Action Reports – Page 114

Blockade against industrial wind project in Danish wilderness

July 26 – Police in Denmark detained six environmental activists on Tuesday protesting the felling of trees in a forest to make room for a research centre for wind turbines.

Protesters said they were not opposed to the centre, but to the location.

July 26 – Police in Denmark detained six environmental activists on Tuesday protesting the felling of trees in a forest to make room for a research centre for wind turbines.

Protesters said they were not opposed to the centre, but to the location.

The test centre is meant to further Denmark’s position as world leader in wind power, commonly seen as environmentally friendly renewable energy as it consumes no fossil fuels and produces no emissions.

The protest began 10 days ago at Thy in windy northwestern Jutland where Denmark’s wind industry aims to test giant turbines up to 250 metres high (820 feet).

“We are not against the centre, we are not against the wind industry — on the contrary,” Kent Klemmesen, chairman of the campaign against the project, told Reuters. “We are against the location, because we feel there are far better alternatives.”

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Thursday morning, 15 July 2011, the local Danish police gave up removing the activists who since Friday, 15 July 2011, have prevented the cutting down of forest to make room for the planned National Test Centre for 250 metres high windmills in Thy, Northern Jutland [Denmark].

Ten police officers turned up to end the blockade, but withdrew when it turned out that there were more activists than expected. The protestors are camping in the forest area where the authorities intend to cut down the trees to create the right wind conditions in the Test Centre. “We shall be back in greater numbers,” the police said.

The Test Centre will be situated between a protected bird sanctuary, a so-called Ramsar area, and a Natura 2000 area. The Danish Society for Nature Conservation finds that the law regarding the Test Centre violates the European Union (EU) Habitat Directive, and has brought the case before the EU Commission who has requested a detailed statement from the Danish government. Furthermore, a local association has filed a case against the Danish State.

Friday, 15 July, the bird breeding season ended and by midnight the Danish authorities intended to start cutting down the forest. Throughout the day, the local population protested against the demolition of one of Denmark’s last wilderness area.

The activists simply laid down in front of the authorities’ machines to prevent the cutting down to start. They are staying in the area in tents, day and night. The ruling of the EU Commission is expected within a couple of weeks. The activists demand that the cutting be postponed until the ruling of the EU Commission and the verdict of a Danish court have been made public.

The demonstration in Thy has no central organization, but arose spontaneously. A spokesman for the activists appealed for support and assistance from both Europe and the rest of the world—support as soon as possible.

For more info, contact Peter Skeel Hjorth, spokesman of EPAW in Scandinavia and the Baltic States. Email: peter@skeelhjorth.dk Phone: +46 708 166521 Or Aleksander Sønder. Email: aleksander.soender@gmail.com Phone: +45 26160630

UPDATE & MORE BACKGROUND 7/26/2011: “Camp has been shut down again. Still there are people monitoring the forest actions and reporting them… The windmill company first wanted to settle the camp on a place where the military is training for Afghanistan. Because the military argues that they are in war, they did not led the test center be built there. So the last nature reserve in Denmark has to be victimized for this project. This isn’t democratically voted, and the legal issue at the European cout hasn’t been decided. Still the workers already started cutting down. And the police are still present.” —From an anonymous source on the frontlines

For a longer list of “players” benefiting from, and/or invested in, this project go here

For some pro-industry lies promising greatness and further information on this region and this enormous wind energy project also visit here

Protesters argue that the effects of the huge windmills on human and animal life have not been studied adequately and the 1,200 hectares (2,965 acres) of forest should be preserved.

Though tree felling has begun, Amos Stenner, an activist who spent five hours up in a tree on Tuesday, said he was not giving up. “It is very possible, that I will go up a new tree tomorrow,” he told Reuters.

The test centre project is run by the Danish Technical University DTU, with support from industry, including wind turbine manufacturers Vestas and Siemens and state-owned DONG Energy.

Delivering the answer to GM spuds in Norwich

Saturday 23rd July saw growers and supporters from all over the UK and beyond descend on Norwich to help deliver 40 boxes of organic blight-resistant potatoes to the Sainsbury Laboratory to highlight the re-emergence of open-air field testing, and the £1.7 million of public money being spent in the hunt for a GM blight-resistant spud. Folk came from Wales, France, London, Devon, Lancaster, Manchester, Dorset, Liverpool, Bristol, Yorkshire, Bungay and Norwich itself. You can see photos of the event by clicking on http://www.flickr.com/photos/chickenpea111/sets/72157627303039592/
Backing from celebrity foodie Antonio Carluccio, combined with grassroots organising and the sheer absurdity of the GM research, meant that the event got extensive press coverage (see the links below).

Most of the speeches were conducted in the city centre, next to the farmers’ market, and featured the head of policy at the Soil Association, the Director of GM Freeze and a selection of farmers, who explained why GM is a risky, expensive and outdated technology, which is still failing to deliver commercial crops of any benefit to farmers or consumers. Peter Lundgren, a conventional farmer from Lincolnshire, described the ongoing research as “flogging a dead horse”. “Why are we throwing good money after bad when we already have six varieties of blight resistant potatoes in the marketplace available for growers? The GM industry makes a great effort to suggest that existing varieties don’t taste good.” “Look” he said, pointing to the children in the crowd tucking into hot blight-resistant potatoes being served by the local Greenhouse café. “That’s the real test.” The crowd of growers, councillors, senior citizens and kids then headed out to the John Innes Centre to deliver the organic spuds under the watchful gaze of several vans of riot cops and a police helicopter.

