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Frack Off: Activists Blockade Fracking Drill

Update: it has now ended – a successful 7 hour occupation on the gates and no arrests

18.6.2012

Update: it has now ended – a successful 7 hour occupation on the gates and no arrests

18.6.2012

Anti-fracking group, Frack Off, is blockading the site of Cuadrilla Resource’s drilling rig. Twenty people descended on the site at 5am and are blockading the entrance. The site is owned by PR Marriot who is Cuadrilla’s lead drilling contractors.

The action is stopping work on the drill which is being worked on in preparation for more fracking exploration in Lancashire. Frack Off is highlighting the threat posed by the tidal wave of extreme energy extraction methods that are being pushed by the government and a number of mostly US and Australian companies. The action is the beginning of a concerted campaign by people across the country to stop the introduction of these dangerous practices before it is too late.

Despite the mounting evidence from the United States that the exploitation of unconventional fossil fuels such as shale gas and coal bed methane (CBM) threatens to poison the environment, further destabilise the climate and is implicated in rising toll on human health including increasing cancer rates, corporations and governments are doing all they can to push through the introduction of these new energy extraction methods in the face of growing public opposition.

Last month the Energy and Climate Change Minister Gregory Barker announced in parliament that the "Government will continue to seek full economic recovery of UK hydrocarbon resources, both conventional and unconventional", a position which amounts to a declaration of war on the people and environment of the British Isles. Full economic recovery will involve coating the countryside with drilling sites and pipelines while poisoning the air and water and the emission of vast quantities or carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

The main justification used for the need for this destructive course of action is that we face an energy crisis and need this gas to "keep the lights on". In reality unconventional fossil fuels are very expensive to extract and the amount that could be extracted is a small fraction of the gas from the North Sea that we have squandered over the last 40 years. The choice we face is between continuing to feed our addiction to increasing expensive and dangerous fossil fuels or putting a stop to the vicious economic system that requires them.

There is a gaping disconnect between the green rhetoric that is thrown around by governments and corporations alike and the dirty, dangerous and impoverished future that they are actually advocating in their quest for a quick buck. This prioritising of corporate greed over the interests of people and ecosystems while pretending to care about them, has no better poster child than the Rio+20 Earth Summit that starts on Wednesday.

Twenty years after world leaders met in Rio de Janeiro and promised to address the environmental and social problems afflicting the planet they will meet again, to promise, again, to do something about the now even worse problems we face. As with twenty years ago they have no intention of actually doing anything that would put a check on the system of corporate exploitation that is destroying the ecosystems we rely on. This is why ordinary people must take a stand to stop the destruction if anything is every going to change.

For more info have a look at:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/frack_off
Facebook: www.facebook.com/frackoffuk
Website: www.frack-off.org
Pictures: http://s.coop/pzid

Agriculture Action Camp 5-10 July Den Bosch NL

From the 5th till 10th of July in Den Bosch in the Netherlands, ASEED will organize a 6 days long camp. The camp will involve workshops, trainings, discussions, and action, for good ecological initiatives, an alternative food chain, alternatives to industrial farming, and against gentech and meat industry, and more..

Do you know where your food comes from? Do you want to take food in your own hands and make the food chain shorter between the farmers and consumers? Do you also want to know more about the struggle against GMOs and industrial farming that is dominated by big companies? Do you want to organize actions against the meat industry and the imports of animal feed? But you are also interested in producing your own food on a sustainable, climate neutral, autonomous and social way? Are you not afraid of getting your hands dirty in a workshop? All of these and more will be covered during the camp. We invite activists, slow-foodies, farmers, gardeners, students, animal friends and people who want to learn and share skills on sustainable agriculture to come to the camp. Mark your agendas and join in!

Last year the first Agriculture Action Camp in The Netherlands took place in the Flevopolder with 70 participants camping on an organic farm for three days. We had a program full of workshops and discussions, and two actions close to the camp against GM crops and soy greenwashing. The participants opted for a replay, so here comes the second camp once again with an interesting programme of workshops, trainings, action and nice atmosphere.

Hello everybody,
We are getting closer to the date it is all going to start, the location will be in the city of Den Bosch (or ‘s Hertogenbosch) in and around a squatted community garden project Graafse Hof in a residential area in the East of the city. The workshop program is getting more and more concrete. Confirmed are amongst other things: GMO update by Greenpeace, GMO field liberation movements by FLM Belgium (more contributions/examples
from similar movements in other countries welcome!!), introduction into different forms of sustainable agriculture systems (biodynamic, agroecology, permaculture), seed saving, worm composting, getting to know your gardening tools, action trainings by Vredesactie, tractor driving, talks with and working with farmers, food sovereignty: what does it mean, European movement, concrete examples, and more to come. The program starts on Thursday 5th in the evening and goes on till Monday 9th July.

