earthfirst – Page 287

Ramona Africa – ON A MOVE tour of UK

Ramona Africa is touring the UK speaking about the incredible story of MOVE. MOVE are a largely black eco-revolutionary group based in Philadelphia. They have campaigned on environmental, animal rights and anti-police repression issues for thirty years. They have never backed down in the face of overt racist police repression.

More info: www.onamove2007.org.uk

In 1978 nine members of MOVE were imprisoned for a blatantly framed murder, they are still imprisoned with their first chance of parole in August 2008. In 1985 the city of Philadelphia sort the ‘final solution’ for the MOVE ‘problem’ by attacking their home with 10,000 rounds of ammunition, tear gas, water cannons and finally a bomb that burnt 60 homes to the ground. 6 MOVE adults and 5 children were burned to death. Ramona managed to escape with one of the children.
She was sentenced to seven years for ‘riot’.

Mumia Mumia Abu-Jamal is a MOVE supporter who also has also experienced the injustice of the system whilst spending over 26 years on death row for a crime he did not commit.

Come and hear about all these events and see the MOVE documentary narrated by Howard Zinn.

.
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June:
Thu 21ST @ 1in12 Bradford
Fri 22nd @ The Workshop Cafe Bar Norwich 7pm
Sun 24th @ The Common Place Leeds 6pm
Mon 25th @ The West Indian Club Leeds 6.30pm
Wed 27th @ The Cowley Club Brighton 7pm
Thu 28th @ The Rampart Centre London 7pm
Fri 29th @ Bath Place Leamington Spa
Sat 30th @ The Drum Birmingham 7pm
July:
Sun 1st @ The Star and Shadow Cinema Newcastle 7.30pm
Mon 2nd @ The Cube Cinema Bristol 8pm
(Kebele are also turning their regular Sunday Vegan cafe into a
benefit for MOVE on Sunday 1st July)

West London residents halt traffic outside DfT Headquarters

20.06.2007
West London residents protesting about plans to expand Heathrow dramatically stopped traffic this morning outside the Department for Transport (DfT) offices in Central London before attempting an invasion of the building.

The protestors carried a bed along Marsham Street from the flat of BAA Chief Executive Stephen Nelson (1) to the Department for Transport. In the bed were two figures symbolising the close relationship between BAA and the DfT under the slogan “DfT in bed with BAA”.

As they crossed Marsham Street a dozen residents halted the traffic when they painted a runway on the road. The residents, assisted by the direct action network Plane Stupid, then left the bed outside the DfT offices.

The action follows the revelation last week that the Department for Transport had secretly passed key information supporting expansion of Heathrow to BAA six months before it is due to be published (2).

Earlier in the year, on March 5th, West London residents invaded Chatham House and disrupted a speech by Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander.

Long-time West London resident Dr John Hunt and member of the Green Party said, “This action is to expose the unhealthily close relationship there is between BAA Ferrovial and the Department for Transport. While BAA and the Department plot and plan the expansion of Heathrow, residents and local authorities are left in the dark”.

Maggie Thorburn, a long-time West London resident, said, “Although I live under the flight path and am affected by the noise of the planes, I took part in today’s action not just because of the increased noise levels I would experience if expansion went ahead, but also because I firmly believe that any further expansion at Heathrow should be ruled out on climate change grounds.”

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

(1). BAA owns a flat for its Chief Executive (Flat 905, St Johns, Marsham St) about 60 yards from the Department for Transport headquarters at 76 Marsham St.

(2). Earlier this month (6th June) the Times www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article1890224.ece revealed that “The Department for Transport has secretly passed key information supporting the expansion to the Spanish-owned company six months before it is due to be published in a consultation document. The department has also allowed senior BAA officials to influence a series of tests designed to show whether the third runway would breach limits on air pollution and noise. The Times has learnt that BAA has a team of 34 people working with civil servants, influencing the tests so that they find in favour of building the new runway. The department has given BAA a full copy of the preliminary results but is refusing to allow any opponents of the expansion to see them. Mike Forster, BAA’s head of strategy for Heathrow, admitted at a recent conference that he had seen the results and that they were “encouraging”.” The full report is not expected to be made publicly available until just before a consultation into plans to expand Heathrow, expected in the autumn.

