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Actions on behalf of piers against High Speed Train start

As it was planned beforehand, yesterday november the 12th there were actions in solidarity with the piers against the Basque project of High Speed Train and obviously, against the projecyt itself.

As it was planned beforehand, yesterday november the 12th there were actions in solidarity with the piers against the Basque project of High Speed Train and obviously, against the projecyt itself. This Saturday a demonstration has been organised to dennounce the lack of proportion between the pennalties against the piers and other well known criminals (what to say about those ones who are destroying Amalurra (Mother Earth) and wasting loads of public money on useless infrastructures!!!). As you may known, the piers are facing between four and nine years for pieing the current Navarran regional president Yolanda Barcina in a meeting for a High Speed network between institutions of both S'pain and France, and as she was president of this institution.

http://mugitu.blogspot.com.es/

yesterday november the 12th there were actions all over the basque Country: in Arruazu , Cadreita , Bilbo , Basauri , Donostia, Irun, Orereta, Gasteiz, Basauri, and S'pain: Cáceres, Asturies
and on the previous days there were actions in Sakana, Barañain and there are more events planned before Saturday in Lezo, Pasaia and even at Bussoleno (Italy). The trial against the 4 piers is next Monday in Madrid at the High Hearing Court. There are solidarity and dennounce activities organized there too.

The High Hearing Court deals with terrorism acts, but this is what the authorities are treating the pieing like, like a terrorist action, and because of that, the 4 and 9 years penalties. It's clear that the aim of this repression is to put people away from movilising against big infrastructures and destruction, but as we can see on these days previous to the trial and we will see on Saturday at the demonstration (there are already buses organised from each city and town), what they really provoke is more reaction.

Actions on te 12th November

Acticvists took over the High Speed train work site in Cadreita demanding immediate and definitive cessation of work. conducting a sit for 35 minutes has prevented the continuation of the work by climbing the machines and unfolding banners.

ARRUAZU (Navarra): one of the accused is councillor of this little rural village where people gathered to reclaim to be left alone.

Donostian: people demonstarted outside the local Court wearing cook hats (many actions and performance are takin place with cooks and cakes as main ingridient). Activists have reached the balcony of the local Court where they haged a banner in solidarity. Two people were arrested and face a fine

BASAURI: 30 people gathered despite the rain in solidarity with the anti-TAV piers .

LEZO – Orereta : 25 people gathered and marched.

BILBO : people demonstrated outside the Basque regional Government

On 9th November two activists chained themselves from their neck at the flags of the Navarran provintial government balcony with banners against the High Speed Train and in solidarity with the four piers. In the meantime people gathered outside screaming aganist teh High Speed Train and against destruction of Nnature. The police tried to cut the D-locks with shears, finding it imposible and ending up taking the flags away (and smashing a window! … and the flags, obviously) They were arrested spending the night in police station (they were not provided any matress and they kept the light on for all night). On Sunday morning were taken befor the judge acussed of "Resistance and severe desobidiance against the authority" (as it should be!!!) resistencia y desobediencia grave a agentes de la autoridad.

Photos: http://ekinklik.org/index.php/es/ultimas-coberturas/411-encadenamiento-contra-el-tav-y-en-solidaridad-con-los-tartalaris

On 7th November: 8 activists enroled for the Conference Work Community of the Pyrenees (a previous Conference as this was where YBarcina was pied at before). They were prevented from attending it. Instead around 60 people gathered outside the Conference in solidarity with the piers and against the High Speed Train. At the end of the event there was a pie war between the demonstrators.

Rising Tide Takes on Fossil Fuel Transport

tar sands megaload 13th November

Rising Tide Disrupts Coal Luncheon

On the heels of shutting down the Port of Vancouver to protest the illegal approval of a massive oil terminal, today Portland Rising Tide disrupted a Millennium Bulk Terminals presentation and luncheon with Portland’s Maritime Commerce Club.

40 activists with Portland Rising Tide entered the Doubletree Hotel in the Lloyd District and disrupted a Millennium Bulk Terminals presentation on their proposed 50-million ton coal export facility in Longview, WA. Millennium Bulk Terminals, owned by Ambre Energy and Arch Coal, was presenting to the Maritime Commerce Club.

