Climate Chaos – Page 136

CLIMATE ACTION NEWS SHEET 72, OCTOBER 2007

Compiled and sent out by Rising Tide UK: info at risingtide.org.uk
To receive this News Sheet monthly, email news-subscribe at risingtide.org.uk
with the subject line ‘subscribe’ (without the quotes).

CONTENTS:
———————————————-
UPCOMING ACTIONS AND EVENTS:
———————————————-
1) NATIONAL DAY OF LOCAL ACTION VS. ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND – 15.10.07
2) SAVE SWALLOWS WOOD – OCTOBER 2007 UPDATE
3) NATIONAL CLIMATE CAMP ACTION PLANNING MEETING – 3-4.11.07 OXFORD
4) CLIMATE CAMPS – 2008 GERMANY AND WORLDWIDE!
5) TARA UPDATE – 22.9.07 IRELAND
6) CRITICAL MASS UPDATES – NATIONWIDE
7) PLYMOUTH ENVIRONMENT CENTRE FILM NIGHTS – AUTUMN 2007
8) TEMPORARY AUTONOMOUS ART – OCT ’07, EDINBURGH & MANCHESTER
9) WRITE IN DEFENCE OF ISOLATED PERUVIAN TRIBES – 17.9.07
10) STUDENT CLIMATE PROJECT LAUNCH GATHERING – OXFORD, 30.11-2.12.07

———————————————-
RECENT HAPPENINGS:
———————————————-
1) ROSSPORT SOLIDARITY DEMOS – 14.9.07 LEEDS, LONDON, BRISTOL, READING,
MADRID & IRELAND
2) DIRECT ACTION IN BRISTOL – AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2007
3) WHY CARBON TRADING ISN’T WORKING – ARTICLES 2006/7
4) GAGGED! SOUTH WALES ANARCHIST NEWSLETTER – SEPTEMBER 2007
5) FEDERAL COURT BLOCKS SHELLS ARCTIC DRILLING – 14.9.07
6) BANK PULLS SAKHALIN-2 FUNDING – 15.8.07
7) "FLOOD SUMMIT" AT AIRPORT – 3.9.07 DONCASTER, YORKS.
8) COAL ACTIONS IN AUSTRALIA – 2/3.9.07
9) GLOBAL ACTIONS AGAINST HEAVY INDUSTRY – 12.9.07
10) GREEK DIRECT ACTION – SEPTEMBER 2007
11) CRITICAL MASS AND CARFREE DAY IN BRUSSELS – 24.9.07
12) ART NOT OIL 2007 GALLERY HITS 50

———————————————-
UPCOMING ACTIONS AND EVENTS:
———————————————-
1) NATIONAL DAY OF LOCAL ACTION AGAINST ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND – 15.10.07
RBS, the self-described ‘Oil and Gas Bank’ and second-largest bank in
Europe is the leading financier of climate change. From West Africa to the
Ecuadorian rainforest, from the North Sea to the Middle East, RBS loans
play a key role in forcing open the new carbon frontier. The thirty oil
and gas finance deals RBS signed between 2001 and 2006 locked us all into
655 million tonnes of emissions over the next 15 years – more than the
UK’s current annual emissions total!
On 15th October, get together with your local group, build on connections
made at the Camp, reach out to others in your area and confront RBS with
your own chosen style of creative direct action.

To find your nearest RBS branch or office:
www.rbs.co.uk/microsites/general/branch_locator/step1.asp
Download Platform’s report ‘The Oil and Gas Bank’:
www.carbonweb.org/documents/Oil_&_Gas_Bank.pdf
For help with planning effective actions: www.networkforclimateaction.org.uk

One such action is being planned in conjunction with West Cornwall Friends
of the Earth; Outside Royal Bank of Scotland, Green St (off Lemon Quay),
Truro,
12 noon, Mon 15th Oct. Contact RTUK for others.

2) SAVE SWALLOWS WOOD – OCTOBER 2007 UPDATE
A lot has been happening in the last few weeks, including the inaugural
Glossop Critical Mass. Also, there are two URGENT letter actions that they
need your help with. They should only take a few minutes of your time.
www.saveswallowswood.org.uk

3) NATIONAL CLIMATE CAMP ACTION PLANNING MEETING – 3-4.11.07 OXFORD
The Climate Camp didn’t stop climate change – but it’s part of a growing
social movement that can! Come and take the next steps forward at the
upcoming UK-wide meeting on Nov 3-4 in Oxford. Everyone is welcome,
whether you came to the camp, or were simply inspired by it.
www.climatecamp.org.uk

4) CLIMATE CAMPS – 2008 GERMANY AND WORLDWIDE!
Following the model established by the Camp for Climate Action in the UK,
plans are afoot for a Climate-Action Camp in Germany in 2008. This will
include knowledge exchange (in workshops), self-organised living that
minimises the ecological footprint, networking and direct action. There
are plans for similar camps to be set up next year in several countries.
watch this space…
www.climatecamp.org.uk

http://www.klimacamp.org/

5) TARA UPDATE – 22.9.07 IRELAND
They are desperate for more people and supplies on site. There are
currently just 20 people trying to stop work all over the Tara Skryne
valley.
www.tarapixie.net
www.savetara.com
www.circlecommunity.org
For recent videos & photos of protests see;
http://livevideo.com/tarapixie

6) CRITICAL MASS UPDATES – NATIONWIDE
For info. and updates check;
http://www.urban75.com/Action/critical.html

7) PLYMOUTH ENVIRONMENT CENTRE FILM NIGHTS – AUTUMN 2007
Including "Reclaim Power" 19.10.07 at 7pm followed by discussion with
Rising Tide representative.

http://plymouthenvironmentcentre.org.uk/events.php#film-nights

8) TEMPORARY AUTONOMOUS ART SHOWS – OCTOBER 2007 EDINBURGH & MANCHESTER
Edinburgh 10th-14th October
Manchester 24th-28th October
For further info. check;
http://www.randomartists.org/

9) WRITE IN DEFENCE OF ISOLATED PERUVIAN TRIBES – 17.9.07
Two companies planning to explore for oil in Peruvian rainforest have
revealed their sensitive plans to ‘communicate’ with the previously
uncontacted inhabitants using megaphones! In the past, oil company workers
in the Amazon region have been killed by isolated Indians. Despite this
risk to their own workers, and the equal danger of spreading fatal
diseases to the Indians, the companies – Barrett Resources of the US and
Repsol YPF of Spain – have refused to suspend their plans.
http://www.survival-international.org/news/2502
You can help by writing a letter;
http://www.survival-international.org/actnow/letters/isolatedindians

10) STUDENT CLIMATE PROJECT LAUNCH GATHERING – OXFORD, 30.11-2.12.07

‘The Student Climate Project came out of discussions at the 2007 Climate
Camp, and
seeks bring together students to take collective action against the root
causes of
Climate Change. It will also develop ways to build the student movement
and deal
with Climate Change issues in the education system. The project is
non-hierarchical
and based on consensus decision making, and the Launch Gathering is the
perfect
opportunity to get involved, share your ideas and plan for action. See
www.studentclimateproject.org.uk’