Common Ground Community Garden – EVICTION UPDATE – Resistance successful so far.

Common Ground Community Garden, is a self-managed squatted community project in the heart of Reading. The land and surrounding buildings are council owned, and they have tried to obstruct this initiative every step of the way – and thanks to the spirit of the squatters and our neighbours, they have failed every step of the way.

Today, 20th June, is supposed to be eviction day. The day when the council takes back control of our land, and is able to flog it off to the highest bidder, for development of yet more unnafordable prison block flats. However, so far, its not going according to their plan…

Baillifs showed up early this morning, about 9am. However, activists were allready busy barricading the building that has been our home for the last 9 months and our beautifull squatted garden. Reporters and television cameras showed up, taking interviews from us and our neighbours (so if you are in the Southeast or Thames Valley, check local news services out!). A mixture of activists and local neighbours are holding a picket out the front of the building, and others are sitting in the garden enjoying the sunshine! At this point balliffs have left, and we have won for now. But we are sure they will be back fairly soon with backup, so any help is appreciated.

So long as the baillifs keep their distance, the rest of the day will be enjoyed in the garden with a picnic and acoustic punk rock show later.

EXISTANCE IS RESISTANCE!

P.S. Our solidarity greetings to Brecon eviction resisters! FIGHT THE PIPE!

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

01:07
Hi,

Just to give a last quick update, the baillifs stayed well away all day, and the rest of the day has been fantastic!

Quite a lot of local residents have been through during the day, telling us how much they love the garden, use it all the time etc etc.

Some residents have even showed a fair amount of interest in anti-capitalist/anarchist politics, including ex-Labour members who agreed all political parties are the same now and ‘this’ (i.e. direct-action, DIY etc like the garden) IS the alternative now, and a local couple having trouble at work who are now interested in joining IWW!

A couple of local people were among those who stayed in the garden past eviction time, being prepared to face arrest to defend the garden.

This evening the day has been finished off with a public BBQ and absolutely fantastic acoustic punk-rock show. Again, several neighbours stuck around all night having a drink and enjoying the music, and the tunes were amazing. Big thanks to the artists who travelled down to play tonight for free!

Obviously, this project is most likely not going to last much longer (although you never know and we’ll keep fighting!), but all our neighbours are saying they want the squatters to stay and do similar things, and who are we to refuse!? 🙂

Spirits are high,
LA LUCHA SIGUE!

Greenpeace gives away free train tickets at airports across the UK

19 June 2007.

UPDATE (9.25am): The booths have now all been moved by security.

Over the past hour or so, impromptu ticket exchange booths have been appearing in airports across the UK.

19 June 2007.

UPDATE (9.25am): The booths have now all been moved by security.

Over the past hour or so, impromptu ticket exchange booths have been appearing in airports across the UK.

Greenpeace volunteers (fetchingly dressed as stewards and stewardesses – pics here) have been offering BA passengers checking into domestic flights climate-friendly train tickets.

It’s not just because we’re generous souls – it’s also because flying causes 10 times more damage to the climate than taking the train. And it’s responsible for 13 per cent of the UK’s impact on the climate (that’s the government’s own figures).

It’s also the fastest growing source of emissions in the UK; between 1990 and 2050, emissions from aviation could quadruple, which scientists say could wipe out all other emissions savings we make in every other sector.

The main cause of this massive growth in the UK is the proliferation of short haul flights – often unnecessary domestic ones like the 30 or so a day between London and Manchester.

British Airways (despite its claims to be green) is one of the worst offenders, opening new and unnecessary domestic routes, fiercely opposing any measures that will curb growth in emissions, keeping a tight hold over government policy and lobbying hard for airport expansion.