Rising Tide Monitors and Protests US-95’s Largest OmegaLoad

On Sunday night, November 10 … Wild Idaho Rising Tide (WIRT) monitored and protested the heaviest and longest megaload of tar sands extraction equipment to recently traverse U.S. Highway 95 and Interstate 90 in Idaho …. another megaload builder of the largest industrial project on Earth!

Support Spied Upon, a vital expose film telling the story of activists targeted by secret police

Dear Earth First!ers,

Due to its effective use of creative direct action tactics in recent decades, Earth First! has consistently been a target of state repression and excessive police tactics. Now we are making a film with other environmental activists who have been targeted by undercover police, with the goal of exposing these abusive repression tactics.

"Spied Upon" is an internationally made full-length documentary that uses the outing of former UK undercover cop Mark Kennedy as it's starting point. Kennedy had begun his international operation by targeting Earth First! in the UK in 2003, and had worked across Europe as well as for the FBI for seven-years before being outed by his unknowing activist girlfriend and her circle of Nottingham friends in 2010. Now this woman and a number of other women are suing police bosses in the UK for what has been exposed as a regular undercover police tactic of duping activist women into long-term relationships. Spied Upon is working with some of these women to support them and help them have their story told.

Mark Kennedy turned private in 2010 and started his own security firm as well as saying that he was working for Global Open, a private security firm known to target animal rights activists on behalf of pharmaceutical company clients. It appears as though that is exactly what Kennedy was doing when he went to Italy to spy on an animal liberation gathering in the summer of 2010. He even tried to strengthen his credibility by saying he was an important Earth First! activist, see the video clip here we shot with Italian activists who tell about when they were unknowing targets of Kennedy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBx38iZ14nc

State repression has long featured the use of undercover police, but a lesser known use of undercover tactics has been those used by private security firms on behalf of private corporations. These practices construe an intense invasion of privacy that is not even allowed for state undercover police, and this scandal needs to be exposed! We have also uncovered illegal collusion between private and state security forces. This collusion is a key focus of the film Spied Upon, which we are also making as a tool that activists can use to highlight the current problems environmental groups face today.

We plan to release Spied Upon internationally in 2014. However, to do this, we need your support to make this film happen. Our film crew comes from grassroots activism, and we are turning to the grassroots, meaning you, to seek funding. Please take a look at our crowdfunding web-site and teaser video at Indiegogo, and take action to help us please by making a donation if you support our work: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/spied-upon

In solidarity,
The crew at Spied Upon

PS. Lots more info at: www.spiedupon.com

Indigenous Petro-Struggles

$stop fracking indigenous$ 12th November

Another Elsipogtog Showdown Brewing

SWN Resources Canada is planning to resume its controversial shale gas seismic exploration work on Wednesday, according to Elsipogtog War Chief John Levi. …

Levi said Connors told the people that SWN would withdraw a lawsuit against several community members if the Houston-based firm was allowed to finish its exploration work unimpeded.

“We said no, we are going to be there,” said Levi, in an interview with APTN National News. “What we told him was we are going to be there Wednesday.”

Ponca Families Challenge TransCanada

Keystone XL pipeline opponents took to a Neligh rancher’s land Saturday, protesting the proposal they say cuts through the historic Ponca Trail of Tears and poses a steep environmental risk. Ponca tribal families, Oceti Sakowin tribes, Brave Heart Society, Bold Nebraska, and others — hosted the Ponca Trail of Tears Spiritual Camp, the first in a series of tribal events aimed at showcasing solidarity among ranchers and Native Americans against TransCanada’s project.

Mining Resistance Stories

$Anti-fracking protesters on the Seaway International Bridge at Akwesasne, Mohawk territory, Nov 9, 2013.$

Anti

$Anti-fracking protesters on the Seaway International Bridge at Akwesasne, Mohawk territory, Nov 9, 2013.$

Anti-fracking protesters on the Seaway International Bridge at Akwesasne, Mohawk territory, Nov 9, 2013.