———————————————-
RECENT HAPPENINGS:
———————————————-

1) ROSSPORT SOLIDARITY DEMOS – 14.9.07 LEEDS, LONDON, BRISTOL, READING,
MADRID & IRELAND
There were a series of demonstrations held in solidarity with the day of
action against Shell’s plans for a gas pipeline & refinery in Mayo,
Ireland.
In Rossport itself over 150 people occupied the refinery site.
Bristol Rising Tide held a solidarity demo at a Shell Garage in Eastville,
Bristol with leaflets and banners.
For more details about the various actions check;
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/5090
http://www.corribsos.com/index.php?id=1&type=page

2) DIRECT ACTION IN BRISTOL – AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2007
Activists in Bristol have been busy. Parts of three golf courses have been
dug up and the message "decadent waste of water" sprayed near a club
house. A mobile phone mast has been sabotaged. A non-passenger line which
transports cars and fossil fuel to the Midlands was cut three quarters of
the way through in two places and marked with high visibility paint. A
warning banner reading: "Stop: Trees on line" was fixed across the line
several hundred yards in front of this.
Also, within the last 6 months, the front tyres of forty 4x4s have been
punctured in and around Bristol.
Finally, a "corporate entertainment" company called 4-Play, which provides
off road driving for 4x4s in the south west, has had vehicles spray
painted with

"4-play – blow-job the planet".
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/5050

3) WHY CARBON TRADING ISN’T WORKING – ARTICLES 2006/7
An excellent series of articles on why the neoliberal approach to climate
change isn’t working can be found at;
http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/subject/climate/

4) GAGGED! ANARCHIST NEWSLETTER – SOUTH WALES, SEPT 2007
Download the PDF here;
https://lists.riseup.net/www/d_read/gagged/gagged19.pdf
Alternatively you can read it here;
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/5052

5) FEDERAL COURT BLOCKS SHELLS ARCTIC DRILLING – 14.9.07
A federal court has denied Shell’s latest request to lift an order
blocking the company’s Arctic Ocean drilling. This ruling likely dooms the
Dutch oil giant’s drilling plans, at least for this year.
http://www.pacificenvironment.org/

6) BANK PULLS SAKHALIN-2 FUNDING – 15.8.07
The European Bank of Reconstruction and Development has decided to pull
its funding for the $20-plus billion Sakhalin-2 liquefied natural gas
project, located in Russia’s Far East.
Since January, EBRD and the Sakhalin Energy shareholders (Gazprom, Royal
Dutch Shell, Mitsui and Mitsubishi) have held talks over the project’s
finance. EBRD cut off discussions in favour of financing other projects,
such as those that promote sustainable energy.
http://www.pacificenvironment.org/

7) PROTEST AS RDA HOLDS "FLOOD SUMMIT" AT AIRPORT – 3.9.07 DONCASTER, YORKS.
Yorkshire Forward (Regional Development Agency) held an outrageous "Flood
Summit" at Finningley airport. Local people visited with pop-up tents and
banners to leaflet the conference’s participants and hold alternative
workshops highlighting the link between aviation growth and worsening
climate change.
The conference was intended to congratulate the RDA on their response to
the recent floods. The choice of venue shows just how out of touch with
reality these half-wits are.
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/5021

8) COAL ACTIONS IN AUSTRALIA – 2/3.9.07
On the 2nd September, twelve Greenpeace activists were arrested at the
world’s biggest coal port at Newcastle, 160km north of Sydney, after
painting the message "Australia Pushing Export Coal" on the side of a coal
ship and unfurling a large banner in Chinese calling on China to be
cautious of John Howard and George Bush’s attempts to sabotage Kyoto. The
protest comes at the start of the 2007 APEC (Asia Pacific Economic
Cooperation) forum meeting being hosted by Australia.
http://www.greenpeace.org/australia/news-and-events/media/releases/climate-change/apec-coal-protest
The following day activists locked themselves on to a coal conveyor belt,
forcing the shut-down of a generator and halving production from
Victoria’s biggest coal fired power station.
http://www.realactiononclimatechange.blogspot.com/

9) GLOBAL ACTIONS AGAINST HEAVY INDUSTRY – 12.9.07
People in South Africa, Iceland, Trinidad, Denmark and America held a
series of coordinated protests against heavy industrialisation. This is
the first event of a new and growing global movement that began at the
2007 Saving Iceland protest camp in Ölfus, Iceland.
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/5067

10) GREEK DIRECT ACTION – SEPTEMBER 2007
For direct action news from Greece, check;
http://directactiongr.blogspot.com/

11) CRITICAL MASS AND CARFREE DAY IN BRUSSELS – 24.9.07
For details and some great pics see;
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/09/381930.html

12) ART NOT OIL 2007 GALLERY HITS 50

and over 1500 hits. Take a look and send in your own work:
www.artnotoil.org.uk

The Bath Bomb Issue #3 October ‘07 * @nti-copyright: copy and distribute! *

“Soapy suds of truth in a bathtub of b*llshit!””

Oh, Just More Shops…

“Soapy suds of truth in a bathtub of b*llshit!””

Oh, Just More Shops…

Walking past the rubble of the Southgate Centre, could my ears be deceiving me? I have now heard several people remarking how nice the view looks without the buildings. The latest one of these came when I was walking behind three very fashionable looking girls who looked like they were ‘born to shop’:
“What are they putting there?”
“Oh, just more shops.”
Could it be that more people than we realize would like more from life? Could it be time for something new? Could it be that consumer culture is really on the wane? Coz it’s gonna take more than a Debenhams to impress me.
What would the people of Bath like to see in a new shopping centre’s place? What could happen if we let our imaginations run wild? Why not get in touch with your ideas?

Reduce Carbon, Cut Capitalism!

Sunday the 16th September saw the arrival of the ‘Cut the Carbon’ march in Bath. The group, including a member of MST, a Brazillian peasants movement who take land back from the rich to cultivate and feed their families, has been marching all over the UK, starting in Dublin, and ending the following week in London, to publicise the effects of climate change on the planet. The group was met in Abbey Courtyard by 50 supporters, including a contingent from Bath Activist Network, waving red and black flags and a banner reading ‘social change not climate change!’.
Their message was simple, we can all do our bit to help stop climate change, but it is the rich and the big businesses, from oil companies to coal mining corporations to the road building industry, that are really raping the planet. We reckon that the solutions to climate change, poverty, wage slavery and greed can all be solved when we get together and take the power away from those causing the problems – politicians, the idle rich and the corporations. Bath Bomb would like to wish the ‘Cut the Carbon’ marchers well on the last leg of their journey and good luck in spreading their important message.

