Climate Chaos – Page 65

Friends Of The Earth Cymru information stall against the Monster Incinerator at Ffos-y-fran

Friends Of The Earth CYMRU are having an information stall in Merthyr precinct this Friday.
Join the Facebook page “No Monster Incinerator in Merthyr Tydfil” for a powerpoint presentation on the Health Impact of incinerators by world renown expert Prof Paul Connett!
It looks as if Covanta are going forward with submitting planning application on November 1st – Direct Action and Awareness needs to be ramped up as much of the community of Merthyr Tydfil are blissfully ignorant of the scientific facts on the impact of dioxins, nano-particulates and other very nasty shit such as “Fly Ash”!

Happendon Wood Occupied! New Direct Action Camp Against Scottish Coal

Early evening on Sunday 12th September a group of autonomous individuals successfully occupied a new site in Happendon Wood, South Lanarkshire!

Coal Action Scotland are inviting people to join The Happendon Wood Action Camp (THWAC) to help defend the wood from destruction by Scottish Coal, and to take action in solidarity with communities in the area resisting the expansion of the coal industry in the Douglas Valley.

You can find out more about the camp at http://happendon.coalactionscotland.org.uk — and more information about why we’re at Happendon and what we’re doing there will be coming very soon.

In the meantime, check our press advisory, for immediate release, below:

Contact:
Sam Macdonald (Off-site Contact: Information and Photos) 07984706188
Jo Reed (On-site Contact: Visits and Interviews) 07806926040
media@coalactionscotland.org.uk

Scottish Coal’s
Happendon Wood Occupied

Last night (12/9/10) a group of people occupied areas within Happendon Wood, South Lanarkshire (1) to defend it from destruction by Scottish Coal, part of the Scottish Resources Group. They have begun to build shelters and defences on the site, with large banners hung from trees at the front of the site that say: “Defending the Douglas Valley” and “No Opencast Here”. The Happendon Wood Action Camp has come out of a long-term struggle by the local community and Coal Action Scotland (2) to halt coal expansion in the Douglas Valley which is already one of the most heavily mined areas in Europe.

The Scottish Resources Group have applied for planning permission for a mixed use development (3) on this land (which is in an area of Great Landscape Value) in the Douglas Valley, but they intend to opencast the area first. The South Lanarkshire minerals plan highlights areas within the new development as having recoverable coal deposits that can be excavated during the current local plan. Scottish Coal actually wouldn’t be allowed to build on the land without open casting it first, otherwise this would be “sterilising the nations asset” and therefore illegal. (4)

Scottish Coal have not yet publicly declared their interests in opencasting Happendon Wood but many members of the local community have expressed deep concerns that they will be blighted with yet another opencast coal mine. In a recent meeting about the development, MSP for Clydesdale Karen Gillon told local residents that she did not doubt that they would remove the coal, in spite of the fact that the area that SRG wish to develop takes in the opencast workings at Poniel, which are currently due to be restored. Local resident and Douglas and Glespin Community Council Chairperson Lindsay Addison is enraged by the behaviour of Scottish Coal in South Lanarkshire:

“We have serious concerns that this is an excuse for another opencast. We do not want this development, let alone another mine. We will fight it all the way and support the efforts of the wider community in its opposition to new coal in the Douglas Valley.”

SRG’s application for planning permission for this development is ongoing; the decision by the council will likely be made in the coming months. Questions have been raised about the close relationship between Scottish Coal and South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) resulting in SLC issuing each member of the Douglas and Glespin Community Council legal notices stating that proceedings against them are to begin at Lanark Sheriff Court over alleged libel claims. This move is seen by the community as an attack on their freedom of speech. (5)

Notes to Editors:

1. Location: In South Lanarkshire, about 30 miles south of Glasgow, Happendon Wood is an area just off the B7078, surrounding the Dewers warehouse site and Poniel Opencast workings. To reach the site, driving south along the B7078 from Lesmahagow (running alongside the M74), take the first left after Happendon Services onto the C-road; the site front is on your left after about half a mile. A map is available at http://coalactionscotland.org.uk/?page_id=1974#Where

2. Working with and supporting communities across Scotland, the Coal Action Scotland collective exists to challenge the advancement of coal as an energy source by informing people about the dangers posed by new coal, promoting alternatives, working with those involved, and directly challenging new coal exploitation from source to point of use. Mainshill Solidarity Camp was set up just along the road from Happendon Woods last year where people stayed for over seven months, ending in a five day eviction and a total of 45 arrests. See: http://coalactionscotland.noflag.org.uk/

3. This application is Poniel / Happendon Mixed Use Development application from the Scottish Resources Group (Scottish Coal). It is for “Mixed use development comprising industrial and storage and distribution warehousing, business units/office accommodation, hotel with conference and commercial leisure facilities, retail/restaurant floorspace, landscaping, open space and associated infrastructure (planning permission in principle)”, but it is expected that once they get permission for this they will actually be bound to opencast the area for coal. The planning reference for the application is: CL/10/0180.

4. The Coal Authority issue licences to coal companies. The following was discovered in correspondence between them and Scottish Coal:
‘Where development is proposed over areas of coal and past coal workings at shallow depth, The Coal Authority is of the opinion that applicants should consider wherever possible removing the remnant shallow coal. This will enable the land to be stabilised and treated by a more sustainable method; rather than by attempting to grout fill any voids and consequently unnecessarily sterilising the nation’s asset.’

5. For articles and quotations on the legal threats to the Community Council see:
http://www.lanarkgazette.co.uk/news/South-Lanarkshire-Council-copyright-threat.6526004.jp
http://coalactionscotland.org.uk/?p=1966
http://www.jonathanmitchell.info/2010/09/02/whats-wrong-with-south-lanarkshire/

Bath Bomb #33 Out Now!

THE BATH BOMB

@nti-copyright: copy and distribute!
Issue #33
free/donation
September 2010

“More rusty barbed wire than cutting edge”

The First Cut Is The Deepest

Whilst we’ve never claimed to be the cutting edge of journalism, the Bath Bomb has become privy to a series of unpleasant plans from councils in the southwest:

THE BATH BOMB

@nti-copyright: copy and distribute!
Issue #33
free/donation
September 2010

“More rusty barbed wire than cutting edge”

The First Cut Is The Deepest

Whilst we’ve never claimed to be the cutting edge of journalism, the Bath Bomb has become privy to a series of unpleasant plans from councils in the southwest:

Somerset’s most dedicated N.H.S. professionals are being “strong-armed and railroaded” into defecting from the Primary Care Trust to join social enterprise ventures, without the chance of a proper consultation. But at a meeting filled with angry health visitors, school nurses, local hospital and other workers in Bridgwater on Wednesday 1st September, they voted “No!” to privatisation. Their campaign is now seeking public support for the P.C.T. meeting at Wynford House, Lufton Way, in Yeovil on Wednesday 15th September from 10am, where the decision is expected to be made.

Employment Minister Chris Grayling has started a crusade to force the 260 young Incapacity Benefit claimants in B.&N.E.S. (and a further 530 in Wiltshire) into work – regardless of whether they’re fit to or not. There are already wider moves to slash the Welfare Bill, and expand the controversial Work Capability Assessment health test, but Grayling somehow seeks to frame this witch-hunt as a form of philanthropy: “Thousands of young people with their lives ahead of them just parked on sickness benefits with no way out.” A big man with a big heart.

Three out of seven youth key workers in the Bath area are to be cut, alongside their youth centres. Youth workers who have been colleagues for years are now being turned against each other, anxiously competing to not put a foot wrong and lose their jobs, or be ‘matrix’ed. Whether crime rates will go up as deprived kids are alienated even further, is hard to say.

Waste management services in the village of Old Welton are to be cut and shipped out to Bath. As they share the Transfer Station site with other public services, there is expected to be a knock-on ‘tipping point’ effect where more services are sent off to the big city, eventually draining the area of a large portion of its employment, and its economy.

Meanwhile G.M.B. union workers in Bristol are being illegally threatened with disciplinary action for sharing news of intended cuts with their unions.

But people aren’t just gonna sit and take it: a noisy 40-strong demo outside Bristol City Council took place on Tuesday 7th September, with many a union banner and speaker. Saturday the 4th saw the Bath Stop The War Coalition find unanimous consensus from the 90 balloted on their regular vigil, who would rather cut Trident than services. On Wednesday 22nd September, from 7.30pm, a ‘Fight the Cuts’ public meeting will take place, downstairs at Friends Meeting House on York Street. Though speakers will be present from the traditional unions – such as the N.U.T., G.M.B., Unison, U.C.U. and Bath Trades Council – we need a wider public participation from other affected people, so we can sort this crap out! You owe it to yourself to come along!

Who knows? Perhaps we might take a livre out of France’s book, where 2.5 million took to the streets on Tuesday the 7th, against Sarkozy’s austerity plans. No to Job Cuts! No to Pension Cuts! No to Service Cuts! Cut Tax Evasion! Cut I.D. Cards! Cut Trident! Cut the Pay Gap! Cut a Tory! Vive La Strike!

http://bathactivistnetwork.blogspot.com
http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/news/260-25s-sickness-benefit-B-NES/article-2602689-detail/article.html
http://bristol.indymedia.org.uk/article/693333

Tory Scum, Out Of Brum!

