands of dollars in lost production.

Spokeperson Michaela Stubbs said the action was intended to send a message to APEC leaders meeting in Sydney this week.

“We’re already seeing the effects of climate change and it’s our generation and future generations that are going to be dealing with the long term consequences of climate change,” she said in an ABC news report. “We need to see real action now, through the Kyoto process.”

The Group say they are making a stand for all Australians to protect our community against the dangers of climate change. The group says the APEC meeting is being used to further the lies and deciet being spread by Prime Minister Howard in regards to the Climate Change issue and his continuing efforts to undermine the Kyoto Protocol. A group spokesperson said that Climate Change ends with leaving coal in the ground.

“We need real action on climate change to stop our reliance on polluting forms of energy such as coal and move towards a renewable energy future.” said spokesperson Michaela Stubbs. “Real action on climate change is about people power not coal power” said Michaela Stubbs.

Police Search and Rescue squad were forced to cut the activists free from the conveyor belts, and they have been taken to Traralgon police station in the La Trobe Valley.

Sources:

* Beyond Zero Emissions Media Release Sept 3, 207 – Protesters block coal supply to Loy Yang Power station
* Scoop Sept 3, 2007 – Real Action: People Power, Not Coal Power
* ABC online, Sept 3, 2007 – Climate protest shuts down power station
* ABC online, Sept 3, 2007 – Michaela Stubbs on ABC Radio 774 (MP3)
* Blog, Sept 3, 2007 – Real Action on Climate Change for account of action and photos
* Climate IMC, 3 Sept 2007 This is real action on climate change

Repost of original story from Sydney Indymedia:
http://sydney.indymedia.org.au/story/apec-climate-change-protest-shuts-down-victorian-coal-power-station

Video: www.engagemedia.org/Members/raocc/videos/loyyang.ogg/view

APEC videos/vodcast: engagemedia.org/apec
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Australia: Greenpeace activists stage APEC coal protest
2.09.2007

Twelve Greenpeace activists have been arrested at the world’s biggest coal port at Newcastle, 160km north of Sydney, after painting the message “Australia Pushing Export Coal” on the side of a coal ship, The Endeavour, and unfurling a large banner in Chinese calling on China to be cautious of John Howard and George Bush’s attempts to sabotage Kyoto. The protest comes at the start of the 2007 APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) forum meeting being hosted by Australian Prime Minister John Howard in Sydney 2-9 September 2007, and being attended by USA President George Bush, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Hu Jintao and other Pacific rim leaders.

The protest was enacted at dawn on Sunday September 2 to highlight the Australian Government’s real APEC agenda: to protect Australia’s coal export industry by undermining the Kyoto Protocol. The message was painted in two metre high letters to highlight to the world that Australia’s addiction to coal is behind its spoiler role in international negotiations on climate change. According to Greenpeace, the message exposes the Howard Government’s real APEC agenda: to protect Australia’s coal export industry by undermining the Kyoto Protocol.

“Australia’s climate policy is to ‘Push Export Coal’ and to hell with the consequences for the planet,” said Ben Pearson, Greenpeace energy campaigner.

“Real action on climate change means moving away from coal and shifting to clean, renewable energy – and we don’t have the luxury of time for expensive talkfests that have no concrete outcomes. Like any dealer protecting its patch, Australia’s government under John Howard is blatantly ignoring global efforts to extend and strengthen Kyoto, the only internationally binding agreement to deal with climate change – and pushing instead a hopelessly vague distraction through APEC.”

More than four million tonnes of coal will be exported from Newcastle during APEC, resulting in over 11 million tonnes of CO2 emissions – equivalent to the annual emissions from 800,000 average Australian households, according to Greenpeace. Factoring in the costs of climate change impacts, as detailed in the Stern Review, Australia’s coal exports will result in more than $1.2 billion of damage during the APEC week alone, and $64 billion annually, Greenpeace calculated.

Newcastle, already the world’s largest coal port, is set for a major expansion to double its capacity for exporting coal.

“At a time when we need to see deep reductions in greenhouse gases, Australia is not only refusing to act, but is also increasing the greenhouse pollution it exports to the rest of the world. Australia’s climate policy is to protect coal exports at the expense of the climate rather than make the switch to renewable energy and improved energy efficiency measures we know we need to make.” explained Ben Pearson, Greenpeace Australia energy campaigner.