Work Kills

A new campaign has started in Bath to highlight the dangers of casual and temporary work. This campaign is aimed at students and young people, many of whom are killed and injured doing this type of work each year. The campaign is being run by the Trades Council, a grass-roots trades union group, and the Simon Jones campaign (an action group set up to demand justice for a student killed at work due to the neglect of company management)
The campaign will be talking at schools and universities, offering advice and help. In early 2008, there will be a public meeting and an exhibition (keep an eye on the Bath Bomb for further details!)
This campaign is needed because the state justice system and bosses care more for control and profits at work than safety.

www.simonjones.org.uk

Events Listing

Monday nights Bath Hunt Saboteur meetings back room of Bell, Walcot Street, 8pm
6th Oct Fight the Pipe benefit gig, 8pm, The Plough in Easton, Bristol, with Crowzone, Drug Sniffin’ Dogs and Burnt Porkchops
13th Oct Bath FreeShop outside Holland & Barretts, Stall Street, 12-3pm
14th Oct Permaculture Collectiec Cafe food, film & workshop, Kebele Kulture Projekt 14 Robertson Road, Bristol, from 5.30pm
15th Oct Day of action against Royal Bank of Scotland, details tbc
19th Oct ‘Leftism’ Benefit club night in aid of B.A.N., downstairs at The Crown, Bathwick Street, 9pm-1am
19th Oct Anarchist Black Cross benefit gig, 8pm, The Junction, 51 Stokes croft, with Born Dead, Jesus Bruiser, 7 Crowns and War/System
21st Oct ‘Bubbling Under: Behind The Mask’ Porter Cellar Bar, George Street, 1-4pm
23rd Oct cheap house clearance, benefiting animal shelter in Kent! Ring 07990 847700 for details
27th Oct Anarchist Bookfair in London www.anarchistbookfair.org.uk
1st Nov Bath Activist Network meeting downstairs Hobgoblin, St James Parade, 7.30-9pm
1st-11th Nov Bath Film Festival www.bathfilmfestival.org
3rd Nov Bash The Rich, Notting Hill, Portobello road, London, 2pm www.bashtherich.org.uk [come along if you’re Class War or cop]
3rd Nov Gagged! benefit gig, Le Pub, Caxton Place, Newport, 9pm, with No Choice, Kilnaboy & Gunrack?
7th Nov Bath Animal Action meeting back room of the Bell, Walcot Street, 7.30-8.30pm
10th Nov SHAC demo Huntingdon town centre, national day of action against animal abuse in Huntingdon Life Sciences, www.veggieromance.com/f/61290
13th Nov Green Light Lecture – ‘Peak Oil: how to face the challenge of global oil decline’ – BRLSI, Queen Square, 7.30pm
24th Nov Punk all-dayer gig, benfitting legal costs from the National Camp for Climate Action, from 1pm at backroom [Walcot Palais!] of the Porter Butt on London Road – Tofu Love Frogs, Kilnaboy, Spanner, Jesus Bruiser, and more!

Fur Patrols

Here in the Bath Bomb office it’s starting to get a bit nippy, now that winter’s on its way. But don’t worry, this isn’t a call for heating donations – we’ve still got plenty of Chrons to feed the fire! What this does mean though, is that fur will soon start returning to our high streets, and we can’t have that. Around 40 million innocent animals die every year to feed the fashion market, often spending their entire lives in tiny cages, going mad with hunger and fear. ‘Pelting’, or slaughter, often takes the form of brutal hangings, electrocution, car exhaust gassing – that is, if they’re not skinned alive.
For the last couple of years, Bath Animal Action and friends have been campaigning against fur outlets in the city, with a string of successes: Square signed the fur-free pledge last year, and John Anthony the year before. After weeks of regular demos, it now remains to be seen as to whether Eleanora Brown at AH Moda will bring in rabbit fur, again. Crying wolf like any of today’s best actresses, she collaborated with police last year to try and fit up a couple of activists on false Public Order charges back in January, both of whom were found not guilty.
BAA sleuths are now investigating the shopping centres of the city to see if any stores are intent on profiting from this animal abuse. Real fur is softer than synthetic fur, and if you do suspect any stores of selling, please drop them a line: bathanimalaction@yahoo.co.uk.

http://www.caft.org.uk/

How Many MPs Does It Take To Veto Nuclear Power…

We are hearing more and more that nuclear is the solution to our power needs, how plants are so much safer these days, blah blah blah. STOP. This is a dangerous thing to be considering and will not even achieve what we need it to (nuclear power, which only supplies electricity, would only cut UK emissions by 4% by 2025-2030, by the government’s own figures). Renewable energy will get forgotten about in the process, with hardly any funding allocated to research.
Nuclear power is wasteful, causes a lot of pollution, is dangerous in many ways and isn’t even more reliable seeing as it still needs a fuel source which we must get from other countries. Renewable energy offers a supply of clean fuel that is right on our doorsteps (such as wind, solar and geothermal), it will achieve much more and sooner. The government’s stubborn insistence on nuclear power is another example of a quick fix that seems like it’s solving a problem when really it’s only a temporary measure that will come back to bite us in the ass in the future. Hard. We’ve got to stop cutting corners and take the route that might take a bit more effort, may be a bit less familiar, but that is ultimately the only way to begin to get us out of this mess we’ve got ourselves into.
Have your say here www.greenlightonbath.org/ with a questionnaire or send out the model letter to add your views to the Government’s review of the future of nuclear energy. Also on this site, under the resources link is an interesting DVD you can view amongst other things. The deadline for this is the 10th October, but if you miss that, as it’s short notice, there’s bound to be more opportunities to have your say. We must all shout loud and be determined in our refusal of nuclear. The definition of stupid is doing the same thing (over and over) and expecting different results. Also remember two easy things you can do to reduce your energy use – low energy light bulbs (they cost more but last much longer) and turn off your standbys!

www.no2nuclearpower.org.uk/index.php
http://nuclearpower2007.direct.gov.uk/reg/reg.asp

Director’s [Bolt] Cut

The second film in the ‘Bubbling Under’ alternative cinema series screens on Sunday the 21st of this month, downstairs at Porter Cellar on George Street, at 1pm. Keith Mann, former animal liberationist jailbird, introduces ‘Behind The Mask’, a documentary about people who risk their liberty to save animals. He’ll also be discussing his book ‘From Dusk Til Dawn’. Great veggie food also available.

www.fromdusktildawn.org.uk

Who Are Bath Activist Network?

