earthfirst – Page 280

Tara Valley Ireland Action Stations – actions & callout for 6th/7th; route walk/action videos – 6th Sept update

22.08.2007

Cultural Conservationists stop work on Tara valley, Irelands heart of ancient heritage, by M3 Climate Criminals.

22.08.2007

Cultural Conservationists stop work on Tara valley, Irelands heart of ancient heritage, by M3 Climate Criminals.
International Climate Concern actions start early for frontline Earth defence activists.

Lively actions were carried out on the route of the proposed M3 motorway being plunged through the ancient astrological city complex of Tara in Ireland .This area is known as the Valley of the Kings, it is in fact older than the valley of the kings in Egypt.

Taras knowledge and message still await full revelation.The destruction MUST BE STOPPED.

On thurs. a medium sized possee(12 plus) of concerned citizens took a route walk. This began by Inspecting the destruction of the Lismullen 8,000 year old henge ( archeology by record ,drawing plans of where all the posts are then, bagging and bulldozing) .

We viewed the henge from the hillside of Rath Lugh the hill fort of the Fianna the warriors and protectors of Ireland whose graveyards are now being desecrated and bulldozed.

The magical mystery time travelling tour then proceeded to Barons town and Collierstown. Where a gate was blockaded, songs sung and a lively debate was had with site security. We then headed of at a trot followed by a very small contingent of security, we kept ahead and managed to delay a digger at work for some time till we decide to move on, the plan had been to keep moving and slow up work in many places guerilla stylee.
We took a break then rushed back onto site to stop the same digger again this time for longer three people climbing onto the roof singing, ignoring the securitys calls to get down and banging on the roof of the cab till the driver exited left the cab. We then decided to move as the Gardai (police) arrived (reaction time about 25-30 mins.)

We kept ahead of most security and laughed much as their 4 wheel drive got stuck in the deep mud. Mud surfers and digger divers required or cultural conservationists as some media have dubbed the concerned citizens of the Emerald Isles.

We returned to the first gate and a few of us rushed into a site where about 4 diggers and other big trucks were working, Although health and safety law recquires the machines to shut down when we are on site ,these machines carried on, most turn off and are fairly amicable when talked to .

Many of the security workers and even the Guardai have expressed they do not want the road to go this way.
There is and alternative Meath County multi-way proposal which includes reopening an unused railway, a park and ride alternative routes around the valley which are cheaper and shorter.

One of the keys is corruption: Which groups really have bought up the valley and stand to make astronomical profits from the developments that will be built in the valley.

Friends of the Fianna Fail ruling party it seems.In contravention of European law. As well as Corporate giants such as Dick Cheneys Haliburton and the Spanish mega building company set up by General Franco called Farrovial (Now large owners of Londons Tube Underground and most of the toll motorways in South America)

The action continued as the gardai caught up and the cross country run began.The younger fitter activistas managed to keep ahead, and the Guard on foot with 2 security gave up after a few hundred metres of mud and rough ground, however the next few gates to the road were covered by security and police vans as we tried to make our exit .So we headed deeper cross country and by chance came across another digger on route not working ,this proceeded to run away at slow 4mph speed we laughed and followed it 300m on there was another digger which saw us, 2 face painted men one in a kilt and a young women armed with a drum. This frightening spectacle caused the second digger to flee at its ridiculous top speed we continued to laugh.

We stopped these 2 working for some time then security turned up we went to leave as a second land rover screached around a corner we ran. We managed to escape by diving through 2 ditches and 2 hedges a van full of security that arrived seemed reluctant to follow the man in a kilt through a thorny hedge so close to clocking off time.

Our sister was caught but miraculously released. She was surrounded by 13 security who told her to come to wait for the guards. She said she would stay there let them come to her also that they could not move her and that this road was illegal .They said by who …she said under EU law. She said she had come to protect land and ancestors and began to question them on their actions which must have shamed them as after a few minutes this captive audience of security told her she was free to go.

It seems sometimes the Gardai were reluctant to arrest due to media coverage. But not always as over 7 have been arrested particilarly at the battle of Soldiers Hill 3 weeks ago. Since which most destruction of ancient sites has occured. Some by bulldozers in the middle of the night. So we all had a a day of high adrenalin action and fun and escaped to resist the motorway madness climate criminals another day.

On Friday we got up at 6.30a.m. to the sound of Trumpet drum and calls of porridge and coffee..A big possee.
We blockaded the gate of the Lismullen Henge as the National Road Authority sponsored archeologists arrived shaming them. The gate hugging was good natured with much singing “u cant kill the spirit of Tara” and other songs. Except for when a gardai pushed a young Irish lad backwards over the edge of the bridge, narrowly escaping falling. His apparent crime was to ask the Gardai to speak to him in Gaelic (which all Gardai are required to speak).