Under a new police powers Act protesters arrested durng the summit week will have a presumption against bail. Police from Sydney travelled to Newcastle to discuss charges against the Greenpeace activists, but no action was taken under the APEC Meeting (Police Powers) Act 2007. Eleven activists were charged with malicious damage and a twelfth with dangerous navigation: all were released on bail later in the day.

The APEC Meeting (Police Powers) Act 2007 came into force on August 30 and remain valid to September 12, 2007. It includes a list of people the police can exclude from the city centre, plus expanded powers of stop, search and detention, and confiscation of items from people. APEC signals the rise of military urbanism in Australia.

NSW Police Minister David Campbell has said that antiwar demonstrators and anyone else considered “suspicious” will be arrested and detained without bail for the duration of the September 6-9 summit. People on the ‘excluded list’ will be denied access to restricted zones, without any recourse or avenue of appeal. The Daily Telegraph has already published a list of 29 people with their photos allegedly on this list. The measures in this Act amount to a new form of detention without trial, and constitute a direct attack on freedom of political expression and movement, aimed at outlawing dissent and stifling opposition to the APEC meeting.

Much of the northern CBD of Sydney will be contained by a nine foot high concrete and wire security fence, dubbed unofficially the Great Wall of APEC.

The coal ship, The Endeavour, sailed out of Newcastle at 11.30am Sunday local time, with the painted message already removed.

Sources:

* Greenpeace Australia Media Release Sept 2, 2007 – Howard’s real APEC agenda spelled out in coal protest
* Daily Telegraph Sept 2, 2007 – APEC arrests begin with Greenpeace protest
* Sydney Morning Herald August 30, 2007 – Police get special APEC powers
* WSWS.org May 21, 2007 – Australia: Police-state measures for APEC summit in Sydney

Original story at Sydney Indymedia:
http://sydney.indymedia.org.au/story/newcastle%3A-greenpeace-activists-arrested-apec-coal-protest

Grand Opening Week At Liverpool’s Next To Nowhere – 15th-23rd

We open with a week of events from 15th September to 23rd September (flyer), and from then on will be available to book for meetings and events. If you have a meeting or event that you would like to put on why not book the centre?

Generic media General Flyer – application/pdf 1.3M

Calendar of Coming Events and Meetings (click header to return to homepage)

Past Events
Grand Opening Week

(flyer)

Saturday 15th September – 7pm till late
Opening night gig and party
Come celebrate in grand style with a night of live music and great DJs. Donation on the door with all proceeds going to the running costs of the centre.

Sunday 16th September – 7pm – 10pm
Oaxaca Info Night
Mexican speaker from Indymedia Oaxaca. Update on the uprising, police repression & protests in Oaxaca, Mexico. (flyer)

Tuesday 18th September – 7.30pm – 10pm
Conspiracy Evening
From 9-11 and JFK to the Masons and the New World Order – why are there so many conspiracy theories and what should we do with them?

Wednesday 19th September – 7.30pm – 9pm
Indymedia Info Night
The Liverpool Indymedia team present films and discussion introducing Indymedia and letting you know how to get the best out of the site.

Thursday 20th September – 7.30pm – 10pm
Introduction to Anarchism
Merseyside Anarchist Group presents speakers and discussion on the politics and history of anarchism. With speakers from the Anarchist Federation. (flyer)

Friday 21st September – 7.30pm – 10pm
The Boy Who Dropped an Egg on the World – A Play
Jack’s Hard Rub theatre company present writer/director Julian Bond’s powerful anti-war production.

Saturday 22nd September – 7.30pm till late
School Students Against War – Benefit Night
Live music and DJs, good company and dancing to benefit School Students Against War.

Sunday 23rd September – 7pm – 11pm
Free Screen – Film Night
The first of our regular film nights. Showing Osama – an Afghan film about life under the Taliban and Walkout – a drama based on anti racist school struggles in 60s LA.

Next To Nowhere
http://www.liverpoolsocialcentre.org/

Yorkshire Forward taught something about flooding by local people

3rd September – Yorkshire Forward, the Regional Development Agency which has become famous for starving grass-roots community intiatives of funds whilst giving millions to big business, held an outrageous “Flood Summit” at Finninley airport today. Local people visited with pop-up tents and banners, including one which read “flying costs the earth”. The intention was to leaflet the conference’s participants and hold alternative workshops highlighting the link between aviation growth and worsening climate change.

The conference was intended as a blatant pat on the back for Yorkshire Forward’s response to the recent floods. The choice of venue, Finningley “Robin Hood” airport near Doncaster, show just how out of touch with reality these half-wits are. Finningley is already a major contributor to climate change, and also the recipient of over £5 million of Yorkshire Forward money for a new “Air Academy”. Their support for this criminal organisation is likely to get much bigger – they want to put around £20 million into a new access road!

