Attack on GM field in Pully, Switzerland

During the night of June 23-24, an experimental field of GM wheat was attacked with herbicides with the aim of killing the plants and preventing research into genetically modified organisms. This was despite 24 hour guard, a double fence, CCTV and plain clothes cops in the surrounding streets.

During the night of June 23-24, an experimental field of GM wheat was attacked with herbicides with the aim of killing the plants and preventing research into genetically modified organisms. This was despite 24 hour guard, a double fence, CCTV and plain clothes cops in the surrounding streets. Unlike in 2008 and 2009 when the field was also decontaminated, the research centre this year did not issue a press release about the ecotage.

The activists explained, “Opposition to genetic engineering is part of a wider opposition to the total control of society and life that is being created thanks to the development of nano and biotechnology.

For these reasons, we also want to express our solidarity through concrete actions with those who oppose this technoscientfic capitalist system, and in particular with Marco Camenisch, Silvia, Costa and Billy, revolutionary prisoners who are now jailed in Switzerland because they understood that words are not enough and that action is needed to create radical change, even if this means risking their own freedom.

Communique in full

Anti-GM cycle caravan and links to other anti-genetics info

Tesco targeted in Beeston, Nottingham

30.6.2010
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, the gates of a construction site of Tesco supermarket in the Beston area of Nottingham were d-locked shut and graffiti was sprayed on the boards surrounding the site saying ‘TESCO – FUCK OFF’ and ‘EVERY LITTLE HURTS – FUCK OFF TESCO’

30.6.2010
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, the gates of a construction site of Tesco supermarket in the Beston area of Nottingham were d-locked shut and graffiti was sprayed on the boards surrounding the site saying ‘TESCO – FUCK OFF’ and ‘EVERY LITTLE HURTS – FUCK OFF TESCO’

The more we allow our food supply to be controlled by corporations, or to be administered by the logics of capitalism, the more we surrender our autonomy.

Tesco is just one cog in a capitalist machine that is based on exploitation and oppression, and is ruining our ecology and environment.

Solidarity with all those in active resistance against corporate power.

Licence to Spill – Liberate Tate create an oil spill at the Tate – inside & out

On the evening of the 28th of June at approx 7:15pm, Liberate Tate In protest over BP’s sponsorship of the arts performed a “Solemn” oil like spill at the Tate’s Summer party.

Liberate Tate 1Liberate Tate 2On the evening of the 28th of June at approx 7:15pm, Liberate Tate In protest over BP’s sponsorship of the arts performed a “Solemn” oil like spill at the Tate’s Summer party.

Dressed in black and veiled the performers carrying black buckets with BP logos spewed molasses over the entrance way as onlookers watched in amazement as the Portland stone floor was consumed by the black oil like mess.

Feathers were scattered and filled the air and in the same manner of approach the artists gracefully paced their escape.

Licence to Spill

“Apart from catastrophic spills like the Deepwater Horizon, there are a whole host of adverse impacts that are associated with the production of oil. On the local level, it often involves extreme forms of pollution for local communities, while regionally oil is frequently associated with greater militarization and conflict. Globally, carbon emissions, oil companies, and our collective dependence on the product they push, are taking us ever closer to the edge of climate catastrophe. “

To download Licence to Spill, a new release from Platform, visit http://www.carbonweb.org/showitem.asp?article=381&parent=39

Info : http://www.artnotoil.org.uk/

Watch the video of the action : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz-_2KLt1W0

—–

Another report, including what happened inside the ex-garden summer party:
Flowery-dressed oil spills
BP-smocked
Sipping Pimms and gobbling canapés many of the guests expressed confusion at whether these striking actions were ‘art’ or not. Despite inaccurate reporting in various media outlets, Liberate Tate would like to claim full responsibility for these acts of creative disobedience as art – art that refuses to pretend to do politics but is politics, art that makes transforming the world a beautiful adventure.

The Tate Summer Party had been planned to be in the museum gardens and involve speeches from BP executives. However, due to the rumours of disruption, Tate was forced to hold the entire event inside the museum and no speeches were made.

