earthfirst – Page 298

Latest on police appeal against London’s Critical Mass

What if the police win their appeal? Could it be the end of this Critical Mass, after 12 years of monthly rides, or the beginning of a strategic rebellion?

At the start of last night’s ride Des Kay, who originally took the Met police to court, reported on the progress of their appeal. He said it is not looking good as the police are using a high powered lawyer. The police want the ride to be treated as a regular public protest with a fixed route and organisers. Of course, cyclists are not going to stand for this and Des asked for discussions on possible strategies in the event of the appeal succeeding. The result of the appeal could be soon or take several weeks more.

What if the police win their appeal? Could it be the end of this Critical Mass, after 12 years of monthly rides, or the beginning of a strategic rebellion?

Police are still warning riders with sound systems not to play them within the SOCPA zone and are asking for their names and addresses but take no action when this request is refused. They also video the sound system people.

Previous court decision http://www.criticalmasslondon.org.uk/2006/sedley.html

Website http://www.criticalmasslondon.org.uk/

Legal comment below:

Its not unlawful to go on a bike ride!

If a group of people decide to go for a bike ride for leisure purposes only, it is not unlawful.

The bike ride can only be subject to requirements of written notice and possible restrictions if it falls within Section 11 of Part II of the Public Order Act 1986, which deals with processions and assemblies. It states:

“11. Advance notice of public processions

(1) Written notice shall be given in accordance with this section of any proposal to hold a
public procession intended:

(a) to demonstrate support for or opposition to the views or actions of any person or body
of persons,

(b) to publicise a cause or campaign, or

unless it is not reasonably practicable to give any advance notice of the procession.”

The police would have to show that there is a ‘collective intention’ to the bike ride which brings it within the categories (a), (b) and (c) of Section 11 (1).

A regular bike ride for ‘leisure purposes’ only, taking a variable route, would not fall within those categories. If an isolated individual or number of individuals decided spontaneously and separately to decorate their bike or bodies to make any specific point falling within the above categories, so long as it was not the ‘collective intention’ of the group as a whole to do so, the ride would not be brought within the requirements of Section 11 (1).

So the ‘South Bank Cycling Club’ or whoever, just needs to make it clear in any publicity or in any communication that the intention of the ride is for leisure purposes and not for demonstration, publicity or commemorative purposes.

Camberwell Squatted Centre holds it down!!!

Holding it down since 10th March, the Camberwell Squatted Centre unleashes a new wave of activity. Upcoming events include cafes, bar-socials, films and a secondhand booksale.

We have made amazing leaps and bounds with a very trashed building – you can see a picture gallery of this work in progress at our website.

Holding it down since 10th March, the Camberwell Squatted Centre unleashes a new wave of activity. Upcoming events include cafes, bar-socials, films and a secondhand booksale.

We have made amazing leaps and bounds with a very trashed building – you can see a picture gallery of this work in progress at our website.

Full programme of events at
http://www.56a.org.uk/warham.html

Come and down and get involved. Want to use the space – mail us with your ideas. The more days we can open the better…

Some bodies at
Camberwell Squatted Centre

blackfrog@alphabetthreat.co.uk

Polar bear faces off against Bradford Climate Criminals

31.03.2007- Today Bradford witnessed the unusual sight of a placard-waving polar bear. The placard, with the simple message; “You fly, I die”, was aimed at the selfish minority who continue to fly despite this being a major contributor to climate change – and the fastest rising source of carbon dioxide emissions in Western Europe.

The bear and his human friends visited a variety of travel agents in the city centre with a letter asking that the climate criminals stop destroying the Arctic. After that, he made his way to the Tomas Cook call centre on Godwin Street, where several local residents had erected a banner and were busy posting the windows with “You Fly, They Die” stickers (see http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/2283 for ordering information)

The local citizens – inspired by the excellent Camp For Climate Action last summer – were dismayed that the climate crimes of this firm seem to be going unnoticed. A spokeswoman for the group pointed out that there were two great lies about flying which needed to be challenged. The first is that flying is a small contributor to green house gases; the people who say this rely on figures which don’t include return flights or flights to and from Britain made by foreigners, and ignore the extra damage done by emitting pollutants high in the atmosphere. The other lie is that flying is a common activity for ordinary people. Studies clearly show that flying is overwhelmingly an activity for the rich to take part in, at great cost to the rest of us. The average income of passengers using Stansted – supposedly Britain’s “low cost” airport – was recently found to be £48,000!

