Nuclear – Page 11 – Earth First!

Come to the Peace News Winter Gathering, 15-17 January

Join people from across the spectrum of the British peace movement for a weekend of exploration, celebration and empowerment – learning from other movements, struggling with challenging issues, and creating greater cohesion and solidarity in a segmented peace movement.

Workshops will be reflective (learning from recent activist initiatives in Gaza, Copenhagen and Calais), strategic (for example, developing plans to counter the war in Afghanistan) and practical (planning for actions in Nottingham itself, and at Aldermaston the following month). Decades of activist experience will be represented, along with fresh faces and newblood.

The Gathering will be followed on Monday 18 January by a mass nonviolent direct action against the arms trade requested by and organised by participants in the Gathering (not under the control or direction of Peace News).

Peace News Winter Gathering 2010 has developed out of Peace News Summer Camp 2009, which created a real sense of liberation for participants. The Gathering is a space of mutual respect in which activists from different groups and movements, who hold diverse views on fundamental issues, can share experiences, information and insights, and can learn more about each other.

More details including programme at http://peacenewsgathering.info/

No New Nuclear. Planning to win – updated details

Time to get organised and stop the new generation of nuclear power stations.

London
11am Saturday 21st until 4pm Sunday 22nd November 2009

The weekend will be a space for grassroots campaigners to network, share ideas and information and make plans to win.

Time to get organised and stop the new generation of nuclear power stations.

London
11am Saturday 21st until 4pm Sunday 22nd November 2009

The weekend will be a space for grassroots campaigners to network, share ideas and information and make plans to win.

Whatever your campaigning tools are, wherever you are from, if you are in a group or an individual, this weekend is for us all. The more of us who can make it the better plans we can make.

By developing skills and confidence in creating and implementing campaign and action plans we can identify when and where our interventions can be most successful.

Over the weekend we will:

Reflect on the successes of the anti nuclear movement.
A presentation from Ben Ayliffe, Greenpeace’s nuclear power campaigner.
A presentation from a representative of the French network “Sortir du nucléaire” on the ongoing calamities with EPR reactors (the types of nuclear reactors being proposed for the UK).
Discussion and making plans to stop a new generation of nuclear power.
Skills workshops such as: Strategic action planning and Dealing with the media.
Meet and build networks with a broad range of people opposed to new nuclear.
Get angry, get organised.

Seeds for Change is an activist training network that will facilitate the weekend and share skills for winning through campaign and action planning. Come along and take away ideas and tools for winning to share with your community and networks at home. http://seedsforchange.org.uk/free/winning

Cost: Costs will be kept as low as possible. You will be asked to contribute towards the venue and food, but don’t let being skint stop you from coming :).

To book your place, help organise or get more details contact: nonewnuclear@aktivix.org or ring 01524 383012 and leave a message.

http://www.nonewnuclear.wordpress.com/
http://www.gmdcnd.org.uk/

Spirit of Freedom Prisoner Listing Oct 2009

Spirit of Freedom
(October 2009)
Produced by
EARTH LIBERATION PRISONERS SUPPORT NETWORK

“The whole experience has been tough, but all the kind and strengthening words and wise thoughts from strangers made it much easier!” (Former Swedish Animal Rights Prisoner)

Spirit of Freedom
(October 2009)
Produced by
EARTH LIBERATION PRISONERS SUPPORT NETWORK

“The whole experience has been tough, but all the kind and strengthening words and wise thoughts from strangers made it much easier!” (Former Swedish Animal Rights Prisoner)

Welcome to the October 2009 edition of Spirit of Freedom. Unfortunately we have to start this newsletter with some bad news. Literally in the last few days ELP has learnt of the jailing of two new eco-prisoners, one is Sweden, one in America.

Last month Swedish eco-activist, Jonatan Strandberg was informed that his appeal against the length of his prison sentence was unsuccessful and he was
informed he would be returning to prison. We were informed that Jonatan would be returning to prison at the start of this week and today we received the depressing news that Jonatan is now in prison.

ELP has been proud to know Jonatan for a few months now (ever since his first arrest) and we have always admired the way he has remained true to his beliefs and taken a very accepting view of the fact he might have to return to prison. However despite his own difficulties Jonatan has also worked hard for prisoner support, writing to new prisoners and encouraging those who found themselves behind bars to stay focussed on the positive.

In the same way Jonatan has helped the prisoners whilst he was on the outside it is now our turn to help Jonatan and we very much hope people will send him letters of support.

Besides Jonatan’s imprisonment, ELP has also learnt of the jailing of an American environmentalist, Stephen Murphy, who is accused of involvement in an attempted arson on a town house construction site in 2006. The day after the attempted arson construction workers discovered that at least one of their construction vehicles had been vandalised and ELF slogans written on it. Stephen is currently held in Texas but is expected to be transferred to Los Angeles in the next few weeks where the alleged attempted arson occurred.