We 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

Dirty Money

Not a week goes by now without another climate change and severe weather horror stories hitting the press, causing around annual 160,000 deaths worldwide. And we know some of the culprits, too: while companies like Esso, Shell and National Grid plunder the earth and endanger our lives, the finance to do this has to come from somewhere. This is where the Royal Bank of Scotland come in. The self-proclaimed ‘Oil & Gas Bank’, whilst other investors are jumping to fund renewables projects round the world, RBS is busy undercutting competitors, and funding the deadliest and dirtiest projects around: liquefied natural gas in Qatar, oil pipelines in Azerbaijan/Georgia, tar sand extraction in Canada, North Sea Oil, and another drilling project off the coast of Russia, the summer feeding ground of the threatened western grey whale. And then they fund airport expansion, too!
In 2005, their various funded projects produced nearly 4 million tonnes of CO2 emissions, as well as displacing indigenous peoples and encouraging oil wars the world over.
Also, remember Bath Climate Camp? That was set up to oppose Land & Marine’s LNG pipeline in south Wales, also funded by RBS, putting the lives of thousands in jeopardy from potential gas explosions. Eco-campaigners are calling for a national day of action against the bank [who also own NatWest, Direct Line and Churchill Insurance] on the 15th of this month, so keep a look out!

www.theoilandgasbank.com
www.risingtide.org.uk
www.networkforclimateaction.org.uk
www.carbonweb.org/documents/Oil_&_Gas_Bank.pd
To find your nearest RBS branch or office:www.rbs.co.uk/microsites/general/branch_locator/step1.asp

HOT OFF THE PRESS!:
Cadbury’s prove yet again that they couldn’t give a Fudge about their staff, with the announced closure of their successful factory in Keynsham, Wink-ing out 500 jobs. And whilst it’s Time Out for the workers who have helped make the Mr Big execs rich, the relocation to Poland will no doubt prove a tidy Boost to the confectioner’s profits; as well as stirring up Moro racism and anti-Pole resentment over here. Greedy bastards.

http://www.thisisbath.com/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=180730&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232315&home=yes&more_nodeId1=163047&contentPK=18568762

Well Fed Not An Animal Dead!

Saturday morning of the 22nd September saw Bath Animal Action and supporters holding a stall of vegan food, gratis, proving that there is such thing as a free lunch! Held as part of ‘Go Veggie Month’, it all went like hot cakes, and the public enjoyed it, too! Recipes were swapped and debates were had, and a real feeling of community was [not Don!] fostered.

Fox Hunting’s Fishy History

Did you know that the expression ‘red herring’ originates from peasantry in centuries past trying to sabotage fox hunts? Pissed off with low pay, long hours and crap working conditions, it was a weekend pastime for many of the 18th and 19th Century rural poor to ruin their rich masters’ hobby. Amongst other tactics, they did this by laying herrings and other fish in the undergrowth, distracting the hounds from the scent of the fox, allowing it to escape. Our methods may have changed since then, but hunt saboteurs are still out in the fields every weekend protecting hunted wildlife from the over-rich, under-IQ’d inbreds that constitute Britain’s ruling class. If you are interested in publicising Bath Hunt Saboteurs, helping us raise money, or better yet, coming out and helping us actively sabotage local hunts, email bathactivistnet@yahoo.co.uk or give us a bell on 07854 062336

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_herring
http://hsa.enviroweb.org/hsa.shtml

GOT A STORY? WANT TO RECEIVE THE BATH BOMB BY EMAIL? HOPING TO SUE?
Contact us by e-mailing bathbombpress@yahoo.co.uk. Large print e-versions are available
on request

And now, to the disclaimer: As anyone is free to contribute to this newsletter, 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…

http://www.myspace.com/bathbomb

2nd wave of Burma solidarity – target Total (London, Cardiff, Oxford)

London Total Oil’s offices targeted again this morning
5.10.2007

Total Oil’s London HQ was targeted again this morning as workers made their way into the building in order to highlight the company’s involvement in financially supporting the Burmese military junta.

London Total Oil’s offices targeted again this morning
5.10.2007

After a mass call out, activists showed up again this morning to speak to office workers at Total Oil’s London HQ about the company’s involvement in Burma. Police forces were already present at the site, actually outnumbering protesters at 8:30, guarding the entrance and checking everyone entering the building, which caused significant nuisance and slowed things down a bit. A FIT team was also present, happily snapping pictures of people. After staging a die-in outside the entrance and handing out leaflets, it was decided to end the action and re-group for breakfast.

We shall be back.

//////////////////////////////

Cardiff Total closed in Burma protest

7.10.2007
A Total garage in Cardiff was closed for three hours in a solidarity action for the people of Burma

Around 30 people marched from the centre of Cardiff to the Total garage, where more protesters had already gathered.

Despite the normal threats of arrest from the police, activists blocked the entrance and exit routes to the garage, shutting it down. The garage remained closed by the action for three hours. There were no arrests.

The level of public support for the action was amazing, and car horns were beeping their support almost constantly. Even the motorists that turned up to use the garage were (on the whole) supportive, and happily drove off to find somewhere else to fill up.

This was an effective and successful action – it would be nice to see more of these in the weeks and months to come.

——–

Text of leaflet that was given out:

Total Oil – the current situation in Burma

French Oil Company Total is the biggest corporate investor for the undemocratic, military dictatorship of Burma. For the last 45 years a military dictatorship has ruled Burma with an iron fist. Total oil has provides the dictatorship with 30% of there export revenue, which is estimated at $450 million.

This is the largest foreign investment supporting the brutal regime, and Total is fully aware of this. It has been funding the regime since 1992, which has permitted them to execute some atrocious human right violations including:

70,000 child soldiers.
One of the largest armies in South East Asia, despite no external enemies.
Rape of women and children as a weapon of war.
Mass oppression of freedom of speech and opinion, which has lead to 1,350 political prisoners.
Almost half of the budget is spent on the military while only 19p is spent on health care per person, per year.
Total funded the creation of a 63-kilometer pipeline, secured by the army, which has lead to:

Between 600,000 and 1 million people forced from their homes and internally displaced.

Some of the worse forced labour abuses on thousands of Burmese people.

Forced transporting of weapons, beatings and torture.

And the use of civilians as human minesweepers.

Total Oil is funding and protecting this violent regime, to defend its assets and profits made form Burmese oil and gas.

In 1988 mass demonstrations occurred across Burma due to the brutality of the Military regime, and a 500% increase in oil and natural gas prices. This resulted in over 5000 people indiscriminately being slaughter by the army, and thousands more imprisoned, 1, 350 of which are still there.

2007 UPRISE – A REPEAT OF HISTORY – On the 15th of August, petrol prices rose by 500%, sparking mass protests for the next 2 months. The protests were lead by tens of thousands of social activist, monks and civilians. The military fought back with tear gas, beatings, arrests, shootings and pre dawn raids on monasteries.

It’s estimated that up to 3000 people, including elderly monks, children between 5 and 10 years old, nuns and women have been arrested, enduring atrocious conditions in prison. It has been internally estimated that 130 people have been killed.

Even though the media coverage is disappearing today, the oppression and violence directed towards the Burmese’s people continues to escalate.

Stop the military regime. Act now before another 5000 die.

Action

www.burmacampaign.org.uk To sign petitions pressuring Total and other corporations to withdraw investment in Burma.
www.burmanet.org/news/ For up to date reliable news in Burma.
www.southwalesanarchists.org A group of like-minded individuals into civil disobedience.
www.avaaz.org To sign a petition targeting and pressuring China, the main supporter of the regime.