Without immediate action it is likely that summer sea ice in the Arctic will be totally absent within 30 to 70 years – this would spell extinction in the wild for the Polar Bear, which relies on sea ice for hunting. The Arctic is already one of the fasted warming parts of the world.

In the face of the reckless, criminal and selfish actions of a minority of people that threaten us all, surely the time has come for sane and moderate people to stand up and say that enough is enough. The profit terrorists and climate criminals must stop before they kill us all.

The police rather politely asked who wanted to be arrested, and five people decided to attempt to continue their important public-spirited work through the courts. The bear went home for tea and biscuits.

———–

The text of the bear’s letter:

Dear Travel Industry people,

Air flights are the fastest growing source of UK carbon emissions, which lead to climate change. When the uniquely damaging effects of emitting CO2 at high altitude are taken into account, the aviation industry already emits the equivalent of 10-15% of UK carbon emissions, and the level of pollution increases with every passing year. If aviation continues to expand in line with government plans to 2030, emissions from aircraft will increase by between 156% and 191% from a 2000 baseline. This growth would counteract CO2 reductions made in other sectors of the economy, and destroy any chance to avoid catastrophic global warming.

Without urgent action it is likely that summer sea ice in the Arctic will be totally absent within 30 to 70 years, and it will not just be us polar bears who feel the effects:-
The addition of melt water to the ocean may have catastrophic consequences for Britain, because it is slowing ocean currents that have kept our climate clement for thousands of years. Paradoxically, global warming could make the UK colder, by “turning off” the Gulf stream.
A three degree temperature rise over the next century could lead to the collapse of the Greenland ice sheet, ultimately resulting in a 7 metre sea level rise.

It is time for a big change. We are calling on you lot to act as responsible global citizens by reducing the number of flights you sell, and switching your business to concentrate on less environmentally damaging forms of transport such as coach, ferry and rail. Instead of cooking the planet by encouraging people to take hugely polluting long-distance flights, we ask you to put more effort into promoting the many attractions of holidays here in the UK.

Thanks for your help and co-operation.

Sam Bear

Environmentalist bloc at Faslane 365 – 26.04.07

CHERNOBYL DAY AT FASLANE 26th April 2007

Can you see the connection between more nuclear weapons, more nuclear power stations, war for oil and climate change?
– Or that replacing Trident will mean more dangerous nuclear powered submarines based on the Clyde and more nuclear waste…
– And that nuclear weapons are an environmental disaster and radioactive pollution is caused by their use, testing, waste, accidents or by terrorist attack.
– Or that environmental devastation caused by nuclear weaponry affects people and their environments across boundaries and down the generations…

Then join the environmentalist block at Faslane on Chernobyl Day!

CHERNOBYL DAY AT FASLANE 26th April 2007

Then join the environmentalist block at Faslane on Chernobyl Day!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
April 26th 2007 will be the 21st anniversary of the Chernobyl Disaster. At least 9,000 people are expected to die in Belarus, Ukraine and Russia from the nuclear fall-out from the accident, whilst across Europe the number of deaths from cancers caused by radiation from the accident could be as high as 60,000. Amongst people who were children at the time of the accident there has been a significant increase in thyroid cancers – over 4,000 cases were diagnosed in the Ukraine between 1992 – 2002.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
On the 21st anniversary of the Chernobyl Disaster, activists and supporters from Scottish environmental groups and networks will be holding a series of events outside the Faslane nuclear submarine base to protest against the government’s plans to build more nuclear power stations and Trident replacement.

Among the different events planned for the day Friends of the Earth Scotland will be rallying from 8am to midday at the main gate with their huge inflatable white elephant to highlight that new nuclear power stations are unsafe, unwanted and unnecessary.

Plans also include a die-in and blockade of the gates later in the day.

Groups involved include: Friends of the Earth Scotland, Scottish local Greenpeace groups, Scottish People and Planet network, Rising Tide Scotland.

