Action Reports – Page 104

No TAV Resistance in the Susa Valley goes on, Italy

10.12.11

As I wrote a few days ago, the NO TAV movement was planning a huge day of mobilisation on December 8, for the anniversary of what has become known as “The Battle of Venaus” in 2005, where activists managed to defeat police and security forces and take back parts of the valley that had been evicted and cleared up in the previous days.

How the local authorities perceived this call out is clear from their reaction: on December 7 a temporary decree was issued, prohibiting the access and transit of people and vehicles around the fenced areas of the valley for the following two days. New check points were established or reinforced during the day. As on previous occasions, the only response was to try to completely block protests around the fenced areas by increasing military presence locally and banning all activities in the surroundings.

Sinister characters already known to the NO TAV movement were invited to take part in the “order maintenance”, such as one of the chief inspectors who authorised the violent evictions in Venaus in 2005, and other inspectors and Digos chiefs who organised and managed the repression of the protests last summer.

The NO TAV had two main actions planned for the day: a “siege” of the fenced areas of the valley on one side, and a huge block of a local motorway on the other (which went on for more than 14 hours).

Once again, the police reacted with extraordinary violence, in particular around the fenced areas. Dozens of people were injured, including a 16 year old young man who was hit in the head by a tear gas cylinder while he was trying to put down a fire caused by the same tear gas cartridges, and a 50 year old man, also hit in the face, who might loose his sight completely. Many others were injured by rocks and stones thrown by the police;unlike last sumer, this time some RAI3 cameramen managed to film these events and broadcast them.

After evicting the lookout post (which was successfully taken back the following day!), police forces entered the building, damaged anything that was in it, and finally confiscated all the remaining equipment. During the day at least 6 people were given banning orders that prohibit them to visit the area for the next 3 years. Some of the “dangerous” equipment found in their vehicles included waterproof jackets. The following day, a worker of a local gardening co-operative was also stopped and searched, and his gardening tools confiscated while he was on his way to open up a local eco-centre.

As usual, the media and the political clowns united in a joint criticism of the violent protesters. Fassino, current Mayor of Turin, stated “There were only extremists in the Susa Valley “. Other comments were made about the necessity of defending the valley from the NO TAV activists!, and about the uselessness of these protests in view of the fact that the high speed line project is going to go ahead anyway.

The “left-wing” newspaper La Rebubblica even tried to diminish the gravity of the incident involving the 16 year old boy, saying that he is Danish and was there by chance…he is actually Danish but grew up in the Susa Valley, but his nationality doesn’t change the fact that he’s in a hospital with traumatic brain injury…

The NO TAV held a press conference the day after, and their main points were:

1) The NO TAV movement is one and united. There are no bad nor good protesters, nor were children in the demo used as human shields (one of the accusations made by some politicians). The NO TAV struggle belongs to everyone.

2) The protesters didn’t attack the police forces, but only tried, as they’ve done in the past, to cut down the fences, which in their eyes are illegal and illegittimate. The police immediately reacted with tear gas and water jets.

3) All the injured are among the protesters; there were no injured among the police forces (as was stated by the media).

4) The lookout post in La Maddalena was subjected to damage, looting and devastation perpetrated by the police forces. The tools confiscated by the police (e.g. axes) are not weapons, but necessary tools to cut down wood.

5) The movement will go back to the post and clean it up, and will visit the fenced area again. The police brutality and the accusations made by politicians will not stop the movement.

Faithful to their words, hundreds of NO TAV activist have gone back to the fenced area this morning. They had lunch together, with hundreds of police looking at them from the other side of the fences. Then they started walking along the fences and cutting them down. The police acted immediately and fired the water jet, but miraculously misaimed, hitting instead a group of Digos officers. Well done, for once! Watch the video here:

Thanks to notav.info for the original articles, pics and videos.

Translated by Italy Calling

Relentless Blockading of $hell’s Work

November 29, 2011

In Erris, Co. Mayo the Tuesday morning traditional gathering outside the $hell refinery continues despite increasing presence of Gardai and rain.

November 29, 2011

In Erris, Co. Mayo the Tuesday morning traditional gathering outside the $hell refinery continues despite increasing presence of Gardai and rain.

$hell use the refinery as a holding area for materials, and it is also set on the haulage route between local quarries, the peat deposition site, and the compound at Aughoose.