Prof. Jonathan Jones (or JJ to us…) Field notes from close quarters.

The most unusual aspect of the demo which followed was the intimate approach adopted by the Sainsbury’s lab researchers. Normally industry scientists are more than coy about engaging with critics. Stop GM attempted to organise a standard public debate in Bramham near Leeds University a couple of months ago. The village is next to the only other open-air trial site in the country at Leeds University, but Prof. Atkinson refused to attend, saying that he didn’t believe adversarial debates inform the public.

Up until 6 days before the Norwich rally Jones was issuing threats against anyone attempting to make a delivery to his door and refusing our offer of a modest platform. So it was curious that JJ brought not only a small army of security, but also what appeared to be a not insignificant part of his research team, his PA, and his wife to the party outside the Sainsbury Lab gates, who all mingled with the crowd and attempted to engage in a variety of ways. Jones gave us some useful insights into what to expect from the industry when cornered. The intro to his speech actually included a substantial ‘I used to subscribe to the Ecologist in the 70’s you know’ section. He also talked a lot about the support he had from local farmers, none of whom were actually in attendance, and he didn’t acknowledge viable alternatives to GM, other than to say that the potatoes that had been delivered were “not popular with consumers” (Unlike, say, GM foods – the only product ever to be universally banned by supermarkets from their own lines in response to mass consumer opposition). He attempted throughout to paint himself as a champion of impartial public science dedicated to reducing chemical use, reducing carbon emissions and feeding the world. This from a man who’s other day job is that of co-founder of Mendel Bio-technology. This is taken from their website: “Mendel is dedicated to being a premier biotechnology company serving large agricultural companies with new genetic and chemical solutions and to becoming the leading seed company serving the bioenergy industry.” Those chemical solutions and large agricultural companies he so carefully aligned himself against in Saturday’s speech? Mendel has three strategic partners: Monsanto (the largest), BP and Bayer Crop Science.

JJ defending his Monsanto links in the Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jul/18/gm-scientist-defends-monsanto-links

For more on Jones and his commercial bio-tech and lobby group links see: http://www.powerbase.info/index.php/Jonathan_Jones

Jones is also on the board of directors of the ISAAA, a GM industry lobby group.
ISAAA’s annual review of GM crops is often used to promote the technology, as no one else is putting similar data out.

The rally was followed by some fine shapes being thrown around the campfire at the excellent after-party, and day of grassroots organising where we gathered inspiration from our amazing French friends and further evolved campaign ideas started at Gathering Momentum in January. Watch out for our stall and workshops at the Green Gathering in Chepstow this weekend. Drop in and say hello if you’re passing. For more information about non-GM blight-resistant potatoes see www.savari-trust.org

A summary of some of the news coverage-

TV –

ITN : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REZwCEZqoSU&feature=player_embedded
BBC:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-14277147
Radio: BBC Norfolk:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/p00hxv3f

Press –

http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2011/07/25/127998/Campaigners-protest-against-GM-spuds.htm

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/health/anti_gm_protesters_descend_on_john_innes_centre_in_norwich_1_972864

http://www.newmarketjournal.co.uk/news/regional/protesters_meet_gm_crop_scientists_1_2896750http://www.southnorwichnews.co.uk/news/rally-heads-for-research-park/

http://www.farmersguardian.com/home/latest-news/norwich-protest-over-gm-potatoes/40434.article

JJ also got a pre-emptive piece in the on-line Guardian. For those who aren’t aware, the Guardian has started receiving Gates Foundation funding. The Microsoft billionaire’s fondness for biotech appears to have rendered several previously impartial organisations slightly blinkered in their engagement with GM issues. Whilst some of the media coverage is undoubtedly unbalanced, the Sainsbury laboratory do a lot of PR anyway, and this rally is the first time in many years that they have been forced to defend rather than just promote their work. At their site they seem to have expended a fair bit of energy in defence as well, with a convenient contamination containing ‘tent’ over the trial site, and earth barricades at every entrance.

The campaign continues – come and get involved. Contact info@stopgm.org.uk

Rossport action update

Shell blockaded on the first day
Tripod blocakding road as first of new fences sit and wait with nowhere to go

At 6.59 this morning a tripod was erected on the road between Shell’s Ballinaboy refinery and their compound at Aughosse, Co Mayo.

Shell blockaded on the first day
Tripod blocakding road as first of new fences sit and wait with nowhere to go

At 6.59 this morning a tripod was erected on the road between Shell’s Ballinaboy refinery and their compound at Aughosse, Co Mayo.
At 6.59 this morning a tripod was erected by people from Rossport Solidarity Camp on the road between Shell’s Ballinaboy refinery and their compound at Aughosse thereby blockading the road to all incoming trucks. Shell were due to move the first lot of fencing from one site to another at 7am in order to prepare and enlarge the existing compound in preparation for turf removal before pipe laying, but instead the truck of fencing now sits behind a line of 30 IRMS security with nowhere to go. Meanwhile the head of IRMS, Jim Farrell, can be seen making frantic phone calls.
Watch this space for more updates throughout the day…

http://www.shelltosea.com/content/shell-blockaded-first-day

10.30 am update
Three and a half hours after it was erected, the tripod blockade is still holding the road and no deliveries have yet been made. Scones have just been delivered via local supporters.