You can find out more about aviation and climate change here.

And you can email BA’s Chief Executive, Willie Walsh, asking him to ground unnecessary domestic UK flights on routes that are already well served by trains, and to end BA’s lobbying for more runways and bigger airports.

Brecon anti-pipeline camp eviction has begun (& updates Tues/Wed, press releases…)

19th June 2007
Brecon tree camp eviction has begun. Support needed!

Brecon pipeline camp eviction 19th June 2007
Brecon tree camp eviction has begun. Support needed!

The eviction will most likely last a few hours, if you can make it, it would be a great help!

Site phone: 07733190958

===============
IF U CAN GET THERE TAKE A CAMERA, THE EVICTION TEAM IS GOOD OLD NET FROM SWANSEA

===============
update

11:40am

A40 has been closed.

There has been at least one arrest.

================
PRESS RELEASE

THIS MORNING THE EVICTION OF THE BRECON CLIMATE CHANGE CAMP AT PEN PONT BRECON IS GOING ON. THE ROAD HAS BEEN CLOSED BETWEEN SENNY BRIDGE AND BRECON FOR THE EVICTION TO TAKE PLACE. PEOPLE ARE ENTRENCHED IN THE CAMP. TREE HOUSES WILL HAVE TO BE EVICTED BY SPECIALIST CLIMBERS AND TUNNELS BY CAVE SPECIALIST

WE URGE ANYONE WHO CAN TO GET TO BRECON TO PROTECT THE PECEFUL PROTESTORS WHO ARE REFUSING TO MOVE VOLUNTARILY DUE TO THE MASSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION THE 48″ PIPELINE FROM MILFORD HAVEN TO TIRLEY IN GLOUCESTERSHIRE IS CAUSING.

THE RIVERS IN BRECON ARE RUNNING AS RED AS BLOOD DUE TO THE SILTING UP OF THE RIVERS WITH THE RED BRECON SOIL. SEE FOR YOURSELVES THE MASSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL CATASTROIPHE THESE PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO STOP.

NO FOSSIL FUELS..

TELEPHONE

01639 632286

07790 727 250

================
No Embargo
**
*Pipeline protesters refuse to climb down as eviction starts*

Protestors have refused to climb down from trees on the route of the
controversial high pressure methane gas
(LNG) pipeline in Wales after being given a 10 minute warning by bailiffs to
leave the site or face being arrested.

Protestors have locked themselves together high up in the trees using
bicycle D locks while others have gone down into the tunnels they dug with
food to last for several days in order to delay National Grids multimillion
pound destructive and dangerous project.

One protestor has today said “We are willing to risk arrest as the
consequences of this pipeline will be far more devastating than spending a
night in a police cell. National Grid, as a private company, are putting
shareholder profit before peoples saftety, both locally and more
globally. We are putting ourselves in the way to say this is completely
unacceptable.”

Another protestor, from Bristol Rising Tide said “The Government, National
Grid Plc and other Corporations are continuing to build and profit from
fossil fuel infrastructure despite the clear fact that to prevent
catastrophic climate chaos, carbon emissions must be cut by 90% by 2030. So
it is up to people to take responsibility and take
action and that is why I am here doing what I can to stop this being built.”

The road from Brecon to Sennybridge, which runs past the camp, has been
closed by the police.

Contact:
Bristol Rising Tide: 07917 383517

*Notes to Editor*

Rising Tide is a climate action network dedicated to challenging the root
causes of climate change – the fossil fuel growth based economy. Rising Tide
argues that climate chaos is an issue of social injustice and that the
poorest will suffer most.

This pipeline, 4ft in diameter, will run at 94bar pressure – that is
96kg/cm2. National Grid have no experience of running pipelines at such high
pressure and it is unprecedented in Europe and the US.

