2008-12-16
Seven activists were charged with trespass today after shutting down Gunns’ Triabunna mill for over seven hours this morning. Fifteen people occupied the woodchip mill at 4:45am, with seven activists attaching themselves to a conveyor belt and other machinery.
2008-12-16
Seven activists were charged with trespass today after shutting down Gunns’ Triabunna mill for over seven hours this morning. Fifteen people occupied the woodchip mill at 4:45am, with seven activists attaching themselves to a conveyor belt and other machinery.
“The Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme White Paper makes it plain that the Federal ALP is not committed to ‘serious and credible’ emissions reductions. There is a failure by policy makers to grasp that we are facing a climate emergency – the policies proposed by the White Paper will result in the disappearance of Tasmania’s unique alpine ecosystems, the collapse of the Barrier Reef, and the salination of Kakadu,” Huon Valley Environment Centre spokesperson said.
“Targets of a 5% reduction by 2020 are pitiful and internationally humiliating. The Australian Government’s increased assistance to large emitters provides a clear demonstration that their priorities lie with heavily polluting big business, and not with Australia’s people and natural environment,” Warrick Jordan said.
“In Tasmania, the logging, burning and woodchipping of old growth forest releases massive quantities of carbon. Gunns Limited is the driver of this grossly irresponsible and morally reprehensible situation,” Still Wild Still Threatened spokesperson said.
“Gunns hides this immense climate crime behind official carbon accounting figures which exclude the logging of native forest. Tasmania’s old growth forests are globally significant as unique ecosystems and carbon stores, and their protection can play a significant role in Australia taking real climate action,” SWST
“The Tasmanian Government has publicly expressed a will to address climate change. If the Bartlett government is serious about addressing climate change then it will legislate an end to old growth logging” concluded SWST.
Five brave counterculture warriors don Santa Suits, sing anti-consumerist and anti-capitalist Xmas carols, and leaflet for more mindful attention to love, gifts, and catastrophic climate change – in Oxford Street, in the heart of the shopping district of Old London Town, on the busiest shopping day of the year: Sat 13 De
Five brave counterculture warriors don Santa Suits, sing anti-consumerist and anti-capitalist Xmas carols, and leaflet for more mindful attention to love, gifts, and catastrophic climate change – in Oxford Street, in the heart of the shopping district of Old London Town, on the busiest shopping day of the year: Sat 13 Dec 08.
Turning material wealth into possessions makes you happy; shopping till you drop and retail therapy are good for everybody; proving you love somebody means giving them an expensive present. The bullplop promoted by Capital’s advertising and marketing psyche-manipulators has never needed challenging more than it does today, in the worst of the madness of Xmas shopping mass-psychosis during a cash-strapped credit crunch recession.
Our yuletide ‘tradition’ at London Rising Tide [1] involves a ‘Santas Against Excessive Consumption’ [2] choral street action – mass dressing as Santa Claus, social singing of anti-consumerist Xmas carols, and letting folks know by leaflet that there is an alternative to the dominant the-one-who-dies-with-the-most-toys-wins idiocy of hyperconsumerism. Since the rain was heavy and steady, we sought shelter and performance space in the West One indoor shopping mall on Oxford Street, by Bond Street tube station. But anti-capitalist choristers only dampened what little Xmas spirit the security boss had left – and he threatened to call the cops if we didn’t leave forthwith.
Thankfully, his remit seemed to run out at the doors to Oxford Street, which still left us with a suitably sized covered area in which we could sing to our hearts content, and compete with the McDonalds McFlyer to see who could give away the most leaflets per unit time. The applause of shoppers happy to be spared, if only temporarily, from the soul-rotting rounds of shopping for tat was much appreciated.
The lyrics of the songs you can hear us singing in the video (so you can sing along, or even stage your own Santas Against Conspicuous Consumption street action) are as follows.
___________________________________________________________________
1 (& 3). Jingle All The Way – to the tune of Jingle Bells
Chorus:
Profits here, profits there,
profits everywhere
Christmas time is funny
we smell money in the air
Advertise, glamorize,
fool you with a flair.
Let’s make sure that Christmas
is a businesslike affair.
You’re eating up our lies and dashing to the stores
Then all our prices rise and how the money pours
If we don’t keep you drugged and watching your TV
You might see the hypocrisy
then where would business be?
Chorus
We’ll tell you how to think and tell you what to try
What to eat and drink and how to live and die
And if our plan succeeds, when Christmas-time is nigh
Instead of seeking love and peace you’ll hunt for gifts to buy
Chorus
___________________________________________________________________
2. Consumer Wonderland – to the tune of Winter Wonderland, lyrics by Erica Avery
The TV’s on / are you watching?
Another product / that they’re hawking
one more thing you need
to make life complete
Welcome to Consumer Wonderland
In the stores / you will hear it
“Pricey gifts / show holiday spirit”
That’s what they call it
to get to your wallet
Welcome to Consumer Wonderland
At the mall we can go out shopping
and buy lots of stuff we can’t afford
we’ll have lots of fun with our new toys
until we realize that we’re still bored
When you shop / ain’t it thrilling
until / you get the billing
the money you still owe the stuff broke long ago
Welcome to Consumer Wonderland
___________________________________________________________________
4. Oh Come All Ye Shoppers – to the tune of Oh Come All Ye Faithful
Oh come all ye shoppers
Burdened and despondent
Come all ye followers of ma-a-mon
Come and buy things
Sparkly and redundant
Oh come let us ignore it
Oh come let us deplore it
Oh come let us abhore it
Money and greed.
Ring tills with profit
Ring in exploitation
Ring all ye registers of capitalism
Glory to profit
At it’s highest
Oh come let us ignore it
Oh come let us deplore it
Oh come let us abhore it
Money and greed.
For capitalists, giving means buying tat from them first. For anti-capitalists, a gift economy can undermine the market economics that poison our environment, our culture and our minds – for example, see ‘Creating Our Future World One Gift At A Time’ – http://tinyurl.com/gift-economy
Since early this winter, Iceland has been facing economic crisis. The three major business banks have been nationalized, putting their dept on the people’s shoulders. People have been losing their livelong savings, loans have increased and are getting sky high (and for sure they already were high enough).
Since early this winter, Iceland has been facing economic crisis. The three major business banks have been nationalized, putting their dept on the people’s shoulders. People have been losing their livelong savings, loans have increased and are getting sky high (and for sure they already were high enough). 200 people lost their job, every single day of November and more and more people are facing the threat of losing their houses.
Activists vs. the police
People are getting angry, some of them wanting back the “good old” prosperity, while others and hopefully the majority, are realizing the real cost of capitalism. More and more people are standing up against corruption and demanding new form of society – society of justice. But every day the current government proves that it’s main aim is to save their own and their friend’s ass. A loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has been granted, most likely leading to the common aftermaths of an IMF loan: the privatization of social systems as the health care and the education system, and more destruction of the Icelandic wilderness.
Weekly demonstrations
For more than 2 months people have gathered weekly in a park in front of the parliament. The first protests demanded that the government would “break it’s silence” about the current situation. People were tired of not even being told about what was happening and what the government was doing about it.
One of the weekly domonstrations
But soon people realized that it was not enough to ask the government to speak, so the protests took up another and more radical demand: the resign of the government and new elections as soon as possible. The government has completely ignored this demand and people are getting more and more angry.
Anarchists and other radical leftists have come to most of the protests, but not to protest against the economic situation, not to ask the government for solutions, not to ask for new elections, not to ask any member of the government or parliament or any other official institution to do anything to “solve” the crisis we are facing. But to spread anarchistic and anti-capitalistic information among people, analyse the problems of authority and capitalism and to encourage Icelandic people to take direct action against the forces of corruption.
Burning flag and money
Burning of bank flags and “hanging” of a capitalist
During a protest in front of the prime minister’s office in late October, the flags of two Icelandic banks were burned. A group of anarchists, probably the biggest in Icelandic history at that time, shouted anarchistic slogans, pointing out capitalism as the real problem. Until then, capitalism seemed to be a ban-word among the protesters. The flag burning caught the interest of foreign media, e.g. CNN which showed the burning in their news show later the same evening. An event like this had not happened in Iceland for a long time.
Burning the flag of Landsbanki bank
A week later, a big demonstration parade went through the center of Reykjavík, demanding the resign of the government. Anarchists, which grew bigger and stronger every week, joined the march with banners, black flags, leaflets about direct actions, and anarchistic slogans. While other protesters chanted “Away with the government”, anarchists shouted “Never again government!”
When the parade came down the the park were weekly speeches took place, a group of people climbed a big fence and hung a doll of a capitalist. Again foreign media captured the performance on tape and screened it around the world.