ACTION STATIONS! ACTION STATIONS! EVERYONE TO THE STREETS! Sunday 3rd October will be our first chance to show our anger at the Con-Dem cuts. As the Tories kick off their party conference in Birmingham, they will be met by thousands of angry protesters from the diverse sections of society that are being forced to bear the brunt of the cuts onslaught. The message will be clear: this crisis was caused by the rich, and we refuse to pay for it with job losses, pay reductions, service cuts and hiked V.A.T., while the toffs at the top continue to line their pockets. Plans for the protest are shaping up nicely, with many unions, community groups and others gearing up to make some noise. Those angry pranksters over at Class War have booked themselves a team at the Tory Party pub quiz, and are calling for as much help (with the questions of course!) as possible. There is also a ‘direct action’ bloc shaping up, which promises to disrupt proceedings nicely. So, whether you want to peacefully protest, or have something a bit more lively in mind, there will be something for you on the day. This will be the start of a massive campaign against the cuts and there will even be transport running to the demo from Bath – leaving at 9am from Laura Place fountain (though details may change), tickets are £10 waged or £5 unwaged, and to get yours, e-mail either bathagainstcuts[at]yahoo.co.uk or tel 07908 355456.

Get Shorty

Kilter, Bath’s unique outdoor theatre company, plants the seeds of change with their playful, engaging ‘Roots Replanted’ show, investigating food-security in the fast approaching post-oil world. Elope to the Hampton Row Allotments from Friday 10th to Sunday 12th of this month, down the bean-rows, for an intimate tale of love and vegetables. Times are 6.30pm Thursday to Saturday, and additional showings at 2.30pm on Saturday and Sunday. Or catch them later at Peasedown St John Community Farm or Bloomfield Allotments at Bear Flat. Bookings can be made by ringing 01225 386777.

On invitation from Frome Friends of Palestine, “Israel’s bravest, most principled” historian Ilan Pappe will be speaking at the Masonic Hall on North Parade on Friday 17th September at 8pm. His talk will examine the ongoing history of Zionism, from its roots in the racist soils of the nineteenth century to the situation today. His book The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, effectively cost him his job at the University of Haifa four years ago. Admission is £5.

B.&N.E.S. Council seem to finally be doing something right, as, from 4th October, weekly collections of food waste will reach 72,000 households, converting the £48+ per tonne taxpayer burden to agricultural compost in Gloucestershire. With any luck, the £400,000 implementation cost will come straight from John Everitt’s pocket? And maybe sorting out a portion of the annual 20 million tonnes of supermarket and industry U.K. waste will be next, right?

A gang of racists attacked the Indian Curry Nights restaurant in Augusta Place, off Upper Bristol Road, on Tuesday 24th August. Two waiters were minorly hurt, and a window was targeted by thrown rocks. Considering attacks on takeaways and mosques in the city over the last couple of years, perhaps it’s way past time that local anti-fascists stepped it up?

Police Sergeant Mark Andrews showed his true colours back in July ’08, when he smashed 59-year-old Pamela Somerville’s face against the cell floor at Colerne copshop. Recently sent down this week for six months for Actual Bodily Harm, for once a copper has paid a price for his actions. But can we all rest easy now that the friendly bobbies have cleaned themselves up once more? Or are cases like Andrews and (Ian Tomlinson’s killer) Simon Harwood perhaps not just a couple of bad eggs, but instead symptomatic of a wider institutional violence, and near-complete freedom from consequence, infecting the whole of the force?

Radical campaigning groups such as Bristol Rising Tide have called for an international day of action against the coal industry on Tuesday 12th October; more details to follow

http://www.kiltertheatre.org
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5245/is_7840_231/ai_n29412429/
http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/news/Council-gears-food-waste-scheme/article-2604136-detail/article.html
http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/news/Police-appeal-waiters-attacked-Bath-park/article-2603995-detail/article.html
http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/news/Police-officer-faces-sack-cell-brutality-woman-59/article-2607007-detail/article.html

GOT A STORY? WANT TO RECEIVE THE BATH BOMB BY EMAIL? HOPING TO SUE? Contact us by e-mailing bathbombpress[at]yahoo.co.uk. Large print e-versions available on request. And for more info on any of our stories, check out http://www.thebathbomb.blogspot.com

Fash In The Pan

The August bank holiday weekend was due to be a big day for the British far-right, with two high-profile demos designed to put racist thuggery firmly back on the map; but unfortunately for them, it wasn’t to be.

The weekend started off with media revelations that, far from being a growing dynamic party, as fuhrer Griffin would have us believe, the fascist B.N.P. is in fact falling apart. On the verge of bankruptcy due to financial mismanagement, lack of support and a costly lawsuit (filed by Unilever when Griffin used the Marmite logo in a party broadcast), the rats are well and truly fleeing the ship. First to go was Richard Barnbrook, amateur gay porn director and the B.N.P.’s sole member on the Greater London Assembly, who quit after calling for a “full internal investigation” into corruption in the party. He was followed shortly by Lee Barnes, the party legal officer and ‘unsteady’ Eddy Butler, former National Front full-timer and B.N.P. press officer, both of whom asserted that Griffin was exercising a dictatorial stranglehold over the party. Just to prove them wrong, Griffin expelled a further 30 high-ranking party members for challenging his ability to lead the party. So, with the B.N.P. sliding off the scene, the stage was set for the thick-as-shit boot boys of the English Defence League to take the far-right limelight.

They intended to do this with a mass march through Bradford on Saturday 28th, in the hope of igniting further Asian riots to justify their anti-immigrant agenda. Determined to cause a ruckus, the E.D.L. banned women from the demo, predicted a turnout of 5,000, and dubbed the demo “the big one”. In the event, the ‘Battle of Little Big One’ was a disappointing washout, with only 700 fascists being dwarfed by several thousands of community and anti-fascist activists, who told the E.D.L. in no uncertain terms that they would not be goaded into full-scale rioting. However, that didn’t stop a few naughty lads and ladies smashing up the E.D.L. coaches as they fled the scene. The high point of the day came when a sympathetic copper forced a lone E.D.L. skinhead into a crowd of locals, despite his tearful protestations. Apparently no-one saw exactly what happened, but an ambulance was observed speeding away from the scene shortly afterwards!

So, on to bank holiday Monday, and sunny Brighton, where fringe fascist group the ‘English National Alliance’ had called a ‘March for England’ (their stated targets were muslims, immigrants, students and pacifists – nice!). They predicted a turnout of over 300 patriotic warriors, which turned out on the day to be around 50 jug-eared Burberry models screaming racist slogans at anyone unfortunate enough to be in earshot. The turnout then proceeded to get turned over by 300 assembled anti-fascists who disrupted the march continuously until the police called full-time and escorted the fascists home for their own safety!

What was billed as being a weekend that would put racist politics back on the map, ended in two woefully under-attended demos, vastly larger anti-fascist counter-events, unanimous rejection of the fascists by local communities and the virtual disintegration of the far-right’s brightest star, the B.N.P. It may be too early to cheer, as a dying beast still has fangs, but the news is encouraging and suggests that a few hard shoves could boot these groups to where they belong – the dustbin of history.

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 and greens, and people who just want to change Bath for the better. For details on meetings, demos, or just to get in touch, e-mail bathactivistnet[at]yahoo.co.uk, or see our website: http://www.bathactivistnetwork.blogspot.com

UPCOMING EVENTS

drawing classes: ‘Remembering the Present’, Mondays & Tuesdays, Stokes Croft Museum, 81-83 Stokes Croft, Bristol, http://www.stokescroftmuseum.info

London Road Food Co-op, Wednesdays, 4-7pm, Riverside Community Centre, London Road, http://www.londonroadfoodcoop.blogspot.com

exhibition: ‘Remembering the Present’, Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays, 11am-3pm, Stokes Croft Museum, 81-83 Stokes Croft, Bristol, http://www.stokescroftmuseum.info

Bathampton Community Growers workday, Thursdays, 10am-dusk, Mill Lane, Bathampton, e-mail thelostplot[at]googlemail.com/ tel Chris 07792 444628

Bathampton Community Supported Agriculture project: fruit picking, Thursdays and Sundays, http://www.transitionbath.org/bathampton-csa-news

Bath Stop The War Coalition vigil, Saturdays, 11.30am-12.30, Bath Abbey Courtyard

Bradford-On-Avon peace vigil, Saturdays, 11.30am-12.30, by the peace statue opposite Westbury Gardens by the Town Bridge, Bradford-On-Avon

exhibition: ‘Remembering the Present’, Saturdays, 12-4pm, Stokes Croft Museum, 81-83 Stokes Croft, Bristol, http://www.stokescroftmuseum.info

Recycle Your Sundays, Sundays, 10.30am, starts Abbey Churchyard, the regular series of sociable, easy-paced cycle rides, http://www.bathrys.org.uk/ tel Hazel 01225 469199

one year part-time ‘Practical Sustainability’ course, starts September 2010, Bristol; exploring permaculture design, organic horticulture, woodland management, green building, ecological interactions, energy, group dynamics, re-localisation, creating change, community engagement and more; http://www.shiftbristol.org.uk

Kilter theatre: ‘Roots: Replanted’ (performance about food security issues), Friday 10th September, Hampton Row Allotments, Bathwick, 6.30pm, £9 (£7 concessions), tel 01225 386777 to book, http://www.kiltertheatre.org

‘Bristol Green Doors’: 52 people will open their homes showcasing energy waste reduction, Saturday 11th to Sunday 12th September, http://www.bristolgreendoors.org

Bristol Anarchist Bookfair, Saturday 11th September, 10.30-6pm, Hamilton House, 80 Stokes Croft, Bristol; e-mail bristolanarchistbookfair[at]riseup.net; http://www.bristolanarchistbookfair.org

Stop Hinkley ‘C’ talks and workshops, Saturday 11th, 11-5pm, Trinity Hall, St Saviours Avenue, Bridgwater, http://www.stophinkley.org

Kilter theatre: ‘Roots: Replanted’ (performance about food security issues), Saturday 11th September, Hampton Row Allotments, Bathwick, 2.30pm & 6.30pm, £9 (£7 concessions), tel 01225 386777 to book, http://www.kiltertheatre.org

Stop Hinkley ‘C’ protest/guided tour, Sunday 12th September, 12 midday, Hinkley Point power station, near Bridgwater, http://www.stophinkley.org