As the evening sun baked down on the stone courtyard of Tate Britain and members of the cultural and corporate elite made their way into the party, 13 figures dressed in black, their faces veiled, appeared from around the corner. In a mournful procession the art-activists approached the entrance carrying large barrels branded with the BP logo. Dozens of photographers and TV cameras swarmed and a moment of tense silence enveloped the area. Something was going to happen.

Then in a perfectly choreographed moment, the front phalanx poured hundreds of litres of the black liquid all over the entrance, whilst others threw feathers into the air which gently drifted down into the huge sticky black pools. The sombre figures walked calmly away, disappearing into the city, as the security redirected the guests to another entrance as the cleanup operation began.

Meanwhile, despite the heavy security at the door, two Liberate Tate art-activists managed to infiltrate the party wearing large floral bouffant dresses underneath which were concealed large sacks filled with the oily molasses. Calling themselves Toni Hayward and Bobbi Dudley, they began their performance in the crowded central gallery. At first drips began to fall from their handbags. “Oh, I seem to have a leak” whispered one of them to the lined up waiters dressed in brilliant white, who kindly provided napkins to stem the spill.

Soon the sacks under their dresses burst releasing tens of litres of ‘oil’ across the shiny parquet floor. As a crowd formed around them, the two donned BP branded ponchos and scrambled on all fours trying to clean up the mess using their high heel shoes to pour the slick back into their handbags, but to no avail. “Compared to the size of the gallery this is a tiny spill, a drop in the ocean,” they apologised to the viewers, “we’ll definitely have it cleaned up by, say, August”.

The polite crowd that had formed continued to watch appreciatively for another 20 minutes, amidst a sea of camera-phones. Many began debating among themselves whether this was art or not (“I think it is. I like it”), whether Tate had organised it, and what their personal aesthetic reactions to it were (“If I had seen this outside, I think I would have felt as I do seeing it… inside”). More than one invited artist openly described this to their fellow drinkers as the most sophisticated work in the room.

LIBERATE TATE

Liberate Tate, is a network dedicated to taking creative disobedience against the Tate until it drops its oil company funding. The 28 June art activist performances follow on from last month’s disruption of Tate Modern’s 10th Birthday celebrations by hanging dead fish and birds from dozens of giant black helium balloons.

The network was founded during a workshop in January 2010 on art and activism, commissioned by Tate. When Tate curators tried to censor the workshop from making interventions against Tate sponsors, the incensed participants decided to continue their work together beyond the workshop and set up Liberate Tate.

www.twitter.com/liberatetate

Images: www.immoklink.com/BP-Tate/index.html

www.youandifilms.com/2010/06/license-to-spill/

See also LIBERATE TATE COMMUNIQUE 1 http://bit.ly/9RFfxJ (MAY 2010)

Full Video Report http://www.youandifilms.com/2010/06/licence-to-spill-full-report/

Just Do It: Get Off Your Arse and Change the World

Documentary following the fortunes of environmental activists in 2009 launches innovative crowd-funding appeal

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An affinity group meeting during the Great Climate Swoop at Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station
Documentary following the fortunes of environmental activists in 2009 launches innovative crowd-funding appeal

***

In early 2009, Emily James began filming the clandestine activities of several environmental direct action groups across the UK. Allowed unprecedented access, Emily documented a year of escalating action that began in spring with the now infamous G20 demonstrations in London. Always in the thick of it and with ever her trusty camera to hand she saddled up with The Climate Rush “Bike Rush” as they brought Westminster to a standstill, pitched up with The Climate Camp as they occupied Blackheath, masked up with The Great Climate Swoop as they stormed the fences at Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal power station, and then accompanied them all to wintry Copenhagen as they took their protest to the streets outside the UN COP 15 climate talks. And those are just the headlines!

‘Just Do It’ follows the triumphs, traumas and clandestine activities of civil disobedient environment activists as they take on the combined forces of global capitalism, run away climate change and the pesky Metropolitan Police. Having gathered over 250 hours of material, she and her team are now embarking on the challenging task of turning this footage into a feature length film, which will inspire people to take action on climate change. Check out the trailer here: http://just-do-it.org.uk/.