Couple of meters away from the park were the protests take place, a Food Not Bombs groups has been giving away food every Saturday for the last 8 or 9 months. Food Not Bombs has for sure had it’s effect of the walking-by Icelanders, who are getting more curious and interested in alternative solutions to the problems of capitalism.
During a protest, Saturday November 8th, an anarchist climbed on top of the parliament were he hung the flag of Bónus, Iceland’s cheapest supermarket. The message was clear since the flag is yellow with a pink pig on it: “The government is a cheap and dirty pig!” Unlike to the usual Icelandic protesters, people celebrated this act and sang along “The government is a cheap and dirty pig!”
Soon hundred protesters surrouneded the parliment to help the anarchist to get away from the police, which had already arrested a mate of him. After a bit of a struggle with the police, people managed to help the flag-man (like he later became known as) to get down of the roof and de-arrested him more than once. One could feel some change in the air.
Illegal arrest
Less than a week later, on a Friday night, the police arrested the flag-man. He was in the middle of a research trip to the parliament, organized by his university, when some parliament staff recognized him and called the pigs.
The man had been arrested two years before, for an action with the environmental direct action campaign Saving Iceland, protesting against the building of a big dam, Kárahnjúkavirkjun, in the eastern higlands. For this action he had got sentenced and fined, but refused to pay the fine and instead insisted on sitting in jail for 18 days. But after only four days of his jail-sentence he was “thrown out” because of lack of space in the prison.
Now, the police stated that the man would have to sit the other 14 days of the sentence. The fact is though that the it is not allowed to split the sentence like this, and the man was supposed to get an announcement about finishing his sentence with at leas 3 weeks notice. This had not been done in his case.
People claimed this was especially done by the police, fundementaly to “take out” an activist who was likely to take more actions during the upcoming weekly demonstration. So the next day, during the protest which 10.000 people had joined, another protest was announced, this time in front of the police station, a little bit later that day.
Riots by the police station
500 people came to the police station and demanded that the man would be set free. After a while, no sign of the police was seen and nothing looked like the man would be set free. The protest got heated and soon people had started to break windows of the station and in the end the door of the station was broken. A group of people went in were the police welcomed them with a splash of pepper spray, without even announcing it.
The protest got even hotter, red paint and eggs were thrown at the station and on the riot squad which now had formed a chain in front of the station. A lot of people were peppersprayed, including the flag-man’s mother and young kids down to 16 years old. In the end, the flag-man was payed out of the prison by an unknown person. The flag-man came out were he was celebrated like a hero. He thanked people for the support but encouraged people to use their energy for something else: a revolution!
The Invasion of the Central Bank
A week after the riots by the police station, the weekely protest was a little more chilled. Instead people hoped for something big taking place the upcoming Monday, December 1st, the day of Iceland’s sovereignty.
1st of December used to be a free day in Iceland but couple of years ago the proletariat movement disclaimed it´s right. This 1st of May people were encouraged not to pay their bills, not show up in work and come to a big outdoor meeting on a big hill close to the government offices and the Central Bank. Few speeches took place, most of the including some nationalistic piffle which the radicals answered with a slogan: “No nationalism – International solidarity!”
After the meeting was formally over the word on the street was that more radical action was going to take place. Suddenly a big group of people marched to the Central Bank and entered the first entrance.
The entrance was completely full of people shouting and demanding that Davíð Oddsson, the chairman of the Central Bank board and a former prime minister, would resign. Few policemen had closed the second entrance but people shouted at them, asked in “what team” they were in, telling them to join the public, leave the entrance and let the people in. Suddenly the police left the entrance, the people cheered and opened the door to the second entrance.
Pepper spray again?
The second entrance became completely full as well as the first one, but behind big glass doors the riot squad had formed a chain of c.a. 30 pigs, armed with shields, clubs and pepper spray. Again, instead of speaking to the people, the pigs started shaking their spray cans, forcing to use it against the people it they would not leave.
The riot squad, ready to strike inside the Central Bank
People started banging on the door, shouting slogans against the Central Bank and the police. After a while, when a police officer had several times threatened to use the pepper spray, people decided to sit down peacefully and not stand up until Davíð Oddsson would resign. The action stood over several hours and had it’s peaks when people stood up, lifted up their hands to show they were unarmed and challenged the police to leave, open the doors and let the people bring Oddsson out.
When it became clear that Oddsson had already left the building the protesters gave the police an offer: the riot squad would leave and than the protesters would leave the building. About 30 seconds later, the pigs walked back and the people cheered some kind of a victory of the people.
Into the parliament
A week later, last Monday December 8th, thirty people went in to the Icelandic parliament, heading to the inside balcony were the public is legally allowed to sit, watch and listen to what takes place there. The group announced that the parliament no longer served it’s purpose and the government should therefor resign right now, the other MP’s should use their time for something more constructive.
Protester thrown out by police after telling the MP’s and ministers to leave the parliament
Only two persons got to the balcony and shouted at the MP’s and ministers to leave the building. Quickly they were brutally removed by a police officer, while the rest of the group was stuck in a staircase inside the building. The parliamentary session was delayed and all the MP’s left the room.
Meanwhile the protesters were brutally handled by security guards and police, which ended up arresting 7 people, most of them for housebreaking. But like said before, the public is allowed to enter the parliament balcony.
Police carries a man out after handcuffing him and rope his legs – “Fascist, fascists!” the man shouted while being carried out
The next morning, 30 people had gathered in front of the prime minister’s office were a government meeting was supposed to take place. The people had formed a human chain blockading the two entrances of the house. When ministers started to show up, the police had already arrived and started to try to remove the chain. The people resisted heavily and read out a statement sent out by the group.
The statement said that the aim of the action was to “prevent the ministers from entering the house and therefore stop further misuse of power. Money has controlled people on the cost of their rights and the authorities and their cliques have manipulated finance for their own benefits. That manipulation has not entailed in a just society, just world. Time of action has dawn, because a just society is not only possible, but it is our duty to fight for it.”
With the help of the police, all the ministers got in, but heard the statement and were under big pressure from the media. They were not prepared for questions and came out badly when asked. The government meeting was delayed because of the actions.
Two were arrested, one for entering a police line and the other one for sitting in front of the police car which was about to drive the other arrested one to the police station. More people sat on the street and it took the police quite a long time to get out of the street. Only when a police officer gave the driver an order to “just drive hard”, the driver did so and nearly drove over two persons.
One of the biggest newspapers in Iceland, DV, reported the brutal behavoiur of the police. The paper’s journalist and photographer were both attacked by the police, as well as noticing when a police punced a protester in the face, while he lay on the street. Most other media did not dare to report the brutal behaviour.
A left wing website, Smugan, told about a police officer who was asked by the protesters if he would have protected Hitler. His answer was simple: “Yes, if it would have been my duty.”
More actions have been announced and it will be interesting to see what comes next.
“On the night of December 5th activists from the Autonomous and Anarchist Cell of the FLT (ELF) and FLA (ALF) took to the streets of Bogota to sabotage the telephone booths of ETB (Bogota telephone company), well known as a major sponsor of the spe
“On the night of December 5th activists from the Autonomous and Anarchist Cell of the FLT (ELF) and FLA (ALF) took to the streets of Bogota to sabotage the telephone booths of ETB (Bogota telephone company), well known as a major sponsor of the speciesist slaughter in the bullring. Armed with shears, spray paint and stickers with anticivilization and threatening messages, we ripped out the mouthpieces and left the phones unusable.
This was only the beginning, the disgusting ‘bullfighting season’ is approaching and the actions will not stop.
For the liberation of all, wild and green violence!
CAAELF ¿bogota?”
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“The born-evil owner of the company Telmex, Calos Slim, knows more than anyone else that he and his great industrial power in this country are the ones responsible for the exploitation of animals, of the water, of the land, of the mines and other natural resources, for that reason and because we consider it one of this planet’s executioners, we sabotaged 12 Telmex phones and popped 4 tires of one of his trucks.
These attacks will not stop, because our rage is infinite!
THE BATH BOMB
@nti-copyright: copy and distribute!
Issue #17
free/donation
Dec 08 ‘No, he doesn’t exist you whiny little brat’
Bathonians Stand Up As The Economy Falls Down!
THE BATH BOMB
@nti-copyright: copy and distribute!
Issue #17
free/donation
Dec 08 ‘No, he doesn’t exist you whiny little brat’
Bathonians Stand Up As The Economy Falls Down!