The stated aim of the summit was billed as a chance “for Yorkshire Forward to learn lessons from the floods” and it was attended by prominent climate criminals including John Hutton, Secretary of State for Business and Steven Timms, Minister for Competitiveness. The campers message was clear; these blinkered morons are badly missing the point – concentrating solely on emergency responses, rather than on the policy changes needed to prevent climate change, is already having devastating effects on Yorkshire!

The lessons from the Yorkshire flooding are clear – emissions from aviation must be included in the climate bill and tax breaks and public subsidies given to the criminal airport industry must cease.

The police, as usual, showed that they are enthusiastic supporters of climate crime, and there were three arrests – two for leafleting and one for breaking bail conditions that only apply to Heathrow! Maybe to a constable, all airports look the same?

legal update – The two people arrested for leafleting have yet to be charged, but have been released on bail. The police’s decision to arrest people for aggravated trespass when their only “crime” was quietly leafleting the participants of a meeting is clear evidence that they are happy to act as the political enforcers for the rich and powerful as they fly us all to oblivion in the name of profit. The person arrested for breaching bail conditions was released without charge when a plod with a brain was finally found and the actual conditions looked at rather than guessed at.

Despite loss of liberty, the action was well worth it, taking up much of the publicity for the event with the truth about climate change, rather than the planned establishment lies.

As the final act of political repression, the participants were told, on camera, by a police inspector, that if they ever crossed a particular roundabout again they would be arrested for aggravated trespass!

The police state is here.

2007: indigenous resistance to Shell in BC, Anti-Canada Day, & ‘In Support of Sabotage’

Methane dispute reignites in B.C.
August 22, 2007

A group of protesters, including members of the Tahltan and Iskut Indian bands, blocked a road in northwestern British Columbia yesterday, preventing Royal Dutch Shell PLC crews from heading into a contested region to do road repair work and reigniting a debate over coal bed methane exploration in the area.
…
Opponents says coal bed methane projects could pollute surface and ground water, threaten fish and wildlife habitat, and disrupt a remote wilderness landscape. Coal bed methane is natural gas found in coal seams. B.C. currently does not have any coal bed methane production, but the province has voiced support for coal bed gas development.
…
In 2005, 13 people were arrested at a blockade at the same site that targeted Fortune Minerals Ltd., an Ontario-based company that has a coal project in the region.

—-

Anti-Canada Day in Vancouver
INDIGENOUS DAY OF ACTION AND RESISTANCE

On July 1st 2007, over 200 Indigenous women, children, Elders and men (and non-native supporters) took the streets and the train tracks on a march and blockade to mark their resistance to Canada as an oppressive force against their people. The march began at Grandview Park and proceeded down Commercial Drive to Venables Street where the CN rail lines were occupied and blocked for over an hour.

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Guelph, Ontario: In support of sabotage, not the AFN

[Contributed anonymously to news.infoshop.org]

June 29th: Today a rail blockade was set up in Guelph Ontario, but it failed. This was due to a number of complications, either way no trains were stopped.

Nevertheless, this is the kind of disruption that we strive to create every day, regardless of whether it has been called for by sellout collaborators, individuals or simply for our own joy.

We want to make it clear that we do not support the AFN; the ends that they seek through bargaining with the government, that is responsible for the systematic oppression and exploitation of Native people, our land base, and pretty much every living thing existing on the remainder of this planet.

It is important to act at every opportunity we get to build momentum and community, in order to challenge the powers of the State and Capitalism that are incessantly assaulting our lives.

We do not act on simplistic calls to action (for action’s sake), but use these chances to coordinate our efforts and add to the momentum we are building with others, acting together on our desires to redefine the conditions under which we live. We do this for ourselves and our allies, not for the disempowering political aims of the AFN.

It inspires us to see communities and individuals comming together, employing direct action tactics in a coordinated day of disruption, and acknowledge that inaction is to abandon our allies in today’s actions. Unlike the AFN, we support all acts of sabotage that were created today and continue to inspire us in our own battles.
To the barricades and into the night friends!