Also, with regards to new prisoners, British animal rights activist, Dean Cain, has been returned to prison following the breaching of his parole conditions. Dean was on parole for his involvement in activities at a rabbit farm which breeds rabbits for vivisection.

ELP has also learnt that American animal rights activist, Jordan Halliday, who recently served time in prison for refusing to testify before a Grand Jury, has been indicted on contempt charges and therefore may soon return to prison again. His trial is due to start in November 2009.

Also, as a number of ELP supporters will be aware, earlier this month the long-term American environmental prisoner, Jeff ‘Free’ Leurs was released from prison. This took everyone by surprise, not least Free. However his release proved to be an administration error and he was quickly returned to prison. ELP is disgusted that Free has been returned to prison, especially as he is due for release in a couple of months anyway, and we feel that his treatment is nothing but psychological torture.

Other prisoner news, the British animal rights prisoner John Smith has asked to have his name removed from all prisoner support lists.

But happily ELP does have some positive news amongst all the negative news. British animal rights activist, Sean Kirtley, who was jailed for running a LEGAL campaign group which protested against vivisection, has been released from prison. This is fantastic news and ELP wishes Sean all the best for the future.

And on that note, we shall end this editorial news update. But before we go we shall repeat what we always say – All of the prisoners listed below welcome letters of support. Regardless of what languages you speak, regardless of where you live in the world, your letters of support really do make the world of difference to the prisoners. So please support the eco-prisoners and no compromise in defence of Mother Earth!

If anyone notices any of ELP’s prisoner details is out of date or we do not list a prisoner who we should list, please let ELP know as soon as possible.
ELP is run by a small group of volunteers and although we try to ensure our lists are accurate, we admit we do make mistakes. So help us help keep the lists accurate by letting us know of any changes we need to make.

ECO-DEFENCE PRISONERS

Grant Barnes #137563, San Carlos Correctional Facility, PO Box 3, Pueblo, CO 81002, USA. Serving 12 years for setting fire to a number of SUV vehicles. The letters ELF were spray painted onto all of the vehicles. (Grant is a vegan).

Nathan Block, #36359-086, FCI Lompoc, Federal Correctional Institution, 3600 Guard Road, Lompoc, CA 93436, USA. Serving 7 years & 8 months for an ELF arson against a Poplar Tree Farm and an ELF arson against an SUV dealership. Also admitted his role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy. (Diet unknown).

Marco Camenisch, Postfach 3143, CH-8105 Regensdorf, Switzerland. Serving 18 years. 1) Ten years for using explosives to destroy electricity pylons leading from nuclear power stations. 2) Eight years for the murder of a Swiss Border Guard whilst on the run. In ’02 Marco completed a 12-year sentence in Italy for destroying electricity pylons in Italy. (Marco is a meat eater who encourages organic living).

Daniele Casalini, Via Casale 50/a, 15040 San Michele (AL), Italy. Il Silvestre activist awaiting trial accused of robbery to fund a subversive organisation. (Daniele is a vegan).

Francesco Gioia, Via Casale 50/a, 15040 San Michele (AL), Italy. Il Silvestre activist awaiting trial accused of robbery to fund a subversive organisation. (Francesco is a vegetarian and Straight Edge).

Niall Harnett, Castlerea Prison, Harristown, Castlerea, Co. Roscommon, Republic of Ireland. Severing 4 months for non-payment of a fine. The fine was issued following Maura’s involvement in an anti-Shell petrol company protest. (Diet unknown).

Maura Harringon, Dochas Centre, Mountjoy Gaol, North Circular Road, Dublin 7, Republic of Ireland. Serving 8 months for non-payment of a fine. The fine was issued following Maura’s involvement in an anti-Shell petrol company protest. (Diet unknown).

Jeffrey Luers, # 13797671, CRCI, 9111 NE Sunderland Ave, Portland, OR 97211-1708, USA. Serving 10 years for arson on a SUV dealership & the attempted arson of an oil truck. The original sentence was 22 years & 8 months, but was reduced on appeal. (Diet unknown).

Marie Jeanette Mason, #04672-061, FCI Waseca, Federal Correctional Institution, PO Box 1731, Waseca, MN 56093, USA. Serving 21 years and 10 months for her involvement in an ELF arson against a University building carrying out Genetically Modified crop tests. Marie also pleaded guilty to conspiring to carry out ELF actions and admitted involvement in 12 other ELF actions. (Marie is a vegan).

Eric McDavid, 16209-097, FCI Victorville, Medium II, Federal Correctional Institution, PO Box 5300, Adelanto, CA 92301, USA. Serving 19 years & 7 months for planning to destroy the property of the U.S. Forestry Service, mobile phone masts and power plants. At the point of his arrest no criminal damage has actually occurred. (Eric is a vegan).