Saturday the 22nd of November saw the start of BAN’s latest campaign, aimed at community self-defence against the effects of the recession. The ‘We Won’t Pay For Their Crisis!’ campaign has these key demands: fair heating subsidies, bailiffs out of our communities, no more house repossessions, no job or benefit freezes, control of the banks and no to lay-offs. The demo started off with around 20 activists (although the number later grew to around 35) congregating at Bath Abbey before taking to the roads and making a beeline for Milsom Street. Outside the strip of banks, the crowd started a spontaneous roadblock, snarling up traffic and taking advantage of the huge amount of attention to inform the public what the action was about and shame the banks through BAN’s shiny new megaphone! During the roadblock, several Xmas shoppers decided to join the action, and stayed with the march until the end. From there, the demo moved towards Guildhall, where a brief blockade was staged (this was only lifted to allow a wedding party into Guildhall; the supportive bride-to-be even posed for piccies with protesters!). After this, marching in the opposite direction that the (by now slightly despairing) police pushed the crowd in, the protest moved back up to Nat West, where another blockade took place, and during which the bank was adorned with ‘Where’s our bailout?’ stickers. In many ways, the day was a huge success. Many on the march were first time protesters, who refused to be intimidated by pushy and threatening police. The public were overwhelmingly in support of the march – with hundreds of leaflets being given out, and frequent cheers and applause coming from the pavements. Above all, the march marked the beginning of what promises to be a strong and effective to defend our communities against greedy bosses, politicians and landlords, who would rather see us freezing, jobless and homeless than sacrifice their own mountains of wealth.
How To Survive A Recession
With the recession now deepening, all of us are feeling the pinch. Some already cannot afford to turn on their heating, while others are getting laid-off and having property stolen by bailiffs. We have talked a lot about taking the fight to the greedy system that caused the recession, and we have given a lot of column inches to promoting the idea of fighting against the system to protect and improve our standard of life. While this is definitely vital if we are to roll back the effects of this recession, we at the Bath Bomb have not given much time to talking about what we can do in the here and now to make things a bit easier. All of the ideas we will look at involve the reclaiming of your own life – breaking the umbilical cord of dependency on super markets, banks and politicians, and it is this disassociation from the rich’s system of capitalist greed combined with direct attacks upon it that will allow us to live our lives free of their financial crisis and social oppression. With the rant behind us, let’s have a look at some budget-busting recession survival measures:
1. Grow some veg!: now is the time to be planting garlic and winter peas, and from January to March, everything from runner beans, tomatoes, carrots and potatoes go in the ground. If you have an unused fence, you can grow runners, and even the tiniest bit of garden can be turned into a good source of food. If you don’t have any space, start gardening with friends, or pop down to the Bath Organic Allotments on Upper Bristol Road, who exchange huge bags of veg in return for volunteering.
2. Start a food co-op: this is a really simple idea. It involves you and your mates chipping in, ordering from a wholesaler and getting the goods at cost price, sidestepping the huge profits slapped on by supermarkets. You will each have to stick in a bit of money to get started, then ‘buy’ the food from yourselves to generate money to order in next month’s stock. Trust us – it’s cheap, and more info can be found at http://www.cooperativegrocer.coop/cg_special.html.
3. Five finger discounts: a bit controversial, but hey, supermarkets have been stealing from us for years. They steal land and resources from impoverished farmers here and abroad, then steal our cash by charging tens of times above the cost of transport and production. So go on, rob – don’t feel guilty, you are poor and they are grossly rich, and most of their wealth comes from our pockets.
4. Jacking electricity: there are loads of good ways to jack electricity to help beat those winter bill blues. One involves locating the cog that turns the meter on your electricity box, heating up a pin and pushing it through the casing to stop the ticker turning. Hey presto, free electricity! But make sure to take the pin out for a few hours a day so the electric company doesn’t start asking questions.
So there we go, just a few hints and tips to get you started. We will try and bring you monthly advice on beating those recession doldrums (by any means necessary) from now on, and we’d love to hear your ideas. All messages to bathbombpress@yahoo.co.uk
The Little Big Screen
Sunday the 30th November saw yet another fine Bubbling Under offering at the Porter Cellar, showing ‘Live Nude Girls Unite’ – a documentary chronicling the formation of the first exotic dancers’ union in the US in the late 90’s. This proved to be both entertaining and inspiring, as it tackled racial discrimination, exploitative bosses, family struggles and common stereotypes of the sex industry. After all that excitement, though, Bubbling Under is taking a well-earned break this month. However, it’s coming back thick and fast on Sunday the 18th of January from 1-4pm, with both a documentary about the British Poll Tax riots, and GI resistance to Vietnam with ‘Sir No Sir’. More fraggings and lobbed bricks than you can shake an iron lady at! Get there early to get a good seat, or bring your own.
Bath Bomb Wordwatch: fragging (v); the act of killing a superior officer with the use of a grenade
Here at the Bath Bomb we’re often accused of hating the upper class. So we thought to ourselves, what better time to prove it! So, to win a free exclusive one-year subscription to the Bath Bomb, simply send in your stories about how you’ve managed to get up a toff’s nose this festive season.
EVENTS
2nd and 4th Mondays of the month, Bath Hunt Sabs meeting, 8pm, the Bell, Walcot Street
Wednesdays, London Road Food Co-op, 4-7pm, Riverside Community Centre, London Road
Saturdays, Bath Stop The War vigil, 11.30am-12.30, outside Bath Abbey
Friday 12th December, anti-foie gras demo, 7-9pm, meeting at the Circus
Friday 19th December, anti-foie gras demo, 7-9pm, meeting at the Circus
Wednesday 7th January, Bath Animal Action meeting 7.30-8.30pm, back room of the Bell pub, Walcot Street
Thursday 8th January, Bath Activist Network meeting, 7.30-9pm, downstairs at the Hobgoblin
pub, St James Parade
Saturday the 10th January, Bath FreeShop, 12-3pm, opposite Holland & Barrett, Stall Street
Tuesday 13th January, Transition Bath Forum, 7.15pm, Widcombe Social Club
Wednesday 14th January, Bath Green Drinks, 8.30pm, upstairs at the Rummer pub, Grand Parade
Thursday 15th January, The Power of Community film screening, 7.30pm, the Cork pub, Westgate Street
Sunday 18th January, Bubbling Under film screening, 1-4pm, Porter Cellar, George Street
Monday 5th February, Bath Friends of the Earth AGM, Stillpoint, Broad Street Place, 8pm
My Big Fascist Greek Shooting
Many of us in England have witnessed police brutality, either first hand or on the news. To those of us who have been on the receiving end of the raised truncheon of the law, it will come as no surprise that in Greece, the brutality has reached a peak. On Saturday the 6th of November, a detachment of blue-shirted police (hated in Greece, and usually reserved for situations of political turmoil) provocatively cruised through, and parked in a traditionally left-wing estate in Athens. Exerting their right to be free from unnecessary surveillance, local anarchist youths intervened to remove the police from their community. The police responded with stun grenades and live ammunition, leaving 15-year-old anti-capitalist Alexandros-Andreas Grigoropoulos dead on the street. Greece has since erupted into spontaneous rioting, described by Greek police as the worst in a generation with dozens of banks and police stations getting burned to the ground. Tens of thousands of people have been demonstrating since Saturday night, and are already planning for further unrest. The cities of Thessaloniki, Athens, Patras and others have become battlegrounds in which an angry civilian population is fighting the police and demanding an end to indiscriminate and brutal repression. While the senseless murder of a child by arrogant and violent police is news enough, this story fits into a bigger picture. This is not just the story of a Greek tragedy, but one that resonates across the world. In countries where police are allowed to kill indiscriminately (e.g Burma and Indonesia), they do so. In countries where police are given access to tear gas, pepper spray and stun grenades (Germany, Spain and Italy etc.), they use them with abandon. As anyone who remembers the miners’ strike, the Poll Tax riots in Trafalgar square, the Beanfield, the murder of Jean Charles de Menezes, or any other example of police brutality in the UK knows, the difference between a cop in this country and the murderers in Greece has nothing to do with compassion or decency of the British bobby, but more to do with the fact that the average cop in this country does not have access to lethal weaponry… yet.
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Monsieur, With Zees Protests You’re Really Spoiling Us
Friday the 28th of November saw a follow-up demo in the third rendition of the campaign against foie gras seller The Pinch of Margaret’s Buildings. Long-time readers should be well versed in the ins and outs of this exciting saga, or maybe sick to death of hearing about it – well, so are we! Come on, Christophe, haven’t you had enough yet? After two hours of megaphones, noisy chanting, leafleting, spontaneous song and dance routines, heated debates and even the odd fisticuffs (some well-to-do jolly old bean’s birthday meal got ruined), the demo and attendant PCSOs moved off. Local opinion seems mixed, with some residents in great support of the campaign, whilst other big spenders couldn’t yank the wads of cash out of their wallets quick enough as they spluttered their red-faced way inside the restaurant – that’ll teach them bloody protesters!