Occupation of Shell’s proposed refinery site at Bellanaboy & 14 Sept day of action

On Monday 27th August 20 people occupied Shell’s proposed refinery site at Bellanaboy, County Mayo

After several weeks of holiday, work has recommenced at the proposed refinery site at Bellanaboy. Maintaining the increased pressure that had been applied to Shell in the weeks before the holiday period, at around 8.30am this morning around 20 people occupied the site. The protestors bypassed security and walked in through the main gate onto the site beside a lorry that was entering. The group made their way to the main area where work was taking place. Shortly after their arrival all work on the site stopped. The protestors took the site occupation as an opportunity to investigate claims that concrete and steel that had been used in the early stages of construction was substandard. Upon questioning (on camera) a senior worker admitted that there were problems with the quality of materials used in the foundations. Aside from problems with a few over officious security and more senior workers, interaction with people working on site was amiable and provided an opportunity for information sharing. After about half an hour three Gardai arrived. Their presence was of little consequence until work on site recommenced at around 11.30. At this point, when some people attempted to block trucks from moving, the Gardai assaulted a female protestor, resulting in cuts on her hands. They also attempted to bundle another protestor into a Garda car even though he had not been arrested. At around 11.45 the protestors made a tactical decision to leave the site en masse. They joined 20 others who were waiting outside. A short while later, when a new truck attempted to enter site, the protestors stopped its entry. The site was blockaded until the Gardaí returned half an hour later. The day was widely viewed as a success.

On Monday 27th August 20 people occupied Shell’s proposed refinery site at Bellanaboy, County Mayo

Join the national day of action on the 14th September

A national mobilisation for a mass sitdown protest at the refinery at Bellanaboy on the morning of Friday 14 September.

Mass action, sit down blockade: September 14th. Accomodation can be provided. Call 0851141170. If you can’t make it to Mayo, solidarity actions are also being called for…

Camberwell Squatted Centre Evicted 30-08-07

Just to let you know that the Camberwell Squatted Centre was evicted unexpectedly this morning by a van load of High Court bailiffs and 2 van loads of police, who climbed in to the building at 4.30am and surprised the occupants. Helped by the Southwark Council scaffolding which gave them a leg up into the place.

Camberwell squat sign Just to let you know that the Camberwell Squatted Centre was evicted unexpectedly this morning by a van load of High Court bailiffs and 2 van loads of police, who climbed in to the building at 4.30am and surprised the occupants. Helped by the Southwark Council scaffolding which gave them a leg up into the place.

They gave us a few hours to move our stuff out, which we did, calmly. Refusing to be hassled, sitting down now and again to have a rest and a coffee under the itchy eyes of the bailiffs. We took out all the residents stuff plus most of the gear we had put into the place to make it workable and liveable – the plumbing, the locks, cookers, plates, pans, stereo etc. Some stuff we had to leave but very little.

Although we were caught on the hop, we manged to respond practically and calmly, not breaking down or losing it… Despite our attachment to the building, our investment of hard work and emotion, the feelings that have grown up through the events we have put on and the collective experience we have had keeping the Squat Centre going.

SO WHAT NOW?

Immediately we are calling a meeting for Friday 31st August at 8pm, at 56a Info Shop, 56 Crampton St, London SE17, to discuss our next move: how we respond to the eviction, rehousing of residents, and the possibilities for our next move, as a group, a new building?…. We would welcome anyone who has been involved or attended events to come down and help us plan what happens now. It was your space as well!

Some of the events that have been planned for the next few weeks at the Squat may well happen elsewhere, but this will be decided at the meeting.

The most important thing to keep in mind here is – this is not the end. One building may have been taken back by the profiteering scum who live off our backs… But the ideas, projects, plans, collective ways of working together for ourselves, continue, whether it is in a new building, or in other ways… The inspiration we have had from meeting so many people, from Camberwell and beyond, will carry on and bear fruit in unexpected places.

BLACK FROG – YOU CAN’T TOUCH US!

Attempted Edinburgh Squat

Artists and activists squatted the old art college on the grassmarket at the weekend to open it up as a free arts space for the festival and a community resource centre, and to contest the squatting laws in Scotland.

The following is from an interview with one of the squatters who wishes to remain anonymous.

A few days before the eviction 18 people entered the building and began work making it safe and clean, and starting painting.

The squatters gained the attention of the police due to cleaners that still used the building, who discovered them and called the police.

Police, numbering approximately 20, failed to gain entry to the well barricaded main entrance, however they broke through the side door that had yet to be reinforced. One man had chained himself to the door to prevent the police entering, he removed himself seconds before the door was broken down. He was thrown to the floor and handcuffed behind his back.