‘The Atmosphere Of Heaven’: history walk, Sunday 12th September, 12 midday, walk begins 3 Rodney Place, off Cliftin Down Road, Bristol, http://www.brh.org.uk/misc/gas.html

Kilter theatre: ‘Roots: Replanted’ (performance about food security issues), Sunday 12th September, Hampton Row Allotments, Bathwick, 2.30pm, £9 (£7 concessions), tel 01225 386777 to book, http://www.kiltertheatre.org

film: ‘Grass’, Sunday 12th September, 7.30pm, Pierian Centre, 27 Portland Square, St Pauls, Bristol, £5 entry, http://www.pieriancentre.com

Bath Animal Action meeting, Monday 13th September, 8-9pm, The Bell, Walcot Street, e-mail bathanimalaction[at]yahoo.co.uk; http://www.bathanimalaction.blogspot.com

Kilter theatre: ‘Roots: Replanted’ (performance about food security issues), Thursday 16th to Friday 17th September, Peasedown St John Community Farm, Dunkerton Hill, BA2 8PJ, 6.30pm, £9 (£7 concessions), tel 01225 386777 to book, http://www.kiltertheatre.org

Taunton Womens Refuge punk benefit gig, Thursday 16th September, 7pm, Roadhouse, taunton, free entry, feat. Rat Attack, As We Sink!, Fights & Fires, Subgenerates & Bats About Bats; http://www.tauntonwomensrefuge.org.uk

‘Wild Food in Autumn’ walk & foraging course, Friday 17th to Sunday 19th September, Monkton Wyld Court, near Charmouth, Bridport, Dorset, £215 residential/£145 non-residential, http://www.monktonwyldcourt.co.uk/

Kilter theatre: ‘Roots: Replanted’ (performance about food security issues), Saturday 18th September, Peasedown St John Community Farm, Dunkerton Hill, BA2 8PJ, 2.30pm & 6.30pm, £9 (£7 concessions), tel 01225 386777 to book, http://www.kiltertheatre.org

Bristol Free Vegan Food Fair benefit gig, Saturday 18th September, 7.30pm, the Black Swan pub, 438 Stapleton Road, Bristol, feat Daddy Long Bones, Budd, Molly Samson, Ren, D.J. Dub Simian & The Long Dead Beat, £3/£4 entry

Regional South West Animal Rights Coalition meeting, Sunday 19th September, 12-5pm, Kebele Community Co-op, 14 Robertson Road, Easton, Bristol, e-mail regionalarc[at]googlemail.com

Kilter theatre: ‘Roots: Replanted’ (performance about food security issues), Sunday 19th September, Peasedown St John Community Farm, Dunkerton Hill, BA2 8PJ, 2.30pm, £9 (£7 concessions), tel 01225 386777 to book, http://www.kiltertheatre.org

Seed Saving workshop, Sunday 19th September, 2.30-5pm, put on by Bath Organic Group, places are limited, tel 01225 319117, £2.50 entry

‘The Global Circle of Peace’: multimedia work of art to celebrate U.N. World Peace Day, Tuesday 21st September, 6.30-8.00pm, Kingston Parade Gardens, http://www.theglobalcircleofpeace.com

two-day workshop: ‘Holding the Vision’, Wednesday 22nd to Thursday 23rd September, 10-4.30pm, Bristol, £45-75 entry, with Starhawk; e-mail shiftbristol[at]yahoo.co.uk; http://www.starhawk.org

Kilter theatre: ‘Roots: Replanted’ (performance about food security issues), Thursday 23rd to Friday 24th September, Bloomfield Allotments, Bear Flat, 6.30pm, £9 (£7 concessions), tel 01225 386777 to book, http://www.kiltertheatre.org

‘An Old Home Fit for the Future’: visit to victorian eco-efficient house, Friday 24th September, 3-7pm, 16 Pulteney Gardens, Widcombe, Bath, BA2 4HG, http://www.transitionbath.org/old-home-fit-for-the-future

Critical Mass Bike Ride, Saturday 25th September, meet 1pm, Kingsmead Square, http://www.bathcyclingcampaign.org.uk

‘An Old Home Fit for the Future’: visit to victorian eco-efficient house, Friday 25th to Sunday 26th September, 11-6pm, 16 Pulteney Gardens, Widcombe, Bath, BA2 4HG, http://www.transitionbath.org/old-home-fit-for-the-future

Kilter theatre: ‘Roots: Replanted’ (performance about food security issues), Saturday 25th September, Bloomfield Allotments, Bear Flat, 2.30pm & 6.30pm, £9 (£7 concessions), tel 01225 386777 to book, http://www.kiltertheatre.org

Bath Animal Action info stall, Sunday 26th September, 2-4pm, Stall Street, e-mail bathanimalaction[at]yahoo.co.uk; http:///www.bathanimalaction.blogsppot.com

Kilter theatre: ‘Roots: Replanted’ (performance about food security issues), Sunday 26th September, Bloomfield Allotments, Bear Flat, 2.30pm, £9 (£7 concessions), tel 01225 386777 to book, http://www.kiltertheatre.org

Transition Bath Social, Monday 27th September, 7.15pm, the Love Lounge/ back room of the Bell, Walcot Street; bring food to share; http://www.transitionbath.org

Bath Cycling Campaign meeting, Monday 27th September, 7.30pm, the Rising Sun, Grove Street, http://www.bathcyclingcampaign.org.uk

Bath Hunt Saboteurs meeting, Monday 27th September, 8-9pm, The Bell, tel Justin 07854 062336

Bath Socialist Forum meeting, Monday 27th September, 8pm, upstairs St James Wine Vaults, presented by Ken Loach

speakers & discussion: ‘Climate Justice: Think Global, Act Local’, Tuesday 28th September, 7-9pm, Unitarian Meeting House, Brunswick Square, Bristol; F.F.I. e-mail Katharine[at]wdm.org.uk / tel Katharine 020 7820 4900; http://groups.wdm.org.uk/bristol

No Borders Camp Belgium, Wednesday 29th September to Sunday 3rd October, Brussels, http://www.noborderbxl.eu.org/?lang=en

‘Low Carbon Bath Consultation’: Thursday 30th September, 6.30-8.30pm, Building of Bath Collection, The Countess of Huntington’s Chapel, The Vineyards, Paragon, Bath, for a booking, e-mail gkillick[at]bptrust.org.uk, or ring 01225 338727

National March for Farmed Animals, Saturday 2nd October, 12pm start, Cavendish Square, London

anti-Tory demonstration, Sunday 3rd October, Tory Party Conference, Birmingham more details tbc

Bath Activist Network meeting, Thursday 7th October, 7.30-9pm, downstairs at the Hobgoblin, St James Parade, http://ww.bathactivistnetwork.blogspot.com

Legal fees benefit punk gig: ‘SUBVERT 2010 – A Festival Of Resistance’, Friday 8th to Sunday 10th October, Bristol, feat Hellkrusher, Ruidosa Immunidicia, War All The Time, Ignosy, The Wankys, The Extinguishers & Bulletridden, as well as vegan cafés/ stalls/ films/ workshops & picnic; more details tbc

Bath Green Drinks, Wednesday 13th October, 8pm, the Rising Sun, Grove Street

Regional day of action against the cuts, Saturday 23rd October

London Anarchist Bookfair, Saturday 23rd October, 10am-7pm, Queen Mary’s, University of London, Mile End Road, London, http://www.anarchistbookfair.org.uk

Bristol Free Vegan Food Fair, Saturday 30th October, 12-5pm, Broadmead Baptist Church, Union Street, Bristol, BS1 3HY, http://www.bristolanimalrights.org.uk/veganfoodfair

Coalition of the Resistance Conference, Saturday 27th November, London, more details tbc

Camp for Climate Action Australia, Wednesday 1st to Sunday 5th December, Bayswater Power Station, http://www.climatecamp.org.au

Climate Camp Aotearoa, Thursday 16th to Tuesday 21st December, Wellington New Zealand, http://www.climatecamp.org.nz/node/51

‘Fatcat Bosses Get The Cream’ Shocker!

Insult has been added to injury once again, as a G.M.B. union survey scrutinised 151 council and metropolitan accounts and discovered how 129 chief execs are paid more than £150,000 a year. It went on to note how two earned more than £300,000, and 76 earned between £200,000 and £300,000. In the southwest, B.&N.E.S. Council head honcho John Everitt netted a comfy £211,859 this year, including pension contributions and expenses; though his rivals at Cornwall County and Bristol City did better. Life’s hard, eh?

And this is at a time when councils claim to be hard up, slashing jobs, services, and handing out pay freezes like they were sweets to kids. Standing there shivering in the playground, in their plastic mac. Local government minister Bob Neill makes an interesting point: “We need to stamp out a culture of duplication, which is why, in many cases, councils should be looking towards sharing chief executives.” But actually stamping on the guy seems a bit harsh; instead of cutting the 300 out of 7,000 council jobs, surely it would make more sense to cut just one… After all, the dole queue is nice this time of year, John.

Grub Street Meeja

Pity the shit-upon people of Bath, whose local lose-papers, the Bath Comic and the Western Daily Piss, are two of the apologies for journalism in the city.

Time was when the Comic would give regular and generous coverage to anti-war, anti-council and anti-developer stunts, but since the latest editor took over, it looks as if anything likely to rock the boat gets packed off on an extended Holliday. The big trouble with the Comic is that it has its head well and truly up the rectums of corporate crooks and shysters like B.&N.E.S., Bath Rugby, FirstBus, Crest Nicholson (Western Riverside), Morley Fund Management (Southgate), and others. Proof that the Comic had abandoned any pretence of serious news reporting and had achieved full Beano status, came with its hilarious but readership-insulting ‘Attack of the giant seagulls’ front-page last month.