//////////////////////////////

Total Totally Blockaded in Oxford

6.10.2007
Protesters peacefully blockaded a Total petrol station in Oxford today, in support of the democracy movement in Burma (Myanmar); activists were there for two hours and seriously disrupted Total’s business for the day.

This protest took place in solidarity with the pro-democracy movement in Burma, who have asked for international support now that the regime is cracking down on them. Total Oil is the fourth largest oil company in the world and one of the biggest foreign investors in Burma. Its joint venture with Burma’s dictatorship earns the military regime hundreds of millions of dollars every year.

People began to gather outside the petrol station in East Oxford at 2.30 pm, and at 2.45 moved into the entranceway, holding a banner which read ” Fuelling Oppression In Burma”. We blocked the entrance for a while until the police arrived and threatened to arrest people. However, even after we shuffled to either side of the main driveway, just the presence of the protesters, the banner and the police was enough to put most customers off – we saw numerous people eyeing up the entrance and then choosing to drive by.

Those few who did plunge past the crowd of protesters onto the forecourt were quickly pounced upon by friendly leaflet-wielding activists who managed to persuade the majority to take their business elsewhere.

The Total staff were less than overjoyed, but we gave them all leaflets too and explained why we were there. The police, too, were less than delighted by our presence but seemed willing to tolerate us, even though we’d pretty much closed the petrol station down for the afternoon. We got lots of waves and horn-toots of support from passers-by.

Total has been a longstanding supporter of Burma’s brutal regime. Widespread human rights abuses have been associated with the Total pipeline in Burma, including forced labour, torture and rape. In addition, tougher European sanctions against Burma have been blocked by the French government in its effort to protect Total’s interests in the country.

Today’s action was part of a growing international movement against Total. Forcing the company to pull out of Burma would be a major blow to the legitimacy of the regime, jeopardise a vital source of income for the junta and would make it even more difficult for other companies to do business in the region.

For more information see www.burmacampaign.org.uk/total_briefing.html. To get involved in action in Oxford email oarc@riseup.net.

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2nd Report from the Oxford Total demo

A brief explanation of some of the situation in Burma and a report on the demonstration in Oxford which took place on the 6th of October, 2007.

Global Day of Action for Burma

The 6th of October was the global day of action for Burma (also known as Myanmar), and activists and supporters demonstrated around the world for an end to the appalling actions of the repressive and vicious military junta (group of army generals) that rules the country. If you watched the news recently you might remember images of thousands of monks marching on the streets, before the brutal military crackdown. There is little or no news getting out of Burma now because the government shut off the internet and has started to seize mobile phones and cameras so that images of violent repression cannot escape. The junta has banned protesting and the expression of any other view apart from their own, which is that they are creating a “discipline-flourishing democracy” and unusually for a democracy, all opposition must be crushed. Contradictory? It sure is, but it is no laughing matter for fifty million Burmese.

Demonstrators marched in countries as varied as Thailand, France, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, as well as many more. One of the biggest protests in this country was in London, but they took place in every major city in the country. One of the less publicised, but nonetheless very well attended protests was in Oxford, where protesters managed to successfully stop almost everyone filling up at a Total garage from doing so for over two and a half hours.

On the face of it this action might seem to have little to do with Burma, since Total is a jointly owned French and American company. However, Total has a contract with the Burmese government, signed in 1992, and is the sole company operating in the country. Two oil pipelines have already been built, one to Thailand and one across Burma, and a third one is on its way, despite the fact that new investments from French companies in Burma were banned in 2004. The pipelines have been associated with serious human rights abuses for those working on them, such as forced labour, the use of civilians as human minesweepers, the use of children, and systematic rape of women. Total has been said to be the single biggest company propping up the junta’s regime.

Total is one of the five biggest oil companies in the UK and therefore wields an enormous influence both here and abroad. The French government has blocked measures such as sanctions against the junta due to the fact that Total has such heavy involvement there.

With all this in mind I went to a demonstration close by to Reading, by a Total garage in Oxford. A huge banner reading “Fuelling Oppression in Burma” left people in no doubt as to what the protest was about. Volunteers handed out leaflets showing a brief summary of the injustice of the military’s rule, and Total’s role in it, as well as petitions that concerned citizens could sign. The turnout was excellent, considering that the demonstration had not been as well publicised as other, larger ones in cities such as Birmingham and Manchester. In two hours we managed to stop the majority of people filling up at Total. The workers at the garage were understandably not very pleased but we gave them leaflets too and let them know that we have nothing against them since they are only doing their job. Many people did not have any idea of the things which this company is involved in and once they were informed most of them chose to fill up at one of two nearby petrol stations further along the road.

The atmosphere was very jolly and everyone was eager to meet new people and help each other out. The good weather helped with this as did the fact that most people were very friendly. We had support both from the local police who were assigned to watch the demonstration, and from passers-by, many of whom honked their horns at us as they drove past. Many people who had filled up promised not to do so again. The protest began at 2:30, and although most people had gone by half past four, three of us chose to stay until five, handing out leaflets to drivers.

We do accept that some people have no choice but to fill up there and we have nothing against people who do so, but I feel it is important that people have an informed choice about what it is that they are supporting when they fill up at a Total garage. At a time when many oil companies are regarded as unethical the idea that a company would openly fund one of the world’s most despicable regimes produces bad publicity and a lack of trust, so it is in Total’s best interest to pull out of Burma and in so doing, increase their profits due to winning back respect from people who have lost it for them. They should see that in the long term, due to the situation in Burma (with some states having had a civil war for over 20 years) staying in the country is unsustainable and bad for their business as well as for human rights.

Should you wish to find out more about Total and their involvement in Burma, please visit www.burmacampaign.org.uk/total_report.html. Please also sign the petition to help the Burmese protesters, which will be presented to the president of China after it receives a million signatures, at www.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_burma .

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Aside from these direct actions, various demonstrations have happened around the country over the last few weeks – for full details, search at indymedia.org.uk

Shell to Sea Two and half years later and still going strong! October 12th day of action

In 2005 small west of Ireland community became the focus of attention of the people in Ireland. Five small farmers in Rossport Co Mayo (one the most remote and isolated places in Northwest Europe) had stood up to a multinational conglomeration of Shell, Statoil and Marathon in fear they would die if Shell built their unprecedented on shore refinery.

The Irish State’s reaction to this was to indefinately imprison them. This transpired to be 94 days at which point Shell decided it was doing more harm than good by imprisoning as there was a series of direct actions and mass demonstration in their defence http://www.indymedia.ie/article/71388. In the weeks running up to this some activists made contact with community activists and started a national Shell to sea campaign. The unbelievable story of what was going on in the west of Ireland was spread through Europe through the meeting of activists at the G8 in Sterling in July 2008.

The story is quite unbelievable. Shell and their partners are attempting to destroy an unspoilt part of the west Ireland, by running a dangerous pipeline through the village of Rossport to an inland refinery that will spew hundreds of thousands of tonnes of methane each year in the local environment. On top of this they are effectively robbing the people in Ireland of €51 billion of Irish gas through a dodgy deal cut with corrupt politicians that at the time was called “economic treason”.