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Shell delayed again – 2nd day
27.07.2011
A variety of actions have been taking place all day in order to delay Shell’s expansion and securing of their new compound. Protests and blockades from 7am to 7pm

On Tuesday 26th July the actions against Shell’s proposed high pressure gas pipeline began at 7am in the morning with 6 people blocking the road with an arm tube lock on. No arrests were made. This was followed by multiple blockades of tractors and equipment bound for the Aughoose compound. Currently Shell are working on securing their compound by putting up stronger fences, laying bog mats and bringing in machinery. This is in preparation for the peat removal from the area in order to begin laying the pipe.

People have been climbing up on the back of flat bed trailers and on top of various tractors and trucks. One person was on top of a tractor for over an hour and a half before being forcibly removed and arrested by the Gardai (police) who have been traveling in convoy ‘protecting’ the tractors all day.

Only 2 loads were successfully delivered to the compound before midday. This afternoon has seen continuous disruption of the deliveries, with people hiding along the road and jumping out/on the convoy to force it to stop.

One local person successfully blocked the road by climbing up on top of a lorry directly in front of the compound.

Its been another long and amazing day. It is becoming clear that the Gardaí are finding the intensity of the protests frustrating and that they seem reluctant to make arrests. It remains to be seen whether they will be able to keep this level of policing up but it is clearly exhausting all of their resources.

This is a critical time in the the campaign and to keep this kind of protests going we need more people! There is a mass Day of Action this Friday 29th July. If you can come up sooner or stay for longer it would be great!

For more information call 085 1141170 or check out www.rossportsolidaritycamp.org or rossportsolidaritycamp@gmail.org

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Mayo – Shell’s construction stopped for fifth consecutive day

— Campaigners blockading heavy vehicles prevent construction of Shell’s onshore pipeline — Press release from earlier today – more details from today plus photos to follow as soon as the folk involved catch their breath!

This morning, 28th of July 2011, campaigners again successfully stopped the first haulage of the day from Shell’s refinery at Ballinaboy to the proposed tunneling compound at Aughoose, Erris. Co. Mayo. Two people climbed on top of the tractor carrying materials for the construction site at 7.05am. The campaigners are currently blocking all further Shell transport for the fifth consecutive work day since Shell attempted to start peat removal on Friday the 22nd of July.

The first blockade of the day lasted for over two hours. At 9.45 a tripod blockade was erected on the same stretch of road, which is currently blocking Shell’s haulage. Continuous blockades can be expected until 7pm this evening. Three arrests were made yesterday. There have been no arrests so far today.

Local resident Betty Schultz protesting this morning at Ballinaboy, said “Tomorrow’s Day of Action marks our continuing opposition to the disruption of the community and the unique environment we live in. Now is the time to support the community of Erris in their campaign. Ireland can’t afford to give away its natural resources.”

People from around Ireland are answering this SOS call from Erris, and many are expected to arrive this afternoon and this evening to be ready for a mass Day of Action tomorrow, Friday the 29th of July. In advance of the mass action tomorrow, local women gathered at the entrance to Ballinaboy this morning from 7am to show that Shell do not have the community consent.

Glenamoy resident Mary Horan at Ballinaboy gates said “While in Ireland we are closing our hospitals due to lack of funds, Shell have today announced profits of 13 billion euros. Shell’s profits announced this morning are sickening to this community whose health and safety has been sacrificed for Shell’s shareholders. Neither Shell nor Enda Kenny can hide the injustice being done to Ireland. We will be here until justice is done.”

ENDS
—
www.shelltosea.com

Outdoor Skillshare 2011 location released!

This year’s Outdoor Skillshare will take place at Talamh Housing Cooperative in South Lanarkshire. The skillshare runs 26-29 August, but get there on Thursday and leave on Tuesday to make sure you don’t miss anything!

Much more information about the event has been uploaded here: http://outdoorskillshare.noflag.org.uk/

Coal Action Scotland warmly invites you to join us in beautiful rural South Lanarkshire for a weekend of skillsharing and workshops about outdoor life and resistance techniques. From mass catering to foraging wild foods, from land defence to self defence, from climbing trees to digging tunnels and everything between; come and learn new skills, meet new people and share your experiences with others.

Since the occupation of Mainshill Wood and the recent nine month occupation of Happendon Wood, Coal Action Scotland has had much collective experience of occupying and defending land along with sustaining and growing a community of resistance. The skillshare was conceived of because even though we have lots to share, we still have much more to learn and we hope to collectively empower ourselves and others to increase our mutual capacity for effective action.

This skillshare will be a safe, inclusive and participatory environment for learning new, interesting and transferable skills and is open to people of all abilities and experiences. Whatever your particular campaign, whatever interests or excites you, the skillshare will be a creative melting pot of ideas and techniques to sustain life and resist oppression (however it manifests itself).

Check the website or join our mailing list to receive updates as they happen and feel free to contact us with any suggestions/requirements/questions you may have at outdoorskillshare [at] riseup.net.

**Solidarity with Dale Farm: At the same time as the Outdoor Skillshare will be taking place, Camp Constant will be holding a skillshare at Dale Farm, in solidarity with 90 families facing eviction from the UK’s largest traveling community. The two skillshares, although at the same time, are supporting each other – if you can’t come to one, please come to the other! http://dalefarm.wordpress.com/**

Earth First! Summer Gathering Update 2011

Location announced, workshop schedule published, and how the kids space is going to work. All for the Earth First! Summer Gathering which begins on the 10th of August and runs until the 15th.

Get in touch if you need more information.

Location announced, workshop schedule published, and how the kids space is going to work. All for the Earth First! Summer Gathering which begins on the 10th of August and runs until the 15th.