This morning local residents and supporters from Rossport Solidarity Camp were out in good numbers, blocking deliveries of stone and truckloads of extracted peat throughout the morning and giving the Gardai a run for their dirty money. Regardless of the odds one person rose to the challenge, occupying a truck from Barrett's quarry for two hours – all work at the compound then came to a halt.

The Gardai eventually brought in the 'transporter' to remove them, during which they also attempted to prevent people filming the arrest.

In the face of the enormity of $hell's plans for Erris, the struggle continues!
If you would like to join us for any amount of time see
www.rossportsolidaritycamp.org / www.shelltosea.com

——

Gardai and IRMS rendered powerless as campaigners blockade Shell’s compound

December 2, 2011

Work was completely halted at Shell’s compound yesterday for over five hours in a great show of resiliance by local campaigners and their supporters. For the past two weeks now, Shell have been attempting to remove masses of peat from the compound in preparation for the tunnel boring machine which is expected to arrive early next year. Progress has been continuously disrupted as protesters brave the winter weather to stop trucks and a determined resistance is building momentum.

A local campaigner yesterday waited patiently outside the main gate of Shell’s compound in his car and requested to see someone in charge. For weeks now he has been trying to lodge complaints about public safety and traffic issues generated from the Aughoose compound. His concerns have been to date ignored. Having contacted the Shell offices in Belmullet and the refinery he was further directed by staff to go and try lodge his complaints at the compound in Aughoose where following a long wait his request remained unanswered. Once again the serious concerns of local people were ignored.

In the meantime, protesters arrived to slow work down and were met with six garda vehicles and a dozen or more Gardai along with just as many IRMS security. A tractor was prevented from entering the compound with equipment despite gardai pushing and shoving protesters around the road. Once the campaigners asked the Gardai to fullfil their duty and arrest them for blocking Shell vehicles the Gardai stepped back. It is obvious that the state’s police force here in Mayo prefer to employ violence against protesters where possible. Civil disobedience in numbers made them think again.

For the following 4 hours the gates remained shut, a long line of trucks and tractors turned off their engines and work ground to a halt as campaigners continued to peacefully demonstrate. One local person was assaulted by IRMS and after many requests the Gardai eventually took his complaint. No arrests were made in a highly spirited day. An Garda Siochana, who are supposedly the guardians of the peace, can blatantly be seen to be guardians of corporations and corruption up here in Erris.

The struggle continues. Be part of the resistance. All are welcome to stay at our winter camp or come join us during our day of solidarity on Saturday, 10th of December.

Indigenous Elders & Supporters Occupy ALEC Member Salt River Project Headquarters

2.12.11

Indigenous Dine’ (Navajo) and O’odham elders and supporters are taking direct action by occupying Salt River Project (SRP) headquarters today at 10am. This action is occurring while the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) holds their “States & Nation Policy Summit” in Scottsdale, AZ. SRP is on ALEC’s corporate board.

2.12.11

Louise Benally, a resident of Black Mesa impacted by SRP’s operations, is delivering a letter to SRP that outlines critical concerns of her community. She expressed that “My community is heavily impacted by Salt River Project’s coal and water extraction activities. SRP has extensive ties to Peabody Energy’s massive mining operations and the Navajo Generating Station which they co-own. Coal mining has destroyed thousands of archeological sites and our only water source has been seriously compromised. Their operations are causing widespread respiratory problems, lung diseases, and other health impacts on humans, the environment, and all living things.”

“…We demand that SRP & Peabody meaningfully involve the indigenous communities they are impacting, and that they convert to non-fossil fuel based energy sources and address the health impacts on our communities.”

“…ALEC, acting in the corporate interests of SRP & Peabody Energy, continues policies & operations that are not only devastating whole communities and ecosystems, but greatly de-stabilizing our planet’s climate for the profit of a few, the so-called 1%.” stated Benally.

Ofelia Rivas, an elder and activist of the O’odham, Indigenous Peoples on the border of Arizona and Mexico, states “As indigenous people we understand that the balance of the land is actually the balance of our people and any disturbance of that is very devastating not only to our spiritual health but our overall physical health, as well as all living things. As indigenous people we are not separated from our environment. We’re deeply connected to everything in the universe: the land, the mountains, water, air, and all plant and animal life.”

“…The proposed loop 202 freeway extension that threatens South Mountain and the continuing construction of the US and Mexico border and it’s militarization. Trade policies such as NAFTA and CANAMEX alter our way of life and threatens our Him’dag. We will no longer accept the violence the state attempts to enforce on us along their border. Especially the aggressive legislation of ALEC. We demand you recognize the declaration of universal indigenous rights as well as the rights of our mother earth. Enough is enough, it ends now!”