The Piss, part of the same barrel-scraping Northcliffe outfit should, after the appointment of ITS latest, yes-man editor, be renamed the Western Military Gazette or Western Daily War, as all this current bunch of r-slickers do is pump out the same tired Cameron-loving warmongering propaganda drivel as their stablemate the Daily Fail.

All the Comic and Piss are good for is wiping your arse on; the only fault there is that the print comes off on your bum.

The glossies are no better. Bath Life, a criminal waste of newsprint, is stuffed full of estate agent waffle and other advertising, and page after page of ‘Invitation Only’ bashes featuring dozens of Bath Z-z-z listers grinning gormlessly for the cameras in a pretentious parody of Country Life’s society columns. Publishers guilty of this rubbish are Media Clash, the same bunch of brown-nosers who churn out the council’s spin-rag ‘Connect’. Someone should tell them that connecting is not enough; they should try switching on as well.

As for what little of interest the freebies Bath Magazine and Folio contain, you’d be better off buying Venue, which does arts and alternative far better. It is published by the Piss/Comic group, but, hey, nobody’s perfect!

If I Had A Hammer…

Following the successful acquittal of the nine ‘Decommissioner’ activists who smashed up Brighton-based bomb factory E.D.O./I.T.T. (see B.B. #31), the Smash E.D.O. campaign is calling for one last shove to close the factory all together. For six years, the company, which supplies bomb components to Israel, Afghanistan, the U.S.A. and anyone else who has enough cash, has been under relentless assault from activists, who have blockaded, protested, smashed and exposed the company’s dodgy dealings time and time again. The demo has been called for Wednesday 13th October, and promises to be a little on the tasty side, and as the name ‘I.T.T.’s Hammertime’ suggests, people may have more than waving placards in mind! People have been requested to get down and stay at the convergence space from the night before, but also to help flier for the event in their home towns beforehand. For more information on the campaign, check out http://www.smashedo.org.uk, or drop them an e-mail at smashedo[at]riseup.net.

Cruelty-Free: You Can’t Say Fayrer Than That

The second annual Bath Vegan Fayre 2010 filled a hole on Saturday 4th September, with over 150 passing through the doors. Held at Manvers Street Baptist Church in the centre, free of entry fee and cruelty, the event lasted from 12 til 4pm. Otherwise, the day stuck to much the same recipe as the previous year: with a tantalizing spread of steaming soups, nibbles, cakes, sweets and savouries – some nut-free, some wheat-free, all meat and dairy-free – filling the bowls and bellies of queues of hungry fayre-goers. The tea and fruit juices flowed like never before, whilst the tables were filled with relaxed conversation and ingested education. As well as the over-burdened info tables (with everything from nutrition, environmental ethics, recipes, animal rights, medical science and updates for campaigns against Noah’s Ark Zoo, hunts, foie gras outlets and animal labs), free samples table, reading corner and children’s area, there was also a prize raffle. Punters included the usual suspects of dreadied and alternative veggie types on the make for free pickings, for starters, but also a healthy flow of the uninitiated from the street.

By the end of the day, many a happy scavenger got their just desserts, and were heard uttering the immortal words: “I had no idea vegan food could taste this good!” Hey, even veggies need more than a diet of indescribable slop every now and again. Next up is the Bristol Free Vegan Fair at Broadmead Baptist Church on Saturday 30th October, from 12 til 5pm, and their benefit gig at the Black Swan on Stapleton Road, on the 18th of this month.

http://bathanimalaction.blogspot.com/p/today-uk-is-home-to-around-300000.html
http://www.vegansociety.com/home.php
http://www.bristolanimalrights.org.uk/

Cycle-logy 101

Pedalphile activists group Bicycology will be cranking things up a gear in Bristol next weekend, with a trio of car-free fun days for all the family. On Saturday 18th September, they’ll be ‘Doing it without a car’ at Mina Park in St Werburgh’s; go sample their collection of bike accessories, book your ride in with the women bike mechanics for free advice and safety checks, or get down to some D.I.Y. creative sessions – turn tyres into bike belts, bike chains into bracelets or cobble yourself together a last minute carnie costume. All this just in time for the next day’s ‘Bristol Bike Carnival’ – starting in the city centre at 12 midday, expect dayglo, dinosaur skeleton puppets and two-wheeled gonzo weirdness. Then, after a day’s rest, Tuesday will be ‘Food is our Fuel – Cycle for your Supper!’ An exploration of modern agriculture, its problems and its solutions, this three-hour long gentle cycle starts at 6pm outside Tesco Metro in Broadmead, and heads out of the city for blackberry and wild food picking – hot food and drinks will be provided on donation. Bring your bike, lights, rucksack or pannier, and accompanied children.

And in related Bath news, a bike refurbishment/homelessness fund-raising project has recently re-opened, called ‘ReCYCLEd’, at 35 Corn Street. E-mail bikes[at]julianhouse.org.uk, for details.

Toys Tory

While the resistance against the Con-Dem cuts is shaping up nicely, the same cannot be said for the cut-crazy coalition who have been hit in recent weeks by a string of embarrassing fallings-out. Tories attacking Tories, Tories attacking Lib-Dems and Lib-Dems attacking both each other and the Tories (although we don’t think anyone has noticed or cared). The first of the cracks began to show when odious Osborne informed the press that nuke programme Trident would have to be funded by the defence budget, rather than the traditional funders, the Treasury. It turns out Osborne had let every one know his plans – except the Minister for Defence, Liam Fox. This news came to the delight of T.V. journalists as Fox branded the proposition “ridiculous”, asserting that after a 20% budget cut, there was no way the M.o.D. could pay for Trident. Osborne shot him down on live T.V. as a little bickering match erupted before the very eyes of borderline orgasmic telly journos. The spat has yet to be resolved.

This was quickly followed by bout #2, featuring Higher Education Minister David Willetts in the blue corner vs. Devey boy himself in the, ummmm, other blue corner. This time the argument was over milk. Now, some of you may remember that one of Thatcher’s less popular decisions was the removal of free milk from schools; so what has Willetts done? In the image of the Tory Godmother, Willetts proudly told the assembled press pack that under-fives no longer deserved their free milk, and that it was to be cut. After a rapid apology at the foot of this Thatcher shrine, Cameron popped his head out of the door of Downing Street to contradict his education minister, prompting opposition M.P.s to notice that “This is a coalition in chaos, making policy on the hoof. The Government doesn’t seem to have a clue.” As if Cameron didn’t have enough trouble keeping his own house in order, the Lib-Dems have also started having a pop, with many Lib-Dem M.P.s (in fact almost all of them that don’t have a cabinet seat) promising a rebellion over Con-Dem V.A.T. increase plans, with prominent Lib-Demmers such as Charles ‘5 years on the wagon’ Kennedy and Simon Hughes publicly criticising Con-Dem policy. To add another dollop of the stinky stuff on the smouldering feck pile that is the coalition, Clegg has crawled out of David’s cosy orifice to take the reigns while the Camerons sun themselves. Like a naughty schoolboy, Clegg took the opportunity to contradict key Con-Dem policies relating to immigration, Trident and housing benefits, something that he has been warned about in the past. Looks like some young upstart will be getting an Eton-style botty-thrashing when daddy Cameron rolls back into town!

The Filth And The Furry

As mentioned back in B.B. #30, the U.K. Government has performed a spectacular U-turn on its policy regarding bovine tuberculosis, and has chosen to go ahead with a nation-wide badger cull. Last week, Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman approved the cull for T.B. hotspots, handing the license to kill over to individual farmers’ discretions. These wannabe 007’s of the National Farmers Union lobby will need to prove that a cull is necessary before being allowed to kill and/or vaccinate (shoot and gas first, a spoonful of medicine later?) anything black and white in a 50 square mile zone; what sort of proof required is yet to be disclosed, but a sham of a public consultation is expected later this month. At least this might stop farmers from rolling gunned down badgers onto highways in the middle of the night, as imitation roadkill.

The Welsh Assembly were pushed into a U-turn of their own, of sorts, back in July, when the Badger Trust and other animal ‘welfare’ activists won their legal challenge on a technicality, pushing kill-crazy plans back for months. These pro-culling decisions fly in the face of the ten-year Independent Scientific Study Group on Cattle T.B., who concluded in 2007 that culling couldn’t meaningfully control the disease, and that carrier badgers would disperse the disease over a wider area. This position has been loosely corroborated by Imperial College London and the Zoological Society of London. But screw all that, the Con-Dems say – let’s shoot us some varmints! Yeehaw! In a “carefully managed” and “scientifically-led” manner, of course.

As ever, animal rightsies are much-needed to save our furry friends – check out http://www.badger-killers.co.uk, or contact bathanimalaction[at]yahoo.co.uk for ideas.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/7982848/Farmers-to-be-handed-powe
rs-to-cull-badgers.html
http://www.bathanimalaction.blogspot.com

First Class News!

In a heartening bit of news just in, a public survey has found that seven out of every eight people oppose the privatisation of the postal service (one of the Tories’ key policies) and would prefer it to be kept public. Billy Hayes, head of the posties’ union said “This poll reaffirms what we already knew – the British public do not want their postal services sold off. The union and the company have worked hard to agree a fully funded modernisation plan and that work needs support from the Government.” However, the will of the public contradicts Tory plans to put a bill before Parliament demanding the privatisation of the service. Will this be another case of the Tories ignoring the opinions of the average person and trying to plough ahead with their agenda of cuts and privatization? We suspect so, so if you like your postal service public, lets get ready to fight for it!

And now, to the disclaimer: as anyone is free to contribute, the opinions expressed in each article are not necessarily reflective of all contributors. Naturally, any right-wing or corporate bullshit will be binned and spat upon. Needless to say, the opinions of the author of this disclaimer do not necessarily reflect the opinions of any other contributor.