But lots of things are wrong and why should people all across the world we focus on this? Well its simple- we can win and if we do the effects will be immense as a precedent will have been set that will not only effect Ireland but Europe and beyond.

So what happened since 2005 and where are we now?

Traditional sectarianism was put aside and activists of different backgrounds worked together forming what the media would later bill “the looney alliance of anarchists and republicans”. Throughout the summer of 2005 and until the late summer of 2006 things worked very well as constant pickets shut down Shell’s operation in Mayo and pressure mounted on Shell and the Irish State.

Then at the end of September 2006 the State and Shell made their move. Over 200 gardai (Irish police) were billeted to Mayo. The top cop said he would have the protests finished in 48hours. The community and national campaigns response was immense. Picketing went on through the night incase the Gardai tried
to cordon activists away from the site. On the night of the second of October the cops eventually turned out in force. In an effort to maintain the year and half long picket cars were parked blocking the refinery and behind them the community sat in front of the gates. In area with lowest crime rate in Ireland 200 Gardai pulled and dragged community residents from the gates hospitalising two.

This lead to a surge in activity with much campaign activity around the country and internationally, focused on days of action in Rossport. The Garda reaction to these days of Action was violent culminating in a baton charge on November the tenth. The campaign then in the face of what seemed like more violence cancelled a proposed day of action on the 24th of November 2006. Many saw this as decisive moment for the campaign as momentum passed out of our hands. Everyone realised the folly of
it, but as with a lot of things in Shell to Sea it is a learning process. Now it seems it was not as decisive as it seemed as things build again.

This summer the campaign burst back to life by victoriously opposing shell’s attempt to install cabins for works in the bay – read more. This was followed with a very intense week which saw three fishermen including Pat “the chief” O Donnell and his son and a friend imprisoned, the site was shut down for a day. On the fishermen’s release
an invasion of the construction site took place. Over September there have been three site invasions and two days with numerous people blockading traffic attempting to access the site – read more.

All this occurred in the run up to the day of action on September 14th unique in that it had a pre-announced plan. The plan was simple – go there and sit on the road and no vehicles get on site. The run-up to the day was nervous. The big question was- could Shell to Sea with its national support in town (or countryside rather) reassert the right of ordinary people over multinationals in Erris and really push forward the already building momentum behind the campaign. The conditions were certainly right- Shell were and still are running into enormous problems as building has virtually come to a standstill due to poor quality concrete, constant protest and the lack of a pipeline route. On Friday the 14th about 150 – 200 people turned from around the country and this was matched by a sizeable mayo turnout.

The total protestor turnout was matched by a sizeable Garda presence. As the protestors shut down the main entrance to the site with the sit down the Gardai thought they would be clever and direct traffic around the sit down and bore us to tears. After this long you would imagine the cops would realise Shell to Sea is a little more on the ball than this. In the lack of the any trucks to meet protestors we decided to go and take a look and shut the site down. So it was up, over, under and through the gate as the protest made little a secondary gate as well (especially constructed for the day) – read more. The Gardai responded with their usual heavy handed tactics. Regardless of Shell’s rubbish spin, RTE’s (Irelands state broadcaster) desperate attempts to placate Shell and and the gardai’s official line it was plain to see who had won the day and that the train is firmly back on the tracks.

It’s undoubted that Shell to Sea is not yet at the dizzying heights it was at 12 or 24 months ago. However things are moving in a similar direction at the moment. We have learned the mistakes of placing too much faith in politicians to pull a deal out the hat. With this knowledge it could just be third time lucky for Shell to Sea.

Throughout this period the impact on solidarity from the England Scotland and Wales has had an enormous effect. It has been instrumental in keeping the solidarity camp continuing through people coming staying a week or a year, fundraising and donations have also allowed the camp to expand. Hospitality to campaign speakers was always second to none. Above all the impact that people coming has had a profound impact on the moral of people in Rossport. They launched their opposition in 1999 and it took six years to get National attention and then immediately people in the UK, once they heard, took up the challenge. There is still more people from the UK have to offer this struggle.

Another day of Action has been called for October the 12th as the situation is heating up as the pressure mounts up on Shell and political pressure on the greens. These days of Action will not work
on there own – if you cant travel we all need to be active in our communities organising meetings, postering and raising the issue where possible. These days are however crucial to pile on the pressure –
showing in a visible robust way the level of opposition to this project and highlighting the brutality of what is an everyday occurrence in Rossport.

At this stage many of us are scratching our heads as to why mayo people can’t do this at the height of summer but then again what else would you be doing on windy Friday morning in October? Ok fair enough we all do but it will certainly be worth it to force this to its logical conclusion after 8 years. For us it’s a few days of a trip to Rossport for others it’s the highlight and morale booster in a 8 year struggle that must and will end soon When people arrive its intensely appreciated as it shows they are not struggling on their won and people care. What are you doing on October the 12th? Organise a picket at the Irish embassy or a Shell filling Station or their headquarters. Or if possible travel to Rossport. Travel to Dublin for Thursday at six and book a ticket on the Dublin buses. Book early though. Come you need a holiday!
(for tickets phone or text 0851609850 in Dublin) Cork – corkshelltosea@gmail.com or call 0851141170 for general info.

www.rossportsolidaritycamp.com, www.shelltosea.com www.indymedia.ie/mayo

I Bike MCR October Bike Events

Update about some bike stuff happening soon in manchester.

The Spokes Bicycle Dance Troupe
Performances: Friday 19th October 1pm-5pm Whitworth Park, Manchester (opp MRI) Sunday 21st October London Bicycle Film Festival, Bicycle Polo tournament

Update about some bike stuff happening soon in manchester.

The Spokes Bicycle Dance Troupe
Performances: Friday 19th October 1pm-5pm Whitworth Park, Manchester (opp MRI) Sunday 21st October London Bicycle Film Festival, Bicycle Polo tournament

Hey ladies! Join the Spokes: come to a rehearsal- next one this Sunday 7th
october at 10am at longford park, chorlton. email info@ibikemcr.org.uk if you have any questions or want to know the next practice time

The MCR Dropouts Bike Polo Practice:
Every Thursday at 7pm and Saturday at 2pm at Platt Fields Park
Open practice and demo: Friday 19th October 1pm-5pm Whitworth Park, Manchester (opp MRI)

Mcr Bicycle Art Parade and critical mass
Friday 26th October, 6pm, Central Library

woooo it will not only be an amazing bike ride to celebrate the bicycle, to
meet other cyclists, to have an excuse to ride around, to feel part of a bike gang, to have a fun evening etc etc

but!

this month it will also be Manchester’s FIRST EVER Bicycle Art Parade! So
dress up your bike in tinsel or glitter or make it look like a dragon or a
fly…whatever..lets get creative!!!!