Daniel McGowan, 63794-053, USP Marion, US Penitentiary, PO Box 1000, Marion, IL 62959, USA. Serving 7 years for an ELF arson against a Poplar Tree Farm and an ELF arson against an old growth logging corporation. Also admitted his role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy. (Daniel is a vegetarian).

Steve Murphy #39013177 FCI Fort Worth, Federal Correctional Institution, P.O. Box 15330, Fort Worth, TX 76119, USA. On remand accused of attempted arson and criminal damage at a town house construction site in 2006. The FBI claim the action was done under the banner of the ELF. (Diet unknown).

Jonathan Paul – See details in Animal Liberation Prisoners List.

Justin Solondz (Address Unknown). American Green Scare defendant accused of direct action activity in America. Arrested in China. Exact location currently unknown. (Diet unknown).

Jonatan Strandberg, Box 248, 59323, Västervik, Sweden. Serving 15 months imprisonment after admitting damaging a communication tower used by the Department of Defence, cutting the cables on a crane used in creating urban sprawl, and damaging a vehicle used in the logging industry. (Jonatan is a diabetic and follows a paleo diet, demanding locally sourced food).

Michael Sykes 696693, Richard A. Handlon Correctional Facility, 1728 Bluewater Highway, Ionia, MI 48846, USA. Serving four to ten years for anti-sprawl arsons, criminal damage to a utility pole, spray-painting political graffiti and burning the American flag. (Diet unknown)

Briana Waters 36432-086, FCI Danbury, Federal Correctional Institution, Route 37, Danbury, CT 06811, USA. Serving six years for involvement in an ELF arson on a University. (Diet unknown).

Joyanna Zacher, #36360-086, FCI Dublin, 5700 8th St.- Camp Parks- Unit F, Dublin, CA 94568, USA. Serving 7 years & 8 months for an ELF arson against a Poplar Tree Farm and an ELF arson against an SUV dealership. Also admitted her role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy. (Diet unknown).

ANIMAL LIBERATION PRISONERS
(All Animal Liberation Prisoners follow a minimum vegetarian diet and most are vegan).

Jonny Ablewhite TB4885, H.M. Prison, Hewell Lane, Redditch, Worcs B97 6QS, England. Serving 12 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied guinea pigs for vivisection. (Jon is a vegan).

Dan Amos VN7818, HMP Guys Marsh, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 0AH, England.
Serving 4 years for conspiracy to blackmail Huntingdon Life Sciences. (Dan is a vegan)

Gregg Avery TA7450, HMP Coldingley, Shaftesbury Road, Bisley, Woking, Surrey GU24 9EX, England. Serving 9 years for conspiracy to blackmail Huntingdon Life Sciences. (Gregg is a vegan).

Natasha Avery NR8987, HMP Send, Ripley Road, Woking, Surrey, GU23 7LJ, England. Serving 9 years for conspiracy to blackmail Huntingdon Life Sciences. (Nat is a vegan).

Mel Broughton TN9138, HMP Frankland, Brasside, Durham, County Durham DH1 5YD, England. Serving 10 years for “conspiracy to commit arson” against Oxford University vivisection department. (Mel is a vegan).

Dean Cain WJ 4309, HMP Preston, 2 Ribbleton Lane, Lancashire, PR1 5AB, England. Jailed for breaching his parole conditions, whilst on parole for his involvement in a raid on a rabbit farm which breeds rabbits for vivisection. (Dean is a vegan).

Jacob Conroy #93501-011, FCI Terminal Island, Federal Correctional Institution, P.O. Box 3007, San Pedro, CA 90731, USA. Serving 48 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Jake is a vegan).

Lauren Gazzola #93497-011, FCI Danbury, Federal Correctional Institution, Route #37Danbury, CT 06811, USA. Serving 54 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Lauren is a vegan).

Alex Hall, Inmate #2009-06304, Davis County Jail, 800 West State St., Farmington, UT 84025, USA. On Remand accused of raiding a mink farm. Also accused of breaching bail conditions whilst on bail. (William is a vegan).

Kevin Kjonaas #93502-011, FCI Sandstone, PO Box 1000, Sandstone, MN 55072 USA. Serving 72 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Kevin is a vegan).

Daniel McGowan – See details in Eco Defence Prisoners List.

Gavin Medd-Hall WV9475, HMP Coldingley, Shaftesbury Road, Bisley, Woking, Surrey GU24 9EX, England. Serving 8 years for conspiracy to blackmail Huntingdon Life Sciences. (Gavin is a vegan).

Heather Nicholson VM5859, HMP Foston Hall, Foston, Derby, Derbyshire, DE65 5DN, England. Serving 11 years for conspiracy to blackmail Huntingdon Life Sciences. (Heather is a vegan).

Kevin Olliff, #1300931, TTCF 161 D-Pod, 450 Bauchet St., Los Angeles, CA 90012, USA. On remand accused of stalking. Exact details of the indictment have not yet been revealed but the charges appear to relate to a person employed by an educational facility so may be linked to vivisection. (Kevin is a vegan).