We then regrouped and got 25 of us into 5 cars and hit the gates of the Roestown site running. We spread out over 7-800 m and digger diving occupied 7-8 diggers stopping a total of over 15 machines from carrying on their destruction and desecration. For pictures of what Roestown used to be check www.tarasolidarityvigil.net
This action was highly effective after about an hour and a half the gardai got people to leave machinery some as slowly as possible .others preferring to pull out across country.
We met up again for food at the vigil camp then some of us headed to Dublin for a Green man meets the Green Party action .

On Sat. there was a demo outside the G.P.O. in Dublin handing out over 600 leaflets.
All in all 3 days of high action and adventure. Adrenalin fuelled earth defense.
Very reminiscent of Twyford Down, Solsbury Hill and Newbury.

Tara urgently needs experienced activists. Hear the call of the Ancestors and the Land. Network it NOW
Tara support is critically needed NOW as the E.U. told Ireland to stop building in June and is taking the Irish govt. to court on Aug 29th how effective this will be we don’t know as always it is up to people power and direct action.Ancient sites and knowledge being lost forever daily Bulldozing.Take Action.What will we say to Future generations of this time. Take action for a cleaner climate. There will soon be an action to replant trees along the Tara Valley and energise the proposed Unesco World Heritage Park.

Wish List:Trees, Tarps, structures,tents, food, longer range CBs ,binoculars, climbing harnesses and rope, tools, tech stuff,photocopying, networking, transport.skillsharing Press and media support, donations, phone credit.

Transport Links £16 Nat express to Dublin or £26 Rail and sail from Euston London.
Then 7 Euro Bus to Tara Cross 20-25 mins walk from Tara Vigil camp.Get there any way u can. As soon as u can
Vigil Camp 00353(0) 861758557
Rath Lugh Action camp 00353( 0) 867372983

www.tarapixie.net
www.savetara.com
www.circlecommunity.org
www.tarwatch.org
www.tarasolidarityvigil.net
www.indymedia.ie
www.indymedia.org.uk

Keep networking
Network It Speak it Text It Email It hear the call.

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

This is a message for activists who are up for helping the Irish protesters in their fight to avert the new M3 motorway away from an extremely ancient site, far predating Stonhenge.

Irish Authorities are overriding an EU condemnation that this part of the motorway’s construction is ILLEGAL and are about to bulldoze a recently excavated woodhenge, details below. The deep levels of corruption involved in the ‘development’ of this area are mind boggling.

There has been a small but strong protest camp at Tara since before the new year and now these amazing people are crying out for numbers. I’ve literally just got home to Bristol now and will be driving back over
there in 10 days, next Tuesday. It was almost impossible to leave.

The authorities are proposing to start dismantling the henge THIS TUESDAY 28TH AUGUST in the early hours of the morning so please please please, if you’ve been considering a trip to Ireland go now. Even if you haven’t, despite the heartbreak of what is happening there, you can’t help being overwhelmed with the atmosphere of the place. It’s done me so much good to be there. There are 2 camps, one up on the hill of tara itself, and one in the woods at Rath Lugh, where the henge, known as Lismullin is situated.

Direct action is in progress but our help is urgently needed.

Road protests are new in Ireland as we all know it has remained unspoiled for hundreds of years, so people with direct action experience are critically needed.

National Express do a funfare from London to Cork via Bristol on bus & boat from £15 each way. If there are funfares available on different routes it will offer them if you click on Europe on their homepage and put in your travel details.

If you take the London – Bristol – Cork route get off the boat at Wexford, take a bus or train to Dublin then the 109 bus from Busaras Station towards Navan and Kells. Tara is about 50 minutes down this route. The driver will tell you where to get off. There’s a camp phone number at the bottom, or if you want to ask anything please get in touch. If you take a night crossing you can sleep and be at Tara by lunchtime.

If you can, please get there for Mon 6th/Tues 7th. Otherwise there will be a van leaving Bristol next week, or alternatively, there is another wave planned for Saturday 1st September. It would be great to get a van from London and Bristol organised. A couple of surges of numbers and a huge spreading the word could still avert the road plans to any of the other 5, less damaging proposed routes. But nothing i say will compare to the feeling of being there, and then understanding why we’d be doing the right thing to protect it.

www.myspace.com/hilloftara
www.tarapixie.net
www.savatara.com
www.tarawatch.org

Thursday 16 August, protestors walked the route of the M3 motorway to view what destruction of the ancient sites in Tara Valley have already disappeared. Then they decided on a little direct action.

20070816_Tara_Route_Walk_Direct_Action – video/x-ms-wmv 18M

20070816_Tara_Route_Walk_Direct_Action – video/quicktime 16M

Friday 17 August, the International Culture Conservationists joined the Save Tara campaign in a human blockade to stop the construction company-backed archaeologists from entering the site.