The massive canals constructed before colonial invasion of O’odham lands are now being utilized by Salt River Project. O’odham culture is deeply rooted throughout this area, which is as far north as the Phoenix Valley, as far west as the coast of Mexico in what is now Rocky Point, east as the San Pedro river and as far south as Hermosillo and the Sierra Madres Mountains.

Ray Aguilar stated that “the air conditioning and power we enjoy and water we drink comes at the suffering caused by SRP and Peabody’s exploitation of the land and people. When will we realize that our privileges our based on this? We must take further action. I just spent one week doing direct, on-land support with Black Mesa residents assisting with basic essential human needs. That’s why I’m here today. This critical situation would not exist if not for these greedy corporations.”

Peabody Energy, also an ALEC member, is the world’s largest private-sector coal company. With 2010 sales of 246 million tons and nearly $7 billion in revenues, Peabody creates 10 percent of U.S. power and 2 percent of worldwide electricity.

Since 1974 more than 14,000 Dine’ families have been forcibly removed from their ancestral homelands due in large part due to U.S.-backed tribal councils and cola mining.

Photos, videos and what happened next at http://azresistsalec.wordpress.com/

———

ALEC Background, call-out etc

The convergence to expose and shut down the American Legislative Exchange Council's policy meeting has begun in Scottsdale, AZ. ALEC's tentacles reach into almost every one of the environmental and social justice struggles we work on. Exposing ALEC is difficult because of the massive amount of information we have about them and the broad range of issues they effect. As wikileaks has been the platform for a vast amount of information bringing light to corruption, Alecexposed.org is a treasure trove information exposing ALEC. I'm looking for help posting to independent media websites and blogs about the ALEC protest in AZ, and links to ALECs regional impacts. We need a few people around the country posting to both english and spanish language indymedia sites.

There are press releases in english and spanish and a call to action (including information about the action to "Occupy the Phones") see attachment and azresistsalec.wordpress.com

websites: azresistsalec.wordpress.com - for general information about the convergence to shut down alec Shutdownalec.org - We are posting media (foto/video) directly by tagging flickr photos and video with the hashtags: #occupyALEC, #shutdownALEC and/or #ALECexposed

The AZ Resists media team is posting video on youtube.com <http://youtube.com> on channel: shutdownalec. Crowd sourced video on shutdownalec.org

Please pass on this email to anyone you think might be interested in supporting!

In Solidarity

AZ Resists ALEC Media Team azresistsmedia@gmail.com 530-598-1670 <tel:530-598-1670>

SHUT DOWN THE AMERICAN LEGISLATIVE EXCHANGE COUNCIL

This document includes informations about:

-OCCUPY THE PHONES ! IMMEDIATE CALL TO ACTION

-Call for National Solidarity

-Suggested Actions to help expose ALEC!

1. Call the WESTIN KIERLAND RESORT & SPA.

2. Tell them you do not approve of their decision to host the American Legislative Exchange Council's (ALEC’s) States and Policy summit.

3. Be friendly, don't take your anger out on the hotel workers who are not responsible, but make sure your message gets across.

4. Hang up, and call again.

Use these numbers to occupy their lines!

general contact: 480.624.1000 <tel:480.624.1000>

resort reservations: 480.624.1202 <tel:480.624.1202>, 800.354.5892 <tel:800.354.5892>

dining reservations: 480.624.1202 <tel:480.624.1202>

spa reservations: 480.624.1202 <tel:480.624.1202>

tee time reservations: 480.624.1202 <tel:480.624.1202>

resort activities: 480.624.1268 <tel:480.624.1268>

media contact: 480.624.1315 <tel:480.624.1315>

special events: 480.624.1332 <tel:480.624.1332>

meetings and events: 480.624.1220 <tel:480.624.1220>

Background info:

The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa is built to host conventions. Tucked away in Scottsdale, and less than one mile from Scottsdale Executive Airport, well-funded organizations can meet in a comfortable, secretive environment without setting foot outside the luxurious hotel grounds. This is where ALEC has chosen to bring together legislators and corporations to draft model legislation that exempts corporations from environmental and labor laws, pushes for Three Strikes and mandatory minimum sentencing, and targets, criminalizes and incarcerates communities of color, among other profit-driven laws (more info: alecexposed.org.

Call the Westin Kierland today to shame them for their part in allowing the sale of local and national legislation to the highest bidder.