Jonathan Paul, #07167-085, FCI Phoenix, Federal Correctional Institution, 37910 N 45th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85086, USA. Sentenced to 51 months for an ALF arson on a horse meat plant. Also admitted his role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy. (Jonathan is a vegan).

William James Viehl, Inmate #2009-05735, Davis County Jail, 800 West State St., Farmington, UT 84025, USA. Awaiting sentencing having pleaded guilty to raiding a mink farm. He is due to be sentenced in November. (William is a vegan).

Nicole Vosper VM9385, HMP Bronzefield, Woodhthorpe Road, Ashford, Middx, TW15 3JZ, England. On remand accused of blackmailing Huntingdon Life Sciences. (Nicole is a vegan).

Dan Wadham, A5705AA, HMP Camp Hill, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 5PB, England. Serving 5 years for conspiracy to blackmail Huntingdon Life Sciences. (Dan is a vegan).

Kerry Whitburn TB4886, HMP Lowdham Grange, Lowdham, Nottingham, NG14 7DA, England. Serving 12 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied guinea pigs for vivisection. (Kerry is a vegan).

Sarah Whitehead, VM7684, HMP Bronzefield, Woodthorpe Road, Ashford, Middx, TW15 3JZ, England. Serving two years for: 1) rescuing a puppy from horrific conditions. 2) rescuing over 100 animals from a pet breeder who was later prosecuted for animal abuse. Also awaiting trial for SHAC activity. (Sarah is a vegan)

PLOUGHSHARES PRISONERS

Helen Woodson, 03231-045, FMC Carswell – Admin. Max. Unit, POB 27137, Ft. Worth, TX 76127, USA. Serving 8 years 10 months for actions that focused on the interrelationship of war & the destruction of the natural world. The actions included pouring red paint over the security desk of a federal court and making threatening communications. Previously Helen had served 20½ years for: 1) Using a hammer to disarm a nuclear missile silo. 2) Burning $25,000 on the floor of a bank whilst denouncing war, environmental destruction & economic injustice. 3) Mailing warning letters with bullets attached to Government & corporate officials. (Diet unknown).

OTHER ANTI-WAR PRISONERS

Elija Smith VP 7551 HMP Lewes, 1 Brighton Rd, Lewes, Sussex, BN7 1EA, England. On remand accused of disarming a weapons factory, which, amongst other things, makes Hellfire Missiles. The action was in protest at Israel military action against Gaza. (Diet unknown).

THE LECCE DEFENDANTS
The Lecce Defendants have been charged with “subversive association” accused of damaging Esso petrol pumps to oppose the War on Iraq; sabotaging the cash machines of a bank which funds an immigration centre; and targeting the multinational company Benetton in support of Mapuche land rights activists in Chile. All of the defendants are currently either under house arrest or released on bail.

ANTIFA PRISONERS

Aleksey Bychin, SIZO 47/2, ul. Akademika Lebedeva, dom. 39, 195005 St. Peterburg, Russia. Serving 5 years for defending himself against neo-nazis.
(Diet unknown).

Andrei Mergenov, FGU IZ 64/1 OKB 2 komn. 73, Up. Kutyakova 107, 410601 Saratov, Russia. Serving 3 years for fighting with neo-nazis. (Diet unknown)

Christian Sümmermann, Bnr: 441/08/5, JVA Plötzensee, Lehrterstr. 61, 10557 Berlin, Germany. Serving 40 months for breaching the peace whilst serving a suspended sentence issued for anti-fascist activities. (Diet unknown).

Tomasz Wiloszewski, Zaklad Karny, Orzechowa 5, 98-200 Sieradz, Poland.
Serving 15 years for accidentally killing a neo-nazi whilst defending himself. (Tomasz is a vegetarian).

OTHER PRISONERS

Pavel Delidon, ul. Timiryazeva-1, FGU IK-7, 309990 Valuyki Russia.
Anarchist/Animal Rights activist jailed for attempting to obtain wages owed to him, but which had not been paid to him by his employer. IMPORTANT: Pavel can only receive letters written in Russian. He is punished by the prison if he receives a letter not written in Russian so please, only send letters written in Russian. (Diet unknown).

Richard Sills (Address Unknown, USA). Serving 15 months for bomb hoaxing a University saying they would be targeted by the ALF if they didn’t stop their animal experiments. (Diet unknown).

Fran Thompson, #1090915, CCC, 3151 Litton Drive, Chillicuthe, MO 64601, USA. Serving Life for killing, in self-defence, a stalker who had broken into her home. Before her imprisonment Fran was an eco, animal & anti-nuke campaigner. (Fran is a vegan).

MOVE
MOVE is an eco-revolutionary group who carried out protests in defence of all life. All move prisoners describe themselves as vegetarians. There are currently eight MOVE activists in prison each serving 100 years after been framed for the murder of a cop in 1979. 9th defendant, Merle Africa, died in prison in 1998.