20070917_Human_Blockades – video/x-ms-wmv 18M
20070917_Human_Blockades – video/quicktime 14M

At 6.30am people rose on the camp to hit the road to the Lismullen Henge early. Using their own bodies they stopped all traffic entering the site.

The human blockade was cheerful and full of good spirit. But when the Garda arrived one officer grabbed a protestor and attempted to throw him over the wall of a bridge.

——

Following the archaeologist blockade, the Save Tara activists and International Cultural Conservationists invaded the Roestown site to halt work.

Video 20070717_Roestown_Site_Invasion – video/x-ms-wmv 16M

20070717_Roestown_Site_Invasion – video/quicktime 13M

Quicktime version of the video.

15 Machines were halted in the action, bringing work to a standstill.

——

Text messages received just now, Thursday 6 September, said more internationals have arrived at Tara, tripods and lock-ons are in place at Rath Lugh.

call out for a week of direct action at Hill of Tara, Ireland – starts Sat 1st September 2007

Defend Tara now!

World Heritage site under attack

Shit is kicking off down at Tara/Skryne and the Valley of the White Mare, which is part of the ancient complex of TARA.

Defend Tara now!

World Heritage site under attack

Shit is kicking off down at Tara/Skryne and the Valley of the White Mare, which is part of the ancient complex of TARA.

Diggers are currently on site working in direct defiance of EU orders. Desecrating sacred land, destroying trees, carving into neolithic hill forts and ripping up ancestral graves, these bastards are preparing the route of the M3, a four lane motorway.

Also they have recently discovered a wooden henge (world heritage site) 6000BC, predating Stonehenge and the Pyramids.

HELP is desperately needed as there’s only a handful of protesters doing their best to defend over 40 ancient sites along the 80km route. Please come along and contribute by sharing skills and showing your support. Any amount of time you can give is valuable.

The Camp needs food, financial, moral and spiritual support, plus equipment such as tarps, mobiles, car mobile phone chargers, flasks and batteries.

HOW TO GET THERE

CAR: take the N3 and then turn left at the TARA signpost.
FERRY/BUS: get a ferry to Dublin ferry port, and then take either the Navan, Kells or Cavan bus which leave from Busarus. Get off at TARA CROSS and it is a short walk from there. Tickets £26 one way.
COACH: Dublin super saver 19 quid.

For further information: 086 1758557 (text and get a call back).

For more see www.tarapixie.net

Climate change activity reaches Stansted Airport

22.08.2007

Climate camp activists target Stansted Airport in an increasing wave of activity. Leaflets were handed out and a slogan attached to a wall on a main entrance/exit. Activists then left, as quickly as they had arrived, on public transport.

22.08.2007

On Tuesday Evening, the ever increasing circle of action reached Stansted Airport, as a group of campaigners, initially posing as tourists, arrived at the airport. Leaflets were distributed around the airport highlighting the risk of 90% of life on our planet perishing and the hypocrisy of the Government on the issue. The PlaneStupid slogan “Climate Change Kills” was also attached to a wall on a main entrance/exit in protest at both the Airports existing contribution to climate change and the extra damage that would be caused if Stansted succeeds in getting its second runway.

Local climate campaigner Peter Simpson, a resident of Colchester and Chair of the Liberal Democrat Society at the University of Essex, expressed his desire for the people of Essex and around the country to take note of the actions at Heathrow and to work together to show the authorities that we can be heard and that we can win the battle to save the planet from runaway climate change.

“The time to act is now”, he said, “peer reviewed science has shown that a two-degree increase will be a disaster for billions of people, and we will all have to pay a worst price if changes we make to our living come too late.”
Campaigners have stressed that their action is however not against individual holiday makers, but at frequent flyers and the big businesses that control our way of life and our appetite for the skies.

To find out more; the website climatecamp.org.uk has been updated with news and information about the week and for the future of the mass movement.

Brecon Gas Pipeline Sabotaged

The Brecon beacons gas pipeline works were sabotaged during a night action as part of the week of action against climate change and in defence of the earth. Armed with only a wrecking bar and determination a small team was able to bypass the poor security and render immobile a total of 11 machines including tipper trucks and excavators. Major engine and hydraulic components were destroyed and the pipeline itself was holed in several places.
This action was carried out by normal people and was easy to achieve others should consider similar actions.
The pipeline is destroying natural habitats in order to supply a fuel that we cannot burn if the life on this planet is to survive. Consider the costs environmental tax.

Wrap up of West Coast Convergence for Climate Action & actions

Between August 8th-14th, 400+ people gathered for the West Coast Convergence for Climate Action. Participants took part in nearly 100 workshops, as well as lots of games and performances.