In 1999, a family of four were killed in Scotland when a high pressure gas
pipe exploded by their home. Massive corrosion in the pipeline, and a
failure on the part of National Grid/Transco (NG/T) to keep adequate records
on what kind of pipes were being used, led to the explosion. Corrosion has
already been seen on the welds in the South Wales pipeline.

Since privatisation, NG/T have shed thousands of engineering jobs and cut
maintenance work. In 2000 it was revealed that Transco had underspent its
agreed pipeline maintenance and replacement programme
by £358m over the previous two years. This same corporation, accountable to
only its shareholders and board, is now supposedly responsible for the
safety of thousands of people along the route of
this pipe.

300 Construction workers at the Dragon LNMG terminal were recently on strike
over safety concerns on site. One workers was hospitalised and workers were
demanding safer working conditions.

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

brecon eviction update! 14:14

The Eviction continues with two arrests on the ground and people locked on in the tree tops, there are also people underground with substantial supplies! please support these people by donating towards fines etc on the “fight the pipe” website.

if anyone can make it they need the support!

peace love and fuck the pipe, national grid, national eviction team and anyone else involved XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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

Eviction update…
16:49

There has now been at least 5 arrests, we have no idea who has been arrested yet as they are being kept on site at the moment. There are still people locked-on in trees.

The A40 has now been re-opened but is down to one lane.

RESPECT & LOVE to all those who will be arrested over this.

FUCK YOUR PIPE NATIONAL GRID, FUCK THE GOVERNMENT FOR LETTING THIS STUPID PROJECT HAPPEN, FUCK THE POLICE & EVICTION TEAM.

We stand proud and strong knowing we are defending our beautiful earth that others want to destroy in the name of money.

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

EXXON PROPOSES BURNING HUMANITY FOR FUEL IF CLIMATE CALAMITY HITS – Yes Men hit

June 14, 2007 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EXXON PROPOSES BURNING HUMANITY FOR FUEL IF CLIMATE CALAMITY HITS
Conference organizer fails to have Yes Men arrested

June 14, 2007 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EXXON PROPOSES BURNING HUMANITY FOR FUEL IF CLIMATE CALAMITY HITS
Conference organizer fails to have Yes Men arrested

Text of speech, photos, video: http://www.vivoleum.com/event/
GO-EXPO statement: http://newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2007/14/c5086.html
Press conference before this event, Friday, Calgary: http://arusha.org/event/7214
Contact: mailto:fuel@theyesmen.org
More links at end of release.

Imposters posing as ExxonMobil and National Petroleum Council (NPC) representatives delivered an outrageous keynote speech to 300 oilmen at GO-EXPO, Canada’s largest oil conference, held at Stampede Park in Calgary, Alberta, today.

The speech was billed beforehand by the GO-EXPO organizers as the major highlight of this year’s conference, which had 20,000 attendees. In it, the “NPC rep” was expected to deliver the long-awaited conclusions of a study commissioned by US Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman. The NPC is headed by former ExxonMobil CEO Lee Raymond, who is also the chair of the study. (See link at end.)

In the actual speech, the “NPC rep” announced that current U.S. and Canadian energy policies (notably the massive, carbon-intensive exploitation of Alberta’s oil sands, and the development of liquid coal) are increasing the chances of huge global calamities. But he reassured the audience that in the worst case scenario, the oil industry could “keep fuel flowing” by transforming the billions of people who die into oil.

“We need something like whales, but infinitely more abundant,” said “NPC rep” “Shepard Wolff” (actually Andy Bichlbaum of the Yes Men), before describing the technology used to render human flesh into a new Exxon oil product called Vivoleum. 3-D animations of the process brought it to life.

“Vivoleum works in perfect synergy with the continued expansion of fossil fuel production,” noted “Exxon rep” “Florian Osenberg” (Yes Man Mike Bonanno). “With more fossil fuels comes a greater chance of disaster, but that means more feedstock for Vivoleum. Fuel will continue to flow for those of us left.”