Crude Awakening info update

12 Sept 2010

THE CRUDE AWAKENING MASS OUTREACH EMAIL

A mass action to switch off oil

Saturday, 16 October 2010, Central London

12 Sept 2010

THE CRUDE AWAKENING MASS OUTREACH EMAIL

A mass action to switch off oil

Saturday, 16 October 2010, Central London

Have you been thinking it’s about time a whole load of people got together to take mass action against oil in central London? We thought so. And so it followed that the Crude Awakening was launched. The mobilization is now in full swing and everyone is invited to help publicize and prepare. There is loads to do….please have a read through this email and get involved!

The email is in three parts:

Upcoming events and how to get involved
Frequently asked questions
The call out – please copy and paste and help this get all over the Internet!

1. How to get involved and build up events you are all invited to.

Events already planned are listed bellow:

In London……

17th September, networking meeting at 6pm just inside the entrance to the Brunei Gallery at SOAS, a meeting for people interested in helping to do outreach in the London area the Climate Camp outreach group are meeting.

There is going to be a London coordinating and planning meeting for the Crude Awakening very soon, and the details will be announced shortly.

Thursday 23rd September at 7.30pm, Climate Action Film Night, London Action Resource Centre, Whitechapel (for address see www.londonarc.org)

An evening of films and discussion about climate activism and the oil industry, hosted by London Rising Tide.

A screening of two short films of recent actions against BP and Shell by Rising Tide and friends, plus Petropolis, a visually stunning and disturbing documentary about the Canadian Tar Sands. Followed by a brainstorming session on taking direct action against the oil industry in London – including all the latest info on the Crude Awakening, an oily mass action happening on Saturday 16th October. For anyone who believes in climate justice and wants to help make it happen; anyone hacked off with the greed and irresponsibility of oil giants like BP; anyone back from the Climate Camp and looking to get involved locally… everyone welcome….and there’ll be cake!

The Crude Awakening London Rabble Rouser – a mass outdoor team game, warming us up for the big day– date, place and time to be announced.

Saturday 2nd October. MOLASAPULTPARTY FUNDRAISER …. Venue TBC, more details to follow shortly

Saturday the 2nd and Sunday the 3rd October Stilt making workshop for the stilt block on the mass action!….
This time we’re thinking big, we’re thinking high, we’re thinking tall…. and we’re going as a Stilt Bloc.

Yep, thats right! On stilts!

So in order for this to happen we’re having a skill share weekend in London to build stilts and learn how to walk on them. The weekend is Sat 2nd and Sun 3rd October, 10am to 6pm.

And even if you don’t want to be up high, each stilt walker will need a buddy staying on the ground so there’s a place for everyone, young and old, big or small, high or low…… we need you at this weekend too!!!

Its all free and lunch is included….

We need RSVPs so we know numbers. Email: stilt.bloc@gmail.com

Oh and its MEXICAN DAY OF THE DEAD theme…..

In Manchester….

Sat 9th Oct – Mass Action training

Tue 12th Oct – Publicly announced rouser for CJA international day of action

Crude Awakening mobilisation

We hope that there will be loads more to follow but this is what is lined up so far. If you are planning a build up event let us know so we can advertise it please.

There is a huge amount to do to mobilize quickly for an event this big. Maybe you could organise a film showing or talk (we can probably send a speaker if you email us). You could put on an affinity group or action training workshop, or host a fundraiser. You could book a coach and fill it. You could run a workshop so people can build practical stuff , for example a load of disposable bikes to bring along (email us to let us know if you do make lots of useful stuff). You could have a stall and hand out flyers at your freshers fair (again email for materials). You could make a stencil and graffiti advertise for it all across your city/ region. Unless everyone gets involved there is a real danger we won’t get the numbers we need.
The Crude Awakening is now on crabgrass! Join it, join a working group and lets get planning! https://we.riseup.net/thecrudeawakening (crabgrass is a little bit like facebook for activists and is a way of organising on line). And sign up for more information by email and text alerts on the website. www.crudeawakening.org.uk. Our facebook page is a little slow to get off the ground but it will soon be buzzing.

Please also raise The Crude Awakening as an agenda point at the next organising meeting at your Social Centre/ Friends of the Earth Group/ Union/ Climate Camp neighbourhood/ Housing Coop etc. Get people talking and excited and committed to the idea that they are going! If you are not already in a group or affinity group you are of course still totally welcome. You will probably want to make contact with some like minded folk to talk things through and make some plans before the big day. For example you could go to climatecamp.org.uk or risingtide.org.uk and find your local active group, or email us and we can try to signpost you on. At the least try to get a couple of mates to come with you, so that you have some support as a group of friends (known by activists as an affinity group).

2. Frequently asked questions

Q. Neither the website nor the flyer gives much info. What is going on?

A. As you have probably twigged there is also a deliberate sense of mystery around the action. So often with recent mass actions we have said exactly where we are going to go, and the police have had as much time to prepare as us, making things much more difficult for people who want to be involved in mass and effective direct action . With this project we are experimenting a little bit. The 10 targets are left unspecified, giving the action more chance of being successful. But at the same time we can openly advertise that we all need to be in Central London so we can get loads of people together at the same place at the same time for the mass action. And those people need to be ready to take action and to have fun. This is not a march and it’s not a camp. This is an action that needs preparation and we can all be involved in most of that preparation….although the targets will be a surprise until much later.

We can’t be sure that this mix of secret and public planning will work, but we can give it a go, have some fun and maybe make some progress…..but maybe, just maybe we have got it totally nailed and this will be the best mass action in London ever! If you don’t show up there it will be difficult for you to know. Our advice is don’t miss it 😉

Q. So what do I need to do to prepare?

A. People need to be ready to move, and to stand their ground. Don’t bring with you anything that you can’t easily walk with or get on a tube with. But do bring with you stuff that will help you and your affinity group hold a space in what ever way you feel you want to. Whether you want to bring armtubes, disposable bikes or a huge slow moving metal and wooden tower with a papier-mâché rhino head (that can fit on and off a tube!?); diversity of tactics and affinity group planning are key to this working. People can also prepare stuff to make this action look beautiful; puppets, masks, banners, a portable molasses fondue……you get the idea.

Q. Why Oil?

A. For a whole host of reasons. Here are just a few…..
Because oil companies search for new oil reserves to make themselves richer while our climate spins into crisis.
Because the UK government starts wars for oil.
Because of human rights abuses and murder in West Africa.
Because of the Deepwater Horizon spill.
Because of the destruction of wilderness in the Arctic and the coast of Rosport in Ireland.
Because of UK public money being used by bailed out banks to fund new oil projects.
Because London is brimming with oil money, oil sponsorship and oil companies.
Because global energy resources are the peoples commons.
Because oil companies and the filthy rich people who profit from them have no place in a sustainable future.
Because Copenhagen failed and now it’s down to us.
Because oil has had it’s day and it’s time we pulled the plug.

Hope that that made things a little clearer. And more specific information will be sent out soon. If you are still struggling with the idea, it is a bit like the Great Climate Swoop of 2009, except where we are going is kept secret. Remember, you are being asked to come and move around London, so stay mobile, be creative, be prepated and be ready to stand your ground. So talk in your affinity group about the ways in which you are going to be able to hold a space and equipment and materials that you might want to bring along to help you. The action is open, and will be shaped by the people who are there. Only the targets and how we are getting to them are secret.

3. The call out – please copy and paste and help get this all over the Internet!

THE CRUDE AWAKENING

A mass action to switch off oil

Saturday, 16 October 2010, Central London

Floods in Pakistan, drought in Russia, huge glaciers breaking up in Greenland…

Our climate system is rapidly sliding into crisis, as oil companies destroy people’s lives and the environment to keep sucking up their profits.

Oil saturates every aspect of our lives. Oil profits lubricate the financial markets and its sponsorship clings like a bad smell to our cultural institutions. It flows through pipelines to the pumps, airports and factories of our cities.

The failure of the UN COP15 process showed us – if there was ever any doubt – that government and industry can’t tackle climate change. It’s up to us and it’s time to up the ante.

As a movement, our actions against coal and aviation have made a real difference. Now oil’s time is up.

Together, on October 16, let’s give the oil industry a Crude Awakening.

Meet in central London. Be ready to move. Be ready to stay and stand your ground.

Be creative. Be prepared. Be there.

Find out more, get involved and sign up for text alerts at www.crudeawakening.org.uk
Facebook: http://bit.ly/c6S0kg
Twitter: @crudeawake

Part of the CJA global week of action for climate justice
Supported by: Space Hijackers, Climate Camp, Plane Stupid, Rising Tide, Liberate Tate, Laboratory of Insurrectionary Imagination, UK Tar Sands Network

Hope to see you on the streets,
Crude Awakening
crudeawakening.org.uk

A week of Hell for Shell

28th August 2010

After Mondays successful action stopping work for 3 hours the camp was inspired and many actions followed.

28th August 2010

After Mondays successful action stopping work for 3 hours the camp was inspired and many actions followed.

Tuesday marked the start of an oral hearing into whether Shell can lay the gas pipe line through the estuary. This gave locals and campers the chance to question Shell and Bord Pleanála about the legality of gas pipe line and other issues surrounding the pipe.
The bore holes that Shell are drilling are to extract information that will determine whether a tunnel can be made for the gas pipe line to run through, however the fact that this information hasn’t been collected yet did not affect Shells application or claim that the pipe line will be completely safe.
This oral hearing combined with an action packed week put pressure on Shell from all directions.

Wednesday saw a group occupy the Shell’s security compound that turned into a picnic and revelations of IRMS reading material (mercenary uk) and eating habits (loads of biscuits).

As Thursday morning broke a group set off towards the sunrise (and the drilling rigs) occupying security and stopping workers from getting onto the platform for over an hour. After the success of this action a community walk out happened later in the day when low tide allowed people to walk out under the platform. Despite people gathering under the platform drilling continued, which is a breach of health and safety rules.