The event took place in Skamokawa, Washington in close proximity to a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal at Bradwood, Oregon. The Columbia River divides Oregon and Washington, and participants in the Convergence learned about attempts to sustain the local economy of the Lower Columbia River while resisting massive fossil fuel developments in the area.

On Monday, August 13th, Convergence participants were joined by dozens of local activists opposing the Bradwood LNG terminal. The group gathered on the Washington shore of the Columbia River, where hundreds of people live in close proximity to the Bradwood LNG proposal. Using fishing boats, sailboats, kayaks, and an umiak, participants in the action crossed the Columbia River and occupied the beach at Bradwood where NorthernStar Natural Gas intends to construct a large LNG terminal.

On Tuesday, August 14th activists locked down in front of the PacifiCorp (aka Pacific Power) building in Portland, Oregon to demand that the company shut down the four dams it operates on the Klamath river and stop developing coal fire power plants. The protesters were joined by a rally of several dozen supporters, many of whom wore hazmat suits painted with fake blood to draw attention to the poisonous conditions on the Klamath River.

No one was arrested at either action; it was generally concluded that the companies targeted wanted to avoid drawing the additional media attention that arrests would bring.

Monday’s action also featured a banner hang hung on a cliff adjacent to the Bradwood site, showing a target symbol and the words “Another LNG Disaster – What’s Your Number?” The “number” refers to recently released clasified pictures obtained anonymously showing that NorthernStar, developer of the LNG terminal, has numbered every structure within two miles. Local LNG opponents first exposed this disturbing mapping project during Clatsop County land use hearings, with one resident asking, “If we’re not going to be impacted at all, then why is there a number on my roof in this picture?”

The global impacts of the LNG industry were also a focus of the Climate Convergence, where participants learned that LNG is up to 40 percent more carbon intensive than natural gas due to its long supply chain (LNG must be extracted as natural gas, liquefied, shipped huge distances, and ultimately re-gasified). Recent studies show that LNG is comparable to gasified coal (aka “Clean Coal,” a true oxymoron – see post about SE Convergence!) in its carbon impacts. Furthermore, local LNG opponents shared what they had learned about the global LNG industry, having communicated with opponents of LNG producing facilities in Indonesia and Russia. In these places, the severe economic, environmental and human rights impacts of LNG development are multiplied many times over in comparison to the experience of rural Oregon and Washington.

Beyond climate change issues, the West Coast Convergence used the carbon trail of various energy sources to put the environmental, human rights, and labor practices of the fossil fuel industry on display. Speakers addressed a huge variety of issues pertaining to coal, natural gas, and hydropower issues while others used the event to demonstrate skills and sustainability practices that can preclude the need for destructive fossil fuels and hydropower.

The Convergence was met with strong local support — nearly 100 people from the surrounding rural counties in Oregon and Washington participated — and important exchanges between those fighting fossil fuel development on local, regional and global scales. Participants came from as far south as Southern California and as far north as Alberta and Vancouver Island.

Common Ground – Squated Community Garden Still Growing, Still Resisting!

2nd Eviction Attempt Resisted, Injunction Broken Again, New Gardens on the Horizon!

Common Ground – a squatted community garden in Katesgrove, Reading – is still being enjoyed by the community and still growing, despite a 2nd attempt by the council to close the garden down and evict the gardeners.

2nd Eviction Attempt Resisted, Injunction Broken Again, New Gardens on the Horizon!

The council owned land, which backs onto several derelict buildings, was occupied by nearby squatters and local activists in January this year. They spent four months transforming a rubbish strewn junkyard into a beautiful garden, relying on recycling, donations and self-organisation to get the job done.

On May 19th the garden was opened to the community, despite the Council obtaining an injunction making the opening BBQ and acoustic music gig illegal. Nearly 200 people came through the garden, and all were amazed at the difference. Since then, locals have been using the garden regularly to relax and eat lunch in, or take the children to the play area.

In June, the Council obtained an possesion order for the squatters home and Common Ground. On 20th June, despite leaving their home, the squatters, gardeners, activists and local residents teamed up to resist the eviction of the garden, with a few residents being prepared to break the law to continue occupying the land. Council officials/bailiffs showed up, and pretty quickly retreated, leaving everybody to enjoy another party.

In the last few weeks, the Council have unsuccessfully attempted a second eviction. In late July, once again gardeners, neighbours and activists mobilised to defend the garden from eviction, once again defying the law and once again seeing Council officials retreating empty handed. And last Sunday, despite intimidation as the Council threatened unnamed organisers with jail, several people enjoyed a community picnic and arts day in the garden, creating a brand new mozaic pathway.