More info: azresistsalec.wordpress.com .

Be the media! www.shutdownalec.org

Here are a few suggestions for actions, share your creative ideas with us and keep in touch on N30.

azresistsmedia@gmail.com

http://azresistsalec.wordpress.com/

#occupyALEC, #shutdownALEC and/or #ALECexposed

-Hold a Teach-In or other educational outreach event (an informative power point and other resources are available: http://azresistsalec.wordpress.com/more-info-on-alec/)

-Shut down the 1% ! Occupy an ALEC corporation near you…too many to choose from? Focus on the board of directors http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=ALEC_Boards_and_Task_Forces)

-Bring your message to an ALEC legislative member near you. What’s your local connection to ALEC? – In AZ we are focusing on the ongoing colonization and exploitation of Native land and ALEC’s connection to immigration and the private prison industry. http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=ALEC_Politicians

-Street theater exposing corruption – Remember Billionaires for Bush? - Form a “business suit bloc” and March! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAv8Mv9tzoA)

-Literally “Expose” ALEC – two letters per butt cheek...just sayin’... Or get a trench coat and hide ALEC’s sample bills inside…show people what’s under your coat…

Go to the website and see “Find ‘Find Model Bills’ here” http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed

-Twitter and Blog about ALEC on N30- get the word out far and wide!

-So many issues! Can’t decide? Focus on how private prisons affect your community.

http://www.thenation.com/article/162478/hidden-history-alec-and-prison-labor

-Got a projector? Have a guerilla movie night to expose ALECs major funder the Koch brothers.

http://kochbrothersexposed.com/thepress/2011/05/13/guerrilla-drive-in-at-lincoln-center-shames-koch-brother/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vykr06dMwY&feature=player_embedded

Lots more information can be found at:

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=ALEC_Corporations

http://www.alecexposed.org/

______________________________________________________________________

Take Action on N30!SHUT ALEC DOWN!

From November 30 to December 3rd, 2011,some of the most powerful corporations and thousands of state legislators will be bringing Wall Street politics and greed to Scottsdale, AZ. The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), will be having their States and Nations Policy Summit where they can continue their drive for profits, and to control and destroy our communities and the earth.

Most of us learned about ALEC, a secretive nation-wide organization, when they were exposed for their relationship with private prisons and their role in SB1070 and its copy cat laws, although they've been involved in various efforts to criminalize people through such things as the mandatory minimum sentencing and three strikes laws. They were also involved in the creation of the animal enterprise terrorism act (AETA), they support companies (including BP) involved with energy extraction across the world (including Tar Sands), as well big pharmaceutical companies.

We are calling for a *national day of action*on November 30 to demonstrate against ALEC during their conference.

Join us in Scottsdale, AZ on occupied Onk Akimel O’odham lands, to expose, confront, and resist ALEC and what they represent.

ALEC is everywhere. If you can't make it, find one or more representatives of ALEC (corporate, government, or non-profit org) in your area to expose, confront, and resist!

Please spread the word!

http://azresistsalec.wordpress.com

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=ALEC_Corporations

http://www.alecexposed.org/

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some Messaging:

“We want ALEC to be so transparent they don’t exist anymore”

“ALEC is the 1% ”

“Corporations write legislation?!? This is corrupt and should stop!”

“People over Profits! No more profiting of the misery of others”

anti- Fracking protesters shut down the country’s only hydrolic fracturing rig – again!

1.12.11

Activists settle in for long-term occupation of toxic new industry which threatens the West Country

The controversial proposed Fracking site in Hesketh Bank, Lancashire was shut down this morning as 8 Bristol cyclists stormed the drilling rig. Three of the climate justice campaigners from Bristol Rising Tide scaled the Cuadrilla Resources equipment with supplies and have declared their intention to stop work for several days.

The drilling rig is the only operation of it's kind working in the country, after a similar exploratory site in Blackpool was shut down in the spring because it induced two earthquakes in the area. [1]

Liz Sparks, a spokesperson for Bristol Rising Tide, explained the potential dangers of fracking in the South West:

“Large parts of Wales, Devon, Somerset and Dorest are potentially under threat from this desperate new technology, which involves extracting the gas in shale rock through Hydraulic Fracturing, (or fracking) [2]. Huge amounts of water mixed with toxic chemicals are forced into the ground at high pressure, a large proportion of which are never recovered. This fluid also leaches arsenic out of rocks, creating a dangerous cocktail that’s difficult to dispose of. In the United states numerous spills of these fluids have contaminated irrigation water, effecting food supplies, and the health of surrounding communities." [3]