So now the campaign is upping the ante: the demos will now be every Friday night, from 7pm. So, if you like your fine dining to be sans ear-splitting disruption, it’s best to eat elsewhere. And if you live local, and you want a bit of peace and quiet, tell owner Christophe LeCroix to do the right thing: stop selling foie gras!
Saturday the 22nd was also the date of the first Bath Vegan Fayre, showing nearly 200 punters just how simple eating vegan can be. Info on nutrition and animal rights issues was available, as well as recipe books, but the food proved more appetising: pizza, soft drinks, pies, cheesecake, biscuits, burgers, veggie bacon and sausage, soups… This journalist is getting hungry just thinking about it! Though the scheduled talk on genetic engineering was replaced short notice with one on food security, the event was very much a success, and happy bellies were made full. Look out for their next bigger, better (don’t quote us on that) instalment in early summer, when the next is planned.
Bath Activist Network are a local umbrella group campaigning on issues as diverse as development, environmentalism, anti-war, animal rights, workers’ rights and more. Helping to produce The Bath Bomb, we are open to anyone, and our members range from trade unionists to anarchists, liberals to greens, and people who just want to change Bath for the better. For details on meetings, demos, or just to get in touch, ring us on 07949 611912, email bathactivistnet@yahoo.co.uk, or see our website: http://www.myspace.com/bathactivistnetwork
Steal Something Day
Saturday the 29th of November has been celebrated as Buy Nothing Day for some years now – a day aimed at highlighting the human rights and environmental concerns generated by excessive consumerism in the run up to Xmas (the season of shoddily made sweatshop goods, and overflowing rubbish bins). But this year, anonymous Bathonians decided to make a slightly different point. While we can make responsible decisions when buying – it is not our fault that the products we buy are made using slave labour in far off sweatshops, not our fault that most large companies show scant regard for the environment and certainly not our fault that the company puts a mark-up of several hundred % on the product before passing it on to us. While the sweatshop workers who produce the products are the biggest victims, we are also victims of corporate greed emptying our pockets at every opportunity. With this in mind, activists set off on a marathon ‘steal something’ spree. While declining to comment whether they themselves indulged in an orgy of shoplifting, the activists did reveal that, over the course of several hours, they visited some of the biggest, baddest chain stores and human rights abusers in town and improved hundreds of products with invitations encouraging consumers to liberate the product rather than part with hard-earned cash. The letter outlined the ethical argument for shoplifting, and the unethical argument for rampant free-market capitalism. The message was well and truly spread that ‘buy nothing’ can also mean ‘take something back’. If you want to join the campaign against sweatshop conditions, why not contact either No Sweat or Labour Behind The Label? After what these companies have done to our environment, our high street and our fellow human beings, the question begs to be asked – who are the real thieves?
Welcome to Tesco Town: the hotly contested Tesco Express on Bathwick Hill finally opened on Monday the 24th of November, though not without incident. They’d been dragging their heels ever since their projected opening in February, after being vocally opposed by residents every step of the way for two years; the tale of toadying, bribery and trickery that finally got them their desired store is a legend unto itself. They also got away with not installing the traffic-calming measures they promised… but what’s a broken promise among neighbours? For their so-called ‘grand’ opening, singers from local charity Golden Oldies provided the music, and manager Brendan Tucker wore his fixed grin. However, proceedings were disrupted by two modest-sized protests that day, with four cheeky pirates waving a jolly roger during the opening credits, and then another five later on, from 6pm, freezing their bits off long into the night.
The charity above was set up to combat alienation, community breakdown and loneliness amongst the elderly. The great irony is, though, that when local independents like Bathwick Stores are worn away, then that is itself yet another example of community erosion: what sort of familiarity or communal bonds can you construct with a revolving door policy of bored checkout staff? The cash that Tesco injects into these groups is a drop in the ocean compared to the PR payback they reap through such associations. Not that you should be taken in by their friendly face, anyway – not when they’re sponsoring sweatshop conditions in ‘fair-trade’ banana packing houses in Luton, responsible for the deaths of cockle-pickers in Morecambe Bay, or engaging in such other humanitarian ventures as helping kill off local food varieties, industrial farming health scares, pollution and animal abuse, or building up retail monopolies. And they’ll probably lock up their skips, too. In terms of positive solutions, ironic leaflets and subvertising notwithstanding, local food co-operatives are a much better way to go – such as the London Road Food Co-op, the Southside Food Co-op or, if you can afford it, Harvest on Walcot Street. But the question still stands with these food giants (and Tesco aren’t the only culprit) – what to do about them?
Antifascists across the land last month were celebrating Christmas early, as the entire BNP membership list was leaked on November 18th. Whilst threats of legal action, arrests and the hypocritical invocation of the Human Rights Act (which the BNP actively oppose) has been bandied about the net, it’s all a bit futile as the list has beamed far and wide. In Bath we allegedly have a measly nine proud bulldogs to disown, and Frome has four, whilst Bristol seems to have a 100-strong infestation to clean up. For a party that is all about apparently rescuing the endangered great white working class, it’s curious that the majority in Bath are from middle class areas; how disappointing. If anyone has any more information on the fascist scene to impart, such as shoe size, IQ, favourite chat-up lines or places of work, send in to the usual address.
You know you’re in trouble when the band you book for the end of your protest stand around making snide remarks at your expense. “Of course, we could all go and occupy parliament,” suggested that nice chap from Seize the Day, to sheepish laughter and nervous foot-shuffling from the crowd of hippies in Parliament Square. We were in London for the annual Climate March, expecting to join 15,000 marchers and a healthy anti-capitalist bloc, using our sheer force of numbers to make the government listen.
Sadly, on the day only around 5,000 turned up, and our anticipated bloc didn’t quite break double figures. We marched a winding route from the empty-looking US embassy to the definitely empty Parliament, demanding CO2 cuts, no to airport expansions, and green jobs. Feeling increasingly marginalized, surrounded by a sea of ‘Carbon Cap, Not Hippy Crap’ placards, and in constant danger of being run down by an encroaching samba band, our merry group clung together behind our ‘Capitalism Isn’t Working’ banner for half the march, then promptly disintegrated.
Two of us, red and black flags in hands, ended up at the very head of the march for almost a minute before being quickly removed by the stewards. Walk behind the greenhouse, they told us. It’s the symbol of the campaign. Go on; get back in your box. Everyone else is doing it.
And that’s the issue. The campaigners turn up once a year to demand somebody else fix their problems, then they go home. The only way this march will help at this point is if it becomes an annual get-together to unite the movement and give us a chance to brag about all the successful direct actions of the past year. Otherwise, the reduction in marchers from 30,000 to 5,000 in a handful of years will be reflected in the movement as a whole. Without solid actions and solid accomplishments, we’re all fucked.
Now hand over those boltcroppers – I’ve got stuff to do tonight.
Special Yuletide Disclaimer: Like you, we probably disagree with everything every contributor has written. We’re just in it for the scene points. We especially wouldn’t encourage anyone to do anything that might get themselves in trouble with the law… Play safe kids!
“Take your clothes off! Swap them with your friends for FREE!” was the message from the Space Hijackers http://www.spacehijackers.co.uk/html/welcome.html, who decided to set up their clothes swap – “the restyling fashion mash-up event of the year” – on the lower ground floor of TOPSHOP at Oxford Circus (London). The idea was to demonstrate that “we don’t need to spend money we don’t have on things we don’t need.”
The action, designed as it was to subvert one of the iconic temples of consumerism seemed to baffle police and didn’t amuse the security staff, who stopped me taking pictures there. One other photographer was manhandled out of the store, but I was treated very politely, with several security men standing between me and the action and telling me that photograph was not allowed. On of the store managers even offered to personally help me find any clothes I might wish to buy elsewhere in the store, a possibility I found most unlikely.
I left the store (with a rather large escort until I left the premises) and walked around to the side exit where I expected the clothes swappers to be ejected, arriving just before they emerged, and was able to photograph them continuing to swap clothes on the pavement in Regent Street. Here one policeman did attempt to prevent me from taking pictures, claiming I was causing an obstruction (which clearly I wasn’t) and as usual I moved back a couple of feet before returning to take pictures when he moved away.