Get in touch if you need more information.

The gathering this year will be held at Woolseybridge Farm – a lovely site in Norfolk with lots of trees and a little stream. It’s approximately 1.5 miles NNE of Diss. Diss has regular train services and a wholefood shop.

If you can come down to help set up please do, we start on August the 5th, if you can stay a few days after the gathering to help bring it all do that’d also be grand.

Site phone number 1 is 07551689365 or try number 2 on 07866797016.

Here’s a detailed map

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And here’s the workshop schedule:

Wednesday

11:30-1

National Bargee Travellers Association

Information and discussion session on the current struggle of travelling boat dwellers to keep their homes in the face of harassment and unlawful enforcement by British Waterways. Come along if you live on a boat, or if you want to know how you can help the boating community fight back!

Frack-Off! An introduction to the threat of hydraulic fracturing.

Fracking is a nightmare! Toxic and radioactive water pollution. Tap water you can set on fire. Runaway climate change. To produce expensive gas that will soon run out. So why are we doing it? This will be a detailed practical, participatory workshop aimed at bringing people up to speed on the issue, the specifics of which areas of the UK are directly under threat and particularly, where to find organised resistance.

Squat Electrics

Dealing with our shit- Men against the Patriarchy. An open discussion on the ways in which men can unlearn the arsehole patriarchal behaviours they’ve picked up by being alive in this society, and reinforce within the radical environmental movement.

2-4

Popular Education & Training

Skill-share for Trainers! Interested in popular education & training? Come learn & share popular education exercises & games designed for group participation and horizontal learning. Find what collectives are working in the UK (& beyond!) and the work they are doing.

Oh Fuck it’s the Apocalypse

working on the basis that the collapse of industrial society is fairly imminent, and that we need to plan for it. To this end we’re looking at sustainable living, permaculture, etc, with a survivalist angle; at ways to survive a collapse and build a more sane society from the ruins; and discussing how this analysis affects our other activism and priorities. We’re a bit like Transition Towns with an Edge and a Clue.

Using Radios- A beginners guide to using radios during actions.

Setting up a Tripod- Never put up a tripod before, want a use one on an action. Here’s your chance to find out how.

4-6

Squatting,Direct Action and New Laws

Film: ‘Gasland’

When a documentary film-maker is asked to lease his land for drilling, he embarks on a cross-country odyssey uncovering a trail of secrets, lies and contamination. A recently drilled nearby Pennsylvania town reports that residents are able to light their drinking water on fire. This is a US documentary, however shale extraction or ‘fracking’ is now heading to the UK.

Tinkers Bubble

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Thursday

10-1130

Intro to Consensus

Consensus is widely regarded as one of the most empowering and creative ways of making decisions in a non-hierarchical group, but it isn’t always easy. This participatory workshop provides an introduction or refresher to what it’s all about and how to make it work.

Reccing

Structured and facilitated discussion to share skills and tips for successful reccies for action. Including a check-list of what to find out, internet and phone searches, site visits, tricks and disguises for getting info, security tips etc.

Intro to EF!

London Olympics

Resisting the London 2012 Olympics (Corporate Watch and the Counter Olympics Network)
What can we do to resist the Olympics in London next year? People are aware of the problems with the games – surveillance, gentrification, environmental destruction, privatisation, job insecurity etc and the benefits to corporations. Come and discuss these and how we can resist, taking inspiration from people who have resisted other Olympics.

How to plan a kick ass action:

You’ve taken action before and now you’re ready to start planning your own proactive and creative Kickass Actions…

1130-1300

Banking & finance

Locking on

Practical workshop for learning different lock-on techniques for blockades and other actions. Arm-tubes, d-locks, chains, handcuffs, superglue and more!

20 years of EF! Looking forward

Fight Fracking

Shale gas extraction or ‘fracking’ has been polluting drinking water and the climate in the US, where it has caused numerous health problems. It’s been blamed for mini-earthquakes in Blackpool and there are plans for projects across the UK, including in South Wales, Lancashire, Somerset, Kent, Surrey and Scotland. Join an open discussion & planning session on how we can resist these projects.

Infiltration- Activist Trauma

2.00pm-4.00pm

Dealing with Conflict

An introduction to understanding and dealing effectively with disagreement and conflict in our groups. www.seedsforchange.org.uk

Intro to Anarchy

Smash Edo

Anti-cuts and Against Austerity

An open discussion on how we’re currently working against the cuts, what are we learning about the situation, what is proving to be effective, do we need to unlearn certain behaviours that have dominated activist circles in order to broaden and connect the resistances currently occurring.

Mental Health

4pm- 6pm

Action Planning for a kick ass action

You’ve taken action before and now you’re ready to start planning your own proactive and creative Kickass Actions…

Self-Defence for Pacifists

Safe self-defence that doesn’t rely on strength and appropriate for any level of experience. Can be applied in direct-action or every day scenarios. Bring your (empty) plastic water-bottle and we’ll play with some ‘weapon/baton’ defence at the end. Numbers capped at 20, only appropriate15yrs and over (apologies for that arbitrariness).”

Shell to Sea

Trouble Shooting in meetings

A workshop on troubleshooting and improving your meetings.

Puppet show

Performance and discussion of a puppet show celebrating the history of environmental direct action in the UK.

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Friday

10.00am- 11.30am

Affinity groups

Participatory workshop exploring how and why work with others for action, including inspiring case studies of successful autonomous actions.

Basic bike maintenance.