Set for release in 2011, the Just Do it model can be thought of as the ultimate in independent film production. Unlike a TV funded documentary, our innovative crowd-funding model allows us to work completely free from external interference, be it editorial or stylistic. This means that we can focus entirely on making a film that does justice to the exciting footage we have captured. Our production model gives us complete control. This is bottom up filmmaking, not the usual top-down, and it is driven by passion and creative vision, rather than by desire for ratings or commercial imperative.

“It’s precisely the kind of film that wouldn’t get made within the existing profit and ratings-driven funding structures,” explains Just Do It director, Emily James, “Crowd-funding through donation enables us, as creative artists, to be supported by our audience in a more direct way, without the involvement of cultural gatekeepers. This is another nail in the coffin for traditional media.“

‘Just Do It’ aims to tell an important story frequently obscured by the agenda of the corporate media. If you too think this is a story which should be told, then please donate here: http://just-do-it.org.uk/fund-this-film – whether it’s a tenner or a grand, it will be gratefully received.

Shell due to start work next week & report from Rossport Solidarity Camp

June 25, 2010
Things are getting very busy here – after a peaceful June Gathering the camp is once more set to become a focal point for resisting Shell pipeline work. Shell are due in the estuary any day now to drill 80 boreholes – pipeline survey work that should take all summer. Yesterday we shut down the Shell office in Belmullet. Today Maura Harrington was jailed for non payment of fines. Niall and Pat are still in jail. Generally it seems that lots of people are wising up to the oil industry in the wake of the BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico….

Strength in Community, RossportJune 25, 2010
Things are getting very busy here – after a peaceful June Gathering the camp is once more set to become a focal point for resisting Shell pipeline work. Shell are due in the estuary any day now to drill 80 boreholes – pipeline survey work that should take all summer. Yesterday we shut down the Shell office in Belmullet. Today Maura Harrington was jailed for non payment of fines. Niall and Pat are still in jail. Generally it seems that lots of people are wising up to the oil industry in the wake of the BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico….

Stop Shell
Roof Occupation Protest at Shell’s Belmullet Offices
Campaigners hung a banner reading “Energy shouldn’t cost the earth” from the roof of Shell offices in Belmullet on Thursday morning at 8am. This protest connected the environmental disaster suffered by the fishing community & people of Louisiana with the threat faced by the fishing community and people of Erris. In particular the protest was in solidarity with Pat O’Donnell who has been jailed for his courageous defense of the seas and his livelihood.
The protest blocked the entrance to the offices preventing Shell workers from entering that day!
Press Release and photos here: http://www.indymedia.ie/article/97054

Foreshore License Granted – Borehole Drilling Imminent
Yesterday Shell circulated a letter giving notice that the borehole drilling would commence “in the coming days”.
Recently Shell got the sign-off from “Green” Minister John Gormley on plans to bore 80 bore-holes in Sruwaddacon bay. Once again the community and camp will be opposing the Shell work both on land and at sea. Water-action training is ongoing. It will be a summer long job if they get started, so support up here would be great whenever possible. Now would be a good time to come.

There have already been contractors around doing initial surveys for the contract to construct the 5km tunnel under the estuary – one candidate company is called ICOP from Italy. Pressure on them would be no harm.

Here is their website: http://www.icop.it/tool/home.php
And address:
I.CO.P. S.p.A.
via Silvio Pellico 2
33031 Basiliano UD,
Italy

And contacts: info@icop.it, tunnelcom@icop.it, fondazioni@icop.it, amministrazione@icop.it, personale@icop.it, acquisti@icop.it, tecnici@icop.it

T. +39 0432-838611
F. +39 0432-838681

Please write to Pat & Niall – political prisoners
As a lot of you are aware Pat O’Donnell and Niall Harnett are currently in Castlerea Prison for convictions arising from protests against the Corrib Gas project. You can read more on Pat’s jailing here: http://www.shelltosea.com/content/shell-corrib-gas-who-…llies or more on Niall’s jailing here: http://www.indymedia.ie/article/96547

Please also ‘Like’ the ‘Support Shell to Sea prisoners of conscience’ page on Facebook (if you’re on it): http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Support-Shell-to-Sea-prisoners-of-conscience/112831115416555?ref=ts and Pat’s page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Pat-ODonnell/313999028104?ref=ts

Letters to Pat and Niall greatly appreciated –
Pat O Donnell / Niall Harnett,
Castlerea Prison,
Harristown,
Castlerea,
Co Roscommon,