Debbie Simms Africa (006307), Janet Holloway Africa (006308) and Janine Philips Africa (006309) all at: SCI Cambridge Springs, 451 Fullerton Ave, Cambridge Springs, PA 16403-1238, USA.

Michael Davis Africa (AM4973) and Charles Simms Africa (AM4975) both at SCI Graterford, PO Box 244, Graterford, PA 19426-0244, USA.

Edward Goodman Africa (AM4974), SCI Mahanoy, 301 Morea Rd, Frackville, PA 17932, USA.

William Philips Africa (AM4984) and Delbert Orr Africa (AM4985) both at SCI Dallas Drawer K, Dallas, PA 18612, USA.

Mumia Abu Jamal, (AM8335), SCI Greene, 175 Progress Drive, Waynesburg PA 15370, USA. In 1981 Mumia, former Black Panther and vocal supporter of MOVE, was framed for the murder of a cop. He was originally sentenced to death but is currently awaiting re-sentencing following a court hearing in 2001.

STATEMENT ON VIOLENCE
Some people listed in this newsletter have carried out violent actions including assault and murder. ‘Spirit of Freedom’ does not condone violence. But we are also against censorship & believe people can decide for themselves who they wish to support.

ABOUT E.L.P. SUPPORT NETWORK
ELP is an international eco-prisoner support network founded, in Britain, in 1993 to support jailed eco-activists. We support the prisoners by producing various regular prisoner lists:

Spirit of Freedom is ELP’s international monthly prisoner listing which is circulated by e-mail.

http://www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk/

EARTH FIRST! WINTER MOOT: 5th – 7th Feb 2010, County Durham – exact location released, & other info (incl. for cyclists)

EARTH FIRST! WINTER MOOT
6pm Fri 5th – Sun 7th Feb 2010
North-east England

“A weekend of networking, reflection, strategic discussions & campaign planning for anyone involved in ecological direct action who believes in non-hierarchical organisation and directly confronting the forces responsible for the destruction of the Earth and its inhabitants”

EARTH FIRST! WINTER MOOT
6pm Fri 5th – Sun 7th Feb 2010
North-east England

Venue:
The Winter Moot will be taking place at the Dipton Community Centre, Front Street (A692), Dipton, Stanley, County Durham, DH9 9DR. Further information on getting there can be found via the How to get there link (now including cycling directions).

New poster to download
New flyer to download

Details of EF! Winter Moot announced:

The Earth First! Winter moot is an opportunity for people who feel affiliation with the ideas behind Earth First! to network, discuss and reflect on the UK ecological direct action movement and to plan for the future. Earth First! is about direct action to halt the destruction of the Earth. We believe we can make a real difference by doing it ourselves rather than relying on leaders, governments or industry.

This years Earth First! Winter Moot will be taking place in Co. Durham on the weekend of 6/7th February. As well as evaluations and updates from a number of ecological campaigns from around the country, this year we will have a themed event – The Crisis: evaluation, analysis and possible responses. We will be exploring the interactions between the various ecological, financial and resource crises, examining our own conceptions and experiences of crisis, then tying it altogether to find a way forward using non-hierarchical approaches.

We will also be hosting a discussion on how Earth First and the Camp for Climate Action intersect, to deal with quite a number of issues that emerged at the EF! Summer Gathering, including issues of generational understanding, anarchism vs. liberalism, are we seperate networks, and how can we go forward together in the future. This debate will be taking from 6.15-7.30pm on the Saturday evening of the Moot, and is open to all.

Everyone welcome

If your campaign (local or national) is interested in participating in the feedback please get in touch.

The venue will be accessible, and parent-friendly. Vegan food provided. Suggested donation for the weekend is £20. The venue will be announced one week beforehand so keep an eye on the website for details; however, for those who want to purchase advance tickets, the nearest station will be Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

For more information visit http://earthfirst.org.uk/ & http://www.earthfirstgathering.org.uk/2010moot/front.html
Tel: 0777 114 2131

1. It is in doors with communal sleeping areas (no camping – we’re not that mad 🙂 )

2. The actual venue will be announced a week before hand, so please check the website then, or email us.

For enquiries, offers of facilitation & help, ideas for workshops and TO LET US KNOW YOU ARE COMING! email : wintermoot@earthfirst.org.uk

More about the Moot
The EF! Winter Moot is an opportunity for people who feel affiliation with the ideas behind Earth First! to network, discuss and reflect on the UK ecological direct action movement and to plan for the future.

Following a popular discussion at 2009’s EF! Summer Gathering 2010’s Moot also aims to hold discussions on the theme of “readying ourselves for unpredictability and instability in the UK and globally”. The current & impending crises of economics, ecology, energy & society fundamentally alter the terrain of struggle; this in turn impacts both the practice and possibilities for a radical ecological movement.

2010’s Winter Moot is to be held in County Durham, an area with a large number of opencast coal mines, both active and at the application stage. The weekend will include opportunities to meet with activists involved locally in campaigns against these.