GET INVOLVED!
Nonviolent action training day: Saturday 31st March, 10.30am-4pm, Lamb’s House, Burgess Street, Edinburgh, EH6 6RD_map and directions:
http://www.foe-scotland.org.uk/about/getting_to_FoE_office.html

Prop and banner making day – all day from 10.30am Wednesday 25th April, Lambs House, Burgess Street, Edinburgh, EH6 6RD. Bring cardboard, paint, materials, fall-out suits and costumes to decorate!

Transport:
There will be a 50 seater coach eaving Waterloo Place, Edinburgh at
4am – Yes! Four in the morning! (Map here:
www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=55.9538&lon=-3.186&scale=10000&icon=x

Price £10 waged or £6 unwaged.
Please book your seat first by calling 0131 554 9977 or emailing
environmentalists@faslane365.org
Return time: Leaving Faslane around 5.30pm and arriving Edinburgh at
about 8pm.

Possible pick ups also in Glasgow – contact us for more information

There are also good public transport links to Faslane from Glasgow using the Low Level trains from Glasgow Queen Street and Partick stations every half hour to Helensburgh Central and then the Coulport or Garelochhead buses to Faslane Peace Camp or the Faslane Cemetery (opposite the North Gate.) There is also a train service from Queen Street (main level: destination Mallaig/Oban) which stops at Garelochhead (about a mile walk from Faslane north gate)

A cycle path runs all the way from Helensburgh to Faslane along the A814.
There is limited parking close to the Faslane North Gate in the Faslane cemetery car-park just past the North Gate on the right. Limited car parking is also available at Faslane Peace Camp at the south of the base.

Limited accommodation the night is available in Edinburgh – please bring a sleeping bag. We can also help you find accommodation in Glasgow the night before.

For more information or to book places please contact
environmentalists [at] faslane365.org or phone 0131 554 9977

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

ANTI GM RALLY – HULL, 21 APRIL, 2007

BASF (“THE Chemical Company” according to their literature) are developing genetically modified potatoes. They start this year with a five year programme of tests involving planting them at several sites around the United Kingdom. To date the UK is free of commercially planted GM crops; it is our intention to keep it that way. There are many reasons why GM food is bad for our planet, for farmers and for our health. We need to act now before they get a foothold – once established there will be no going back, as the Americas and the Far East have already found out to their cost.

ANTI GM RALLY – HULL, 21 APRIL, 2007

On 21st April there is a rally in Hull against the planting of GM crops in East Yorkshire. If you care about the planet, our food or simply your health, then be there to make you voice heard. For more details contact us at gmfreepotatoes@kaleton.com

http://myspace.com/gmfreepotatoes

SPREAD THE WORD

Cambridge GM Crop Trial – meeting (2nd April) & protest walk (14th April)

7.30 pm Monday 2nd April
Emmanuel United Reform Church, Trumpington St.

Speakers:
Michael Antoniou, reader in Molecular Genetics at Guy’s Hospital Medical School

7.30 pm Monday 2nd April
Emmanuel United Reform Church, Trumpington St.

Speakers:
Michael Antoniou, reader in Molecular Genetics at Guy’s Hospital Medical School
Helena Paul, chair of GM Freeze
Clare Oxborrow, Real Food Campaign, National Friends of the Earth

Trials of GM potatoes have been given the go-ahead to be planted from March 30th, at the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) in North Cambridge, on behalf of multinational firm BASF.

These are the first GM crop trial in England in the last three years.
If they go ahead unopposed it gives a green light to the biotech industry to push for further trials.

Similar trials in The Netherlands were recently stopped in the courts due to a lack of controlled testing and
environmental impact assessments. A recent application for trials in Ireland was cancelled after a public campaign
and the setting of strict conditions by the Irish government.

This meeting aims to empower people with more knowledge of the GM debate.

Organised by Cambridge GM Concern
e-mail gmfreecambridge@lists.riseup.net

A further date for your diary: there will be a Protest Walk on Saturday 14th April at the site of the trials. Details will be posted on Cambridge Indymedia shortly.