Akwesasne Anti-fracking Protest Briefly Closes Seaway International Bridge

OTTAWA — The Seaway International Bridge between Cornwall and the U.S. was closed for about an hour Saturday as First Nations protesters staged an “information march” in opposition to hydraulic fracking gas extraction processes.

First Nations Granted Delay On Shell’s Tar Sands Project

Earlier this week the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) announced that a federal decision on Shell Oil’s Jackpine Mine Expansion, a 100,000 barrel per day open pit tar sands mine expansion, would be delayed an additional 35 days. At the heart of this decision is the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation who has been speaking out against the project since day one citing a variety of concerns relating to treaty and aboriginal rights as well as direct and cumulative environmental impacts.

Colombia: Mine Opponents Assassinated

Cesar García, a campesino leader who opposed the mining operations of AngloGold Ashanti at La Colosa in the central Colombian department of Tolima, was assassinated Nov. 2 by an unknown gunman as he worked his small farm at the vereda (hamlet) of Cajón la Leona. Supporters said he had been targeted for his work with the Environmental Campesino Committee of Cajamarca, the local municipality. In a statement, the Network of Tolima Environmental and Campesino Committees said the Cajamarca group had been “stigmatized as enemies of progress in the region,” and falsely linked to the guerilla movement.

Pipeline Solidarity: Informal Anarchist Front Attacks Bank of Canada, Chevron

11th November

Early morning, on Wednesday November 6th a Royal Bank Of Canada had all 2 of their ATMs smashed and 4 of their windows. This was an easy target as it was far on East Hastings in Burnaby. The RBC was attacked because they help fund the most destructive project on earth, the Alberta Tar Sands.

The next early morning, a Chevron on 1st and Nanaimo had 9 of its 12 pumps smashed, effectively shutting it the fuck down. This has no doubt cost Chevron tens of thousands of dollars due to damages and lost revenue. It was easily done with a hammer and took about 1-3 swings each pump. Chevron was attacked because it is a majority shareholder of the Pacific Trail Pipeline. The Pacific Trail Pipeline (PTP) is an already approved Natural Gas pipeline but the Unist’ot’en have built a blockade right on the path of this pipeline. As anarchists we have nothing but solidarity for the Unist`oten and will do everything we can to assist them in their struggle against all corporations who wish to destroy their land and the colonial governments who wish to assist the corporations as it runs parallel with the anarchist struggle.

To other activists and environmental groups[:] this anti-pipelines movement will either be anti-capitalist or nothing. It will either be a mix of violent tactics and peaceful ones or it will be ineffective. It will either be against this colonial government or unsuccessful. We understand the misery and despair of this society and capitalism can be very uninspiring and depressing but there is nothing more liberating, while this society exists, than to smash, burn, loot and bomb something that is smashing your life everyday.We hope these actions inspires you to take some risks. Find your comfort zone and then challenge it.

We understand that it can be scary to commit illegal acts so its best to start small and gain your confidence and skills. Try posturing around your city and move on to paint bombing to targeted graffiti. So on and so forth. The best way to break a window is on the corner where there is less flex. An ATM takes one or two strikes with an hard object. Be careful with ATMs through they usual have high definition cameras so cover your whole face. Glasses or snow goggles would work great. Dress is loose black clothing bearing no log[o]s. If you use other clothing ditch it right after. Black shoes work great. You can also wear different colour shoes and wear socks over them and ditch the socks after you caused some havoc.

FUCK PACIFIC TRAIL PIPELINE! FUCK THE NORTHERN GATEWAY PROJECT!

DESTROY WHAT DESTROYS YOU!

NO PIPELINES ON STOLEN NATIVE LAND!

FAI – Informal Anarchist Front

LONG LIVE ANARCHY!
SOLIDARITY FROM OCCUPIED COAST SALISH TERRITORY TO COMRADES WORLDWIDE

La Parota Opponent Charged With Terrorism

The Land is Not for Sale!

The Land is Not for Sale! A community in resistance to La Parota dam.

11th November

In line with recent statements indicating a resumption of efforts to force through the construction of La Parota Dam, the Mexican government has also launched a new campaign of repression against the dam’s opponents.