An informal workshop on brakes and gears, can also cover truing wheels and look at other repairs with no or few tools, by Bicycology.

Intro to EF!

Facilitating Participatory Workshops

Have you got skills or information you’d like to share? Or maybe you want to support people to learn from each other, or share experiences? Develop skills, confidence& understanding to facilitate fun, participatory & dynamic workshops.

Solidarity is a Weapon

1130-1pm

Intro to Direct Action

Direct action is about taking things into our own hands instead of asking the rich and powerful to do the right thing. Empower yourself to go out and make change happen!

Intro to industrial Agriculture and GM

Anarcho-Feminist

Black Fish

The Black Fish is a newly founded European based conservation organisation that takes action on the issues of whaling, industrial fishing and marine animals in captivity. Using education, investigation and non-violent direct action, The Black Fish has set out on a mission to change attitudes towards our precious oceans and work to protect the unique life within them.

2-4pm

Sustaining Resistance- A workshop to explore how we can make our activism more sustainable and effective in the long term. Finding sources of personal support to help us stay inspired, nourished and creative for the long haul and identifying how we can challenge damaging cultures of overwork and burnout in our activist groups.*

Doing Actions without getting caught

Practical workshop covering various aspects of doing actions without getting caught, including getting to your target without detection both in the day and in the dark, forensics and dress sense, getting together materials, communications, getting away. Parts of the workshop will involve physical practise, please wear suitable clothes for crawling through bushes…

Women’s Self Defence

The luddites 200 year anniversary and technology politics today

Celebrating the 200 Anniversary of the Luddite Uprisings: Technology Politics Then and Now (Corporate Watch and the Luddites200 Organising Forum
In 1811-12 Artisan cloth workers in the Midlands and North of England rose up against factory owners who were imposing new machines and putting them out of work. Since the 1950s the Luddites have been painted as fools opposed to all technology and progress, but in fact the Luddites were very selective in their attacks, breaking only machines they thought were ‘hurtful to Commonality’. What can the Luddites teach us about the ongoing use of technology to replace workers’ jobs, as well as issues like GM food and nuclear power? Can we escape the myth that technology always brings progress?

Activist Trauma

4-6pm

Getting over Fences

Privilege and Oppression

Power and privilege play out continuously in our group dynamics. This workshop will explore the roles we each play as privileged and as oppressed in our movement and in wider society.

Dale Farm

this is the biggest unlawful Traveller site in the UK. Residents own their land but have been repeatedly refused planning
permission and Basildon Council have now gathered £18million in order to evict them. After years of fighting their eviction through the courts they have now been served their papers, and have until the 31st August to leave. this workshop will outline the history of the campaign, discuss plans for resisting the eviction and, if there is enough interest, organise a working party to visit Dale Farm to help them prepare for eviction.

Coal Action Network

Intro to what’s happened so far with CAN. Discussions about what people would like from the network/website and where people think coal campaiging is going. How to get involved in CAN.

Tripods

Doing Actions without Getting caught part 2

We’ll be practising how to move in the dark without being spotted. Please wear dark clothes suitable for crawling through the bushes and a torch if you can. Meet at 8.30 sharp at the gate tent. The practise will finish by 10pm.

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Saturday

10-1130

Facilitation

If you’ve never facilitated a meeting before, or want to brush up your skills and gain confidence, this workshop is for you.

Intro to EF!

Basic land navigation

An introduction to navigation with map and a compass for total beginners or improvers. Please bring a compass if you have one . Also, an overview of very simple route finding using the sun, stars and other natural signs.

Environmental and Autonomous Education for young people

A discussion about various alternative education projects for young people, a space to share ideas, experiences and rethink the ways in which we engage in these projects.

Coal Action Scotland- What’s going on in the Valleys at the moment and how can people get involved.

11.30am- 1.00pm

Building Strong Groups- Share ideas and learn from others for making your group more accessible, inclusive and sustainable.

Organising the next winter moot and summer gathering

Enjoyed this gathering? Thought this gathering was crap? Come along and start working out how next years gathering could turn out.

Nutrition 101

Mayday Indymedia

What is indymedia and how does it work? This workshop, run by members of the collective which looks after the indymedia.org.uk website, will attempt to answer your questions about indymedia and will give you the information you need to report your news effectively on the uk site [and the local sites Birmingham, Sheffield and Oxford?], including writing middle column features for the uk front page to give prominence to your campaigns and actions. Find out about the editorial guidelines and moderation, as well as how to raise queries and how to start up an indymedia collective in your local area.

Rewilding

Facilitated discussion.

2.00pm-4.00pm

Who Cares?

Open discussion based around recent article published on Ceasefire entitled “Who Cares?” which talked about the failures of the radical movement within the UK to engage with child care in a way which related to anarchist politics.

Know your rights: Legal and arrest workshop

Covers basic law for activists and the arrest process. If you’ve
never been nicked before or you want to brush up on your knowledge, this is for you. www.seedsforchange.org.uk

Anti-Nuclear- Campaign update and info session

Using Radios

Saving Iceland and Samarendra Das: The Global Crimes of the Aluminium Cartel

Behind the shining image of aluminium is a dark side of environmental catastrophes, the arms industry and cultural genocide. A joint presentation by Saving Iceland and Indian author/activist Samarendra Das. It will include current threats to the Icelandic highlands, one of Europe’s last great wildernesses, the history and future of the campaign and the fallacies of hydro and geothermal energy. Samarendra Das will speak about the present struggle of Adivasis against companies such as Vedanta and the real facts behind the aluminium industry.