The same site was occupied last month by another group– “Frack Off”, and local community resistance across the country is gaining ground. [4]

Paul Williams, who works in a Bristol Library, was among the protestors. He commented:

"People simply aren’t going to stand by and let this crazy extreme sneak into our landscape. We've been inspired by the remarkable work of our neighbours in Wales. Glamorgan county council recently voted unanimously against an application to Frack the area.[5] This decision was influenced by Welsh Water's submission that reserve groundwater sites are at risk of contamination. We can stop this before it starts if we act now. If you want earthquakes, runaway climate change, contaminated water, and a threat to agricultural production then Fracking's the way forward. If you want energy security and more jobs per kilowatt hour, go with renewables [6]. It's a no brainer."

The industry is quick to point to the US experience of fracking, but their safety record there is on increasingly shaky ground. New York State has just instituted a moratorium against fracking, as has Quebec, Canada. France has banned it outright, as has New Jersey in the US. [7]

Twitter: Follow the action on twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/BrisRisingTide (BrisRisingTide)

Photos and videos updated in real-time on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/71113300@N08/ (Bristol Rising Tide)

For more info see: www.frack-off.org
And www.risingtide.org.uk/bristol

Xstrata mining stormed by Occupy London protestors + global anti-Xstrata protests

30.11.11

An action took place in London against a union-busting earth-trashing Swiss/British coal and metal mining company – for a selection of the global protests against them, see below the main article. There's various footage: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5. Part of the N30 mass strike (timeline).

#OccupyLSX had announced an action at 3pm at Piccadilly Circus. They set off with the samba band and minutes later a flare was set off inside Panton House, Haymarket, whilst a banner was hung from the roof. Outside protestors challenged some plainclothes cops in the crowd, after which a 'bubble' or kettle was set up, apparently with more plain clothes cops trapped inside it.

Occupy London – part of the global movement for social and economic justice – today highlighted the corporate greed endemic in the UK and called for a change within society.

About 60 protestors gained entry into the offices of mining company Xstrata, a ‘leading light’ of the FTSE 100 and British industry to highlight the fact that CEO Mick Davies was the highest compensated CEO of all the FTSE 100 companies in the last year, when his companies had losses and the economy collapsed. He received £18,426,105 for his efforts. [1]

This comes in a year when the average pay rise of executives across FTSE 100 companies was 43%, with ‘top’ directors at 49%. [2]

Led by a samba band to the building from Piccadilly Circus, the protesters entered the HQ at 25-7 Haymarket, London, with the protesters chanting against the corporate greed of Mick and other executives, in support of all those striking for fair pensions for all today. The protestors also unfurled a banner saying “All power to the 99%” from the roof top.

There are currently about 20 protesters inside – being held down on knees, of which many are women. There are a few hundred people kettled outside.

The protesters today are making the connection between the slashing of private and public sector pensions, while supposed ‘top’ executives cash in by increasing their own pay levels, leaving many without pensions. These CEOs like Mick Davies lavishly secure their own futures while ignoring the security and wellbeing of their own workers.

Mines have closed in Australia, South Africa and Spain within the last decade resulting in hundreds of workers in the last decade being laid off.

Karen Lincoln, supporter of Occupy London said: “Mick Davies is a prime example of the greedy 1 per cent, lining their own pockets while denying workers pensions. In this time when the government enforces austerity on the 99 per cent, these executives are profiting. The rest of us are having our pensions cuts, health service torn apart and youth centres shut down.

“We refuse to stand by and let this happen. We call on others to join us in the fight for a more just society. Today we have taken this to one of the offices of the 1 per cent. This is only the beginning. Come and join us on 15th December for Occupy Everywhere.”

Occupy London will unveil details of Occupy Everywhere soon. Be ready.