Give a Workshop?
Want to come and give a workshop yourself? Great! We are in particularly interested to hear about reclaim the fields land occupation actions, or similar campaigns/initiatives going on, as well as the Reclaim the fields movement in general. Also looking for someone who can tell more about the European Campaign for Seed Sovereignty. But anything relevant, you’re welcome to propose.

Info stall @ mini alternative agro fair on Saturday 7 July, 13.00?
Saturday we want to focus on getting more mainstream people to participate in the camp. The workshops are more introductory and their will be a small fair. Want to have stall to spread materials from your project or action group? Let us know.

Networking @ Worldcafe on Saturday 7 July, 20.00
Saturdaynight we will turn a tent into a nice cafe, where everyone can come to exchange ideas and examples. Organisations, Initiatives and Individuals have the opportunity for reservating a table, where people can sit around to have informal conversations. Want to have a table your project/initiative/campaign? read more here:
http://landbouwactiekamp.contrast.org/?page_id=181

Action
Monday July 9 will have a focus on doing one or more actions. Possible targets/topics are mentioned in the call out from before. The camp will decide collectively what it will become at the beginning of the weekend.

Finances & travel costs reimbursements
We have some funding for the camp but not enough to cover all costs, so we would ask a participants for a contribution of 7,50 if you come 1 day, less per day if you stay longer (see the website under practicalities).
We have some limited possibilities to (partially) cover travel costs from people coming from abroad, AND coming on the 4th of July (help build up) and/or stay till 11th (help break down). Let us know if you want to come, and travel costs are an issue. If you can travel on one of these dates, we can probably reimburse (some) costs.

Want to reserve a workshop slot, info stall or worldcafe table, or just know more about the camp, contact us via landbouwactiekamp@aseed.net.

We still need people to;
-make the kids program and organize the kids area in the camp
-help us with the infrastructure preparations of the camp, & be there on the 4th to set up the camp,
-translation and editing texts,(NL, ENG, DE mainly)
-help us out with program content,
-facilitate workshops, translation during the workshops etc..

Cheers and hope to see some of you @ Den Bosch.

ASEED

http://www.landbouwactiekamp.net/

Carnival of Dirt

On Friday 15 June, London will experience its first ever Carnival of Dirt, a carnival like no other. More than 30 activist groups from London and around the world have come together to highlight the illicit deeds of mining and extraction companies.

Reports and photos from the day: 1 | 2 | 3

http://www.carnivalofdirt.org

Sabotage Action in Mayo

June 13, 2012

Last week a stone crushing machine central to the operation of Barretts Quarry in Bangor, County Mayo was decomissioned. Barretts Quarry was targeted because it supplies materials crucial to the construction of Royal Dutch Shell's dangerous and destructive raw gas pipeline in Broadhaven Bay.

This action was taken in solidarity with the local community who have been in struggle against Royal Dutch Shell for the past ten years, and should serve to demonstrate that any company complicit in supporting Royal Dutch Shell's activities in Mayo, and beyond, can and will be targeted.

Windsor eco-occupation

10th June 2012

a group calling themselves 'diggers2012' and loosely affiliated with the occupy movement, are on route to a piece of disused land on the windsor great park estate. yesterday, as they set off from syon lane community allotment, police served a pre-emptive injunction on them forbidding them from entering or camping on crown estate land.

10th June 2012

Carry On Craneing: Nuclear Disarmament Banner Drop!

9.6.2012

In a public display to commence our 30 Days of Direct Action Campaign, three Faslane Peace Campers are currently dropping banners from the Clydebank landmark gantry crane in Glasgow. "Nuclear Disarmament. If Not Now, When?"!
Planning to make a day of it, they have taken a lovely packed lunch and some literature. However, quite a few police vans were on scene almost immediately and are making efforts to remove them.

This is the first of many anti-nuclear actions planned to mark the 30th anniversary of the Camp. In this run up to a Scottish Independence Referendum coupled with the Westminster vote on Trident replacement in waiting, we have a very real chance to affect the shape of the future UK nuclear defence policies. Scotland could hold the key to UK nuclear disarmament.