Things did threaten to get out of hand when a rather elderly police officer (at my age all policemen are supposed to look young), helped by a ‘Red Cap’ (rather sinister private security wardens employed by the ‘New West End Company’ to ensure shoppers don’t step out of line) started to push people around, but mostly other officers took a more sensible approach, some even talking and joking with the swappers as they continued to exchange items of clothing on the pavement.
Some shoppers passing by stopped to watch, and a few took a leaflet, but there was no evidence of any Damascene conversions, most hurrying on clutching their loaded shopping bags, desperate to spend more money.
One of those taking part was held by the police for a while as they had decided he was the ringleader. He got a big cheer when he was released, waving his pink ‘Get out of TOPSHOP Jail Free’ Chance Card and the Anti-social Behaviour Act Notice for the Dispersal of Groups (see http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2003/ukpga_20030038_en_5 ) which the Met had issued. This required him to leave the Oxford St/Regent St area for the next 24 hours. Fortunately the map provided didn’t include the Red Lion, where he announced his intention of going – and at this point I also left as I was already late for a meeting with friends in Streatham. Some of the others looked as if they were going to continue their fun along Oxford Street.
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All in all, I think it was a good action.
around 30-40 people turned up and swapped clothes, hundreds of leaflets were handed out on oxford street before the action, and when it did happen, TopShop had a shop full of Police, PCSO’s and security, they closed the entrance to the shop and removed the ‘red phone box’ meeting point display.
Lots of literature was handed out, and plenty of pretty activist flesh, (oh my).
two arrests happened, one for refusing to give a name and address (section 50 of the Police Reform Act) apparently it was anti-social behaviour. On the contrary I thought it was incredibly social behaviour show by the hijackers. Both arrests were released without charge fairly swiftly. Although one was driven to Trafalgar square and dropped off there for no apparent reason?
Later on the actions continued with a street party in Kingly Court shopping centre, and then a road blocade at Seven Dials with plenty of dancing.
thanks to all of the non-shop swappers and to the lovely people who swapped their clothes with mine for the great new outfit I have.
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Buy nothing day – brixton report
“Buy nothing day” is an international anti-consumerist day. Put simply : people are encouraged to stop shoping for one day. In Brixton, activist set up a stall to give away free food and other free items.
Activists met at 11am at Library House to pick up vegetables and part of the content of the Library House’s freeshop. The items were brought to Brixton, and were given out for free in front of the supermarket next to the tube station.
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To mark Buy Nothing Day, activists from Norwich Rising Tide held a Rat Race in the Norwich city centre.
The busiest high street in Norwich was today full of rats. The rats were equipped with placards reading Work Harder, Earn More Money, Buy More Things, Keep Going, and leaflets telling people to join the consumption Rat Race. The reverse of the leaflet, revealed the spoof and informed people that today was buy nothing day and perhaps they should consider the environmental and social consequences of excessive consumption.
600 leaflets were handed out in total (see below), and many passers-by expressed their support, although one by passer was heard to call “Get a job” to which one of the rat (a teacher) shouted back, “It’s a Saturday you tosser!” – the crowd of shoppers that had gathered around the rats all laughed.
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“Free Socks!” “Why? Who’s holding him?”
29.11.2008
In Wrexham town centre this morning, the local Freeconomy group held a Sock (FREE) Shop – that’s socks for free, not a shop free of socks or even freeing Sock. Hundreds of pairs of warm socks were distributed in subzero temperatures to people with cold feet – and hands – along with leaflets explaining what Freeconomy Wrexham does and inviting people to get involved in the happy world of giving and sharing.
There was a great deal of puzzlement about a stall offering free socks in the town centre on a busy Saturday morning.
One passing shopper came over to find out more about our campaign to free the mysterious ‘Socks’ from his captor. More commonly, people just couldn’t seem to believe that the socks were for free:
Free? What’s the catch? You don’t get anything for free… do you?
But of course you do. Or, at least, someone does….
Loads of stuff happens for free all the time. Capitalism has only survived this long because of the free labour which is provided by anyone whose work helps someone else to get richer. Marx had something to say about this. Land and resources stolen from the people – our own Eagles Meadow included – are used by businesses to generate profit, and trashed in the process. We nurture our children for free because we love them, but all that free care and attention is what brings the next generation of workers into being – a free gift to capitalism. Much of the free stuff we do as parents, carers, partners, friends, ‘good neighbours’ and so on is largely invisible to the economy, although without it the economy as it is couldn’t function at all.
Freeconomy Wrexham is just doing a bit to raise the profile of free giving and encourage people to spread their free gifts around rather than trashing them, which is what happens when good stuff ends up at the tip, for example. We handed out socks and leaflets for about 3 hours, by which time even multiple layers of our free socks couldn’t keep our feet and hands from freezing, so we called it a day.
LEAFLET TEXT
FREECONOMY WREXHAM… Bring and Take… Free for All…
What’s it all about?
Freeconomy Wrexham is:
for everyone; environmentally friendly; sharing; giving; fun!; re-using stuff; completely free; sustainable.
Turn over to find out more…
Freeconomy Wrexham is about gift and sharing, showing that it is possible to make things work without payment or financial profit. In a world where everything seems to have a price – often more than we can afford – it can be difficult to imagine a completely free event. But all the goods on our stalls and at our events are there for the taking. Everyone is invited to come and help themselves.
Bring and Take is made possible by everyone who gives their time and energy to help out, who donates goods to be given away, who loans a venue for free or lets us use a van or bakes a cake, and – most importantly – everyone who takes away all the things that are donated!
Re-use for the planet. Before you throw anything away, think about whether someone else could use it. Natural resources, time and skills were needed to make that item. If it’s binned, all those things are lost. By sharing and re-using, we can keep wealth in our communities, help each other, create goodwill and happiness, and do a little bit to save the planet.
freeconomywrexham[at]yahoo.co.uk
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What, No Prices?
More than 150 people came to Next To Nowhere’s Free Shop on Saturday in Liverpool. This was a one-off event to mark Buy Nothing Day. The organisers encouraged people to come in by offering free tea and toast and free mistletoe on the street outside.
Really, it’s free
Buy Nothing Day originated in the USA in 1992. It was intended to make a statement about over-consumption and the amount of waste this generates, and encourage people to re-think their lifestyles. It generated some controversy, and still does, if the comments to the previous posting about Buy Nothing Day are anything to go by! Some people think consumption by itself is not the issue, others think the event is patronising to people who can’t afford to buy much anyway.
But none of the people who wandered into the free shop last Saturday seemed to feel patronised. Some, who had come to town to do Christmas shopping, looked in out of curiousity, and found they preferred doing some “non-shopping”, and getting some refreshments at the free cafe. People with little money were happy to take away free items they needed, and for the people who had donated things, it was satisfying to see goods they don’t need any more being taken for re-use. Not everybody who came had heard of Buy Nothing Day, and had to be reassured that everything really was free!
Whatever the general criticisms, this particular free shop worked as a co-operative event, it introduced people to the social centre who had never been there before, and it gave people a taste of how liberating it is to do without currency for once.
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Buy Nothing Day Manchester: Primark Feels the Wrath of Santa’s Little Workers!
On Saturday 29th November seven students braved Manchester’s heaving Market Street in support of Buy Nothing Day 2008. In festive dress and armed with some thought-provoking clothing labels of their own, the aim was to raise awareness about unnecessary consumerism over Christmas, and to reveal the true cost of high street fashion to Saturday shoppers.
The action began incognito, as the protestors secretly delivered messages questioning consumer greed and the unethical sourcing of cheap fashion into the pockets, zips, and cuffs of clothing in Primark. Messages such as “I wonder if the person who made this garment is happy?”, and “Do you really need another one of these?” were soon dotted around the bustling store and security quickly reacted, calling all cleaners to the ground floor to remove the labels. The protesters escaped unscathed, merry in the knowledge that the chances of hunting out all the labels would be pretty slim.
After a quick change of clothes the protestors took to the street, antlers and all. With a splendid banner and leaflets a-plenty they approached the swarms of passers-by and announced that they need not spend money this Christmas to be happy. Some engaging debates ensued concerning consumerism and sweatshops. It was felt by some that only the financially privileged could afford to have a conscience, and that outlets such as Primark offered those with a lower income the chance to look (and therefore feel) good. Others had been so far unaware of shops like Primark’s association with factories in India, and were genuinely shocked at some of the stories the protestors relayed about underpaid and mistreated workers. Whilst not everybody agreed, the value of lively public debate cannot be underestimated. Talking about something is the first step to changing it and perhaps now a few people will think twice before buying something just because it is cheap. It’s real cost is inhumanely high.