Maintaining the occupation of the land is not the only success of Common Ground. In a badly thought out attempt to move the occupiers, the Council offered two alternative sites. However, when the gardeners refused them, the Council were obligated to offer them to the local residents association. Individuals involved in Common Ground have met with the residents association, and it is likely they will help the residents to create a second and possibly third community garden for the area, this time legally. Direct-action gets the goods!

Even better, Common Ground is apparently inspiring others to take direct-action to improve their neighbourhoods. On the other side of a Reading, a lady who had been refused permission from her housing association to create a community garden on some of their derelict land, has told people involved in Common Ground that she has now been inspired to go ahead and do it anyway! Naturally, some Common Ground gardeners will offer advice and assistance with this new project.

Common Ground is located through the alleyway, next to the ex-Womens Information Centre in Silver Street, Katesgrove, Reading, 10 minutes from the train station. Please email katesgrovegarden(AT)yahoo.co.uk for more information.

Resistance is fertile!

katesgrovegarden(AT)yahoo.co.uk

Southeast Convergence for Climate Action shuts down Bank of America

August 13, 2007

***5 arrested protesting Bank of America’s investments in coal and climate change***

August 13, 2007

***5 arrested protesting Bank of America’s investments in coal and climate change***

As a culmination of the Southeast Convergence for Climate Action, activists took a bold direct action against Bank of America over concerns regarding their investment throughout the coal cycle and their promotion of climate injustice. Although there was much speculation regarding a protest action at the Progress Energy Skyland coal-fired power plant, protestors surprised the downtown office of Bank of America.

Two activists locked down inside the main lobby and other activists blockaded the entrance to the downtown branch of Bank of America. The protest included a large, lively group of concerned citizens dressed as canaries and polar bears. Activists carried signs and banners that read: “Bank of America Stop Funding Climate Change,” “Bank of America Stop Mountaintop Removal,” “No Coal, No Nukes, No Kidding” “Bank of America Climate Criminal.”

Bank of America has lent hundreds of millions of dollars to companies that run and are planning to build new power plants, such as Florida Power and Light. Between 2005 and 2007, Bank of America facilitated nearly $1 billion in loans to Massey Energy and Arch Coal, two of the largest companies responsible for the destructive practice of mountaintop removal coal mining. This form of mining literally blasts the tops off of mountains to get at thin seems of coal that lay beneath. Mountaintop removal coal mining has permanently destroyed over 500 square miles of mountains and buried over 1,200 miles of streams in West Virginia alone.

As of 2005, Progress Energy’s Skyland was the fifth largest purchaser of Massey Energy’s coal. Progress Energy’s Skyland plant is a purchaser and burner of mountaintop removal coal as well as the largest point source of pollution in Buncombe County.

Locked down

The Southeast Convergence for Climate Action aimed to promote a just, rapid, nuclear-free transition away from fossil fuels; to promote environmental justice by supporting communities that are fighting dirty energy developments in their backyards; and to encourage direct actions as a means for challenging corporate power and empowering movements to stop climate change.

“I attended the convergence to build my skills for organizing and taking action on climate change,” said Joey Littleton, a convergence participant. “This is a great place to network–there are activists from all over the southeast region with a wide breadth of experience on environment and social justice issues. I enjoyed the strategy sessions; I came here to get involved with the movement to stop climate change.”

The Southeast Convergence for Climate Action is happening simultaneously with a Climate Convergence on the west coast focused on fighting liquefied natural gas terminals, and in conjunction with the UK Camp for Climate Action taking place at London’s Heathrow airport.

“Globally and locally, change will come from communities, not from benign politicians and corporations who hope to profit off the climate crisis with feel-good ‘solutions’ that do nothing to challenge a fundamentally unjust and unsustainable system,” said Mary Olson, director of the Southeast office of Nuclear Information and Resource Service and co-organizer of the convergence.

Today a massive police operation was deployed in Buncombe, Henderson, and Transylvania Counties to prevent activists from protesting a dirty power plant responsible for climate change. Dozens of uniformed and undercover cops surrounded the site of the Southeast Convergence for Climate Action as a police helicopter hovered over the site.

In addition, dozens more police were deployed at Progress Energy’s Skyland coal power plant to prevent legitimate protest against dirty energy and climate change. “This shows which side of the climate debate the government is on. They have spent tens of thousands of dollars to protect the coal industry today. Clearly if the government wanted to address climate change, they would be sending the police in to arrest the heads of Progress Energy for perpetuating the greatest threat humanity has ever faced – climate change,” an anonymous polar bear said.###

CORRECTION

We would like to clarify statements that were made about the Asheville Police Department (APD) using tazers against participants in the action against climate change and mountaintop removal at Bank of America yesterday.