Now is the time for a renewed anti-nuclear insurgency. Come to the camp and join in our 30 Days of Direct Action.

faslane30@riseup.net

Tree protest called off after Network Rail concessions

28 May 2012

Campaigners – including three protesters who chained themselves to a tree – claim victory after Network Rail postpones planned tree clearance on a railway embankment near Whitstable in Kent.

28 May 2012

Campaigners – including three protesters who chained themselves to a tree – claim victory after Network Rail postpones planned tree clearance on a railway embankment near Whitstable in Kent.

More than 100 protesters held a demonstration on the Cromwell Road railway embankment in an attempt to halt the start of work to remove trees, which Network Rail claims could cause instability on the track.

The protesters, many of whom were local residents, are concerned that the works would take place during the bird-breeding season when many are nesting in the trees.

A five-hour long protest, during which three female protesters in their 50s and 60s chained themselves to a tree on the embankment, started at 7.30am with campaigners brandishing placards bearing slogans including "stop the slaughter of wildlife".

The demonstration was called off after Network Rail informed campaigners in writing that it was halting the works until September, after the bird breeding season has finished.

'Claiming victory'

The statement by Network Rail fulfils two of the protesters' three demands. One campaigner said that they would now concentrate on persuading Network Rail to agree to their remaining demand, for better consultation with residents and the use of truly independent conservation experts.

"Whitstable people are now claiming this as a victory," said Julie Wassmer, who was among the three who had chained themselves to the tree. "Today, Network Rail are now aware that the people of Whitstable are not backing off."

The rail infrastructure operator planned to start removing the trees because of concerns about subsidence caused by their roots.

An independent ecologist carried out an assessment this morning on behalf of Network Rail to determine how many birds' nests were in the affected trees.

Fiona Taylor, Network Rail's route managing director for Kent, said: "After a thorough inspection with an independent ecologist, the work to remove selected trees along this stretch of railway has been postponed owing to the suspected number of nesting birds.

"Because this work is essential for the future safety of the railway, we will return at a later date to complete it once the nests have been vacated. Residents will receive a minimum of 10 days’ notice before the start date and we will carry out a full inspection before the work begins."

'Useful reminder'

The trees had already been given a temporary stay of execution after plans to remove them in April were put on hold.

Mark Thomas, an RSPB investigations officer, said: "The attempts by Network Rail to clear trackside vegetation from a line in Kent is a useful reminder to everyone that the nests of all wild birds are protected by law during the nesting season.

"Thanks to protests the RSPB, Kent and British Transport Police, and not least local campaigners, Network Rail are aware of this.

We now trust they will plan their track clearance work outside the bird-nesting season where they will be able to carry out essential work without causing environmental damage and sparking the outrage of communities who care about their local wildlife."

—-

Earlier story, 3rd May:

CAMPAIGNERS have promised "direct action" in a battle with Network Rail bosses over trees.

Protesters calling themselves Whitstable Tree Savers will meet the company tonight (Thursday) to try to persuade it to stop felling trees along the railway line – and have vowed to continue their fight if the meeting doesn't work.

Campaign spokeswoman Julie Wassmer, who lives in Cromwell Road, said: "There will be a massive protest – and I don't mean petitions. They will physically be obstructed from getting into the car park.

"Feelings are running so high about this it is unbelievable." More

http://saveourwoods.co.uk/get-involved/local-campaigns/tree-savers-save-rail-side-trees/

http://twitter.com/#!/TreeSavers

http://saverailsidetrees.webs.com/

Take the Flour Back

More than 400 growers, bakers and families from across England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France and Belgium marched against the return of open air GM field testing today. Take the Flour Back linked arms with their European counterparts, notably France’s Volunteer Reapers and walked calmly towards the site, before being stopped by police lines.

Kate Bell from Take the Flour Back stated that “In the past, kids, grannies, and everyone in between has decontaminated GM trial sites together. Here at the beginning of a new resistance to this obsolete technology, we see GM hidden behind a fortress. We wanted to do the responsible thing and remove the threat of GM contamination, sadly it wasn’t possible to do that effectively today. However, we stand arm in arm with farmers and growers from around the world, who are prepared to risk their freedom to stop the imposition of GM crops.”

People enjoyed a GM free picnic whilst listening to a range of speakers opposing the trial, including Graciela Romero, International Programmes Director of UK development charity War on Want. Lawrence Woodward, previously Director of Elm Farm Organic Research Centre, former head of standards at the Soil Association, and now involved in Citizens concerned about GM. Plus several British farmers including Peter Lundgren, a conventional wheat farmer from Lincolnshire.

Gathuru Mburu, co-ordinator of the African Biodiversity Network, spoke on the global fight for control of our food supply.

