earthfirst – Page 300

Anti-Trident Protest at Atomic Weapons Establishment – 19th March

Almost thirty demonstrators braved the chilly early morning weather at the gates of the Atomic Weapons Establishment in Aldermaston, Berkshire – Britain’s nuclear bomb factory – to protest against Parliament’s decision last Wednesday to renew Trident, and against the construction and development work that has been going on all the while at the site, even before any democratic decision has been made on the future of Britain’s nuclear warheads. Particularly noticeable is the work on the Orion laser, which is designed to circumvent the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and facilitate the development and testing of a new generation of nuclear warheads, in contravention of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The action was called by Block the Builders, fresh from their successful blockade of Parliament Square in London on Wednesday. Amongst those present on Monday were the University of Kent Student CND – making their debut at Aldermaston; the knitting grannies; and Jane from Bristol, who went to school locally and was celebrating her 85th birthday; and of course masses of police! The story was covered by the Newbury Weekly News, who were particularly intrigued by the knitting grannies:

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/News/Article.aspx?articleID=3997

The next planned blockade and protest at Aldermaston has been called by Trident Ploughshares for Tuesday 10th April (just after Easter weekend). Please come along and bring your mates too, and help keep up the pressure!

More details:
http://www.tridentploughshares.org/events.php3#1477
http://www.blockthebuilders.org.uk/index.php

Whitechapel Knees Up against Starbucks

Starbucks, everyone’s favourite nipple-less mermaid merchants, have decided to move into the east end with a new store in Whitechapel. It’s an area with a vibrant community of local cafés and small coffee shops, as well as being an area local to many Space Hijacker agents. As you can probably guess, we are less than pleased about our new neighbour…

We are worried about an oncoming blanding of local culture, as other multinational chains follow Starbucks into the area and attempt to gentrify it with their bland corporate décor, homogenous facades and tasteless products. In defence of our area, and to show off the lovely culture we have, we are putting on a tea party outside the new Starbucks!

We will be setting up a stall and giving out free fair trade teas, home made sandwiches, and all manner of other goodies to our neighbours, in an attempt to show what the area will be missing if Starbucks and their ilk are allowed to settle in.

Bring along tea, biscuits, home-made cakes, jams, and scones to share. Bring your dining room furniture out into the street, bring bunting, music and of course bring friends.

1pm
Sat 24th March
Outside the new Starbucks
Whitechapel High St
London

Opposite Altab Ali Park
Tube – Aldgate east or Whitechapel
Bus – 25, 205, 106 or 254

http://www.spacehijackers.org

Friday 8th June 2007 – International Day of Direct Action against Climate Change and the G8

Direct Action for Climate Justice – Resistance is Self Defense!

We all know the terrifying statistics: a million species extinct by 2050, 19 of the 20 hottest years on record since 1980, Greenland and Antarctica melting, droughts, floods, famines ? the G8 have had over 30 years to address climate change and only succeeded in providing trillions in subsidies to the very industries that are destroying our planet and our future. And while the G8 continues to line their pockets, island states disappear and hundreds of thousands die as a result of the freak weather conditions caused by their irrational and uncontrollable obsession with never ending economic growth.

Direct Action for Climate Justice – Resistance is Self Defense!

We have a ten-year window to act. As the megalomaniac G8 leaders meet in Germany, masked behind a barrier of fences and soldiers, intent on leading us further towards catastrophic and irreversible climate chaos, we must shout, scream and roar ‘no more’. Now is the time to take direct action and shut them down, them and their climate criminal industry friends!

The 8th of June International Day of Action Against Climate Change and the G8 has been called by the International Rising Tide Network. This is a call for autonomous, decentralized actions appropriate for your town, city, or local area. Use this international day of action to support local struggles against oil refineries, gas pipelines, strip mines and coal-fired power plants. Disrupt the financial backers of the fossil fuel industry. Organise workshops to spread sustainable post-petroleum living skills. Find a weak point in the infrastructure of resource exploitation and throw a literal or symbolic wrench in the works. It’s time to visit your local polluters and give ’em hell!

We already know of actions planned across the UK, North America, Germany, Canada and Australia and that’s just the start! By 8th June actions will be planned around the world. Pass this call out on to all environmental justice, climate action, radical sustainability and related movements in all the G8 countries and the Global South.

Rising Tide will create a collection of outreach and agit-prop materials (including this call out in five different languages) that can be used by groups around the world to organise locally. These materials will be downloadable from www.risingtide.org.uk and http://risingtidenorthamerica.org.