Ladies and Gentlemen we are proud to announce the restyling fashion mash-up event of the year!
TOPSHOP SWAPSHOP
2pm Sat 29th November – Topshop Oxford Street
Credit Crunch!
Ladies and Gentlemen we are proud to announce the restyling fashion mash-up event of the year!
TOPSHOP SWAPSHOP
2pm Sat 29th November – Topshop Oxford Street
Credit Crunch!
In the light of the current economic crisis and the outrage over the sweatshop conditions that most high street brands make their clothes in, the swapshop is your chance to re-vamp your wardrobe with a free conscience! Leaping away from the drudgery of big corporate fashion with it’s dodgy business practices and spend spend spend attitude, the Topshop swapshop takes fashion back to it’s roots.
Simply turn up at TOPSHOP on Oxford Street wearing an outfit you wish to upgrade, then on the stroke of 2, marvel as hundreds of fashion moguls offer to trade your clothes with you.
Fancy that girls jumper? Why not offer to swap your belt for it?
That boy’s hat is to die for, how about a trade for your jeans?
Nice skirt, fancy trading my t-shirt for it?
After a hectic re-working of your look you can then walk proudly back onto the streets of London town with a new wardrobe and not having spent a single penny.
You can buy lots of clothes but you can’t buy style.
Please spread far and wide…
DISCLAIMER:
The above event is in no way supported or condoned by TopShop. Any similarity to any brand living or dead is merely coincidental.
In Briggate this Saturday (29th of Nov) there will be a Buy Nothing extravaganza. We will have Christmas carols telling people of the woes of shopping, there will be hot tea and coffee to help ex-shoppers readjust to there new found happiness, and ideas of presents that do not involve consumerism. From
11am – till dark we will be asking people to question consumerism and join us in buying nothing!
Last year was a major success and BND strikes again. Please bake cakes, bring food and anything you would like to give away. There will be a free shop, music and tables. Bring anything down to join in the party!
Leeds BND
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Liverpool
next to nowhere is proud to present an opportunity for all the liverpool activists to join together in a spirit of togetherness, openness & communication.
i guess we can all agree that over-consumption is a very bad thing & i reckon that most of us see capitalism as the root of the sickness that is infesting our society. yes?
anyone a racist? no? oh my, we seem to have something in common after all!
well, on saturday 29th november it’s time to put your mutual aid where your mouth is.
at 11am maybe meet & greet nick griffin (bnp) who could be pleasuring our city with his presence in his bid to become mep for the north west of england. he’s called for the party faithful to gather in protest at thearrest of several members last week. are we really going to let this happen?
meet at the top of church street at 10am.
afterwards, from 12pm, the social centre shall be transformed into an oasis of anti-capitalism.
we’ll have:
a fabulous free-shop full of quality free goodies,
free tea n’ coffee,
vegan cafe (donations only),
open mic, film, performance, spoken word…
now, i know that some people are a bit scared of actually getting involved in next to nowhere, prefering to discuss the shortcomings of the booking policy from a safe distance. just to be clear, and restate the bottom line of next to nowhere from its constitution – everyone is welcome to get involved at the social centre provided that they are willing to work in a non-hierarchical way through consensus.
‘actions speak louder than words’ – please can people work together in mutual support to help make this world a better place and take on the evils which are fucking up our world or say nothing and stop this on-going criticism from the sidelines, whilst doing nothing at nowhere.
who knows, the open-mic forum could even provide an opportunity for people to express their feelings about the social centre, in a non-hierarchical way of course!
or, we could just have a good old-fashioned knees up…
together, let’s start to dance on the graves of multi-national corporations!
Buy Nothing Day 2008 – Freeshop in Broadmead, Bristol
Free shop, live music, circus skills and face painting? UWE students from the People and Planet society are going to be taking part in a ‘buy nothing day’ and will be running a free shop on Saturday, brightening up the cold, grey, wintry streets of Bristol city centre.
To recapture some of that lost Christmas Spirit (the giving that is, not the spending!) we’ll be giving away clothes, bric-a-brac and plenty more little gems for you to get your mitts on as well as bringing a little sunshine to the often not-so-happy shoppers of Bristol. If you have anything you want to get rid of, bring it along!
We’re looking for volunteers to help inform and entertain (musicians, circus entertainers, etc) so if your game bring your unicycle down and get involved! It kicks off at 11am and will be running till 4pm, so Pop down to our marquee in-between the Galleries and Cabot Circus (Just down from Ann Summers!).
For more info e-mail Lisa at lisatozer@hotmail.com
The Bath Bomb
@nti-copyright: copy and distribute!
Issue #16
free/donation
Nov 08
Because now it’s okay to love America
We Won’t Pay For Their Crisis
The Bath Bomb
@nti-copyright: copy and distribute!
Issue #16
free/donation
Nov 08
Because now it’s okay to love America
We Won’t Pay For Their Crisis
Saturday the 22nd of November sees a new campaign taking to the streets of Bath. Going under the slogans ‘Can’t pay, Won’t pay’ and ‘We won’t pay for their crisis!’, the campaign will be taking the fight to the greedy politicians, bankers and bosses who are behind this financial crisis. The campaign will also focus on protecting the rights of average people and will centre around five key demands – 1) decent council subsidies on gas and electric bills, 2) affordable food and housing, 3) bailiffs and repossession men out of our communities, 4) protection of jobs and benefits, and 5) full control over the banks that our money has bailed out. These demands, and the campaign itself, are timely. Already, in the early stages of the crisis, unemployment is up 20%, gas and electric bill prices are up over 40% and home repossessions are up 70% on last year’s figures. Now more than ever, we need to group together to protect ourselves against the callous greed of the wealthy. We need to be ready to fight against bailiffs who for too many years have strode unopposed into our homes. We need to be ready to fight against the energy companies who increase our bills, leaving thousands to freeze while continuing to rake in profits. We need to be ready to fight against the government who cut our benefits and use our money to bail out their big business buddies and we need to be ready to fight against the bosses, who think nothing of making dedicated workers redundant to keep their own wallets fat. We have not caused this crisis, neither have we asked for it. It has been caused by greedy politicians, bankers and bosses, chasing after the big bucks, not worrying about who they crush to get there. Yet who is expected to pay when their shit hits the fan? Us. We are expected to pay with our taxes, with our jobs and with soaring food, rent and gas and electricity costs. Well no more! This campaign is not just about waving placards or ‘making a point’, it is about winning. It is about taking back what is ours from the greedy and wealthy who work so hard to take it from us, and it is a campaign that we can win together. If we are united in a belief that ‘enough is enough’, and a determination not to let them get rich from our labour while we struggle to make ends meet, we can and will win this campaign. So, to get involved, and wrench control of our lives back from the greedy bastards at the top, meet at 12.30pm in the Abbey courtyard on Saturday the 22nd of November.
Nude Girls Do It Together…
…Unionizing to improve their working conditions, that is. Screening on Sunday November the 30th as part of the monthly Bubbling Under radical cinema, from 1 til 4pm, get an eyeful of ‘Live Nude Girls Unite’, a documentary about the formation of the first union of strippers in the US. This raucous film is to be presented by Bristol Indymedia, who are sure to come back with future offerings. Entry is free, and the Porter veggie lunch is highly recommended. Get your placards out for the lads!
Minibar – 0 MegaBAN – 1
In the latest of a long line of foie gras victories, Minibar have pulled the delicacy from their menu after just two demos. At the end of the second 14 strong-protest, members of Bath Animal Action and Bath Activist Network reached an amicable agreement with the owner that foie gras would be removed from the restaurant with immediate effect. After this demo, activists paid a short and sharp visit to an eminently less sensible foie gras purveyor, Christophe LeCroix, owner of The Pinch in St Margaret’s buildings. Starting at 9pm, the demo lasted only 10 minutes, during which time the letterbox was flooded with leaflets, diners’ conversations were drowned out with a barrage of noise, leaflets littered the outside of the building and Christophe, seen cowering at the back of the restaurant, bravely sent a waitress to lock the doors and draw the blinds. Christophe has twice removed and replaced foie gras from his menu, and is now selling again, and despite his macho image, and a history of punching and sexually assaulting both male and female activists, has twice been seen begging protesters to leave him alone. Well, not anymore. BAA and BAN are back outside The Pinch until foie gras comes off the menu for good. The protests could come at any time, but for now, we will leave Christophe to ponder the fact that Hallowe’en is not the only time of year when things go ‘smash’ in the night! All foie gras-related complaints to:
Christophe LeCroix
The Pinch
11 St Margaret’s Buildings
Bath, BA1 2LP
01225 421251
info@thepinch.biz
Tofu Saladfest Ahoy!