Attempts to stop the platforms being moved on Friday were foiled by over zealous security. Despite many courageous endeavours to climb the legs of the platform security turned violent and many were thrown to the ground.

Beat the Boreholes Campaign continues and we welcome anyone wanting to get involved.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0825/1….html

Shell’s Drilling Work Stopped by Shell to Sea Campaigners in Ireland

Shell’s Survey work was stopped for about three hours on Monday afternoon when people walked out at low tide and got under Shell’s drilling platform. This is a continuation of the ‘Beat the Boreholes’ effort by Shell to Sea and the Rossport Solidarity Camp to get in the way of Shell drilling boreholes in the Sruwaddacon estuary which is a Special Area of Conservation.

At 12:30pm a group of about 15 people managed to get past the 20 or so IRMS Security guarding the platform. The group formed a circle around the drill and stayed until the gardai arrived on scene and used Section 8 and a little bit of force to get people out from under the drill. One person had locked themself onto the drill with a chain, but eventually they were removed by the gardai as well. However work still did not resume because people continued to dash back under the platform for the next couple of hours, often without much resistance from IRMS or the gardai. The gardai did use pressure points and some arm twisting to get two campaigners off of one of the drills at one stage, but no one had any lasting pain or injury.

Overall spirits were high, and about forty campaigners remained either under or around the outside of the platform for the duration of the action. Once the tide came in people were satisfied at having stopped work for three hours, and the campaigners left Shell to continue their dirty work in the beautiful Sruwaddacon estuary.

Monday’s actions from the Camp for Climate Action

Monday Morning Climate Camp Action Roundup

For the latest, see the Camp for Climate Action twitter and the Northern IMC timeline.

Monday Morning Climate Camp Action Roundup

For the latest, see the Camp for Climate Action twitter and the Northern IMC timeline.

Summarising some of the material from twitter and IMC timeline.

Today Monday 23rd actions against climate change and the Royal Bank of Scotland are taking place across Edinburgh, as well as at their Gogarburn HQ.

Oil exploration company Cairn Energy, off Lothian Road, have taken delivery of an oil-like substance from a giant pig, unfortunately creating a 60 litre oil spill. (Obviously Cairn wouldn’t be responsible for such a thing).

Down in Leith, the Forth Energy place is the target of agrofuels-related action, with 7 people atop the building.

The Nicholson Street branch of RBS is blockaded by folk with signs reading “ask me why I won’t bank with RBS”. As at midday the two hour long blockade had resulted in the bank shutting its doors.

And at RBS in South Gyle the executive car park is blocked by 7 people with superglued hands.

A report has just come in that demonstrators have pitched a tent outside RBS on North Bridge.

Meanwhile the main RBS bank in St Andrews Square is being guarded by police, including a CCTV van, and private security. In a neo-liberal version of 1984 the public are only being allowed in if they show security the correct bank card!:

More info on what the Climate Camp is and why people are taking action against climate change
Info on why the Climate Camp are taking action against the Royal Bank of Scotland
Banner drop on the A8: ““RBS: Using our money to fuck the planet”

UPDATES 3pm Five arrests at Forth Energy. Action continues at RBS Nicholson Street, with lock-ons and demo outside. Protestors on Royal Mile highlight destructive RBS-backed Tar Sands project in Canada. Delegates from the indigenous people directly affected denounce that “RBS are killing our people.” More info on Tar Sands project and actions today against it

—

Press release of the day’s actions so far: RBS Operations Closed for the Day as Activists Target Sites around Edinburgh – August 23, 2010

Action Round-up for the Climate Camp day of mass action targeting RBS
and the fossil fuel industry: Monday 23 August

Activists at the Camp for Climate Action are celebrating a successful day targeting various climate criminals- holding direct actions, demonstrations and street theatre confronting the role of financial institutions like RBS in bankrolling climate change.

A group of protestors occupied the head offices of Forth Energy, a company planning to build four new biomass power stations in Scotland. Three protestors chained themselves to the front of the building, two occupied the inside of the office, and two more dropped a banner from the roof of the office. Five arrests were made.

Simultaneously, seven protestors blockaded the RBS executive carpark at the Gyle Industrial Estate by super-gluing themselves together.

A group of demonstrators dropped a two metre long piggy bank branded with the RBS logo filled with 60 litres of oil-like substance (molasses) outside the headquarters of Cairn Energy, a company which is coming under fire for its Arctic oil drilling operations. The Greenpeace ship Esperanza is currently engaged in a situation with the Danish Navy off the coast of Greenland with regards to Cairn Energy’s drilling operations.

A group of protestors, including Fringe performers, shut down the Nicolson Street RBS branch. Three individuals super-glued themselves across the front doorway, while another group played music and danced while handing out leaflets. There were three arrests.

After the previous group of protestors was removed by police, a group of “tar-covered” protestors shut down the Nicolson St RBS branch a second time, as several activists locked themselves onto the building.

Activists lay siege to RBS HQ with a six metre tall mock siege tower on wheels with a life-size papier mache rhinoceros head mounted on the front.

A banner was dropped from a building reading “oil tar sands = environmental chaos”, there were two arrests.

Another banner was dropped over the A8 which read “RBS: using our money to fuck the planet”

Above a tent protest by North Bridge, demonstrators scaled two storeys of scaffolding to drop a banner which read “RBS funds and profits from climate chaos”

Actions in previous days have included:

* Hundreds of activists in boilers suits stormed the RBS headquarters, catapulting oil-like substance (molasses) onto the building and attempting to get inside the building. There were two arrests.
* A group of activists caused the closure of RBS bank branches in town by performing a spoof song-and-dance version of Lady Gaga’s number one hit “Pokerface”, rewriting the lyrics to talk about RBS’ funding of fossil fuels. They invaded an RBS-sponsored stage on the Royal Mile and performed the routing for passers by.
* A group of 40-50 street theatre activists exposed how RBS’ PR masks the reality of its investments by performing “Greenwash Guerrilla” street theatre at Gogarburn and the Royal Mile.
* On Saturday, several hundred activists launched an incursion into the RBS HQ complex and held a dance party in the foyer as one activist gained access to the reception area and superglued herself to the front desk.

So far, there have been 14 arrests throughout the duration of the camp (from Wednesday evening through Monday afternoon).

The Climate Camp have expressed bewilderment as to police claims of oil being spilled on a main road, and have no knowledge who was responsible for it if the incident did take place.

Harry Reynolds who took part in the actions said:

“No one came to work today at the RBS Gogarburn headquarters. Since we had already effectively shut that down, we decided to concentrate our energies targeting RBS and its fossil fuel affiliates in the Edinburgh city centre. We’ve done a lot to disrupt RBS dirty energy operations today, but we are committed to keeping up the pressure until we manage to cut off the flow of capital from the banks to the fossil fuel industry.”

Natalie Swift, a spokesperson for Climate Camp, commented on the day of action:

“Today we have seen people tackling RBS’ responsibility for the billions of pounds it provides to environmentally destructive and dangerous fossil fuel projects. We are being failed by the government and financial institutions, and we are creating a vibrant social movement that takes direct action against the causes of climate change when politicians and bankers fail to do so.”

Photos:
Photos of the camp and actions are available at:
http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/actions/edinburgh-2010/photography
They will be updated throughout the day with further photos from actions.

Videos:
The making of the Trojan Pig used at Cairn Energy action
http://www.youandifilms.com/2010/08/ribs-the-trojan-pig-makes-a-mess-at-cairn-energy/
Raising a Ruckus- a short film covering the site take and the first
incursion into RBS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATJwdb4b2Tc&feature=player_embedded

Twitter:
Updates from actions throughout the day of action, including photos
and videos, are available on the Climate Camp Twitter stream:
twitter.com/climate camp

Press releases from throughout the day can be found at:
http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/press

Mainstream TV footage
—

Tar Covered Climate Activists Shut Down Bank

A group of ‘tar’ covered activists from the Camp for Climate Action have locked themselves to the RBS branch on Nicholson Street, shutting the bank down. This is the second time that the Nicholson Street bank branch has been shut down by protests today, as several activists who had blockaded the bank entrance by supergluing themselves together in front of it had just been removed by the police, resulting in three arrests.

Another group of activists is demonstrating with banners and leaflets outside the bank branch and on the streets of Edinburgh today targeting RBS branches and sponsored events to expose the extent of Festival sponsor RBS’s involvement in climate crimes.

The activists are calling for a moratorium on all new investment and loan financing in Tar Sands and other fossil fuels projects. Royal Bank of Scotland is the UK’s largest investor in companies operating in the Tar Sands and financed 7.5 billion US dollars worth of loans between 2007 and 2009. One of these companies is Enbrgide, whose controversial proposed Northern Gateway Passage would be laid through British Columbia, across more than fifty First Nation territories and pristine eco-systems.

The Gateway project will cross over 1000 rivers and streams. No oil extraction is safe and secure but given Enbridge has a history of spills from its pipelines this project poses a serious risk to endangered salmon populations which use these rivers to spawn. Any spill will also contaminate the plants and animals that local First Nations depend upon for food and medicine.

The action is in solidarity with First Nation peoples who experience the harshest and most immediate effects of RBS’s investments. The activists are concerned that any contamination could mirror the horrific health impacts, including rare cancers, seen in First Nation communities who live near Tar Sands extraction zones. Two members of the First Nation communities have been at Climate Camp this week, speaking of the destruction of their territory and the tragic human cost of the Tar Sands mega project.

Jasmine Thomas, a member of the frog clan from Saik’uz, which is part of the Carrier Nation, said “Tar Sands is a global phenomenon. It is the largest industrial project in the world. It is also the dirtiest. Tar Sands produces three times as much CO2 per barrel as conventional oil. There’s enough underground to push us over the edge into runaway climate change. It should be everyone’s concern”.