Thursday 25th October 4pm Temporary Autonomous Arts Exhibition
(see forbiddenartsmanchester.org.uk for venue information)
Pre-Parade crazy bike welding and bike decorating workshop

If you can, bring old bikes, bits of bikes, spray paint, glitter, tinsel, newspaper, chicken wire, pva glue, paints, plastic bags, welding equipment and skills to the workshop

the last few months have seen around 120 cyclists on critical mass, lets make this one even bigger

see http://ibikemcr.org.uk/criticalmass.htm for info
join the i bike mcr bulletin list:
https://lists.riseup.net/www/subscribe/ibikemcr

Ride Safe

x x x

Camp Hope – 20/21st October vs Gloucestershire Airport expansion

Camp For Hope At Staverton Airport, Gloucestershire 20/21st October. Inspired by the Camp for Climate Action 2007 activists and local residents are organising a camp to protest the expansion of Gloucestershire Airport at Staverton. “Camp Hope” will take place at a secret location near the airport on the 20/21 October.

Location is near the airport and to be announced on our website on the evening of 19th October.

Staverton Airport want to extend their runway and increase services. The extra noise and fumes will damage the local environment and the huge amounts of CO2 will add to global warming.

We need to put our children’s future and the environment before the profits of an airport.

Saturday 20th Oct:

Learn about global warming, what it means to you and your children. Learn what you can do about it.

Workshops and discussions start at 13:00pm

Lead speaker David Drew MP

Sunday 21st Oct:

Peaceful protest against the airport’s impacts on noise, the environment, and the area’s image

The airport claims “only a small minority are opposed to the development,” Come and show them that you are not part of a small minority by making your voice heard

You can come and camp for the weekend, or just come for the Saturday or Sunday.

For public transport to the airport, take the 94 bus to Staverton Bridge. Also, parking is available. Stewards will direct you from the airport entrance

Take a look at http://campforhopeatstaverton.blogspot.com or www.myspace.com/campofhope and http://kevsclimatecolumn.blogspot.com For more information email CampForTheFuture@btinternet.com

If anyone has access to any of the following it could be very useful :

* Marquees, yurts, caravans, temporary structures, tents
* Wood for building (especially 2×2, 3×2, 18mm ply)
* Nails, woodscrews etc.
* Wood for burning
* Food (vegan, locally produced, organic)
* Water containers
* Water piping
* Water
* Hay/Straw
* Vans and trailers
* Beer
* Scraps of material (the bigger the better)
* Banners/Banner making equipment
* People to give workshops/speeches
* Entertainment
* Cable ties
* Tarpaulains
* Carabinas
* Solar electricity (PV) panels
* 12v Batteries
* Wheelie bins
* Buckets
* Rope
* Gaffa tape (what every site is built on)

We also need people to help to organise and publicise the event. If you have any time which you can use to help out it would be greatly appreciated.

Tara frontline Action -avin it

On Monday September 24th, thirty brave cultural conservationists donned face paints and headed off on a route walk from the Rath Lugh direct action camp. Film director and actor Stuart Townsend, fresh from the highly successful aerial photograph on the hill attended by an estimated 3,000 people on Sunday, arrived with four massive bags of shopping for Tara’s soldiers before everyone set off. Stuart’s continuing support is massively appreciated!

Once on route activists erected barricades along the paths of the diggers and bulldozers to slow destruction work. Activists proceeded to Baronstown where seven to eight diggers were occupied, climbed and danced upon. The walk continued as our merry band arrived at Collierstown, an ancient Fianna graveyard. The two diggers working when we arrived were quickly halted with people climbing into buckets of diggers, onto roofs and onto their tracks. Songs were sung and people danced. Work was halted for half an hour before scouts indicated that machinery was working up ahead at Trevet. We headed there and on the way occupied another digger. The driver of this digger refused to turn off his engine despite the fact that activists occupied his machine, a clear violation of health and safety laws and a sackable offense.

Our next stop was Trevet, where one bulldozer was prevented from working by activists. It was then that the Gardai made their appearance. Taking some of our group aside, names were taken and no further action occurred. As our walk was slightly behind schedule, when Garda officers approached we decided to pick up the pace, keeping twenty to forty feet between ourselves and the law. Officers continued to follow us for another 100 metres before heading back the way they came. Having stopped work for hours it was near dinner time so we headed back to base camp. Throughout the day as we passed the sacred sites in the path of the proposed motorway short talks were given about the historical and archaeological significance of each site. No one was arrested and a great day was had by all. The campaign to protect Tara from the money mad mile continues picking up pace after the phenomenal success of the international Harpists for Tara event and John Quigley’s stunning aerial photography. Every Monday route walks will continue.

Completion of the M3 through the Tara Valley is years away and there is everything to play for! Be at the Tara Solidarity Vigil camp on the hill by 9.30 am or at Rath Lugh by 10.00am. Please come, please support and network!

www.tarapixie.net
www.savetara.com
www.tarawatch.org
www.indymedia.ie

Critical Mass and Carfree day in Brussels

What a weekend for cyclists. Friday evening and the regular Brussels Critical mass was held one week early to coincide with mobility week. Around 80 cyclists sprouted up at the Porte de Namur and reclaimed the streets of Brussels for an hour or two. This month there was a practical theme to create a DIY cycle lane. Recently the Major of the city decided that the cycle lane along the main boulevard through central Brussels was a menace to traffic and even encouraged cyclist to get in the way of honest car driving citizens. What to do when that Major takes away the cycle path. A simple question, you get together with your friends and paint it back again. Getting rid of the cycle hating Major will probably be the next step but that’s another action.

Brussels is a city of contradictions and for Saturday lunch time the city invited cyclists for a sumptuous nosh up. Anyone who was a cyclist was welcome to help themselves. A wonderful feast for non vegetarian wine lovers and the deserts were out of this world. Not so good on the cycle lanes but the free food almost makes up for it.

Sunday was the carfree day and it really was carfree in the whole city, not just one or two streets. It’s hard to describe the difference banishing the cars can make to a city. Brussels, if only for one day became a place for people. Swarms of cyclists filled the streets people on foot could and did move about without risk of being run over by impatient drivers. The sun was shining the air was clean for once and the angry honking of car horns beautifully absent. If only every day could be like this. The street is a place for people, city children need to play and a cup of coffee on a pavement café somehow tastes better when there isn’t traffic roaring by a few feet away. This might just be my opinion but the people of Brussels did seem to agree with me, well at least the ones who still remember how to move about without a car.

Also for mobility week the Brussels based environmental group, Auto-nomie presented an environmentally friendly car, truly an environmentally friendly car. Zero emissions is a thing of the past, this car has negative emissions. If you care about the planet but still want a car that turns heads this is the model for you and the conversion is cheap and easy. Take out the engine replace is with a few wheelbarrows full of good quality soil and plant your favorite fruits and vegetables. Cruising through the streets of Brussels in a customized car like no other is the way to go. When your friends get tired of pushing what better way of revitalizing them than a tasty car grown strawberry. The car was on display in central Brussels all last week.