The oilmen listened to the lecture with attention, and then lit “commemorative candles” supposedly made of Vivoleum obtained from the flesh of an “Exxon janitor” who died as a result of cleaning up a toxic spill. The audience only reacted when the janitor, in a video tribute, announced that he wished to be transformed into candles after his death, and all became crystal-clear.

At that point, Simon Mellor, Commercial & Business Development Director for the company putting on the event, strode up and physically forced the Yes Men from the stage. As Mellor escorted Bonanno out the door, a dozen journalists surrounded Bichlbaum, who, still in character as “Shepard Wolff,” explained to them the rationale for Vivoleum.

“We’ve got to get ready. After all, fossil fuel development like that of my company is increasing the chances of catastrophic climate change, which could lead to massive calamities, causing migration and conflicts that would likely disable the pipelines and oil wells. Without oil we could no longer produce or transport food, and most of humanity would starve. That would be a tragedy, but at least all those bodies could be turned into fuel for the rest of us.”

“We’re not talking about killing anyone,” added the “NPC rep.” “We’re talking about using them after nature has done the hard work. After all, 150,000 people already die from climate-change related effects every year. That’s only going to go up – maybe way, way up. Will it all go to waste? That would be cruel.”

Security guards then dragged Bichlbaum away from the reporters, and he and Bonanno were detained until Calgary Police Service officers could arrive. The policemen, determining that no major infractions had been committed, permitted the Yes Men to leave.

Canada’s oil sands, along with “liquid coal,” are keystones of Bush’s Energy Security plan. Mining the oil sands is one of the dirtiest forms of oil production and has turned Canada into one of the world’s worst carbon emitters. The production of “liquid coal” has twice the carbon footprint as that of ordinary gasoline. Such technologies increase the likelihood of massive climate catastrophes that will condemn to death untold millions of people, mainly poor.

“If our idea of energy security is to increase the chances of climate calamity, we have a very funny sense of what security really is,” Bonanno said. “While ExxonMobil continues to post record profits, they use their money to persuade governments to do nothing about climate change. This is a crime against humanity.”

“Putting the former Exxon CEO in charge of the NPC, and soliciting his advice on our energy future, is like putting the wolf in charge of the flock,” said “Shepard Wolff” (Bichlbaum). “Exxon has done more damage to the environment and to our chances of survival than any other company on earth. Why should we let them determine our future?”

About the NPC and ExxonMobil: About the NPC and Exon Mobil
About the Alberta oil sands: About Alberta oil sands
About liquid coal: Sierra club on liquid coal

Undead support campaign against Spanish oil multinational

Last Thursday 14th June in Asturias, Northern Spain I was present at an action where a Zombie Collective came back from the dead to support La Campana Asturiana e Contra el Expolio de las Petroleras and other Spanish solidarity organisations by staging a series of die-ins in a garage forecourt and elsewhere around the city of Gijon.

The action was to draw attention to the actions of Spanish based oil multi-national Repsol who are responsible for population displacement, militarization, violence and murder in several South American countries, most notably Colombia, where they operate clandestinely.
Publicity at the action told of El Tribunal Permanente de los Pueblos (Permanent Tribune of the People) that is described as an international organisation, looking for truth, justice and reparation for the victims of oil companies Repsol, British Petroleum and Occidental Petroleum in Colombia. It operates outside official judicial structures of any country and represents the ethical conscience of the people and humanity. The TPP is holding a judgement on these companies in Bogota in August this year. There is also a preliminary meeting to this in Madrid in June.

One of the Zombies said:
“ We are here in solidarity with all those who have died as a result of Repsol’s actions in Colombia. We are also here because we wish to make you, the Living aware of how so many of the organisations, institutions and systems that you cling to are in fact corpses themselves. From the Other Side we have a clearer picture than you and we see that though you trick yourselves into believing otherwise, your courts, your governments, your businesses in so many cases serve only Death. You cling to them because you are afraid to let go and allow new systems that can truly serve you and Life to grow. Always something has to die for the new to be born. Many of you hold a new world in your hearts but it cannot be born while you hold on to the rotting corpse of the old. Let it go, grieve it if you must but its time is past and it serves you no longer.”