Daniel Balla, one of the activists involved, commented “We feel compelled to take action against RBS as it is now 84% owned by the UK taxpayer. People may be unaware that the institution using vast amounts of public money is investing in the most destructive carbon-emitting industries in the world. Since the bank was bailed out by the British Government, 99% of RBS’s financing of the energy sector has been pumped into fossil fuels. The future RBS is currently funding will be further polluted,
oil-addicted and incur a tragic loss of Indigenous Peoples and degradation of the environment”.

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RBS branch shut down with superglue and music

People opposed to Royal Bank of Scotland’s investments in oil tar sands have super-glued themselves to its Edinburgh Nicholson Street branch, situated at the centre of the City. They were joined by performers angry at RBS’ sponsorship of the Edinburgh Fringe.

One participant, Jenny South, said “Climate change kills 400,000 people every year. RBS invests in oil from Canadian tar sands – the most climate-busting fuel on the planet, and one which is devastating local indigenous communities. We are standing together with those communities to resist this 21st century atrocity, to make a passionate call for climate justice, and to hasten a much-needed fossil fuel-free future.”

The action is one part of a mass day of direct action called by The Camp for Climate Action, which has been camped opposite RBS’ global headquarters in Gogarburn for the last week.

ENDS

For more information about Climate Camp and RBS’ investment in tar sands visit www.climatecamp.org.uk

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Climate Camp art activists cause ‘oil’ spill outside Cairn Energy

An ‘oil’ spill was caused outside the offices of Cairn Energy in central Edinburgh this morning. Activists targeted the Scottish energy company because it used public money from RBS to help it start drilling for oil off the coast of Greenland last month.

The art activists who met at the Climate Camp carried a two metre long piggy bank branded with the RBS logo filled with 60 litres of an oil like substance towards Cairn Energy’s offices. Triggered by a golden coin representing the public money used to bail out the bank, the RBS ‘piggy bank’ unleashed its contents, believed to be molasses, covering the entrances and the street. Activists also sprayed ‘oil’ on the outside of the building with fire extinguishers.

It was revealed yesterday that Cairn Energy received £117 million of loans and equity last year from RBS, almost half of which directly enabled the drilling off the Greenland coast to start. This drilling is particularly controversial because the area hasn’t been exploited for oil before and has only been made possible as climate change has caused icebergs in this region to melt. The BP Deepwater oil spill has clearly shown the dangers of offshore drilling and it’s argued that Cairn don’t have the experience to deal with accidents in the previously pristine and extremely environmentally sensitive Arctic. (A spill in the area would be almost impossible to clean up due to the thick ice.)

Alex Wilson, one of the activists who undertook the action said:

“RBS doesn’t just sponsor the Edinburgh Fringe, it sponsors the oil companies who destroy the lives of hundreds of millions of people around the world through oil spills, war, drought and floods.

“Risky drilling in the Arctic by Cairn Energy has only been made possible by financial involvement by RBS. This is an outrageous use of over a hundred million pounds of public money given the economic and climate crises that we are facing.”

The activists say that this is the start of a new focus on taking direct action against the oil industry. A mass day of action dubbed ‘The Crude Awakening’ is already being planned and is set to take place in October in London.

Rachel Stone said:

“We have got the oil industry in our sights. We will be targeting the pumps, airports and factories that oil flows through. We will be taking direct action to switch off oil because it is at the heart of the climate crisis that we are all facing.”

ENDS

For more information, interviews or print quality photos please call 07040 900 905

Photos: http://tweetphoto.com/40862372

Notes to editors

* According to Bloomberg figures released yesterday Cairn Energy received £117 million in equity and loans.
* For more information on the Camp for Climate Action see www.climatecamp.org.uk.
* For more information about the Crude Awakening – day of action in October go to www.crudeawakening.org.uk

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DAY OF MASS ACTION BEGINS WITH CAR PARK BLOCKADE AND OFFICE OCCUPATION

The day of mass action targeting RBS and the fossil fuel industry is kicking into full swing as two groups of protestors stage direct actions at the site of two climate criminals. Seven protestors have superglued themselves to the executive car park of the RBS industrial estate, while another group of seven have taken over the offices of Forth energy in Leith.

PROTESTORS RISK ARREST TO DROP BANNERS AND OCCUPY FORTH ENERGY HEAD OFFICE UNTIL DEMANDS ARE MET

Video live stream of the action is available at qik.com/sinbad68

Leith—A group of 7 activists have just targeted the office of the headquarters of Forth Energy. Two have scaled the roof of the building and have hung banners reading ‘BIO MASS HEALTH HAZARD’ and ‘BIO MASS = CLIMATE CHANGE’. Three are inside, and two have chained themselves to the front of the building. The activists, part of the Climate Camp outside of RBS headquarters in Edinburgh, are targeting Forth Energy because of their plans to build four environmentally destructive biomass (wood-burning) energy power stations in Scotland. The office takeover began at 8 am this morning.

Location: 1 Prince of Wales, Dock, Leith, EH6 7DX

Why are environmental activists risking arrest by taking such drastic action? Forth Energy, which labels itself a ‘green’ energy company, is misleadingly pushing biomass as a solution to climate change. In reality these power stations will increase carbon emissions, pollute local air, increase deforestation and lead to the displacement of native peoples in the global south. Wood burned in the proposed Lieth, Grangemouth, Rosyth Port and Dundee Port sites will be fed primarily from wood chip freighted in from abroad.

Biomass power stations are more climate damaging than traditional fossil fuel power stations because of the destruction of virgin woodlands that they inevitably require. If built these power stations will mean even more wood imports from abroad and even more destruction of rainforests and old growth forests to be replaced with plantations of eucalyptus in places like South America. For example, the smokestack CO2 emissions from a biomass power station are commonly around 1.5 times greater than those from a coal power station with the same energy output.

In addition to harming the global climate, these power stations will severely impact the health of the communities where they are built. All biomass burning releases significant quantities of nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). Such pollution increases the risks of respiratory diseases, heart disease, cancer and premature mortality including infant mortality and miscarriage. Leith power station alone would generate nitrogen oxide and particulates equivalent to 100,000 more cars while Edinburgh and Grangemouth power stations are 200m to the nearest home and Dundee power station just 100m.

Demand for imported wood will also mean native peoples and peasant farmers could be displaced from their land and intimidated, killed, injured or enslaved to make room for new mono culture wood plantations as routinely happens in many developing countries.

Despite all the scientific evidence to the contrary, the UK and EU governments class biomass power stations as renewable, green energy. Forth energy will receive £300 million in subsidies annually for their four biomass power stations and this is to be funded through an increase on utility bills.
Maryla Hart, spokesperson for the group of Climate Camp activists “Biomass is exacerbating climate change, destroying precious forests and pulling money away from real, sustainable solutions like energy efficiency measures, wind, solar and tidal power. Forth Energy can expect growing opposition until they scrap the idea of biomass altogether’.

For more information about biomass and the campaign against it, please visit www.biofuelwatch.org.uk, http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/Biomess.

Notes to editor:
– The four power stations which will produce a total 560MW will burn a total of 5.6 million tones of wood a year.
– The four power stations would burn approximately the equivalent of 2/3 of all the wood the UK currently produces every year.
– The UK’s total demand for wood for pulp, paper and biomass is already altogether unsustainable as the UK relies on net imports for over 80% for its wood and wood products.

Sunday stroll through RBS’ HQ and other climate camp actions so far – updated

For the latest action & other news from the Camp for Climate Action, read their twitter.

Mid Sunday afternoon (22.8.10), 100s of people attempted to stroll over the bridge from the Climate Camp to the HQ of RBS. Police tried to stop them.

For the latest action & other news from the Camp for Climate Action, read their twitter.

Mid Sunday afternoon (22.8.10), 100s of people attempted to stroll over the bridge from the Climate Camp to the HQ of RBS. Police tried to stop them.

From the Northern Indymedia timeline:

August 22, 2010 17:29 – Climate Camp protestors have now crossed the bridge and marched on to RBS buildings.

August 22, 2010 17:17 – Greenwash guerilla activists are going across the main bridge.

August 22, 2010 17:11 – two hundred activists in greenwash guerilla outfits are marching onto the Royal Bank of Scotland Head Quarters site.

August 22, 2010 13:50 – “Bringing three vans down Gogar Station Road”

August 22, 2010 13:39 – Most of the Climate Campers have moved away, but 4 or 5 are being searched on Station Road while heading back to the main Camp area. Legal Observers are with those Campers who have been stopped.

August 22, 2010 13:36 – Forty Police are now present in the same area as the Climate Campers who are trying to enter RBS grounds. Police are now threatening to invoke Section 60 on anyone wearing a face mask.

August 22, 2010 13:32 – Climate Campers are moving back through the hedge.

August 22, 2010 13:30 – Twelve Police are stood behind the crowd.

August 22, 2010 13:27 – Pushing match has ended. Police are watching Climate Campers dance!

August 22, 2010 13:26 – Police do not have a reason for why they are not letting Climate Campers cross the bridge. No commanding officer present to give a reason. Pushing match between Campers and police has begun.

August 22, 2010 13:23 – Police and two vans have met Climate Campers on the bridge and are trying to prevent them crossing the bridge.

August 22, 2010 13:22 – Forward Intelligence Team (F.I.T.) of the Police have joined the Climate Campers. Police have made attempts to stop the group entering RBS land. We think the police have been unsuccessful in stopping the Climate Campers gain access to the land.

August 22, 2010
There are also a couple of videos available online, one of which appears to show Campers on top of the RBS building (and another video, slightly earlier).