Cost including vegan food & crash-pad accommodation £20-£30 (depending what you can afford-but please don’t blag-even the organisers will pay).

If you have particular accommodation, access or dietary needs or are bringing children it would help us to know as soon as possible so we can plan suitable facilities; whoever you are please do try & drop us an email at least a week in advance so we can gauge how many to cater for.

www.earthfirst.org.uk

Hot off the press and packed with Direct Action – the new Earth First! Action Update is out!

Rebellion, a spark in search of a powder keg – the new Action Update is out, the quarterly round-up of ecological direct action from the UK and beyond.

What’s in this issue?

Rebellion, a spark in search of a powder keg – the new Action Update is out, the quarterly round-up of ecological direct action from the UK and beyond.

What’s in this issue?
Old King Coal meets his Match, but the Nuclear Empire Strikes Back! Read tales of flotillas, bishop-bashing, blockades and occupations as the Rebel Alliance takes on the Empire. The rebels have also been hanging around in nets and on platforms, occupying and locking-on at coal terminals, and passionately attacking power station fences around the world, trying to shut ’em down. Mainshill protest camp continues to pro-actively resist open-cast mining – they climb, occupy, and by night, anonymous pixies sabotage. Who knows when they sleep – with a strong alliance with local villagers, they welcome YOU to come and play anytime, with a gathering at the end of October.

Want more? Radio-towers toppled, dams and trucks seized, naked oil streaks and green smears in defence of the wild, a shit dumped with shit…resistance to peat mining, genetic engineering, logging and Shell in Ireland, and for Vestas wind turbine factory and workers on the Isle of Wight.

Still not enough? Stopping Tesco, climate campaigning successes, runway invasions, more ecotage, and the EF! Winter Moot, plus contacts and upcoming dates.

To download your copy go to this website:

http://www.earthfirst.org.uk/efau/actionupdate_oct09.pdf

If you want paper copies to distribute, contact us at: actionupdate@earthfirst.org.uk or pick up a bunch from our stall at the Anarchist Bookfair in London. To print your own, download from http://www.earthfirst.org.uk/efau/actionupdate_oct09print.pdf

Wanted: We are very skint! Please send us some dosh to help us pay for the printing.
Cheques can be made out to Earth First! Action Update, and posted to The Basement, 78a Penny St, Lancaster LA1 1XN

Love and Rage
Your Action Update collective

Nuclear New Build Blessed by Bishop of Cumbria

The Bishop of Carlisle ( which includes all of Cumbria) has given his blessing to the “green future” of nuclear new build.

We will be in Carlisle on 10th Oct to witness his inauguration at the Cathedral and make clear that nuclear is as far away from a green future as it is possible to get.

Remember the story of Turning the tables over in the Temple at defunct moral compass ?

The Bishop of Carlisle ( which includes all of Cumbria) has given his blessing to the “green future” of nuclear new build.

We will be in Carlisle on 10th Oct to witness his inauguration at the Cathedral and make clear that nuclear is as far away from a green future as it is possible to get.

Remember the story of Turning the tables over in the Temple at defunct moral compass ?

If you would like to join us please contact me on rafl@mariannebirkby.plus.com

more info below……

http://www.timesandstar.co.uk/anti_nuke_cathedral_protest_1_604487?referrerPath=home/search_results_page_2_1681

http://web.mac.com/mariannebirkby1/iWeb/Radiation%20Free%20Lakeland/Update%20on%20Open%20Letter%20to%20Carlisle%27s%20pro-nuke%20Bishop.html

German anti-nuclear protests heat up ahead of 21 September election

About one thousand Castor caskets full of nuclear waste are produced by just one atomic power station during its operative life without there being a final repository for it anywhere.

That’s a point the German anti-nuclear activist group Campact is making with demonstrations in 12 cities of the country, which goes to the polls on 27 September.

About one thousand Castor caskets full of nuclear waste are produced by just one atomic power station during its operative life without there being a final repository for it anywhere.

That’s a point the German anti-nuclear activist group Campact is making with demonstrations in 12 cities of the country, which goes to the polls on 27 September.

The conservatives of Chancellor Angela Merkel, keen backers of nuclear power, are tipped to win by a large margin.

Last Friday Compact put on its spectacular show in Berlin, the capital, on Saturday they were in Hamburg, the second-largest city.

Part of the action is a huge lifelike mock-up of a Castor casket, the kind of receptacle in which waste is transported and stored.

Meanwhile 30 farm tractors from the Gorleben waste dump area are rolling towards Berlin, to be joined by 100 more later, for a demo on 5 September expected to draw tens of thousands of protesters. More than 1,000 people and 120 tractors sent them on their journey of hundreds of kilometres. At this writing they had passed through Lueneburg, Uelzen and Braunschweig.