Rossport Solidarity Camp Wishlist
You might have something lying around that you don’t want or need anymore.
At the moment we could use:

* Wheelie bins, plastic barrels, pallets (will probably find locally)
* Working Rechargeable Power tools
* Boats and outboard motors of any size or make: Power boats, sail boats, rigid sea kayaks would be especially useful as they can’t be punctured or sunk too easily
* Bandsaw
* PV panels, inverters, batteries
* Trailer that a Ford Transit could tow. Something like a horse trailer and fairly weather proof would be ideal to transport bikes.
http://www.shelltosea.com
rossportsolidaritycamp at gmail dot com

Annual Rossport Gathering report

Supporters from around the world joined in the annual gathering over the past weekend at the Rossport Solidarity Camp at Broadhaven Bay, County Mayo in support of the Shell to Sea campaign. A large contingent of cyclists travelled from Britain via Merthyr Tydfil in Wales where another campaign is focussed to stop an ugly open-cast coal mine which is destroying the environment, polluting air and water and endangering the community.

The gathering at Rossport has been held every year since before the jailing of the Rossport 5 in 2005 – local residents who refused, for reasons of health, safety and clean environment, to allow Shell / Statoil to lay an experimental high-pressure raw gas pipeline through their properties. The Irish government had, in an unprecedented move, provided the multi-nationals with compulsory purchase orders. The five were given indefinite prison sentences but were released after 3 months following massive public outcry. A later hearing vindicated them when the original pipeline route was rejected because of dangerous proximity to dwellings.

A new route is now being put forward, but is still considered unacceptable by Shell to Sea who believe that the only safe way to bring the gas ashore is by refining it at sea and bringing it in at low pressure. The dangers have been well highlighted by disasters worldwide including the Piper Alpha explosion, the pipeline explosion at Carlsbad, New Mexico (August 2000 when a family of 12 living over 200 metres away were completely wiped out), the outrageous death and destruction in Nigeria and now the BP oil disaster.

The Merthyr to Mayo cycle rally called at Castlerea prison to support fisherman Pat O’Donnell and fellow Shell to Sea supporter Niall Harnett who are both now serving jail terms for obstructing police who had been brought in the ensure Shell employees were not hampered in their work – the Irish government takes care of big business without regard for the livelihoods of the local community and the health of their environment !

The whole project was pushed ahead without consulting the local people – the refinery, 9 km inland (selected because it was state-owned forestry land) now approaching completion and the seaward pipeline layed. But still no legally permitted nor locally agreed inland route ! And not likely to be ! Local campaigners have had their lives totally disrupted for more than 10 years now with this nonsense and are utterly committed to the point of putting their lives on the line, literally.

Mining applications ‘frozen’ after protest in Philippines

24 June 2010
Six hundred indigenous people and farmers took to the streets on Palawan Island in the Philippines on June 7, to protest against plans to mine nickel on their land.

Palawan climber24 June 2010
Six hundred indigenous people and farmers took to the streets on Palawan Island in the Philippines on June 7, to protest against plans to mine nickel on their land.

The demonstrators called upon the provincial government to prevent the companies Macro Asia and Ipilian Nickel Mining Corporation (INC) from mining in the UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, which is their home. They also expressed their anger at news that Canadian mining company MBMI has been granted initial approval to mine.

As a result of negotiations with protesters, the provincial government agreed that its endorsements of both Macro Asia and INC’s plans required further investigation. The companies’ applications have been ‘frozen’ until all issues are clarified.

The protestors called their demonstration a ‘Karaban’ rally; Karaban is the indigenous Palawan’s word for the bamboo quiver that contains darts for their blowpipes. It is a symbol of their identity, and signifies, they say, that they are willing to take ‘whatever action is necessary’ to stop the mining companies entering their traditional territories

Indigenous spokesperson for ALDAW (Ancestral Land/Domain Watch) Artiso Mandawa, said, ‘Mining is not development, it creates conflict among people, and it destroys our culture by bringing foreign values to our community. Some of my people still have limited contact with the outside and are not even registered in the national and provincial census. They are the first inhabitants to arrive on this island and yet, for the government, they appear not to exist.’