Saturday the 22nd November is promising to be a busy day for Bathonians, as we also have the Bath Vegan Fayre! Running at the Percy Community Centre on New King Street from 12 til 3.30pm, all are welcome to come along and sample the delicious food, and find out how those pale and sickly lentil-eaters can still scrape up protein enough to draw breath without a nice slab of steak or cheddar. As well as information on veggie health, nutrition, environmental benefits, compassionate living, and vegan-catering eateries in the city, GeneWatch will also be there to talk about genetic modification of animals in scientific research, just like the franken-doctors do up at Bath University – such as potentially high-risk tampering with the genes of insects to control food supplies. Controversial? Contact eatoutveganbath@yahoo.co.uk for more information.
www.vegansociety.com/
www.genewatch.org/
EVENTS
Bath Hunt Saboteurs meetings, 2nd and 4th Monday of the month, 8pm, The Bell, Walcot Street
London Road Food Co-op, Wednesdays, 4-7pm, Riverside Community Centre, London Road
Bath Stop The War Coalition vigil, Saturdays, 11.30am-12.30, Bath Abbey Courtyard
‘Baked Alaska’ film screening, Monday 17th November, 7.30pm, upstairs at the Rummer, Grand Parade
‘We Won’t Pay For Their Crisis’ march, Saturday 22nd November, meeting 12.30, Bath Abbey Courtyard
Bath Vegan Fayre, Saturday 22nd November, 12-3.30pm, Percy Community Centre, New King Street
Green Light lecture: the Severn Barrage, Tuesday 25th November, 7.30pm, BRLSI, Queen Square
Anti-foie gras demo, Friday 28th November, meeting 7pm, the Circus
‘Opening the doors to autonomy’: a day of workshops, activities and artwork on urban survival – credit crunching strategies for getting through hard times; from the legalities and practicalities of squatting and resisting repossession/eviction & gentrification to urban foraging, a bike workshop, tai chi & self-defence, screenprinting and DIY wireless internet – this will be a day of sharing skills and building the networks to not only survive the economic crisis but to begin to collectively shape what may replace it; Saturday 29th November, 11-6pm, the Red Factory, Cave Street, St Pauls, Bristol
Bubbling Under, Sunday 30th November, 1-4pm, Porter Cellar bar, George Street
Bath Animal Action meeting, Wednesday 3rd December, 7.30-8.30pm, back room of The Bell
Well, it’s November again, so that means hunting season’s back on, and another 3 or 4 months of pompous red-coated throwbacks and legal grey areas. Although hunting was officially banned in February 2005, it turned out to be the one law police chose not to enforce, and a law fraught with so many loopholes that most hunts could carry on just like as they like – pretending to follow a trail set by a scented rag rather than a fox, when they’re being watched. And so the fine tradition of hunt sabotage can’t hang up its mud-crusted wellies, just yet. On Saturday the 1st November, a small group from Bath, Bristol, Pewsey and Newport kept an eye on the Monmouthshire Hunt, following leaked info about their meeting point. Using citronella spray to mask fox scent, cameras to monitor activity, and a combination of hunting horns, voice calls and whips (cracking the air, not physically striking) to call off or confuse the hounds, a crisp autumn day out in the Welsh countryside was enjoyed by all, especially the two pursued foxes that we helped escape. If you want to help save innocent lives and reclaim rural space from arrogant thugs, then become an Anti: ring Bath Hunt Saboteurs on 07854 062336.
Residents and greens held a protest in Bath on Saturday the 8th November outside the Guildhall, hoping to save Bathampton Meadows from unnecessary development. Potentially a victim of yet another B&NES Council jobsworth’s twisted logic, the idea is we can save nature by killing it; in this case, the ancient meadow will make way for a 1,400 space Park and Ride concrete job to abate traffic congestion and pollution in the city centre. The problem here is that the main cause of congestion in Bath is the flow of east to west and west to east through traffic, rather than that of drivers coming into the city, so the Park & Ride will be barely used and whatever slack is saved will just be taken up by suppressed demand. The consultation ends after the 14th November and the consultation form can be downloaded from the Save Bathampton Meadows’ site: http://www.savebathamptonmeadows.org.uk. Why not sign up today? It can’t hurt.
Alder-Nasty Antics
One activist from BAN joined 300 others from around the UK to blockade the Aldermaston Atomic Weapons Establishment on Monday the 27th October, part of the ongoing campaign to kick weapons of mass destruction out of the UK. AWE Aldermaston is the site where experiments for the next generation of unpopular ‘Trident’ nuclear submarine armaments will be designed. A major part in this costly scheme is expected to be the ‘Orion’ laser facility, currently being built. The MoD has also recently applied for planning permission to carry out uranium enrichment there, too. Protesters from as far afield as Scotland, London, Norfolk, Plymouth and Yeovil took part, meeting to plan actions the day before. At 5.30am, activists locked on to barrels of concrete and blocked the first gate, causing police to promptly close the road. Another group of Greenham women (Greenham Common being a famous and long-lived peace camp, running 1981-2000) took a second, while several other groups locked and superglued themselves to Tadley gate, the main entrance for factor workers. The main gate itself was also held for a short time. Both the Rinky Dink pedal-powered sound system and band Seize The Day also showed up. Work at the factory was shut down most of the morning, and 33 were charged with Obstruction of the Highway. As usual, the state refuses to heed public opposition to Trident: the campaign to shut them down continues!
www.tridentploughshares.org
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When You Threaten One, You Threaten All!
So read the banner fluttering from the window of the 89 Ashley Road squat in Bristol as bailiffs last week clamoured at the door to evict the 20 residents who call the long disused building ‘home’. This came as a surprise to residents who had not been served the mandatory 7-day notice of eviction a landlord is required to provide. What happened next, and what of the sentimental message adorning the front of the building? Before we find out, a little look into the history, and intended future of the building, those inside, and those who hope to get rich off it. Owned by property developers ‘Places for People’, the building has been earmarked for ‘regeneration’ (read – gentrification) along with the surrounding area. Despite the group’s claims that they are primarily converting homes into assisted accommodation for the homeless and elderly, Ashley Road is earmarked to be turned into lucrative private flats, while the ‘charitable’ group is happy to allow otherwise homeless people to be turfed out into the street at the beginning of winter. After residents saw the bailiffs, a call for support was put out, and within an hour, around 50 activists, some from Bath, had descended on Ashley Road, making the illegal eviction a logistical impossibility. After a tense standoff, the bailiffs and their police mates left, dejected. A victory for solidarity, and a reprieve for the inhabitants of Ashley Road. While the bailiffs will certainly return soon, and may in the future be successful in their eviction attempts, the response of people to the fate of the squat demonstrates the power of solidarity and collective action over the often overwhelming seeming forces of authority and power.
Uncle Bulgaria Weeps
Regrettably, the Bath Bomb has just learnt about the demise of yet another of Bath’s greatest institutions: Envolve. Who? Under the motto ‘Partnerships in Sustainability’, the former environmental charity started out 14 years ago as the Bath Environment Centre on Milsom Street, and did exactly what it said on the recycled and biodegradable tin. Originally a resource for green activists and curious passersby, the centre got too big for its boots, and moved to larger premises in the subterranean tunnel complex beneath Green Park Station – now dependent not just on its benefactors but also on state funding. But such payouts rarely come without strings, and that proved the centre’s downfall. Becoming more and more corporate, Envolve began a campaign of ostracism towards its more pragmatic supporters, who recognise that ‘green capitalism’ is a contradiction in terms – they let go of staff and volunteers deemed too radical; arbitrarily chose between which local campaigns have a right to be advertised or not; and then, one-by-one, kicked out useful but unprofitable initiatives, like the green library, farmers’ market offices, meeting spaces for local greens, alternative transport offices, car-free schemes and food co-ops – after all, it doesn’t pay to be green. All that remained in the end was business consultants, education officers and a string of community schemes they didn’t quite have the heart to grind out: a textbook example of state co-option. Having commandeered and neutered yet another group of potential world-changers, they then cut the funding altogether – and that was that. The irony is that Envolve was held up entirely by compassionate people hamstrung by the restrictive conditions of their funding, dancing to the master’s tune… but the road to hell is paved with good intentions. We here at the Bath Bomb hate to say I told you so, but… Let’s hope their successors, the Ethical Property Company, don’t go the same way.