A leftwing newspaper, “taz”, reports that nuclear power companies are giving their apprentices time off work to attend a pro-nuclear demonstration at the Biblis power station, one of whose two blocks is to be shut down by the end of this year. It is situated in a heavily industrialised and populated central German area encompassing Frankfurt/Main, Darmstadt and Mannheim. The power companies deny that they’re pressuring the trainees, but one source in the RWE company said there’s a clear order to take part. If all do, that would make 10,000 pro-nuclear demonstrators.

Meanwhile the Federal Radiation protection agency reports that a lump of 20,000 tonnes is likely to drop 40 to 45 metres out of the ceiling of a former salt mine in Morsleben which is one of several dodgy nuclear waste dumps in Germany.

The agency says there’s even a possibility that the entire ceiling could collapse. People in the area would be able to feel it, glasses would wobble. Brine is running in the mine and has even formed stalagtites.

Morsleben used to be the nuclear dump of the former communist East Germany and Ms Merkel, then environment minister, allowed dumping to continue there despite warnings by scientists that it was unsafe. It was finally stopped by a court order, initiated by Greenpeace.

Land and Forest Occpation started in Lapland (Finland)

On the 26th of August an international occupationcamp has been started in Finnish Lapland, due to the planning of uranium mining and the planning of a new nuclear plant. Locals and participants from the climate camp finland, decided to combine powers and try to preserve the lappish nature and way of life.

Five activists walk straight into Faslane nuclear weapons base – breaking news

Trident Ploughshares, Monday August 17, 2009 – 16:40pm – for immediate release

This afternoon five peace activists from nonviolent direct action group Trident Ploughshares walked unchallenged straight into Faslane naval base in Scotland, the home of Britain ’s nuclear-armed Trident submarines, making a mockery of security for Britain’s “strategic nuclear deterrent.” The five are currently still inside the base.

The activists, one man and four women, released the following statement:

“We invite others to follow us through this gate to restore humanitarian law.”

Further information to follow.

Notes to editor:

Trident Ploughshares is a campaign initiated in 1998 to disarm Britain ’s Trident nuclear weapons system in a non-violent, peaceful, safe, open and accountable manner

Website: http://www.tridentploughshares.org

Trident Ploughshares Media
tridentp.media [at] yahoo.co.uk

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Statements from the citizen inspectors; arrestee details

17.08.2009 17:25
The five Trident Ploughshares citizen inspectors, who are now in custody after the “bandit alarm” went off at Faslane for around half an hour, are as follows:

Brian Larkin 49 American , unemployed teacher living in Scotland

Sylvia Boyes 65 Peace Campaigner from Keighley

Mary Millington 61 Retired welsh language tutor – lived at Greenhan for 5 years

Angie Zelter 58 Human Being!

Penny Stone 25 Musician

They issued the following statement:

Dear Friends at Faslane,

A group of us from Trident Ploughshares have entered the base today to call for the process of disarmament of Trident nuclear weapons to begin. We are here to remind all concerned that the UK government, as signatory to the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty undertook more than 40 years ago to complete the disarmament of its nuclear weapons. The continuing deployment of Trident seriously threatens global security and peace, encouraging further proliferation. In 2009 Judge Bedjaoui, President of the International Court of Justice, gave an opinion on “the legality of a nuclear weapons system that deploys over 100 nuclear warheads with an approximate yield of 100 kilotons per warhead.” He stated: “Bearing in mind that warheads of this size constitute around eight times the explosive power of the bomb that flattened Hiroshima … and killed over 100,000 civilians, it follows that the use of even a single such warhead in any circumstance, whether a first or second use and whether intended to be targeted against civilian populations or military objectives, would inevitably violate the prohibitions on the infliction of unnecessary suffering and indiscriminate harm as well as the rule of proportionality…. In my opinion, such a system deployed and ready for action would be unlawful.”

The Scottish government formed a working group for a future of a Scotland without nuclear weapons nearly two years ago but has failed to release a report let alone take any relevant action while the people of Scotland overwhelmingly oppose the presence of nuclear weapons in these waters. As long as the governments fail to begin a process of disarmament members of Trident Ploughshares are committed to whatever nonviolent action possible to begin that process. We invite others to join us or contact us to discuss your concerns.

The process of disarmament would not have to mean the loss of jobs in the area. We urge the government to redirect the resources currently allocated to Trident to meet real human needs. The skills of people working at this base could well be employed in the area building the infrastructure for renewable energy, alleviating the threat of climate change, among other possibilities. We invite you to contact us so that we can enter into planning for the future of a Scotland and world without nuclear weapons.

Rather than continue to threaten other nations and millions of innocent civilians with nuclear weapons Scotland and the UK could lead the world by scrapping Trident.
We entered the gate fully aware that we might be charged with violation of SOCPA. That laws was established ostensibly to deter “serious organized crime.” But it is the presence of Trident submarines each carrying 48 warheads ten times more destructive than the Hiroshima bomb which constitutes a serious organized crime. We invite others to follow us through this gate and restore humanitarian law.