Playing with Fire: The Story of Daniel McGowan, “eco-terrorism” and the Green Scare

Growing up in New York City, Daniel McGowan saw first-hand how pollution fogged the air and fouled the beaches in some of the city’s poorest communities, setting him on a lifelong path of environmental and social justice. But how he ended up drenched in gasoline and setting fire to Oregon’s Jefferson Poplar Farms in 2001 and was later targeted as a “domestic terrorist” is the story of someone who cared too much and didn’t know what else to do.

Born in Brooklyn and raised in Queens’ Rockaway Beach, Daniel McGowan grew up sandwiched between asphalt and the sky, in a forest of buildings and buzzing streets. Until Dec. 7, 2005, the 33-year-old with a round face and a chipmunk smile was mostly known in local circles for his involvement in a variety of activist projects. Today, after a nearly two-year legal battle that saw him labeled an “eco-terrorist” by the U.S. government, McGowan is serving a seven-year sentence at a federal prison in Minnesota on 15 counts of arson, attempted arson and conspiracy to commit arson against two private companies in Oregon in 2001.

McGowan, whose arrest shocked his family and friends, and his case was lumped together with nine others as part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Operation Backfire, which produced 65 indictments for actions at 17 targets, including private companies, universities and government facilities across five states from 1996-2001, in what the FBI called a “campaign of domestic terrorism.” The actions were all claimed by the Environmental Liberation Front (ELF) or the Animal Liberation Front (ALF), an underground, decentralized movement of radical environmentalists, which McGowan participated in between 1999 and 2001 while living in Eugene, Oregon.

“At a certain point, I got involved in the ELF,” McGowan told The Indypendent at his Brooklyn home in June, a few weeks before reporting to prison. “At the time it seemed like a natural progression, but it also coincided with my increasing grief and rage I was feeling about the environmental destruction I saw. I went to Oregon and I couldn’t believe how okay people were with what was going on. We’d drive to the edge of town and you saw the logging mills, or you went into the forest and stumbled upon a clear cut. It just blew me away. I had to find a way to channel that grief and rage.” The dilemma McGowan faced has troubled activists for generations. When you try every form of “acceptable” advocacy to make change with little success, what do you do?

“A Campaign of Domestic Terrorism” In the middle of the night on May 21, 2001, McGowan found himself in the vehicle shop of Jefferson Poplar Farms in of Clatskanie, a small town in northwest Oregon on the Columbia River. He had just finished laying out soaked gasoline sheets and towels connected to a homemade incendiary device, designed to set fire to a fleet of SUVs and the company office. The privately owned facility had been selected as an ELF target because McGowan and his accomplices believed it was involved in genetic research by growing a hybrid variety of poplar-cottonwood trees that would help timber companies replace the region’s old-growth forests with commercial tree farms.

“We torched Jefferson Poplar because hybrid poplars are an ecological nightmare threatening native biodiversity in the ecosystem,” the saboteurs wrote in a communique that was released after the action. “Our forests are being liquidated and replaced with mono-cultured tree farms so greedy, earth-raping corporations can make more money.”

“At some level, I thought it [ELF actions] was effective,” McGowan said. “If I would have written a statement that I think genetic-engineered trees are bad and oldgrowth logging is bad and sent it to every media outlet in the country, it wouldn’t have been paid attention to,” he explained. “There is something really strange about when you attach a statement to an arson it suddenly becomes newsworthy … it is like propaganda with teeth.”

For McGowan, the actions were part of his search for the right mix of tactics to make positive change.

“For me, the actions were not grotesque or not about destroying things. I had a hard time getting into the mind set to destroy other people’s stuff or even living [genetically modified] organisms,” he said. “I would get sick before actions, get nervous — it was really difficult. But I did it because I felt that the other things weren’t working, and that while there was a preponderance of other tactics being tried, these tactics weren’t being tried and I thought that maybe there is something we can do to help the issue.”

Between 1996 and 2001, an underground cell of activists based in Eugene, Oregon, called “the Family” in government documents, targeted federal and university research facilities, meat and lumber companies, a car dealership, wild horse corrals and other “earth rapers,” as described by communiques released at the time.

According to the FBI, the string of high profile actions that hit 17 targets in the Pacific Northwest in the late 1990s caused nearly $80 million in property damage. These actions are only a few of the more than 600 incidents claimed by the ELF and ALF nationwide since 1996. “I think that’s really what all these actions are about — is really getting public attention to some of these issues,” said Jim Flynn, a Eugene-based environmentalist in a July 2007 USA Today article. “If we were able to affect policy change through more legal means, then certainly that’s the way these people would go. Nobody enjoys being underground, and that lifestyle.”

TO CONTINUE READING ARTICLE, VISIT: http://www.indypendent.org/2007/09/15/enemy-of-the-state/

SIDEBAR ARTICLES:

Why Green Makes the Right See Red
http://www.indypendent.org/2007/09/15/why-green-makes-the-right-see-red/

The Birth of a Buzzword: “Eco-terrorism”
http://www.indypendent.org/2007/09/15/the-birth-of-a-buzz-word-eco-terrorism/
NOTE: See Ron Arnold’s response)

The Net Widens: Free Speech on Trial
http://www.indypendent.org/2007/09/15/the-net-widens/

Underground Eco-defenders
http://www.indypendent.org/2007/09/15/underground-eco-defenders/

Please leave comments on the articles if you want!

THE INDYPENDENT is the newspaper of the NEW YORK INDEPENDENT MEDIA CENTER – www.indypendent.org

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For his address to write to, other eco-prisoners, tips for writing etc, go to http://www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

National Camp for Climate Action Meeting Nov 3-4 Oxford

The Climate Camp on its own didn’t stop climate change – but it’s part of a growing social movement that can! Come and take the next steps forward at the upcoming UK-wide meeting on Nov 3-4 in Oxford. Everyone is welcome, whether you came to the camp, or were simply inspired by it.

The Climate Camp had 4 key aims: education, direct action, sustainable living, and building a social movement to collectively tackle climate change and build a better world. Regional meetings have been happening up and down the country, and in Oxford we will meet to collectively share all our ideas for taking our aims further.

The agenda for this meeting has not yet been set – if you have any ideas about topics you think it is important for us to discuss, or if you are up for helping with planning and facilitating this meeting, please email meetings@climatecamp.org.uk.

Local groups: please send any write-ups of discussions from your debrief meetings to website@climatecamp.org.uk, so they can be put on the website, and meetings@climatecamp.org.uk, so they can be fed into the national meeting agenda.

Practical info:
The meeting will run 11-6 on Saturday Nov 3 and 10-5 on Sunday Nov 4.
The venue is the East Oxford Community Centre, Princes Street, Oxford (see http://www.eocsc.co.uk/find_us.htm for directions and a map). Vegan food will be provided at a cost of approximately £10 a day. Floor accomodation is available (bring a sleeping bag!) and do please email oxford@climatecamp.org.uk in advance so we know how many people are coming! If you have any dietary, access, creche, or other needs, please get in touch by emailing oxford@climatecamp.org.uk.

Further information will be added to the website, www.climatecamp.org.uk, soon.