2.00pm-4.00pm

Self-Defence

‘The True Cost of Coal’

The Beehive Design Collective (part of the Rising Tide North America Network) create portable murals of collaboratively produced illustrations with an amazingly engaging central narrative. ‘The True Cost of Coal’ will take you on an interactive visual tour of the connections between Coal Mining, Climate Change, the Ever Expanding Capitalist Economy, and the Struggle for Justice in Appalachia, North America and throughout the world.

GM Campaign- Campaign update and info share.

Community Defence: Building our own Exarchia’s

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Sunday

10.00am- 11.30am

Regional Meetings

Dsei

DSEi is the worlds largest Arms Fair, as many EFers know. This year it’s from September 13-18. It’s not simply about the arms trade. It’s about public services “cuts”: the environment: banking and investors: the conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa. Not to mention the borders that stop people fleeing conflict There’s a call for a mass blockade of the DLR on the Tuesday. Previous Days of Action- and other days in the week -have included street parties, Critical Mass bike rides, die-ins, mock sales of “arms”, legs and even a tank; splashing fake blood across the entrances, engaging with arms dealers on the trains and platforms, invading the car park and rail entrance, blocking the roads, locking on to the trains, even swimming in the dock! And visiting the investors offices of course. And in ther run-up- your local arms factory. Will be talking about all this – Not to mention that visit to your local arms factory!

11.30am- 1.00pm

Action Update

Gatherings Collective

Basic Plant I-d

Discussion about Veganism

Direct Action Training

Come and get active in this interactive and hopefully fun workshop where we’ll be looking at some fundamental building blocks for taking non-violent direct action to fight suffering, and practising different non-violent echniques to hold occupations, blockade, break out of kettles, de-arrest people, and to deal with other police tactics, like snatch squads, horses and dogs. We’ll also give lots of other tips for dealing with public order situations and for affinity group actions, including some key legal information which you should know when you’re taking action, and some tips about dealing with the media. And we’ll look at some of the values and attitudes which are key to taking NVDA, like non-hierarchical organising and consensus (and others). We’ll hopefully be able to adjust the workshop to cover what you want, and to answer all your questions.

2.00pm-4.00pm

Gathering Feedback Show

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Kids’ space and activities

If you do not have a kid, we might still need your help, so read
on…….

The kids’ space is designed as a place where children and those caring for them can relax, play and eat. The space contains books, toys and craft materials.

The kids’ space is NOT a creche and doesn’t have staff or facilities to care for children.

Parents and carers are respectfully reminded that they will need to collect children at meal times/breaks and that they much keep adults in the kids space informed of where they can be found; please also fill in the forms in the kids kitchen regarding food allergies etc.

If you do not have a child at the gathering, but would like to help in kids space, please talk to the collective. Help with reading stories, playing games, art and crafts always welcome.

Kid’s kitchen

This provides meals suitable for and at appropriate times for children. Kids meal tickets cost £2 or £3 a day for 2 meals (the lower rate is for toddlers); please buy these at the gate tent. This is the first time we have sold kids meal tickets and hopefully this will cover the cost of meals, but we may need to ask for help if this is not enough to cover our costs.

Even those without children can help by with cooking and washing up in the kids space, please volunteer if you can.

Games and activities

During the morning (approx 10 am -noon) there will be activities and workshops for kids in one of the workshop spaces.

In the afternoon (after lunch), there will be games in the top meadow for children and adults together. Again, any help with these very welcome – just ask the collective/kids space crew.

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Public Transport

The site is easily accessible by public transport, you can get the train either to Diss or Norwich and then catch the bus route no 1 (Simmonds) from Diss to Norwich. Or you could walk or cycle – it’s only 1.5miles away from Diss train station. Please come by public transport if at all possible! .

We will run pick-ups from the train station for anybody who can’t use the bus service or for larger groups of people. If you need a lift please let us know well in advance (and not in the middle of the night, when you’re at a train station somewhere!). !

Wheelchair users intending to use Diss station will need to book assistance with the train operator. There are no lifts so station staff have to assist mobility impaired customers across the track. Apparently the station is not manned 24 hours a day and the gate for the crossing is kept locked – so do phone and book to be sure .We have been told the bus service includes some low-floor buses with easy access for pushchairs, people with mobility impairments etc.

Hitch to Norwich or Diss; from Norwich hitch south on the A140 to Dickleburgh. It is then a 3 -4 mile walk or hitch to the site; on the Dickleburgh bypass (don’t go into Dickleburgh village) is a right turn to Shimpling and Burston; follow this road through Burston village, past the village green and out of the village. There is a sharp left turn, then down a hill to a sharp right turn. Site is on the right just over a little brick bridge.

From Diss either walk or bus, or carry on up the A140 to the turning on the Dickleburgh junction as above (only this time the junction is on the left).

[some even more detailed info including post-code, from previous year, at http://www.earthfirstgathering.org.uk/2008/where.html]

efsummergathering2011@riseup.net

Climate activists’ convictions quashed

The convictions of 20 climate activists were quashed by the Court of Appeal on Wednesday. The 20 had been convicted of conspiracy to commit aggravated trespass at Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station, in December last year. However, revelations about the withholding of evidence gathered by undercover police officer Mark Kennedy led to the Director of Public Prosecutions requesting an independent review into the safety of the prosecutions. Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, said the convictions had been a miscarriage of justice.