From the Camp twitter feed:

* After a prolonged stand off with the police we are now in a mass plenary hearing from two Canadian #tarsands activists. #climatecamp 2 minutes ago via TweetDeck
* In an unrelated incident two activists were also arrested. Molasses representing dirty oil was flung at RBS HQ in caterpaults #climatecamp 3 minutes ago via TweetDeck
* during the earlier site incursion two windows were smashed by activists angry about RBS fossil fuel investments #climatecamp #tarsands
* Overheard_it Overheard police saying an officer had lost their radio in scuffles with #ClimateCamp protesters about 1 hour ago via twitterfeed Retweeted by climatecamp
* SophiaCR Balloons full of ‘oil’ just burst on the RBS building. #climatecamp about 3 hours ago via txt Retweeted by climatecamp and 4 others
* Pictures from our incursion onto RBS HQ. Currently a stand off and bridge and people up tripods too http://tweetphoto.com/40722969 about 2 hours ago via TweetDeck
* Mass incursion at RBS HQ. Hundreds threatened with arrest if they don’t cross back over the bridge #climatecamp

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Activists Force RBS Branches to Close Over Weekend
August 22, 2010

* Climate protesters use superglue and stink bombs to close branches
* Lady Gaga song performed on hijacked Fringe stage

The Royal Bank of Scotland came under attack from protesters this weekend, who are demonstrating against its investment in dangerous fossil fuels.

Activists superglued shut RBS branch doors on Friday night, and graffitied RBS logos around the city. RBS branches were forced to close on Saturday as Climate Camp protestors targeted city centre branches.

One set of protesters performed ‘Dirty Oil’, a spoof version of the Lady Gaga song ‘Pokerface’ with the words changed to highlight RBS’ investments in the Tar Sands. The St Andrew’s Square branch was closed to prevent activists performing inside. The group later hijacked an RBS-sponsored stage at the Edinburgh Fringe.

The song included the lyrics:

“It’s getting hot, the planet’s nearly shot
We’ll make ’em stop, we’re putting up a block.
Can’t deny, can’t deny that tar sands is dirty oil
Tar Sands is dirty oil.”

A different group set off stink bombs in RBS branches, forcing them to close for the day.

Ruth McTernan from the Climate Camp said:

“These investments are filling the atmosphere with the stench of carbon and hastening catastrophic climate change, so we gave RBS a sample of their own smelly emissions.”

—

Police Search Street Theatre Activists Under New Power
August 21, 2010

A group of street theatre activists planning on demonstrating against RBS later today have been stopped and searched by Lothian and Borders Police under Section 60.

A team of 30-40 people gathered at the Royal Bank of Scotland HQ in Gogarburn, Edinburgh this morning. Dressed in white forensics biohazard suits and carrying “greenwash detector” probes they enacted street theatre to poke fun at RBS’ attempts to spin their image away from their status as the oil and gas bank.

The protesters were searched under a section 60 power which has been in place on Edinburgh and surrounding area since 10.30 am on Saturday morning and will remain so for 48 hours. The group were stopped and searched for offensive weapons just outside the Climate Camp at Gogarburn. Forward Intelligence Teams took photographs of the protestors. All refused to give their details and there were no arrests.

This move accompanies the installation of floodlights on the roof of RBS HQ, and the introduction of mounted police in the area surrounding the camp.

The protestors from Camp for Climate Action plan on heading into the Royal Mile at 3pm for more greenwash busting.

Charlotte Wirth, one of the protestors who was stopped and searched, said:
“Street theatre is a great way to highlight how what RBS says about its environmental record doesn’t match up with the reality. RBS is financing billions of pounds worth of coal, oil and gas both across the world and here in the UK.

“It’s ridiculous that the police are using stop and search powers across Edinburgh on street performers just because our message is political.”

More photos

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Activist super-glued to RBS front desk as 150 Climate Campers mount an incursion into RBS
August 20, 2010

At noon today, approximately 150 activists breached the security between the Climate Camp (which is on the grounds of Royal Bank of Scotland headquarters) and the buildings complex which houses the headquarters.

As the activists completed their tour of the grounds, one protestor disguised as a banker gained entry to building and super-glued her hands to the front desk. She was arrested, and an ambulance was called to facilitate removal.

The activists invited the bankers to lunch to find out more about the Climate Camp and the role of RBS in financing climate chaos at the many workshops and trainings planned for this weekend, before the day of mass action.

The activists managed to enter the revolving doors of the RBS building, where they held a dance party and held a banner declaring “we won‘t pay for their crisis”. They then moved to the front of the building, where there were speeches about RBS’ destructive investments into fossil fuels.

One of the speakers said:
“This is a call to action because RBS is financing fossil fuel projects around the world. They are knowingly displacing and endangering communities, destroying ecosystems and leading us towards climate chaos. We’re hear to join with those communities in opposing a financial system which prioritises profits for the few over all of our futures”

People Unite in Opposition to Scottish Coal’s Open Cast Plans in Midlothian

22/08/2010
Yesterday around 185 people gathered in Cousland, Midlothian, to show their united opposition to Scottish Coal’s plans to mine 2 million tonnes of coal from the 154-hectare site at Airfield Farm – the size of Edinburgh’s old and new towns combined – just 500 metres from the village. Many villagers and their families came to the Village Hall and were met by 20 cyclists who cycled from Climate Camp in Gogar and a further 60 from the Climate Camp and beyond who came to show their support for the campaign.

The protest started in the Village Hall, with people gathering for a speech and welcome by CAAOC Chairperson Dougie McKenzie. The group then marched through the village the short distance to the proposed open cast site, set in Midlothian’s beautiful countryside, and through the right of way to the centre of the open cast area. Community members explained the extent of the boundaries of the site and the devastation that would be caused by it.

Fiona Reed, of Coal Action Scotland, speaking to the congregated crowd, said: “We’ve come here today to continue our long term commitment to support and stand in solidarity with this community and their struggle against open cast coal. Across Scotland communities are blighted by companies like Scottish Coal, whether its the health impacts, economic degradation or the destruction of their local environment they suffer. Together we are stronger!”

Dougie McKenzie, chair of the campaigning group, Communities Against Airfield Open Cast (CAAOC), said, “We are delighted that Coal Action Scotland is supporting our campaign. Local people have real concerns not only about the impact this mine will have on local businesses, but also on our safety, particularly that of our children – the area surrounding the village of Cousland is riddled with old limestone mine workings, and we have serious concerns about the impact blasting will have on the already unstable ground. Already this year we believe there have been 2 land collapses into old mine workings in the fields around Airfield, and a few years previously a 15-year old boy narrowly escaped death when the ground in the local playing field collapsed beneath him .”

“We hope this rural protest march will raise awareness of our campaign and will encourage more people to object to Scottish Coal’s application. We suspect that there will be many people in Edinburgh unaware of this proposed blot on the beautiful landscape so close to the city.”

Huntington Lane needs YOU!

UPDATE ON THE HUNTINGTON LANE OPEN CAST COAL MINE PROTEST SITE
It’s approaching six months since camp was set up at Huntington Lane open cast coal mine site and as the ‘anniversary’ approaches things are beginning to speed up. With a lot of defensive work being carried out on site by protesters, UK Coal have been been making preparations of their own; it has been confirmed that an Environmental License will be issued by the end of the month to allow UK Coal to begin work, the water supply has been connected and farmers are being asked to remove stock from the southern site. It has also been discovered that jobs at the mine site are being advertised/allocated and local firm McPhilips will begin working on the site infrastructure very soon.
Time is fast running out before an eviction notice is served and the camp would like to issue a call out for people, tools, lock on gear of all kinds (padlocks,D-locks etc), water and food. If you’re unable to offer any of these things but would like to support the camp, words of solidarity and support are also very gratefully received 🙂

OPEN CAST COAL IN THE SHADOW OF THE WREKIN
In October of 2009 UK Coal were granted permission by the then Secretary of State, John Denham to mine 900,000 tonnes of coal from a site called ‘Huntington Lane Surface Mine Site’ near Telford, Shropshire – this beautiful 230 acre site near The Wrekin encompasses part of the Shropshire Hills AONB and is home to a sceduled ancient monument. At least one County Wildlife Site and the flora and fauna of the borough’s largest and most valuable areas of ancient woodland are threatened by the surface mine. The development also involves the disturbance of four badger setts and the foraging territories of a further two badger clans.

Not only does the proposed mine represent a major blot on the beautiful rural landscape, being clearly visible from the Wrekin and many other local areas, and also create three years of noise and dust for local residents – the subsequent burning of the mined coal will release a minimum of 2,430,000 tonnes of climate changing CO2 emissions into the atmosphere.

In March 2010 protesters moved onto the site in an effort to resist this destruction at the hands of UK Coal.

HOW TO GET THERE
The entry point is actually on New Works Lane, New Works, Telford, Shropshire. The nearest train station is Wellington (Telford West).

For a map view go to:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=tf6+5bs&sll=52.675432,-2.498875&sspn=0.005738,0.013797&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Telford+TF6+5BS,+United+Kingdom&ll=52.675174,-2.499985&spn=0.000724,0.001725&t=h&z=19

The marker on the map is not quite in the right place but is very close to the entry point for camp – the stile is actually on the other side of New Works Lane, just before the houses begin, in the bushes to the right of a shonky old gate! (Please don’t block the gate if you’re coming by car/van as it’s still in use by the farmer – park at the side of the road if you can. There is more space to park heading north up New Works Lane) If you zoom right in on the map you can see the entrance on Streetview, but be warned – the greenery around the stile has grown substancially since this picture was taken! Once over the stile just follow the path; it breaks off to the left behind the houses and also to the right a little further along; ignore these turnings and follow the straight path which bears to the left after them. Continue to follow the path until you reach the sign directing you to camp.

HOW TO CONTACT THE CAMP
Tel: 07503 583419 or 07727 295232
Email: defendhuntingtonlane@hushmail.com
Web: http://defendhuntingtonlane.wordpress.com

*PLEASE PASS THIS INFOMATION ON TO ANY PERSONS OR GROUPS YOU THINK MAY BE INTERESTED*

Many Thanks!