The police shouted “lay your brushes down” to those who were painting at the time of the raid, as they began aggressively pushing people into a line against the wall. The details (names, addresses) of the squatters were taken several times, some of them were handcuffed and others not, and they were allowed ton drink alcohol by some officers but at other times this was prohibited. The police were apparently very disorganised. The artists and activists were held in the building for approximately 3 hours.

They were all taken to St Leonards police station for questioning and to have their DNA, fingerprints and photographs taken for the permanent biometric database. They were interviewed and questioned specifically about who their leader was, what group they belonged to and if they were part of or had knowledge of ‘the Black Bloc’.

All of the individuals were charged with aggravated trespass and those who had obviously been painting were charged with malicious mischief, and have all been bailed except one man who had outstanding warrants for other protests. They are all due in court on the 20th of September.

Movimento Verde Eufémia mows first GM Field in South Portugal

On the 17th of August the “Movimento Verde Eufémia” went into action of civil disobedience, targeting the first transgenic field in the Algarve GMO Free Zone in South Portugal. 65 mowers entered the field and were able to mow a hectare of GM corn in less than 20 minutes. The action received support from a parade of an extra 60 people.

POLITICAL BACKGROUND
This year the first GMO field ever has been planted in the Algarve Region in Portugal. Already years before the planting of his GM corn there has been strong opposition from civil society against the cultivation of GMOs in the Algarve. This includes social and environmental organisations, farmers and a public opinion who is in general against the cultivation and consumption of GM crops. Also from the political field opposition was made. As a result the Algarve was the first GMO free zone in Portugal declared by the Junta Metropolitana do Algarve already in 2004. On the level of the municipalities over time motions have been passed rejecting the cultivation of GM crops on their territory.

Despite the strong opposition within layers of civil society and from local authorities against GMOs the policies of the Portuguese Government and the European Commission constantly disrespect the moral and democratic right of those opposing actors to ban GMOs from their fields and their plates.

MOVIMENTO VERDE EUFEMIA
For reasons described in the previous paragraph, an informal group of peasants, ecologists and
concerned citizens have gathered to take direct action with the aim to re-establish the democratic, moral and ecological order. The movement that we are now starting will go under the name “Movimento Verde Eufémia”, in homage to the peasant struggle against the former portuguese fascist regime.

The struggle of Caterina Eufémia and the peasant movement of which she was part aimed at defending the rights and the well-being of peasant communities. Our movement will continue this struggle in the context of new appearing threats, namely the agro-biotechnology sector and their powerful lobby.

THE ACTION
The direct action involved 65 mowers, destroying 1 hectare of the 50 hectare GM corn field in less than 20 minutes around midday. The activists took the well considered risk to announce the action beforehand in the media. This was done for reasons of receiving the highest media coverage for the largest direct action since the post revolutionary period in Portugal. However, the activists were aware of risks of compromise that this decision would bring along.

After 10 minutes, the owner and his colleagues noticed the action. About 8 farmers attacked the group of mowers using physical violence. The mowers took a defensive stand by using their higher number but did not use violence in return. One farmer fired shots from an alarm pistol and the activists were threatened with poison sprayers. One police patrol arrived shortly after. All mowers aborted the action after 20 minutes and moved on the public road to mix up in the parade. The 10 police officers that were in the area could not do anything else but regulating the traffic for the parade then counting more than 120 people, moving towards the nearest village of Poço Barreto. 3 identifications were made by the police, this involved the police speakers and the media spokesperson. The whole group was picked up by busses and the action ended in all order.

Knowing that the activist were hitting the property of a farmer, even though it was a big one they announced that they would provide compensation for the damage inflicted. In the end the activists intended no harm towards the farmer himself who for one or another reason choose to cultivate GM crops. The activists proposed that they would provide the farmer with organic seeds for the surface (50 hectares) which is currently being planted with GM corn.

THE AFTERMATH
Now, five days after the action, the name Movimento Verde Eufemia is still frontpage news. All television stations and radio stations give continuous updates on the case. Major political party leaders are now involved in the debate. The Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of Internal Administration are main actors in the debate while the President has commented on the issue as well on television.

The discourse from the Minister of Agriculture is one that mainly evolves around statements confirming support towards the farmer in the legal prosecution of the activists and pointing out that the activists hit a ‘poor farmer’ and they should be punished for trespassing and destruction of private property. An estimation from the Ministry after the minister visited the field under huge media attention, he came to the conclusion that the damage counts up to around 4000 euros. However the Order of Lawyers issued a press release yesterday stating that that delivery of legal financial support to from the ministry would be an illegal act as it would mean governmental interference in a civil court case. As a reply to that the ministry back off stating that ‘obviously’ they meant to support the farmer win the paper work and in the development of his legal discourse in the court. Next to that, the minister of agriculture takes a completely outbalanced pro-GMO position, saying that: “There is no problem, this is scientifically proven”. This can be considered as a complete invalid statement since the scientific world is at least very divided on the matter of GMOs.