I asked for clarification but the undead companera declined to elaborate. Perhaps she was referring to social movements where people seem to be moving away from trying to change the behaviour of governments to learning how to govern themselves and build the world they want….?

Common Ground Garden – EVICTION RESISTANCE! Wed 20th June, 9.30am, Reading.

// Common Ground Community Garden Eviction Resistance!

// FUCK THE EVICTION, SAVE THE GARDEN!

// WEDNESDAY 20TH JUNE

// Common Ground Community Garden Eviction Resistance!

// FUCK THE EVICTION, SAVE THE GARDEN!

// WEDNESDAY 20TH JUNE

// Meet at 9.30am, in Common Ground Garden, through the alleyway next to the Womens Information Centre, at the bottom of Silver Street, Reading.

They left the land to rot, covered in trash and needles. They hope the buildings will fall down, so they can justify flogging to the highest bidder. They hope to see more unnafordable prison-block apartments. Reading Borough Council call it development, regeneration. We call it gentrification, exclusion. Just profit and power.

The land is ours. We occupied it, we cleared it, we worked it and we made it bloom. We recycled and re-used, and on our squatted land we created sanctuary from the rampant capitalism of Reading. Our friends, family and neighbours chipped in, and through direct-action and self-organisation, we created a community garden in our neighbourhood, Katesgrove. The land is ours? Well, not exactly. The land is nobody’s, because it is everybody’s. And so we called it Common Ground.

On 19th May, we opened the garden to the public. We invited our friends, families and neighbours. Embarassed and scared, the Council tried to stop us. Their court gave them an injunction against us, making it illegal to open the garden. So, we informed our community and re-invited em. Fuck the injunction! 200 people came and enjoyed the garden that day, laughing at the Council and meeting others people who think the same things they do. Even the media told the truth about us.

Then the Council got their injunction extended. They told us it was illegal to open our garden at all and they want ‘their’ land back. They dont understand, it has never been theirs, they were just looking after it for us. And since they don’t do a very good job, we’ve found a better use for it. For ourselves, our neighbours and local workers, for young and old, the garden is open everyday. So, now they say they will take it back by force, and demolish our garden and give it to the rich. Their courts have given them the law, and their thugs will evict us on Wednesday morning – if they can…

For us, existance is resistance – and Common Ground Community Garden exists. Our self-organisation and direct-action exists. On Wednesday and forever, our resistance exists. Demonstrate, barricade, blockade, occupy – we will resist in different ways, because ‘we’ is made of different people, and now hopefully will include one more – you.

In Love n Rage,
Some gardeners.

katesgrovegarden(AT)yahoo.co.uk

Climate activists glued to doors at airport

16.06.2007

Climate campaigners this afternoon glued themselves to the doors of the short-haul East Midlands airport to draw attention to the environmental impacts of flying as part of a European day of action on short-haul flights called by pressure group Airport Watch.

16.06.2007

Two men from climate action group, Plane Stupid, have caused disruption by supergluing themselves to the passenger entrances to the airport. Supporters are there handing out leaflets to airport customers encouraging them not to fly next time, and a banner carried by helium-filled balloons was also been released in the departure lounge bearing the slogan ‘Let’s fry’.

Last week another activist from Plane Stupid, Penny Eastwood, a mother of two from Yorkshire, glued herself both to the doors of Lastminute.com HQ in London in protest at the ever growing greenhouse gas emissions from aviation.

Today’s day of action was called to illustrate that short-haul flights are unnecessary and unsustainable and that short haul journeys can easily be taken by train or bus which are both over ten times less polluting. Demonstrations and protests have been happening throughout the day at airports across the UK and Europe, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Bristol, Southampton, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and others.