Notes

[1] According to the Income Data Services, Mick Davies from Xstrata (mining company) was the highest paid executive in the FTSE 100. His company has recently taken severe hits as FTSE 100 companies face drop in value (£104 billion off FTSE 100 companies). He was paid £18,426,105. LONDON OFFICE: Registered Office, 4th Floor 25/27 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4EN

Highest paid executives in the FTSE 100:

1. Mick Davies, Xstrata, £18,426,105

2. Bart Becht, Reckitt Benkiser, £17,879,000

3. Michael Spencer, ICAP £13,419,619

4. Sir Terry Leahy, Tesco £12,038,303

5. Tom Albanese, Rio Tinto £11,623,162

6. Sir Martin Sorrell, WPP Group £8,949,985

7. Todd Kozel, Gulf Keystone Petroleum £8,913,223

8. Don Robert, Experian £8,601,984

9. Edward Bonham Carter, Jupiter Fund Management £8,003,641

10. Dame Marjorie Scardino, Pearson £8,003,641

[2] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/business-as-usual-top-directors-get-49-per-cent-pay-rise-2376929.html

[3] Facebook page for Occupy London’s Stock Exchange site just by St Paul’s (OccupyLSX) is https://www.facebook.com/occupylondon. Overall Occupy London twitter Occupy Londonhastag is #occupylondon. OccupyLSX Twitter is https://twitter.com/#!/OccupyLSX ; hashtag#occupylsx. Twitter for the new Finsbury Square site is https://twitter.com/#!/OccupyFS; hastag #occupyfs. Twitter for Bank of Ideas is http://twitter.com/bankofideas and facebook is http://facebook.com/bankofideaslondon

——

What happened next (& photos) – ejection, kettling (with new added 'info screens'), arrests and arrestee-coach blocking.

——-

Oct.'07: Xstrata, criticized heavily by a growing number of Chileans opposing the Swiss mining company’s plan to build a large hydroelectric dam in northern Patagonia (Region XI), is no stranger to controversy – especially when it comes to rivers. More

Oct.'06: THE traditional Aboriginal owners of land near the Gulf of Carpentaria are travelling to Darwin to protest against the mining company Xstrata's decision to expand a zinc and lead mine by diverting the McArthur River. More

Jan.'08: Communist rebels have attacked a $2 billion copper and gold mine owned by Xstrata in the Philippines. More

May '11: Peru – Xstrata halts activities at Las Bambas due to protests More

Nov.'11: Workers of the mining group Xstrata are to demonstrate in Johannesburg on Tuesday to demand the right to take part in industrial action…."This march will be taking place amid the impromptu arrest of Numsa members by [the] SA Police Service under the instruction of one of Xstrata's key executives." More

Nov.'11: Vehicles torched in job protest at Xstrata mine More

anti-nuke Castor transport protests in France and Germany

27 November 2011

German protesters block rail track

27 November 2011

German protesters block rail track

HUNDREDS of riot cops with helicopter support have cleared the way for the Castor nuclear waste train in Germany.

This video (& lots of links to other footage) from graswurzel.tv (grass roots tv) shows how activists approached the railway line through woods, before evading police to stage a massive occupation of the track numnering up to 5,000 people.

More than 1,000 people were arrested for refusing to leave and police also clashed with two groups of protesters that hurled stones and fireworks, say corporate media.

There were clashes in France last week (see below) when protesters managed to sabotage the line and torch a police vehicle.

The shipment paused overnight south of Hamburg and is expected to reach its destination with considerable delay on Monday.

—

23 November 2011

Protesters battle French riot cops

ANTI-NUCLEAR protesters battled with riot police in France in a bid to stop a train of nuclear waste heading for Germany.

The authorities used tear gas and brute force, but the environmentalists managed to sabotage part of the railway and torch a police vehicle.

The French state is refusing to end its nuclear operations, even after the Fukushima disaster and the horrific after-effects.

The shipment from the French nuclear giant Areva's reprocessing plant at La Hague is the last planned to Germany.

Similar protests are expected along the whole route – the last convoy in 2010 was blocked for three hours in Caen and one night in Germany.

Video

http://vastminority.blogspot.com

Italy: more NO TAV protests planned for December

More initiatives being planned by the NO TAV movement against a high speed rail line being built in the Susa Valley (Piedmont).

On November 24, the NO TAV movement held a public assembly in Bussoleno to discuss and plan December’s initiatives and protests. For more than 3 hours participants debated and exchanged views on the present state of the NO TAV struggle and future initiatives. More protests are planned in particular around the date of December 8, anniversary of the great victory of Venaus in 2005*. In 2005, the media pressure and the mobilisations were enough to make a very clumsy and churlish government yield. Today, the big difference is that the political and economic lobby behind the TAV project, after years of studying and observing the NO TAV movement, is much more ruthless. The current military occupation in the Susa Valley doesn’t excel in speed (to this date, no building has commenced, and the excavation sites are still occupied by the NO TAV), but it’s certainly determined: the fortified fences around the excavation sites have become a symbolic show of strength. December 8 2011 comes after 6 months of resistance in the area, where the conflict between the local NO TAV activists and the military is felt everyday.