Direct action and civil disobedience are the rational response in this time of crisis. Support the 8th of June International Day of Direct Action against Climate Change and the G8! Tell us about planned actions for climate justice being planned in your community. Contact us – info@risingtide.org.uk and contact@risingtidenorthamerica.org

In June 2007 the G8 will understand the meaning of rebellion, revolt and revolution. Their recipe for catastrophe will be met with our worldwide resistance!

York Vikings go berserk over Trident

19.03.2007
A twelve strong group from York, dressed as Vikings, have successfully blockaded both entrances to the Faslane nuclear submarine base. The coordinated action completely closed the base for half an hour this morning. Four men and eight women were arrested in the peaceful protest.

One of the protesters, Richard Lane, said “The Vikings slaughtered tens of thousands of people but they did so over half a millennium. Trident could do the same in a minute.” Dave Taylor of York Green Party said “Whatever happened to the ethical foreign policy that New Labour once promised?” “There is nothing ethical about spending billions of pounds on weapons that the human race cannot afford to use,” he added.

The base is subject to a year long campaign rejecting nuclear weapons and, in particular, the renewal of Trident. This has attracted a lot of international support. So far, nearly 600 people from all over the world have been arrested in as many actions and blockades.

4 anti-military activists from Spain poured gallons of red paint over themselves at Faslane

A group of 15 Spanish activists from five different areas of Spain, all belonging to the Spanish Consciencious Objection Movement, arrived at Faslane for the week-end. With banners, song and dance they protested at the UK’s possession and deployment of nuclear weapons.

Last Thursday march 18th the British passed the updating of their nuclear arsenal, including the nuclear submarines nucleares with Trident missiles with more destructive power (12 nuclear heads) than the bombs
thrown over Hirosima and Nagasaki. The cost of this programe goes up to 30.000 millions of euros. These are real mass destruction weapons

In view of this, antimilitarist activists of diferent parts of the Spanish State have travelled to the military base where this submarines are located in Faslane (Scotland), to carry out an action of blockade.
This antimilitarist action is within the framework of a campaign that is taking place since last october. Up to now there have been 579 people from all ovr the world arreested in several actions of blockade. Also,
in front of the military base, there is a peace camp (Faslane Peace Camp) to demand the disarmament of the base and the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. This Peace Camp has been operating for 25 years.

AA-MOC has been working for years to build a world without wars where Armies and weapons -particulary if they are nuclear- have no place, a world where the huge military expenses (almost 18.000 millions of euros
in the Spanish State this year) are devoted to cover social necessities.

Today AA-MOC has bockaded the North gate of the Military Base of Faslane in Scotland. To do so, two women and two men from Salamanca, Madrid, Zaragoza and Alicante -supported by other activists of the State- have
poured red paint over themselves. The red colour symbolizes the suffering and the bloodshed that these weapons of mass destruction can cause. The paint has impeded the immediate detention of the activists.
Finally they have been arrested and moved to diferent police stations. They were released ten hours later without charges.

Telephone for interviews: (34) 609.469.599 ó (34) 696.343.586
To dowmload photos: http://www.box.net/shared/1d8sqy8gcy
Video: http://www.box.net/shared/m1om1e29pc
Further info (spanish): www.insumissia.org

http://www.faslane365.org

Camp Titnore needs your help!

Camp Titnore near Worthing in Sussex could do with some committed campaigners to come and lend a hand. Coming up to a year in residence (May 28) the camp could do with some new blood. Be part of group aiming to stop Tescos and other scum-bags trash one of the last remaining ancient woodlands on the Sussex coastal plain.

We could do with some new camp members down Titnore way. This is a very well defended site, but veteran anti-road campaigners as well as new blood would be really welcome. With summer round the corner this is a beautiful part of the country and the camp benefits from a well organised support group in the nearby estate, Worthing and Brighton. The forest eco-system, plus lake is threatened by 850 homes, a new Tescos and attached business units. An eviction order has been in place since November, but as development plans are stalled, an actual attempted eviction could be months further down the line.

http://www.protectourwoodland.co.uk

Spring into Action provisional programme

The provisional programme for Spring into Action is now available. Check out the many exciting workshops, from the science of climate change, through food growing to how to build a rocket stove.

programme as pdf – application/pdf 62K

The provisional programme for Spring into Action is now available. Check out the many exciting workshops, from the science of climate change, through food growing to how to build a rocket stove.

programme as pdf – application/pdf 62K

The provisional programme for Spring into Action is now available. Check out the many exciting workshops, from the science of climate change, through food growing to how to build a rocket stove.

info@eastisdeclimateaction.org.uk
http://www.eastsideclimateaction.org.uk

Demonstration and Carnival against the Pipeline- Saturday 24th March, Trebanos

As part of the ongoing campaign against the proposed 150 mile liquefied natural gas pipeline running through South Wales at a dangerously high pressure, there will be march through the affected village of Trebanos, followed by a rally at Trebanos RFC clubhouse.