The Climate Convergence sent out a press release saying that people locked down inside the bank were subject to electrocution shocks from tazers, based on the accounts of witnesses inside the bank. Now that the protestors are out of jail, we have learned that this was an inaccurate conclusion based on reasonable suspicion. One protester was heard screaming while pinned down by large group of officers and subjected to excruciating pain compliance holds right after the police were heard yelling back and forth to each asking “Who has a tazer? Get a tazer!” Many of the officers on the scene were equipped with electrocution devises, along with rubber bullets, chemical weapons, dogs, and training in torture techniques. In addition, a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) who attempted to check on the safety of the protesters after hearing shouts from officers about tazers was not allowed to do so.

The APD has a history of using tazers, widely recognized as a form of torture and the cause of several deaths around the country, on nonviolent protesters. In light of increased use of paramilitary tactics by local police forces in civilian situations, such conclusions are to be expected. We reported information we thought to be accurate at the time; in light of new information, we apologize for any inaccuracies we reported.

In Defense of a Living Planet,

###
Additionally, the Southeast Convergence for Climate Action made the following statement:

List of Demands

Recognizing that climate change is already here, we hold corporations and governments accountable for the effects on communities, people and the living earth. Therefore, we demand:

1. That Bank of America completely divest from the coal industry and other dirty, climate-changing energy companies.
2. A 90% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
3. An immediate halt to any plans for new nuclear and coal power plants and a complete redirection of research and development money toward conservation, efficiency and clean, renewable energy projects.
4. An immediate end to mountaintop removal coal mining and other forms of strip mining.
5. A just, rapid transition away from fossil fuels and nuclear power by 2020.
6. A shift to community controlled, small-scale systems of energy production, transportation, and food production and distribution.
7. An end to the privatization of the atmosphere through market-based mechanisms such as carbon trading.
8. Climate Justice Now!

From: The Southeast Convergence for Climate Action – http://www.climateconvergence.org/southeast/

Who are our mystery callers at Barnstaple Quarry?

Someone came to call at Barnstable quarry aggregate industries and cut all the electric cables in the building and damaged a privately owned truck, and damaged an office and topped up their stationary (don’t we all nick stationery from work places!)

They wiped the white board clean and wrote ‘Earth First’ but other then that not much of a clue as to why anyone would want to break in to an unworking quarry..
Anyone got a clue as to what the protest is???

I’m the [relative of someone connected to the quarry – edited out email address & exact connection]

see you all at the climate camp

🙂

[we’ve not heard report of this except through this email contact – check out their websites at http://www.aggregate.com/ and http://www.aggregate-uk.com/index.html for potential reasons this multinational construction and building materials company was targeted]

Spirit of Freedom (August 2007) – Produced by EARTH LIBERATION PRISONERS SUPPORT NETWORK

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

Welcome to the August 2007 edition of Spirit of Freedom. Regular readers of Spirit of Freedom will notice that this issue of the newsletter is slightly different to previous issues. As long-term ELP supporters will be aware, back in 2000, after the arrests & remandings of a group of Irish anti-road protesters ELP launched its e-mail Urgent ELP! service. Over the years this service has proven very popular with most of our supporters now receiving their news via e-mail with very few people receiving the newsletter in its paper version. With that in mind, ELP has decided to end its paper version of its newsletter. And because most of the Court Reports & Legal Updates news contained in Spirit of Freedom has already been circulated via e-mail we are dropping this from our newsletter and from now on Spirit of Freedom will solely be a prisoner listing publication. However, to remind everyone of all the prisoners we do support we will be circulating the Spirit of Freedom prisoner listing on a monthly basis, to give everyone a regular reminder of all the prisoners we support. Whilst looking through the list, if you notice an error, please contact ELP and we will correct it immediately. In the meantime, remember, no matter where you are in the world, support the eco-prisoners and no compromise in defence of Mother Earth!

ECO-DEFENCE PRISONERS

Fadalla Idris Alajaimy (address unknown). Sudan anti-dam protester on remand accused of Waging War against the State for protesting against the construction of a dam.

Mohamed Ahmed Alajaimy (address unknown). Sudan anti-dam protester on remand accused of Waging War against the State for protesting against the construction of a dam.

Tre Arrow, CS# 05850722, Vancouver Island Regional Correction Center, 4216 Wilkinson Rd., Victoria, BC, V8Z 5B2, Canada. On remand accused of involvement with an arson on logging trucks and an arson on vehicles owned by a sand & gravel company. Both arsons occurred in the USA. Tre is fighting his extradition to the USA.

Grant Barnes #1533241 22, Denver County Jail, PO Box 1108, Denver, CO 80201, USA. Serving 12 years for setting fire to a number of SUV vehicles. On one of the vehicles the letters ELF was spray-painted.