Bath Climate Camp – info and wish list

Between late afternoon on thursday 19th of April and sunday 22nd April, there is going to be a climate camp just outside of Bath focusing on Land and Marines offices (the company building the gas pipeline smashing through Wales).

The camp is shaping up to be a really good event. We have most things up together such as bands, a vegan field kitchen, a compost toilet, marquees etc, but there are a few things we could do with more of including

– Materials for banner making, carnival props etc
– vegetables/spices/pulses – we have got food sorted out, but could always do with some more
– reclaimed wood for fires and construction

Most importantly, we need people to attend the camp, as this is an opportunity to take the fight over the pipeline to the front door of those building it.

as well as bands, food, workshops, DIY sessions and kids activities, we have two demos planned –

*friday 20th of April – All day – Shut down Land and Marine – a day of autonomous actions against Land and Marines offices. Wether you want to blockade, make music, banner drop, leaflet, or anything else you can think of, all non violent actions and all non-violent people are very welcome!

*Saturday 21st April – Party against Petrol – Meet at 11 at Bath Climate Camp or 12 at Bath Abbey – A colorful, noisy carnival against car culture and fossil fuels, roaming around Bath and stopping to party and highlight some local climate criminals!

we hold weekly planning meetings on Thursdays in the hobgoblin (47 st. James Parade) at 7.30 in the downstairs room, all are welcome.

For more info, to request posters/booklets etc or to ask any questions, please e-mail bathclimatecamp@yahoo.co.uk or check out www.myspace.com/bathclimatecamp

See you in the fields!

bathclimatecamp@yahoo.co.uk
http://www.myspace.com/bathclimatecamp

EXPOSE EXXON DAY 5-6th April

24 hours of protest at Exxon (Esso) HQ,
5.00 pm Thursday 5th April to 5.00 pm Good Friday, April 6th.

Mass Action 2.00 pm Friday

24 hours of protest at Exxon (Esso) HQ,
5.00 pm Thursday 5th April to 5.00 pm Good Friday, April 6th.

Mass Action 2.00 pm Friday

FAT CAT’S PARTY
CLIMATE VICTIMS’ VIGIL

Music, Street Theatre, Workshops, Speakers

Come and target the ultimate Global Warming Villain More info on Exxon here.

Exxon HQ is South of London on the Northern outskirts of Leatherhead, about 20 minutes walk from Leatherhead Railway Station (45 minutes by train from Waterloo). See map here or close-up here

Floorspace available overnight (details here): if you would like accomodation overnight for the 5th-6th, it will help to email us at info@campaigncc.org with “OVERNIGHT EXXON” in the subject line. Please indicate, also, whether you would like to volunteer for a shift at the overnight vigil outside Exxon HQ. A minibus will pick people up from Exxon HQ on Thursday evening and take them to the accomodation (and back in the morning).

Cycle against Exxon : a cycle protest will leave from under Waterloo bridge on the South Bank at 100.am, Friday (from there it is 20 miles to join the protest at ExxonMobil HQ).

>>> Draft Schedule with more details here.

Niger Delta Women shut down Agip Oil Facility

March 23, 2007

A group of women from the Idheze community in Isokoland have once again shut down oil facilities of the Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) because have failed to pay promised compensation for damages caused by chemical/waste fluid of the firm flushed into the community. The people of Isokoland have experienced continued series of crisis over the past 15 years. (There are about 27 oil wells in the area). Many incidents have been a result of divide and rule tactics by the Nigerian government between and within ethnic minorities in Delta State and other states in the region. When there have been clashes the government has sent in mobile police resulting in death, injury and destruction of people’s properties. The last time I visted Oleh Town (the headquarters of Isoko South Local Government Area in 2000 women spoke of the brutallity of the mobile policie (MOPO) and how many of them lost their homes. I saw homes burnt down to the ground by the MOPO. Each time they come into the area people are afraid and run away and then their homes are looted and often burned to the ground.

March 23, 2007

“Many houses were burned down, many things destroyed, we loose all our property. Some people loose their money, everything concerning trading material many things lost. Some people now are not even staying in this town because all their house all their property has burned down. There is a lot of suffering. Both men and women they are suffering in this town. Up till now there are something children who are lost (missing) up till now we have never seen any certificate of children born.”