On the IMC newswire: Climate activists’ convictions quashed | HM Court of Appeal: Lord Chief Justice Appeal Judgement on Ratcliffe20 | NottinghamshirePolice extremely disappointed shame | Ratcliffe power station protesters cleared on appe | Ratcliffe Crown Court Trial ‘Collected Report’ PDF

Previous features: Guilty verdict in Ratcliffe trial | Ratcliffe Trial: Week 2 | Ratcliffe Trial: Prosecution Opens | Ratcliffe Conspiracy Trial Begins | Mass Arrest of 114 Climate Activists in Raid

Activists’ statement

We are 20 of the 114 people who were preemptively arrested near E.ON’s Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal power station over two years ago. During our trial last year we argued that our plan to safely shut down the power station was necessary in order to protect the ever escalating numbers of people dying as a result of climate change. We later found out our trial was rigged by the police and CPS to get convictions.

Through placing undercover officers in our movement, using mass preemptive arrest and rigging our trial, the state has deliberately attempted to silence dissenting voices. This quelling of dissent, now repeated in the young people facing prison for protesting against the attacks on public services, is fundamentally undemocratic. It is yet another example of those in power protecting their own interests. Whether it’s E.ON Energy or News International, the government and police have a track record of colluding with big business. We need to look at the root causes of climate change, and ask why the profits of corporations such as E.ON are being prioritised over future generations, and the millions already on the front line of our changing climate. Taking action on climate change is not an act of moral righteousness, its about protecting our future. History is full of examples of ordinary people acting to defend their rights and those of others, and we need a strong movement of people doing just that. Winning this appeal is just one small victory in the fight against the systemically political nature of policing. We stand in solidarity with all those have suffered injustice from the state or face repression for daring to take political action.

Links:

Ratcliffe on Trial

The full judgment

DPP announcement of independent inquiry

Nottinghamshire Police statement

GM wheat gets the chop, Australia

Update: offices raided week after decontamination / French scientist discovers signs of toxic effects relate

Update: offices raided week after decontamination / French scientist discovers signs of toxic effects related to eating GM foods / action video

14 July 2011

Greenpeace activists, including one mother who wants to protect her family, have stopped a GM wheat experiment outside Canberra this morning.

Two women used whipper snippers to remove a controversial genetically modified (GM) wheat crop before day break.

The activists constructed a decontamination area to safely dispose of the untested and potentially unstable GM organisms.

Safety in question

The activity follows the revelation that Australia’s peak scientific body, CSIRO, is conducting the world’s first human feeding trials of GM wheat, without adequate safety testing.

“This GM wheat should never have left the lab,” said activist and mother, Heather McCabe. “I'm sick of being treated like a dumb Mum who doesn’t understand the science. As far as I’m concerned, my family's health is just too important. GM wheat is not safe, and if the government can't protect the safety of my family, then I will.”

CSIRO’s wheat experiment came under recent scrutiny when eight international scientists and doctors questioned the ethics and scientific rigour behind it. In an open letter the scientists questioned the safety of human feeding trials planned for later this year in which Australians would be fed GM wheat from the Canberra based trials.

Conflict of interest

On 30 June, CSIRO rejected a Freedom of Information request by Greenpeace which requested further information to ensure the safety of the human feeding trials, along with transparent information about the commercial partnerships CSIRO has with foreign biotech companies to commercialise GM wheat.

In a July report – Australia’s Wheat Scandal Greenpeace detailed a major conflict of interest at CSIRO. Two directors of the biotech giant Nufarm – the distributor of Monsanto’s products in Australia – also sat on the CSIRO board at the time of the wheat experiment’s approval. View the infographic detailing the connections

GM wheat has already been rejected in Canada, North America, Russia and the EU. The CSIRO is being used as a front for foreign biotech companies; this has compromised its research and put Australia’s multi-billion dollar wheat industry at risk.

Inevitable contamination

All of the evidence shows that GM can’t be contained in the field. Greenpeace has taken action to protect our food supply being contaminated by experimental GM wheat. Now the Australian Government must step in and protect the health of Australian people.

“We had no choice but to take action to bring an end to this experiment,” said Greenpeace Food campaigner Laura Kelly. “GM has never been proven safe to eat and once released in open experiments, it will contaminate. This is about the protection of our health, the protection of our environment and the protection of our daily bread.”

Trials of potentially unstable GM wheat strains are currently planted in five states and territories across Australia

TAKE ACTION: Tell the government to end its controversial GM wheat trials

READ THE REPORT: The biotech takeover of our daily bread

MORE INFORMATION: Follow the story so far

No TAV: renewed violent clashes in the Susa Valley

On 22nd July people tried taking the fences to the work-site down, and the police used water cannons. Tensions have been mounting in previous days. Much tear gas has been used, stones thrown, with water cannons also used to put out the fires set under the fences.

Videos

Come up to Rossport! Shell Starts Work on onshore pipeline

22nd July 2011

Shell have brought a digger and a port-a-cabin into the existing temporary compound in Aughoose. This is in preparation to start building a permanent compound in Aughoose from which they hope to start digging the tunnel for the pipeline which will connect Ballinaboy refinery to the 70 kms of offshore pipeline. They will come in full force on Monday 25th July, please come up to Mayo and show your support! A mass day of action is planned for Friday 29th July, but come up any time.

There were over 70 IRMS (Shell’s private security company) present to secure the two tractors with trailers bringing in the equipment. The private security blocked off about 300 metres of the public road to allow the tractors to enter the compound. Seven people from the Rossport Solidarity Camp ran down to try and intervene but a long line of IRMS had the road blocked off, and several people were assaulted by IRMS on the public road. Two people had to receive medical attention. One person has made a statement to the gardaí regarding the assaults, but the gardaí were quite reluctant to receive the statement.