First, dam opponents warned of increasing paramilitary activity in the region. Then came word that the federal government is seeking to relocate entire villages to hamstring the opposition to the dam. Now Marco Antonio Suástegui Muñoz, spokesperson for the Council of Ejidos and Communities in Opposition to La Parota Dam (CECOP), said the state government of Guerrero has issued a warrant for his arrest on false charges of terrorism, kidnapping and “attacks on federal roads.” He denounced these as blatant acts of repression related to his organizing work against La Parota.

Suástegui told a CECOP assembly that police set up three separate roadblocks in an attempt to detain him, with orders to immediately transport him to the maximum security prison in Tepic, Nayarit. Suástegui was forced to change vehicles to evade the roadblocks and reach the assembly.

In recent months, Suástegui said, he has been threatened by ranking state official Humberto Salgado Gómez. “Salgado Gómez told me: calm yourself, or we’ll put you in jail. Bad people are watching you. Either we put you in jail, or your life ends,” he said.

Suástegui accused Guerrero Governor Ángel Aguirre Rivero of violating the 2012 Cacahuatepec Agreement, which committed him to cease criminalizing or using force against opponents of La Parota dam, and to seek a meeting with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto and inform him that La Parota dam will not be approved.

Suástegui also said that in spite of the warrant, he will remain in his home village. “If the government wants to come for me, I will not leave my pueblo [village/community/people]. We will wait for them, ladies and gentlemen.”

Fierce Infrastructure Battles in Peru

Indigenous protesters march against Minas Conga mine in defense of their water and lands

8th November Indigenous protesters m

8th November Indigenous protesters march against Minas Conga mine in defense of their water and lands

Cajamarca: Conga occupation not moved

Campesinos from some 40 pueblos across Celendín province, in Peru’s northern region of Cajamarca, held a meeting at Huasmín village Oct. 23 to announce a cross-country march that would arrive in mid-November at the planned site of the Conga gold mine, where marchers would join the encampment that has been established there [for almost two years]. … (Servindi, Oct. 25; Celendin Libre, Oct. 23)

Comuneros (communal peasants) in Celendín’s Yagén pueblo, Cortegana district, weeks earlier announced their readiness to resist the Chadín II hydro-electric project, to be built by Brazilian firm Odebrecht in the headwaters of the Río Marañón, a major tributary of the Amazon—with much of of the energy generated slated for local mining operations. In a statement, the Defense Front for the Interests of Pueblo Yagén said they would reject the “canon” of funds offered to local communities for development of the project in their area. The statement also rejected offers of new roads for local communities, saying they would only facilitate the despoiling of their lands by Odebrecht’s heavy equipment. … The statement closed with the slogan: “Neither Conga nor Chadín! Respect the people!” (Celendin Libre, Sept. 30)

Read the full story.

Cuzco: unrest over water mega-diversion

In a popular assembly Nov. 6, residents of Espinar village in Peru’s Cuzco region declared themselves on a “war footing,” pledigng to resist imminent construction of the Majes Siguas II irrigation mega-project, which would divert water from indigenous communities in the highlands to agribusiness interests on the coast. … Later that day, Espinar’s mayor Oscar Mollohuanca announced that some 100 police troops had attacked local villagers at Urinsaya in Coporaque district, beating five. The whereabouts of one villager has been unknown since the attack. … (Radio Universal, RPP, Nov. 6)

Read the full story.

Peru: government ultimatum to illegal miners

Peru’s government has issued an “ultimatum” to small-scale artisanal miners in southern Puno region, saying that if they do not remove their dredges and other equipment from the watersheds of the Ramis and Suches rivers (which both flow into Lake Titicaca), they will be dynamited. …

The statement follows weeks of protests by informal miners in several regions of the country, demanding “formalization” of their claims. A clash with National Police troops was reported Oct. 2 from a miner roadblock at Huamachuco, La Libertad region. The Regional Federation of Artisanal Miners and Small Producers of La Liberatd (FREMARLIB) said two miners were killed in the confrontation, and several wounded and detained.

Read the full story.

Mi’kmaq Warrior Society Members Beaten in Jail

1st November

Two members of the Mi’kmaq Warrior Society say they were roughed up and beaten by RCMP officers and jail guards after they were arrested following a heavily-armed raid on a Mi’kmaq led anti-fracking camp in New Brunswick earlier this month.