The assembly opted for a double-protest day: a protest will take place around the fenced areas, while another group will be marching from Susa to the headquarters of Sitaf. Sitaf is a partly public company that manages one of the motorways from Turin and that de facto assisted the militarisation of the Valley by providing a corridor and technical help to the troops transferred from Turin.

Meanwhile, a few nights after the assembly, some NO TAV witches held a night-time coven, armed with very dangerous secateurs to cut the fence down. My favourite chant: “My nan was a partisan and she taught me that cutting down fences isn’t a crime” 🙂 There was some tension when the security forces started measuring the length of the cut in the fence with their batons (??!!), but they then left, and the witches circle ended unharmed. Watch the video:

* On 5/6 December 2005 the police and security forces violently evicted one of the permanent lookout posts in Venaus, injuring about 20 protesters. On the 8th the NO TAV had a massive march from Susa to Venaus and managed to establish a new lookout post. Following the clashes and pressure from the NO TAV movement, the government decided to put the works on hold.

Sources: articles from www.notav.info, no 1 and no2.

italycalling.wordpress.com/2011/11/28/no-tav-more-protests-planned-for-december/

Ministry blocks anti-tar sands law, so we block ministry’s front door

28.11.11

This morning, 50 activists blockaded the Department for Transport with two immobilised cars parked in front of the entrance. Why? Because our government is trying to scupper EU legislation that will block tar sands oil – the dirtiest, most polluting form of oil there is – from being sold at UK petrol pumps.

Mining for tar sands is wrecking the Canadian boreal forest, destroying the homelands of indigenous people, and accelerating dangerous climate change.

So why then is the Department for Transport trying to sabotage legislation that would block tar sands oil from European petrol pumps? Looks like they’ve been lobbied hard by the Canadian government and big oil.

Consumer Culture Brought to Its Knees in Bradford – Buy Nothing/Steal Something Day

In one sweeping stroke the false consciousness of consumption was served a mortal blow in the streets of Bradford today. As the worldwide ripples of Buy Nothing Day crashed upon the shore of BD1, multinational capital trembled in it's bloodstained boots.

The 26th of November has been known by some as Buy Nothing Day for twenty years. A day to celebrate the madness of our self-consumption and to plead for the soul of our civilisation, Buy Nothing Day is about touching people. Inspiring a thought, a doubt, a scrunched up brow, a gob of spit in the face maybe, but a reaction.
Today the hardy shoppers of drizzley Bradford met friendly faces, offering a smile, a song, a book and a drink. No money accepted.
Shivering souls warmed their long neglected cockles with some fine rebel coffee, lovingly grown by Zapatista cooperatives in Mexico.
Confusion reigned as people wondered, "why is this stuff free?". The answer: "why not?"
We can't buy happiness, even dodgy science has shown that paying for experience rather than things is more satisfying. Our habits of purchasing antidotes to alienation are seemingly furthering our descent into dissappointment, and so we fill our lives with shiny things while we deplete our planet of necessary survival items like air and water, and thus ending potential for japes and jiggery-pokery.
Luckily, a collection of people put an end to this cycle of depravity by having some stalls in the soggy streets. A free shop was erected and people played songs, outside a monument to failed capitalism, an empty shop. (The sweet irony of protesting against consumption in a half-vacated city centre was not lost). A worthy target was found, and Starbucks was picketed by free shoppers and Zapatista supporters, highlighting their bullying tactics towards small farmers and their own workers. Their dubious involvement with greenwash front Conservation International was blown wide open (see this http://londonmexicosolidarity.org/content/chiapas-coffee-starbucks-and-conservation-international or http://www.organicconsumers.org/corp/starbucks.cfm) and people complained that their independent cafes were being suffocated by this silky sham sofa swarming of sterile Starbucks, with one independent observer commenting "I don't know why people go there, their coffee's shit." The Yorkshire Zapatistas were on hand to offer some free coffee, and a taste of autonomy to curious people, and many fruitful discussions were had.
So is this the end of the consumerist model?

Maybe a Buy Nothing Christmas will hammer the final nails into the coffin.

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Background:

No purchase necessary!

Saturday November 26th is Buy Nothing Day (UK). It's a day where you challenge yourself, your family and friends to switch off from shopping and tune into life. The rules are simple, for 24 hours you will detox from shopping and anyone can take part provided they spend a day without spending!