We invite anyone who wishes to express their concern at the environmental impact and safety considerations of this development, or who wishes to show solidarity with the people who’s lives are being affected by it.

Meet 2pm at the Lidl Carpark in Pontardawe to LEAVE FROM THE BOTTOM OF GLYNMEIRCH ROAD AT 2:30PM

Please bring banners, music, colour, flags, fancy dress, friends, family and pets.

For more info check out:
http://www.fightthepipe.co.uk
http://www.safehavenpembs.co.uk
http://www.risingtide.org.uk/bristol/pipeline

There will be a minibus from Cardiff, taking people directly to the start of the march.

Times from car park at the rear of Cardiff Central train station: 10.00 am & 12.00 noon.
Times from Trebanos RFC clubhouse to Cardiff Central: 4.00 pm & 6.00 pm

Tickets for a return journey are £5. Please contact Amy on 07828671422 or email neverwork@riseup.net to book your place on the minibus.

Please note: there is a limited number of places so please make sure your place in secured by no later than Tuesday 20th. If money is a problem for you, we still may be able to find you space – get in touch!
http://www.fightthepipe.co.uk

Faslane Peace Camp needs visitors!

Faslane Peace Camp recently celebrated its 23rd year of direct action to oppose the Trident nuclear submarines stationed 30 miles north of Glasgow. Visitors are always welcome, for a day, a week, or longer!

Directions: Train from Glasgow Queen Street or 216 bus from Jamaica Street to Helensburgh Central. Then catch the 316 bus to the peace camp.

For more info and to check the current situation: 01436 820 901
faslanepeacecamp@hotmail.com

Bristol & Aberystwyth Upcoming Street Medic Trainings – 20th March & 28-30th

UK Action Medics have two upcoming “street medic” trainings.

One Day affinity group medic training:
Tuesday 20th March, 9.30am – 6pm,
@ Bristol University Students’ Union

2.5 Day street medic training:

UK Action Medics have two upcoming “street medic” trainings.

One Day affinity group medic training:
Tuesday 20th March, 9.30am – 6pm,
@ Bristol University Students’ Union

2.5 Day street medic training:
7pm – 9pm, Weds 28th March,
9.30am – 6pm, Thurs 29th
9.30am – 6pm, Fri 30th
@ Aberystwyth (email for location)

UK Action Medics is a network of activists who have a range of medical skills, from first aid to qualified doctors. We want to ensure that ourselves and others are trained in the unique areas of medicine in protest situations (eg. CS gas and the working conditions) in addition to standard first aid.

We have two upcoming trainings.
ONE-DAY TRAINING
@ Bristol University, Students’ Union

This training will equip with basic first aid skills enabling you to look after yourself and your friends/comrades on actions/demos. These are skills which are also applicable in everyday life. The training includes role-plays where participants have the chance to practice skills under stress. It is also useful as a refresher if you have had previous first aid training/experience.

2.5 DAY TRAINING
in Aberystwyth
What this course is and is not:

* This is a 24-hour street medic training. We will cover the majority of the basic information and skills you will need to provide first aid at protests and direct actions.

** the training includes: working with a buddy, primary and secondary assessment, checking for Danger, Response, Airways, Breathing,
Circulation, Disability and surrounding Environment (DR ABCDE). Spinal immobilisation, basic woundcare, burncare, splinting, carrying patients with fractures, treating victims of chemical weapons (CS gas & pepper spray) attacks, hot & cold injuries, etc.

* This will not make you ready for anything. This course is a foundation in first aid and some practice. More diverse and deeper skill comes with time and practice as well as continuing education in health care.

* One thing we do not teach is Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). CPR is a great and sometimes necessary skill. But we do not cover it
here due to time constraints. The British Heart Foundation offer free “Heartstart” courses, see www.bhf.org.uk

* This is NOT a certificate course. You will receive no certifications or licenses of any kind.

COST:
We don’t make any profit from the trainings, the cost goes towards paying for venue hire, travel expenses for trainers, photocopying handouts and materials used throughout the day. The costs below are a guideline, and nobody will be turned away through lack of funds.

The one day training will cost up to £10 per person (tbc), although it is likely to be lower.

The 2.5 day training will cost up to £20 per person.

I you would like to come to either training or have any questions, please drop me an email on:
ryanmcgavock@riseup.net

http://www.actionmedics.org.uk