Bath Activist Network are a local umbrella group campaigning on issues as diverse as development, environmentalism, anti-war, animal rights, workers’ rights and more. Helping to produce The Bath Bomb, we are open to anyone, and our members range from trade unionists to anarchists, liberals to greens, and people who just want to change Bath for the better. For details on meetings, demos, or just to get in touch, ring us on 07949 611912, email bathactivistnet@yahoo.co.uk, or see our website: www.myspace.com/bathactivistnetwork
Dancing On The Grave Of Capitalism
It is not just in Bath that people are getting angry about having to pay for a crisis caused by politicians and big business. Cardiff, Bristol, Edinburgh and London have also already seen mass action against the financial crisis. In London, the financial district has twice been invaded by hundreds of angry people demanding that the government stops using our money to bail out failing big business. The first London demo saw the police taken by surprise as hundreds showed their anger in the financial district, attempting, and only narrowly failing, to occupy the Bank of England. The second demo, called on Hallowe’en and billed as a chance to ‘dance on the grave of capitalism’ saw a larger turnout of both police and protesters and ended in clashes as people tried to make their way to the offices of recently bankrupted firm Lehman Brothers. Up and down the country, people are showing their disgust about a system that has failed us, and leaves us poorer and poorer while the rich continue to get richer. At both London demos, stockbrokers promised to violently confront protesters who dared to speak out about the system that keeps them rich and us poor, but, on both occasions, failed to materialise. We can only imagine they are flicking the last of the white powder from their nostrils, wiping a tear from their eyes, pushing the ‘top floor’ button on the lift and wondering how their little game has gone so badly wrong.
And now, to the disclaimer: As anyone is free to contribute, the opinions expressed in each article are not necessarily reflective of each contributor. Naturally, any right-wing or corporate bullshit will be binned and spat on. Needless to say, the opinions of the author of this disclaimer does not necessarily represent the views of any other contributor…
For further info on any of our stories see www.myspace.com/bathbomb
Attacks in Capital circulation and revenue
Greece and the growing re-appropriation attacks against Super Markets
Attacks in Capital circulation and revenue
Greece and the growing re-appropriation attacks against Super Markets
Τhe saturday of May 31st 2008 was a beautiful day for the greek movement of insurrection. One action organised by a small group of comrades caused a fracture in the greek social process. On the last days a big debate was goin’ on in the streets, in the working places, cafes, houses and -in appearance only- on the tv screen. Basic products (milk,rice etc.) were becoming more and more expensive, a process which started since the introduction of the Euro currency, January 2002 and by the last months prices kept raising steeply. Peoples’ resentment concetrated during all these years of price stagnation, was so big that although grossly mediated by the TV news, forced finally the government to introduce measures that were , supposed , to control the rising of the prices, but whose actual target was to calm peoples anger down. (It is interesting to add that inflation rate was steady and did not rise, probably because of “creative” tricks due to Eu rules that oblige member-states to keep a low inflation rate)
Super Market brand owners were profiteering in a really high grade in expense of the peoples pockets and the actual resistance and pressure was rather low. Consumer unions, some newspaper articles, calls for lowering the prices, one day boycotts. But what to do?People are dependent from big Super Markets that control most of the food market and wages in Greece are rather low for eu standards (Pensions are worse) and prices were among the higher in EU. Old people, low income and the unemployed were affected most but we can say that almost all working class people and even lower middle class (petit bourgeois) were having a hard time to get around . So the government announces on the 28 of May “41 measures against price stagnation”.
True is the politicians did not really cared. “So what are they going to do,anyway?”. Opposition parties do nothing but talk, and people rely on the media “apparent” opposition. But it is in these times were nothing seem to happen, when the forces of insurrection that are exorcised to stay away from the fight, make their sudden and unexpected appearance in the scene. And nothing is the same as before..
On Saturday May 31st 2008 a group of comrades, wearing their masks entered a big Super Market in the city center of Athens, re-appropriated products, carried them to a street fruit-market nearby (mostly old and lower-income people go there) and distributed the products to them. Oil, cheese, milk, detergents,shampoos … The action met great correspondence from the people. Clapping applauses, exclamations, whistles. The products disappeared within seconds. The manifesto of the action said : “The game is set. We don’t want to be a part of this fake game, with the governments’ communication tricks, the oppositions’ abstract talking about some “bad” people making profit and the shit of the media. We put into practice our own measures against price stagnation. Re-appropriation now. Everything is stolen from us, Everything belongs to us… That was it…
The attacks start to spread widely. In June three more actions against Super Markets took place in Athens. One more in July. Then came the summer (movements have holidays?) and on September actions started again. Two happened in Thessaloniki , the second biggest city in Greece. One attack was planned on the day when the Prime Minister traditionally addresses the nation , from the International Expo of Thessaloniki and speaks about the government policy of the year to come. Last week three such actions took place (15,16,18 October). In most of the attacks products are distributed among people in street markets, to people passing-by and on one action the loot was left on a central Athens square where many immigrants live and at the exits of the metro station there.
These actions are really popular among people. It would not be an exaggeration to say that people wish every time they go to a street market for an action like that to take place. Media can’t hide the facts , but try to distort them. They like to call us “Robin Hoods”. We are not at all “Robin Hoods”, it is not about charity. The issue at stake here is the diffusion of such “illegal” practices among the society, so that other social groups adopt such practices to defend social autonomy and interests. To debunk the normality that orders “Work-Buy-Pay-Sleep-Shut Up”. To make people collaborators in “illegal” attacks against capitalist order. To promote Mutual Aid.
The Police is really confused. Cashiers have a short work-break. Super Market owners feel anxious about the situation. People have fun.
So what about us Comrades. In Balkans, East and West Europe, States, Latin America, Oceania, everywhere? Can we plan something? What are we waiting for? Capitalist crisis is already here and we are the ones to pay again for the fucking banks and their tricks. The plan is simple, believe us. Two douzins of comrades, masks , sunglasses, an appointment. You converge suddenly and you attack. Some people watching, some others filling the trolleys, everybody distributing them. It is simple, it is direct, dangerous for the enemy and really amuzing. We wish you nice actions and lot of success.
Tribe dances in mass protest against British mining company
21 October 2008
Hundreds of members of the Dongria Kondh tribe danced and sang through the capital of the Indian state of Orissa on Monday, armed with traditional weapons, to mark their opposition to British company Vedanta’s plans to mine their sacred mountain.
Tribe dances in mass protest against British mining company
21 October 2008
Hundreds of members of the Dongria Kondh tribe danced and sang through the capital of the Indian state of Orissa on Monday, armed with traditional weapons, to mark their opposition to British company Vedanta’s plans to mine their sacred mountain.
A huge procession of the tribe and their supporters snaked through the Orissan capital, Bhubaneswar.
The FTSE 100 British company Vedanta, majority owned by London-based billionaire Anil Agarwal, has received the go-ahead from India’s Supreme Court to mine aluminium ore on the Dongria’s land. The mine would destroy the forests and streams the Dongria depend on, and would turn their sacred mountain into an industrial wasteland.
Dongria man Jitu Jakesika said at the demonstration, ‘We will carry on our struggle to save Niyamgiri at any cost.’
Survival’s director Stephen Corry said today, ‘If further proof were needed that the Dongria Kondh are determined to stop Vedanta, this would be it. The Dongria know that the mine would destroy them. Vedanta must heed their voices and pull out of this project.’
Last week Survival submitted a report to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Issues, saying, ‘Mining will devastate what the Dongria Kondh hold sacred and the natural resources from which they draw their specific identity as a people.’
Many British banks and pension funds invest in Vedanta, including the Universities pension fund (USS), F&C, Standard Life, Barclays Bank, Abbey National and HSBC, as well as Middlesbrough and Wolverhampton Councils. Survival is campaigning for investors to pull out of Vedanta.
For more information please contact Miriam Ross at Survival International (+44) (0)20 7687 8734 or (+44) (0)7504 543 367 or email mr@survival-international.org
2008-12-16
Five brave counterculture warriors don Santa Suits, sing anti-consumerist and anti-capitalist Xmas carols, and leaflet for more mindful attention to love, gifts, and catastrophic climate change – in Oxford Street, in the heart of the shopping district of Old London Town, on the busiest shopping day of the year: Sat 13 Dec 08.
“On the night of December 5th activists from the Autonomous and Anarchist Cell of the FLT (ELF) and FLA (ALF) took to the streets of Bogota to sabotage the telephone booths of ETB (Bogota telephone company), well known as a major sponsor of the speciesist slaughter in the bullring. Armed with shears, spray paint and stickers with anticivilization and threatening messages, we ripped out the mouthpieces and left the phones unusable.
THE BATH BOMB
“Take your clothes off! Swap them with your friends for FREE!” was the message from the Space Hijackers 
Attacks in Capital circulation and revenue