Jason Augustine, Warrior Society district chief, said he was kicked in the head by an RCMP officer after he was cuffed and arrested during the Oct. 17 raid.

Augustine said he was later diagnosed with a concussion at the hospital in Moncton, NB.

“I was kicked in the head three times when I was taken down,” said Augustine. “I wasn’t resisting arrest, I had my hands behind my back, and this one RCMP started bashing my head in.”

Augustine said he was nodding-off while he was held in one of the cells with other warriors at the Codiac RCMP detachment in Moncton. He claimed his head was hit against the wall as he was being taken to the ambulance.

“One of the guys called the guards up and said I needed an ambulance,” said Augustine. “The RCMP picked me up, they roughed me up and hit my head against the wall when they were taking me to the hospital.”

David Mazerolle, another Warrior Society member, claimed in a YouTube video that Aaron Francis was beaten while handcuffed as he was being taken to a cell at the South East Regional Correction Centre in Shediac, NB.

Augustine and Mazerolle, who were released from custody last Friday, both said they were denied use of the telephone.

Augustine said all six of the warriors kept in custody following the raid were put into solitary confinement.

An official at the correction centre referred queries on the allegations to New Brunswick’s Public Safety department. The department did not return telephoned and emailed requests for comment.

RCMP spokesperson Const. Jullie Rogers-Marsh said she would look into the issue before providing a response.

A total of 40 people were arrested the day of the raid which spiralled into chaos after members of the Elsipogtog First Nation clashed with police.

The RCMP raid, which included tactical unit members wearing camouflage and wielding assault weapons, freed several vehicles owned by a Houston-based company doing shale gas exploration work in the region. The anti-fracking camp was blocking SWN Resources Canada’s trucks from leaving a compound in Rexton, NB.

Augustine and Mazerolle face several charges including forcible confinement, mischief, assaulting a peace officer and escaping lawful custody.

Augustine also denied RCMP allegations that the warriors forcibly confined security guards employed by Industrial Securities Ltd in the compound holding SWN’s vehicles.

Augustine said the security guards were escorted by the RCMP at the beginning and end of their shifts.

“They were not held unlawfully,” he said. “They stayed there until their shift changes.”

Augustine also denied RCMP allegations that the warriors uttered death threats or brandished weapons at the security guards.

“There were no death threats, we had nobody in confinement and we had no weapons,” he said.

The RCMP held a press conference following the raid where they displayed three rifles and ammunition seized during the raid. The RCMP said officers also found crude explosive devices.

Augustine claimed the guns and explosives were planted after the raid.

“I do believe they were planted, they knew we wanted peace,” said Augustine. “They had a one track mind to hurt the warrior society.”

Augustine said the warriors were prepared to negotiate the release of SWN’s vehicles.

“They kept telling me, ‘we just want the trucks out’ and I said I was going to our War Chief to tell him to get the trucks out,” said Augustine.

Augustine said he was shot four times by RCMP officers using bean-bag rounds.

He said two RCMP officers presented the warriors with tobacco bundles the night before the raid.

Augustine said his main defence against the charges will be to demand a hearing before an international court.

“Under our treaty laws we have to go to international court,” said Augustine. “We can’t be under the Crown because we are not under the Indian Act, we are treaty people.”

Since spring 2013, RCMP in New Brunswick arrested 82 people in connection with anti-fracking related protests

Rising Tide Protests TD Bank in Seattle

31st October Our friends with Rising Tide Seattle and South Soun

31st October Our friends with Rising Tide Seattle and South Sound Rising Tide arrived at a TD Bank office with a 35-foot-long mock pipeline and a funeral procession to demand they stop bankrolling the Keystone XL and tar sands extraction.

TD Bank is one of the largest shareholders in the Alberta Tar Sands, and was also protested by Rising Tide Philly earlier this year.

After the TD Bank office, they marched to the federal building to put President Obama on notice; they have pledged to resist along with over 80,000 people organized by The Other 98%,CREDO Mobile and Rainforest Action Network.