Everything we buy has an impact on the environment, Buy Nothing Day highlights the environmental and ethical consequences of consumerism. The developed countries – only 20% of the world population are consuming over 80% of the earth's natural resources, causing a disproportionate level of environmental damage, and an unfair distribution of wealth.

People around the UK will make a pact with themselves to take a break from consumption as a personal experiment or public statement and the best thing is – IT'S FREE!!!

For a quick start to Buy Nothing Day read the FAQ page. If you want to take part in more actively, which is far more fun, then you may want to organise an event – take a look at the TOOLKIT for info and ideas and check the EVENTS page. If there are no events near you – organise one! Get social and follow Buy Nothing Day UK on TWITTER and FACEBOOK

Of course, Buy Nothing Day isn't about changing your lifestyle for just one day – we want it to be a lasting relationship with you consumer conscience – maybe a life changing experience? We want people to make a commitment to consuming less, recycling more and challenging companies to clean up and be fair. The supermarket or shopping mall might offer great choice, but this shouldn't be at the cost of the environment or developing countries.

Buy Nothing Day Website

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Steal Something Day, a shameless 24-hour stealing spree!

Critique and call-out

Stop Shell’s peat removal!

Friday 25th November saw over 5 hours of Shell's peat and stone haulage completely blocked by campaigners, and no arrests were made. First thing in the morning four campaigners had trucks blocked for over an hour and a half, and later on one person climbed on top of a peat truck outside Shell's Bellanaboy refinery, remaining there for 3 and a half hours stopping all haulage.

At about 7.15am Friday 25th November four people went out to Shell's haulage route to stop workers from getting to the Aughoose tunneling compound. A van full of workers was stopped, along with the first load of quarry trucks which came along about 10-15 minutes later.

A squad car with one garda was present, but he was unable to stop people from blocking on his own. Eventually more gardaí arrived so people stopped blocking, and the trucks that had been stopped up all morning started making their way to the compound. No arrests made.

Later that day at 3.30pm, three people stopped a peat truck outside Gate 1 of Shell's Bellanaboy refinery. Seeing as there were only three people to block the truck and gardaí would surely arrive soon to move people out of the road, one person climbed on top of the lorry to ensure all haulage would be stopped.

Solidarity camp member Grainne Clancy speaks, “We are doing all we can with the numbers we have at the moment, but we really need more people up here right now. Sometimes there's only a couple of us blocking, if we had even a few more people we could be doing a lot more to disrupt Shell's peat removal”

She continues, “There have been some actions like the last Barrett's [quarry in Bangor] one, where security could barely handle us as it was, and with a couple more people we would have been successful”

See report and photos from Barrett's quarry action here: http://shelltosea.com/content/shells-peat-haulage-has-b…upted

On Friday the person remained on top of the truck for three and a half hours, until Shell stop work at 7pm. All Shell traffic was blocked but local traffic was still able to pass on the other side of the road, aside from when gardaí rather arbitrarily claimed the entire road was blocked, turning local traffic around.

At a lock-on protest earlier in the week a garda was overheard giving orders to “shut the road down to local traffic, if they see a local in the lock-on they'll be delighted," apparently trying to stop local traffic from seeing one of their neighbours with an arm in the concrete lock-on.

At the protest on Friday gardaí were overheard explaining to drivers that protesters have the entire road shut down, when clearly traffic could pass and it was actually gardaí shutting the road down. Eventually the gardaí gave up blocking the whole road and resumed directing local traffic around the stopped lorry.

By 4.30pm a lot of locals had shown up with tea and snacks, and at least 20 people remained there for the early evening. At 7pm the person got down from the top of the peat truck and walked away, escaping arrest.

Grainne Clancy continues, “Friday was great, but the possibilities of what we could do with a few more people is really exciting. Shell are only allowed to use one haulage route, and with us blocking it all the time they'll hardly get any work done. Please come up to Mayo”

The Rossport Solidarity Camp is a welcoming base for anyone interested in learning more about the campaign or anyone interested in taking action against Shell. All are welcome at any time, come visit and see what it's about for yourself. And taking action against shell doesn't have to mean climbing on trucks or doing lock ons. Help is needed with taking photos and video, making dinner, building lock ons, chopping wood, and lots of other things it takes to keep the camp running smoothly.

The camp is located in a field in Aughoose, next to Aughoose Church (between Pullathomas and Bellanaboy).

To ring for directions, questions or to let us know you're coming: 085.114.1170 or email: rossportsolidaritycamp[at]gmail[dot]com