Aviation is the fastest-growing source of greenhouse-gas emissions worldwide. In the UK, emissions from aviation more than doubled in ten years. In May the government quoted the figure of 13% as aviation’s contribution to UK climate impacts. If you include flights to and from the UK by UK citizens (the government excludes the former), the sector now contributes about 18.5% of the climate-changing emissions for which this country is responsible.

Nottingham protestor, Alex Harvey, said, “Binge-flying is choking the planet. Airport expansion would lock us into increased greenhouse gas emissions and undo all our other efforts to reduce emissions. It’s just not an option. Yet that’s exactly what is planned for airports like East Midlands which only serve destinations easily reachable by more sustainable public transport alternatives.’

Last year twenty-five activists from Plane Stupid blockaded a taxi-runway at the same airport.

– ENDS –

nottingham@planestupid.com
http://www.planestupid.com

For more photos of passersby, reactions etc, see https://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/06/373813.html and https://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/06/373834.html

GM Victory! Hull down! One more pota’t’go! – Sunday July 1st

Following extensive local and national resistance, BASF (the company trialing the GM potatoes), announced last month that they would not be conducting a GM potato trial in Yorkshire this year!

Last month the government approved the BASF application for a GM trial in Hedon, East Yorkshire. Following the ruber stamping by DEFRA, the company announced that it would not proceed with the trial this year, but said they may do so in the future.

This means the BASF/NIAB site in Cambridge (planted around the beginning of May) is now the only location in Britain where GM crops are contaminating the countryside…

One down, one to go – let’s keep Britain GM free!

It’s not too late to stop GM spuds. Join us for a walk to see the trial site and a protest picnic.

Following extensive local and national resistance, BASF (the company trialing the GM potatoes), announced last month that they would not be conducting a GM potato trial in Yorkshire this year!

This means the BASF/NIAB site in Cambridge (planted around the beginning of May) is now the only location in Britain where GM crops are contaminating the countryside…

One down, one to go – let’s keep Britain GM free!

It’s not too late to stop GM spuds. Join us for a walk to see the trial site and a protest picnic.

Bring costumes, families, footwear and clothing for a country stroll and your favourite potato-based dish. Starting from Girton Parish Church, Girton, Cambridgeshire.

12 Noon, Sunday July 1st

See www.mutatoes.org for directions, help with transport and more detailed information on the campaign.

Background

BASF announced on the 14th May that they would not go ahead with the Hedon trial this year. When the trials were originally announced in March 2007, beekeepers expressed concerns to the borage farmers about the possible contamination of borage honey with GM pollen and pointed to their industry’s guidance that required hives to be a minimum of 6 miles from the nearest GM site.

It was reported that the owner of the proposed GM site near Hull wanted the borage farmers concerns had to be dealt with before he finally agreed to the trial going ahead. BASF’s u-turn on going ahead with the trial in 2007 suggests that attempts to reassure borage farmers concerns were unsuccessful. However, the statutory approval granted to BASF is valid until 2011.

The case has wider implications for GM crops. Last year Defra’s consultation on the coexistence of GM, conventional and organic crops did not include beekeepers in the list of people who would be statutorily required to be informed by a farmer intending to commercially grow a GM crop.

Pete Riley of GM Freeze said: “The cancellation of the Hedon GM potato site is warmly welcomed – we could never see the point of allowing this commercial development trial to go ahead when we already have a growing number of blight resistant potato varieties produced by conventional plant breeding. Consumers don’t want GM potatoes and the potato processors have said they will not use them. We hope this is the end of GM trialling in Hedon and the rest of the UK…….The impact of the trials on honey and beekeepers has been central to the cancellation. If any GM crops are ever approved for commercial growing in the UK this type of problem could become common place. Defra have repeatedly tried to ignore the impact of GM crops on beekeepers and the potential economic impacts but at Hedon they have been stung. The economic and agricultural importance of honey bees can no longer by sidelined by Defra’s GM policies. Ministers need to learn the lesson of the debacle over the Hedon site and protect beepers from GM contamination in the future”.
http://www.mutatoes.org