Mburu explained that:

“Experimenting with staple crops is a serious threat to food security. Our resilience comes from diversity, not the monocultures of GM. Beneath the rhetoric that GM is the key to feeding a hungry world, there is a very different story – a story of control and profit. The fact is that we need a diversity of genetic traits in food crops in order to survive worsening climates. Above all, people need to have control over their seeds”

This statement is released amongst growing calls for the scientists to demonstrate sensitivity to public concern by harvesting the crop before pollination, removing any risk of contamination with non-GM plants.

Two people were arrested for trespassory assembly and others were searched and escorted on their way to the park, or searched on their way out. Footpaths had been closed by order, huge numbers of cops and security were in place, a camera on a cherry-picker close to the open-air experiment, and a special Section 14a Trespassory Assembly applied to a large area. The people arrested were in a small group, though this is only an offence for groups of 20 or more people and they may well not have known 14a was in force.

Eco village occupation in Windsor this June

On Saturday 09th June, we will be walking from Syon Lane Community Allotment in West London to Windsor. We will be camping for one night on the route. Our aim is to start a community on a piece of disused land on the Crown Estate.

We plan to grow our own food, make shelters and live sustainably: to show an alternative to our system of crisis. We call for the right for everyone to be able to use the disused land to live on, free the yoke of debt and rent.

If you share our vision, and you are willing to work to achieve it, we welcome you to join us.

Meetup Details

Meet at Syon Lane Community Allotment on Sat 09th

June from 11 a.m. We will be departing at 1 p.m sharp.

Bring camping equipment, warm clothing, mug, bowl, spoon and a torch. Also please bring seeds and any useful equipment if you can.

Should you wish to meet us in Windsor, or at some other point along the journey, please call the numbers below on the day.

If you would like to know more about this project, please visit: www.diggers2012.wordpress.com or email diggers2012@yahoo.co.uk

Alternatively you can call or text the following numbers: 07963 475 195 / 07905 283 114 to find out more.

Syon Lane Community Allotment Directions and map.

Street Address: The lane adjacent to Platform 1, Syon Lane Station, Rothbury Gardens, Isleworth, Middlesex, TW7 5JG
Getting to the site: We are situated on the long strip of land adjacent to Platform 1 of Syon Lane Station, which is on the southern railway line coming from London Waterloo via Kew Bridge and Hounslow.
Nearest Tube: Osterley – Turn left out of the station, follow the Great West Road until you reach Syon Lane, then turn right. Then turn right down a footpath before you cross the railway bridge, it will lead you through to Rothbury Gardens, and you will see our site entrance opposite.
Nearest bus stop:London Road – Busch Corner (237/267/235) – Come up either Spur Road or Syon Lane until you reach the railway bridge. Then go onto Platform 1 and follow the footpath between two metal fences, you will see our entrance on your left.
Map link: http://g.co/maps/ga6mn

http://diggers2012.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/events/388997621152693/
http://london.indymedia.org/events/12282
https://twitter.com/#!/freetheland

FASLANE 30 DAYS OF ACTION: UPDATE AND FINAL CALL OUT

As of June 12th this year, the Peace Camp will have been in existence for 30 years. Whilst it is great that there has been such dedication from thousands over the years, the radioactive beast still hasn't been chased from it's lair! A 30 Day campaign of anti-nuclear insubordination, from June 9th to July 9th, has thus been planned.

You can find details of some of the public events listed chronologically below, but for the most part, there will be artful insurgency throughout of a nature we would prefer not to disclose to “the powers that be”… Energies and custodial time willing, we hope to take non-violent direct action at least once a day! And not just at Faslane, oh no!

So do come along whenever you can and you will find actions waiting to happen via autonomous, inclusive, consensus based planning and participation. Everyone is welcome (except for undercover police officers… We have trained a dog to sniff you out. You have been warned.) Fun, frolics, vegan feasts and brushes with the law are all guaranteed!

With a vote on Scottish Independence and Trident replacement in waiting this is the time for a renewed campaign of resistance!

There are scenic camping spots and vegan food will be provided for all meals (donations for which will be gratefully received from those who can afford it). Caravans will be allocated on a needs basis first so do let us know in advance. We can answer questions and queries by email or phone us on 01436 820901 or 07511793227.