The discourse of the Ministry of Internal Adminstration, being the head of police, develops mainly around the goal to criminalize Movimento Verde Eufemia and its last action. On one of the main television stations in a news studio interview he labelled the action as ‘soft’ eco terrorism. The discourse of the minister receives additionally a lot of support from the President.

However it is not all bad news. Now that the media have almost exhausted all variations on head titles stretching over two pages, they also start to go more in debt, covering the different opinions and position on GMOs and explain for example the status of GMO Free Zones. Through their press releases, MVE has invited all associations in Portugal to use the media space created to voice their arguments against GMOs. In a reaction to that, some main actors in the GMO debate, who initially distanced themselves from the action, and still do, they have now taken up the opportunity to voice their concerns on GMOs. For that reason and other reactions that the action has provoked from the political field the MVE has expressed their content seeing that their action has resulted in an opening of the debate on GMOs

INVESTIGATION
Now, for the activists involved in the action it is clear that they should be very careful in their current steps. The minister of Internal Administration himself is, as announced in the media, involved in the coordination of the investigation carried out by the Information and Security Service (SIS) and the Police Justice Department (PJ). Their aim is to uncover the networks of activists that were involved in the action in order to run legal prosecution.

KNOW MORE
MVE has currently a blow where you can follow up on the development of the case. The link is http://eufemia.ecobytes.net/

ARGUMENTS AGAINST GMOs
The arguments against GMOs are situated on different levels. For the consumer, the few independent studies that were carried out, indicate that they can induce allergic reactions, cancer and other long term negative effects, which have not been studied profoundly yet. Introducing GM crops in agriculture produces effects that are irreversible. The modified genes quickly start appearing in other crops, on other field and in other species, a process which is impossible to prevent. Besides that the cultivation of transgenic may induce cumulative effects, ranging from the appearance of weed resistant to herbicides and insects resistant to insecticides until the death of organisms that do not form any danger to the agricultural crops. These effects go along with the appearance of multiple forms of ecological instabilities. The major study about the effects of transgenic in the environment was published by the British government in 2003. It came to the conclusion that cultivating GMOs is a lot worse to wild life than conventional agriculture. North-American farmers that chose to cultivate GMOs already understood the disadvantages: higher expenses on seeds, more consumption of pesticides, closing international (and even local) markets, products that are less profitable because they are GMOs. Because of genetic contamination, biological farmers are forced the emigrate or change profession. Insurance companies are not willing to secure transgenic cultures because of the high risks involved. Lloyds, one of the major insurance companies allocated GMOs in the same financial risk level as acts of terrorism. The use of GMOs implies that farmers are forbidden to use second generation seeds produced by their own crop. This is an assertion for the seed selling companies to continue their business the next year.
Already tens of farmers in the US and Canada have already been convicted in tribunal, having used second generation seeds without authorization.

Movimento Verde Eufemia
http://eufemia.ecobytes.net/

Itoiz Dam – new prisoner

Long term supporters of ELP will be aware of the Itoiz dam action in Spain, where back in the late 1990s anonymous eco-activists sabotaged the construction site of the controversial Itoiz dam causing so much damage the construction was delayed by over a year. One of the things the activists did was cut the cabbles of the machines which took the dam wall blocks to the top of the dam.

As ELP reported at the time, following the action, eight men, who were all linked to a lawful campaign against the construction, were accused of involvement in this action. Despite being innocent all eight feared they wouldn’t get a fair trial so all eight went underground. However despite not having their suspects in detention that didn’t stop the Spanish police
who held a trial for the eight men in their abscense. And surprisingly enough, as the eight weren’t there to explain their innocence, all eight were found guilty and sentenced to four years and 10 months imprisonment.

As ELP supporters will be aware, over the following years a small number of the Itoiz Dam suspects have been caught by the police and thrown into prison.

The latest Itoiz Dam suspect to be captured is JULIO VILLANUEVA. He was arrested ten days ago on the 17th of August 2007.

Please send urgent letters of support to:

JULIO VILLANUEVA
C.P. PRISION DE PAMPLONA
31080 IRUNA (NAVARRA)
SPAIN