The digger and the port-a-cabin entered the compound, however within 15 minutes over 20 protesters from the camp and local residents had gathered outside the compound, and no further work was carried out for the rest of the day.

Many of the IRMS security members seem to be new, and earlier this week members from the Rossport Solidarity camp observed a group of 12 IRMS members who seemed to be on their first shift. People went up to talk to the security guards, explaining to them why people are against the Shell project and talking to them about why they are there protesting. Many of the new security guards were visibly uncomfortable, and seemed quite affected by what they were hearing.

This over-show of force today may have been some sort of training session for the new IRMS security before the real work starts on Monday. When dealing with some of the protesters who had been speaking with the security guards, it was obviously much more difficult for them to use the force they’d been ordered to use on people. One protester from the Rossport Solidarity Camp explained that “it felt so much more empowering to talk to them on a human level and tell them why I was there, than to get beaten up by them. When the lads I’d been speaking with were ordered to remove me, they were barely able to touch me. It was a completely different experience than I’ve had with IRMS in the past.”

This activity on Friday follows a week of continuous actions at the Bord na Móna site in Shramore outside Bangor Erris. Shell intends use this site to store the 125,000 tonnes of peat meant to be removed from the bog at the Aughoose site. The 500,000 tonnes of peat removed from the Ballinaboy refinery site in 2006/7 was stored at Shramore. In the past few weeks private contractors have been extending the road network at Shramore to accommodate the Shell project. This week protesters from the Rossport Solidarity Camp have turned their attention to the Bord na Móna site and have been occupying trucks and diggers, blocking the front gates with concrete lock-ons, and putting barricades in the roads on-site. Here is a brief run-down of the week:

Tuesday: Four people put their arms into concrete lock-ons in front of the gate at the Shramore site, blocking work for three and a half hours. No arrests were made.

Wednesday: About 20 people entered the Shramore site, climbing on top of trucks and diggers to stop them working, blocking the front gates, and generally shutting down all works on site. The gardaí arrived on scene but eventually left without making any arrests.

Thursday: Work started at about 3pm at the Shramore site, and work was stopped about 30 minutes later. Protesters chained the gate shut to prevent trucks from delivering the gravel needed to extend the road network on the site. The vehicles within the site which were active were all successfully occupied, including three trucks, two diggers and one crane. The occupation continued for the rest of the working day, no arrests were made.

Friday: Work started just after 7:30am but was promptly halted by protesters blocking the front gate and subsequently occupying the few machines which had started work. Just before midday word arrived that work at the Aughoose site had begun, so most people left. Those who stayed saw that work did not start up again till about 2pm and by 3:30pm another group of protesters had returned to halt works again for the rest of the day.

In conclusion, very little work was accomplished at Bord na Móna’s peat depository site in Shramore this week. Shell began work in Aughoose on Friday, and the local community is gearing up for a fine resistance next week when Shell comes in full force. Get up here and show your support! A day of mass action is planned for Friday the 29th of July, but come up sooner if you’re able.

To get in touch with the camp: 00353 85 114 1170 or rossportsolidaritycamp[at]gmail[dot]com

Calais: “Welcome to Fortress Europe” action

Sat 23rd July 2011

This afternoon over a dozen No Borders activists blocked both vehicle entrances into the City Europe compound, stopping shoppers and screening those trying to enter with rules almost as arbitrary as those used at real borders… checking the colour of their cars, stopping people wearing hats or glasses or with too many people in the car, seeing as Fortress Europe was getting full.

While people shouted ‘contrôl frontière ici’ vehicles refused entry were directed to Coquelles detention centre on the street opposite. After only several minutes some people trying to enter became very irate at the inconvenience this mock border control was causing to their afternoon shopping. However many people were receptive to the demonstration and its purpose and lots of leaflets explaining the situation in Calais were distributed, with people taking on board the point of the action.

Security and police arrived soon after and removed the barrier at one gate. Activists in high-visibility jackets continued to control and direct traffic for half an hour before being forced into the car park.

This fake ‘control zone’ demonstration mimics the farce of ID and border controls that segregate and persecute people because of their race, nationality and income.

Refugees here are being subjected to policies aimed at driving them underground and making them invisible. This normalization of state violence has been put in place by British and French governments. These people have often been displaced by the policies of these governments and are living not just the pain of the loss of the lives they left behind and the fear and uncertainty for their futures.

Unlike a demonstration preventing people from entering a shopping complex, the European policy of border closure is denying people the chance to escape danger and misery. During the last months an estimated two thousand refugees fleeing the war in Libya have drowned in the Mediterranean and rather than sending rescue boats, Frontex the European border force, has sent boats to push refugees packed into boats back to the Libyan coast.

In Calais over the last few weeks there has been a step up in the offensive against migrants starting with the eviction of Africa House – the shelter and home of around 100 people with and without papers – with mass evictions and the destruction of peoples homes and personal belongings.

After forcefully making people homeless, every place people move to, to eat, rest or sleep, has been subject to mass raids and constant harassment, leaving people with literally nowhere left to go.

No Borders denounce the compliance of the police and the municipal services with such barbaric orders and denounce the complicity of those who witness this and yet remain unquestioningly silent. We are all human. We must challenge the hypocrisy and segregation that border controls create.

No borders, no nations, stop deportations.