Please proliferate this in any way that you can.
We love you and need your help to be very naughty throughout our 30 Day campaign,
Faslane Peace Camp

P.S. THIS IS NOT A PARTY. The sole intention of this campaign is to resurrect an anti nuclear campaign at Faslane that has long been waning at a time when it is most essential in connection to the Scottish Independence debate, Trident replacement and a potential for actual nuclear decommissioning in the UK. Repeat, THIS IS NOT A PARTY. Do come if you wish to be part of a big team of loveliness, direct action and action support. Do not come if you just want a party.

EVENTS THAT WE CAN ANNOUNCE:

PEACE PICNIC JUNE 17TH: Helensburgh CND would like to invite all local groups to a peace picnic at Faslane North Gate on Sunday June 17th from noon to 4pm. Jeely Peace cafe from Stirling CND will provide catering. Please bring banners, musical instruments and your friends. The Peace Camp will be pleased to welcome you before or after the picnic, or any time, ever.

PEACE MARCH FROM GLASGOW TO FASLANE 21ST-23RD JUNE: A group of enthusiastic walkers and concerned citizens will meet at George Square, Glasgow at midday on Thurs 21 June to walk to Faslane in the name of peace and no nukes! They will be stopping to camp en route overnight. The pace will be relaxed. Everyone is welcome, bring banners and practical shoes!

RISE UP SINGING 1ST AND 2ND JULY: *Come and sing Trident out of Faslane and out of Scotland! *To re-invigorate the diverse creativity of Faslane 365 and to keep the issue of nuclear weapons firmly in the public eye and on the political agenda, Rise Up Singing (a Trident Ploughshares affinity group) has organised a two-day gathering to celebrate the 30th birthday of Faslane Peace Camp. Everyone welcome! No singing experience necessary. Bring a song to share, a banner and some cake, and we'll provide the tea.

ACADEMIC SEMINAR ROADBLOCK 6TH JULY:
On Friday July 6th academics and activists from all over the world will participate in a seminar blockade as part of Faslane 30. The trans-disciplinary seminar blockade follows similar actions at Faslane in 2005 and at COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009 and is part of an emerging tradition of putting social theory into personal practice. The theme of the seminar is ‘security’ and participants are invited to reflect on the complex issue of nuclear weapons from a range of perspectives -governance, securitisation and discourses of ‘terror’, ethics, as well environmental and social justice. Leaving morality aside for just one moment, we ask how is spending on nuclear weapons justified strategically, economically and socially in an era when the nature of conflict is so changed, when much of the world is in economic meltdown and so many people are suffering from policies of austerity? The seminar blockade will be peaceful but will insist on claiming the public space for democratic debate on what security means both geopolitically and in people’s everyday lives. Contributions will engage with broader themes of politics, democracy, governmentality, conflict resolution, citizenship, global
relations and anti-war. The seminar will involve creative public and participatory scholarship, using a variety of media and forms: paper presentations are envisaged – though PowerPoint is logistically unfeasible! – alongside workshops for small group debate, experience sharing and other kinds of learning. In particular, we hope that peace campaigners at the camp will be centrally involved in the seminar. The timing and exact locations of seminar events will necessarily be determined on the day, but participants are invited to gather at the Peace Camp between 8 and 9.30 am.

CIRCA 7TH JULY:
The Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army (CIRCA) will NOT be marching on Faslane nuclear submarine lair on Saturday 7th of July, oh no. Even though the Trident missiles at Faslane Naval Base could kill all the Clowns on the planet –and all the clowns too! – we won’t be there. Even though the Trident missiles at Faslane are going to be replaced at an astronomic cost when all Clowns are feeling the pinch, we will not be roused to action. Even though none of our Clown comrades and friends in Scotland want Trident or its replacement, CIRCA aren’t for turning (up). Most of all, even though Rebel Clowns would defend everyone for just the price of a rubber dingy and load of custard pies, even though Trident replacement will take our Army jobs away, we will NOT be part of Faslane 30. Academics say that CIRCA has died a death in Britain, and they are right. They must be right because they are academics and academics know everything about elites, exploitation, militarisation… (Funny how nothing changes, then, eh?) However. A new Army of Rebel Clowns from all over Britain is trained and ready to join our international comrades and peace camp friends to PARTY on the 30th anniversary of resisting nuclear nonsense at Faslane. If Trident makes us redundant and academics pronounce us dead, we will come to the party as the unemployable undead, as gummy vampires, vegan zombies and mangy werewolves. CIRCA will NOT be marching on Faslane, but a ghost army of Rebels Clowns – seasoned corpses and the freshly (sic) deceased (diseased?) might, just might, be there! Come on, do the Resurrection-Insurrection Shuffle!

… And the rest is top secret!