In peace and hope,

Sylvia Boyes Contact:
Mary Millington 07768 312675
Penny Stone
Brian Larkin
Angie Zelter

Members of Trident Ploughshares 17 August 2009

Mary Millington additionally issued the following statement:

“Having recently moved to Glasgow, I am so proud that Scotland has decided we do not want Trident or any other nuclear weapon.

“I have entered Faslane Naval Base today to express my sense of urgency for this weapon of mass destruction to be gone, for just the very possession of it, let alone its potential use, is immoral, illegal and causing proliferation and danger across the planet.”

Trident Ploughshares Media
tridentp.media [at] yahoo.co.uk
http://www.tridentploughshares.org

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All five arrestees were released at around 9pm on Monday evening (17 August) and charged with criminal trespass under the Serious Organised Crime and Police (SOCraP) Act 2005 (also known as SOCPA) s.128 and under the Ministry of Defence byelaws (entry to the base without authority). A report is being sent to the Procurator Fiscal who will decide whether or not to prosecute.

The five were in Scotland to take part in the Trident Ploughshares disarmament camp at Coulport, near Faslane. The camp is a week long gathering during which peace activists share ideas, plan actions and enjoy themselves. The camp will run until the 23rd of August and everyone is invited to come and participate. Details can be found here: http://www.tridentploughshares.org/article983

EF! summer gathering – exact location, travel info & updated workshop programme announced; coal-blighted communities visit

Earth First! Summer Gathering, 18th-24th August 2009, Cumbria

Never has halting the destruction of our planet been so important… Learn how to make them stop!

The gathering this year will be held at Seathwaite in the beautiful Borrowdale. The site is right in the heart of the Lake District and surrounded by mountains, streams and tarns. The nearest train station is Penrith. More detailed directions, public transport, walks & cycle rides to the site

Workshop programme in a variety of formats

Earth First! Summer Gathering, 18th-24th August 2009, Cumbria

Never has halting the destruction of our planet been so important… Learn how to make them stop!

Workshop programme in a variety of formats

WHO
Earth First! is a network of people and campaigns who fight ecological destruction and the forces driving it. We believe in doing it ourselves rather than relying on governments or industry. Direct action is at the heart of what we do, whether we’re standing in front of a bulldozer, shutting down an opencast mine or ripping up a field of GM crops.

Join us for 5 days of workshops, networking and planning actions at a low impact eco-living camp organised non-hierarchically

WHAT
Planning actions and campaigns, meeting and sharing skills with others who care. Over 80 training workshops plus games and evening fun:
• Learn skills for direct action. Tree Climbing, Orienteering, Security for activists, Legal briefing, Escaping public order situations, street medics – first aid, self defence, Boat blockading using kayaks, radio procedures and rock abseiling.
• Network your campaign against ecological destruction. opencast mining, genetic engineering, agrofuels, dam-building, hunt-sabbing, climate actions, oil pipeline resistance, road stopping, anti-whaling, squatting, rainforest protection.
• Learn about ecology, ecocentric ethics and alternatives to the corporate world of exploitation.
• Practical skills for ecological restoration and sustainable living, field trips and hands-on work.

YOU
We are all crew! This is your gathering come prepared to help run the camp and contribute to the programme. Contact us in advance with ideas for workshops, help with organising the gathering, come early to help setup the site or stay on for a couple of days for takedown.
If you can help get in touch!

BRING
Bring tent and sleeping bag. You can either cook food for yourself or for £4 per day chip in with collective cooking of delicious vegan organic food. There’ll be quiet sleeping areas, toilets and running water, a children’s space and spaces for workshops and info stalls.
Veggies will provide vegan cake and snacks. Children and young adults welcome with subsidized meals.

Arrive Tues pm. Workshops from Wed am until Sun pm.

Loads of campaigns are taking to the water in defence of the planet, like at Rossport where Shell are trying to lay onshore pipelines and the Great Rebel Raft Regatta at last summers climate camp. This summer’s EF! gathering will be building on these tactics with training in water based actions.

An excursion to visit communities in the North East threatened by an expansion of coal mining on Monday 24th August. Visit beautiful valleys and strong spirited communities and make links for ongoing resistance.

We aim to make the site as accessible as we can please contact us in advance if you have special needs, questions or concerns.

WHERE
The site is near in the Lake District, Cumbria. The nearest train station is Penrith and there is a bus service to the site, there are car and living vehicle spaces outside the camp.

Dogs: We are fortunate this year to be able to accommodate well behaved owners with dogs on leads but think about whether your dog will feel comfortable in workshops. Please call beforehand so we know numbers.

Cost: £20 – £30 according to what you can afford. We are not for profit all extra cash goes to help fund next year. Under 14’s free.

For more info contact us at :
summergathering@earthfirst.org.uk
www.earthfirstgathering.org.uk