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

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

Ibai Ederra, Carcel de Pamplona, C/San Roque. Apdo. 250, 31080 – Iruñez Pamplona, Navarra (España), Spain. Serving just under 5 years for sabotaging machinery at the controversial Itoiz dam construction site.

Betty Krawczyk, Alouette Correctional Centre for Women, P.O. Box 1000, Maple Ridge, BC, V2X 3K4, Canada. Serving 10-months for protesting against the development of the Winter Olympics site on traditional Squamish territory

Jeffrey Luers, #13797671, OSP, 2605 State St. Salem, OR 97310, USA. Serving 22 years & 8 months for arson on a SUV dealership & the attempted arson of an oil truck.

Ali Mohamed Alhassen Massad (address unknown). Sudan anti-dam protester on remand accused of Waging War against the State for protesting against the construction of a dam.

Eric McDavid X-2972521 4E 231A, Sacramento County Main Jail, 651 “I” Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, USA. On Remand accused of planning to destroy the property of the U.S. Forestry Service, mobile phone masts and power plants.

Daniel McGowan, #63794-053, MDC Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center, PO Box 329002, Brooklyn, NY 11232, USA. Serving 7 years for an ELF arson against a Poplar Tree Farm and an ELF arson against a lumber company. Also admitted his role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy.

Jonathan Paul See details in Animal Liberation Prisoners List.

Costantino Ragusa, Casa Circondariale, Via Prati Nuovi 7, 27058 Voghera (PV), Italy. Il Silvestre activist serving 2½ years. 1) 18-months for burgling and firebombing a multinational company. 2) 12-months for organising an anti-GM protest. Costanino is also awaiting trial accused of using explosives to damage an electricity pylon in protest at nuclear energy.

Joyanna Zacher, #0707300576, San Bernardino CDC, 630 E. Rialto Ave., San Bernardino, CA 92415, USA. Serving 7 years & 8 months for an ELF arson against a Poplar Tree Farm and an ELF arson against an SUV dealership. Also admitted her role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy.

ANIMAL LIBERATION PRISONERS

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

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

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

Nathan Block See details in Eco Defence Prisoners List.

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

Donald Currie TN4593, HMP Whitemoor, Longhill Road, March, Cambs, PE15 OPR, England. Serving an Indeterminate Sentence, of not less than six actual years, for carrying out arsons against targets associated the vivisection industry including HLS.

Darius Fullmer #26397-050, FCI Fort Dix Satellite Camp, P.O. Box 1000, Fort Dix, NJ 08640 USA. Serving 12 months for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign.

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

Sarah Gisborne, LT5393, HMP Cookham Wood, Rochester, Kent, ME1 3LU, England. Serving 5½ years for conspiracy to cause criminal damage following the damaging of 8 vehicles owned by people linked to Huntingdon Life Science.

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

Joseph Harris TN5728, HMP Bullingdon, Patrick Haugh Road, Arncott, Nr. Bicester, Oxon, OX25 1WD, England. Serving 2 years for damaging the property of people associated with Huntingdon Life Sciences.

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

Josephine Mayo PR6508, HMP Drake Hall, Eccleshall, Staffs, ST21 6LQ, England. Serving 4 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied guinea pigs for vivisection.

Daniel McGowan See details in Eco Defence Prisoners List.

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

Jonathan Paul, c/o Friends of Jonathan Paul, PMB 267, 2305 Ashland St., Ste. C, Ashland, OR 97520, USA. Sentenced to 51 months for an ALF arson on a horse meat plant. Also admitted his role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy.

John Smith TB4887, HMP Lowdham Grange, Lowdham, Nottingham, NG14 7DA, England. Serving 12 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied guinea pigs for vivisection.

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

Mark Taylor TT6636, HMP YOI Onley, Rugby, Warkwickshire, CV23 8AP, England. Serving four years for organising loud demonstrations outside the offices of companies with links to HLS.

Suzanne Taylor, TM7154, HMP Foston Hall, Foston, Derby, Derbyshire, DE65 5DN, England. Serving two and a half years for helping organise loud demonstrations outside the offices of companies with links to HLS.

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

Joyanna Zacher See details in Eco Defence Prisoners List.

PLOUGHSHARES PRISONERS

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

OTHER ANTI-WAR PRISONERS

Brendan Walsh 12473-052, FCI/FSL Elkton, PO Box 10, Lisbon, OH 44432 USA. Serving 5 years for an arson on an army recruitment office in protest at the War on Iraq.

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

ANTIFA PRISONERS

Lasandra Burwell W063658, Ohio Reformatory for Women, 1479 Collins Ave. Marysville, OH 43040, USA. Serving 5 years for taking part in an anti-fascist demonstration which turned into a riot.

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

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

Christian Sümmermann, BNR: 727/07/7, JVA Tegel, Seidelstr. 39, 13507 Berlin, Germany. Serving 40 months for breaching the peace whilst serving a suspended sentence issued for anti-fascist activities.