Now we have to wait and see how the government will respond to the women’s protest and hope that this time Obasanjo does not send in his army to protect the oil company and attack Nigerian women who are protesting against the environmental damage to their community by Agip which is is normal reaction to any protests against oil companies and facilities.

Recently, chemical/waste from the rig site was discharged into the swamp of Idheze leading to the death and destruction of aquatic life. Many dead aquatic animals were still afloat in the ponds yesterday. The women had early in December 2006 seized oil facilities belonging to Agip, owing to the failure of the company to implement an earlier agreement signed with the community on their entrance into their land. They revealed that a spill led to the death of seven adults and three children and also destroyed economic trees and crops in 1982.

The women carried placards, barricaded the main entrance of the company’s facilities and turned back all workers. Some of the placards bore inscriptions such as: “We are tired of the inhuman treatment of NAOC”, “We will continue to disrupt your activities until you meet our demands”, “Pay compensation for the chemical/waste fluid you have used to pollute our land.”

The women came to the premises with their utensils and food items, including bags of rice, yams, garri as well as canopies with which they erected makeshift tents. They vowed not to vacate the yard until their demands were met. According to them, after all that the community suffered as a result of the spill, Agip has refused to heed the advice of the inspectorate body of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) which ordered Agip to compensate the community.

Leader of the protesters, Mrs. Mercy Okunwa, who spoke on behalf of the community’s President-General, Joel Ogbru, accused the company of insensitivity to the plight of the locals as well as reneging on agreement reached with the community in Port Harcourt last December.

She said the non-challant attitude of NAOC to the issues of their community, led to a protest by the community on the December 19, 2006 to register their “vexation but until now none of the promises made by NAOC when they invited the community people has been implemented”.

She disclosed that many of the servicing companies operating in the rigs were “carrying out the job with the knowledge of Agip but detrimental to the community because none of them pays royalty to the community.”

They accused servicing firms such as SERIC, IMPEANTI, and KCA Deutage for flouting outrightly, agreements reached with the community, saying that Agip conspired with some of the servicing firms to rob the community of their entitlements. She lamented that contracts that should have been given to the indigenes were executed by outsiders.

“We are peace-loving people and knowing that Agip has been deceiving us, we wouldn’t want anything that will be detrimental this time to our people and so until the company’s management responds to our demand, we will not vacate the premises,” the aggrieved women declared.

Soldiers barred journalists from reaching the Community Relations Officer in charge of the Kwale Gas Plant of Agip, Prince Obi, who was at the premises addressing the protesters.

Local Residents Close Climate Criminal’s Yard

26.3.07 – Today, a group of local residents, inspired by last year’s Camp for Climate Action at Drax power station, but dismayed at plans to increase congestion and pollution on the M1, have visited Jackson’s yard in Sutton in Ashfield, near Mansfield. The citizens locked the gates shut and hung a variety of banners giving the clear message that Jackson’s contribution to a worsening environment was not welcome.

Jacksons are heavily implicated in the ridiculous plans to increase congestion and pollution on the M1 by widening it into four lanes in each direction – their main focus is the area around junctions 31 and 32. Until recently, the yard, on Coxmoor Road, also housed a dodgy Scandinavian outfit called Skanska. These clowns are even deeper in the mire; in asscociation with Balfor Beatie they are engaged in work from the M25 to Luton.

Given that Blair’s government is thoroughly in the pocket of big business, it should be no surpise to anyone that recently, when Roads Minister Stephen Ladyman was churning out the same old lies about road widening for the Nottingham Evening Post, he repeated almost word for word parts of the Skanska website’s M1 page!

Clearly, the sensible response to traffic congestion would involve investment in public transport and increased use of the railways for frieght. However, since these solutions are unlikely to make much profit for Blair’s friends in big business, we are all left choking on the fumes generated by a massively expensive white elephant. The Government is
giving your money to climate criminals and profit terrorists, whilst claiming to take climate change seriously – the time has come for sane and moderate people everywhere to take a stand against this madness.

Maybe the Police are starting to get the idea too – they turned up, but then went away again, allegedly due to a staff shortage.

To get involved in the next Climate Camp, visit www.climatecamp.org.uk