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

OTHER PRISONERS

Oscar Santa Maria Caro, CERESO, Miahuatlan de Porfirio Diaz, Oaxaca en Hall B, Cell 5., Mexico. On remand. The exact charges against Oscar are unknown but Oscar is a member of RATA, a known animal rights group.

Sacramento Delfino Cano Hernandez, CERESO, Miahuatlan de Porfirio Diaz, Oaxaca en Hall B, Cell 5., Mexico. On remand. Co-defendant of Oscar Santa Maria Caro.

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

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

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

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

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

Edward Goodman Africa (AM4974), 301 Morea Rd, Frackville, PA 17932, USA. William Philips Africa (AM4984) and Delbert Orr Africa (AM4985) both at SCI Dallas Drawer K, Dallas, PA 18612, USA.

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

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

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

Spirit of Freedom is ELPs international monthly prisoner listing which is circulated by e-mail.

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

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

English language ELP Website
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

North American ELP Website
www.ecoprisoners.org

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

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

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

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

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

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

North American ELP Prisoner Fund. The North American ELP group has set up a fund where people can pay money, for North American Eco-Defence and Animal Rights prisoners, which will then be distributed to the North American prisoners. For information about the Fund and how to make a donation please contact naelpsn@mutualaid.org

DEDICATION
This Edition of Spirit of Freedom is dedicated to Bill Avalon Rodgers, the American Oregon Defendant who ended his own life in December 2005 whilst on Remand.

Climate Camp Land Occupied & directions

11.08.2007

Climate Camp activists met at a half dozen locations around London this afternoon, moving during the evening in vans to various sites near Heathrow.

11.08.2007

Climate Camp activists met at a half dozen locations around London this afternoon, moving during the evening in vans to various sites near Heathrow.

Just after eleven the groups converged on a large field opposite the airport. Within minute tripods were erected and occupied with a large banner reading “Climate Camp, No Airport Expansion” slung between the two.

By 11.30 a hundred or so people were on the Sipson Lane site
( http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=sipson&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&sa=N&tab=wl) , half way between Sipson and Harlington villages. Vans were being quickly unloaded, tape was marking out the barrios and tents were being erected. Despite the pitch darkness kitchens were being organised and a village began to take place.

Midnight saw the arrival of the first police – does overtime kick in at a higher rate after the witching hour? Five vans lined up outside the west gate, a couple more outside the east gate and several saloons denoting the presence of senior officers.

A phalanx of cops poured on to the site and demanded to speak to the leaders. A quick call out for people to the main gate seemed to overwhelm them and they beat a hasty retreat back to the vans, a fairly low grade FIT team videoing and stumbling over the bracken as it went.

The mood on the site is one of great elation. After months of planning and anticipation the day has finally arrived and the site is taken.

==========

The Climate Camp site has been successfully taken!

We now need lots of people to come down and get everything set up.

We are on Sipson Lane, between the villages of Sipson and Harlington, North of Heathrow.

By public transport:

Train from Paddington to ‘Hayes and Harlington’ station.

From there bus 90, 140 or H98 heading South. Get off at the corner of Harlington High Street and walk West along Sipson Lane about 600 metres.

About a 2 mile walk – south into Harlington village then as above.

Go one station further on to West Drayton and take the 222 bus to the Western (Sipson) end of Sipson Lane.

Location Map

Staines is quite far away – if you want to make your own way to the site don’t go to Staines!

But what we do know is that if is that if you get yourself to Staines railway station in West London by 10am on Tuesday 14th August, you will be greeted by our friendly welcome team and promptly transported via a magical mystery tour, to the camp! Staines railway station is very small so the Welcome Desk and pickup buses will be running from Spelthorne Leisure Centre, 5 minutes walk from the station.(There will also be lifts to the camp later in the day and throughout the week).

If you get lost trying to find the station or any other enquiries then call 0207 3779088 . There will be someone manning the phone at the London Action Resource Centre 10am to 6pm from 2nd August who will be able to help you.
There will probably be policeman filming you at the station and elsewhere. Do not be intimidated

===

The police are very pissed off that they didn’t find the site for around 2 hours despite being very nearby. They’re demanding to search everything entering the site and even copying every piece of available information from mobile phones, such as serial numbers and phone numbers stored in the address book. No news on the arrestee other than that its a ‘known activist’ who the police decided would make a nice token gesture of force. Anyone wanting to get down to work on the site is very much welcome to get down and get working.

Remember your legal rights & the fun I Spy card (links above & from main article

2nd Arrest

Someone has been nicked for walking on the road. Legal observers were present. Searches becoming a little less thorough, though even the back route into the site is being heavily policed.