Maman Tuwa, an elder of the isolated Palawan tribe from Mt Gantong, fears that mining will destroy his community. ‘If our mountains are deforested, how are we going to survive? What are we going to plant if the soil of the uplands will be washed down to the lowlands? How are we going to feed our children? We’ll surely die’.

Survival’s director Stephen Corry said, ‘We welcome the decision to freeze the mining applications on the land of the Palawan tribal people, and we urge the Philippine government to ensure that no mining takes place on their land without their genuine free, prior and informed consent. We also call upon President-elect Benigno Aquino III, to revoke the 1995 Mining Act which has been so disastrous for the indigenous peoples of the Philippines.’

The Outdoor Skillshare a success

23rd June 2010
Over a hundred people came together last weekend for the Outdoor Skillshare. Held at Talamh Housing Coop in South Lanarkshire, the weekend aimed to bring people together to share the skills needed to occupy land and defend it from eviction. Workshops covered varied topics including cooking for the masses, digging tunnels, radio communication and climbing trees.

23rd June 2010
Over a hundred people came together last weekend for the Outdoor Skillshare. Held at Talamh Housing Coop in South Lanarkshire, the weekend aimed to bring people together to share the skills needed to occupy land and defend it from eviction. Workshops covered varied topics including cooking for the masses, digging tunnels, radio communication and climbing trees.

The weekend also had sessions on skill-sharing and running workshops to share the skills to facilitate participatory workshops. It is hopped that more skill-sharing and events of this type will happen across the UK in the future.

Lewis from Leeds who travelled up for the weekend said: “It was a really amazing event and I really learned a lot. I’d never put on a harness or cooked on a giant gas burner before so it was a great opportunity to practise these things. I really feel like all of us who came to this weekend will be able to go to a protest camp and actually chip in.”

Laura, part of the group that organised the event said: “We were surprised at the number of people who came and the atmosphere and peoples attitude was amazing. People organised spontaneous sessions and those of us giving workshops learned new ways of doing things. It was such a great weekend and I hope we get a chance to do it again.”

The temporary camp over looked the former site of the Mainshill Solidarity Camp, now a functioning open cast mine, and was surrounded by Broken Cross and Poniel open cast coal mines. South Lanarkshire has been blighted by open cast coal mines for decades and has also been a hive of resistance by the community and environmentalists. Over the weekend people from the local communities visited the event, including some local young people who took part in the kids climbing workshop.

outdoorskillshare [at] riseup.net
http://outdoorskillshare.noflag.org.uk

Greenwash spill at the BP-sponsored National Portrait Gallery

On Tuesday night (22 June 2010) at 6.07 PM the London brigade of the Greenwash Guerrillas got a call from a panicked pedestrian outside the National Portrait Gallery.

BP Portrait Gallery greenwash guerrillasOn Tuesday night (22 June 2010) at 6.07 PM the London brigade of the Greenwash Guerrillas got a call from a panicked pedestrian outside the National Portrait Gallery. It seemed that the prizegiving ceremony for BP Portrait Award was about to start, and toxic greenwash had begun to gush uncontrollably from the gallery’s front doors.

Arriving on the scene, armed with the latest in greenwash detecting equipment and wearing protective biohazard suits, the Guerrillas
immediately identified several sources of the leak. Greenwash levels appeared to be the strongest anywhere a bright green BP logo was to be
found: from the massive banners fronting either side of the grand entrance, to the microscopic embroidery on a security guard’s lapel. The
Guerrillas were given the run-around by gallery security and the Metropolitan police, who escorted Britain’s cultural establishment into
the awards ceremony first at the front, then around the side, then back at the front entrance again. By 7 PM, everyone had convened at the front entrance, and the Guerrillas set to work to contain the leak, quarantine the area, and warn attendees against entering the building.

Many clean-up efforts were tried, from throwing golf balls and old tires at the leak to trying to plug it with mud, but for some reason the spill just kept gushing. Meanwhile, some Guerrillas attempted to arm the attendees – most of whom, inexplicably, were determined to enter the
contaminated building – with information about BP, oil industry sponsorship of the arts, and the best way to protect themselves from
greenwash.

Despite the best efforts of the Guerrillas, greenwash unfortunately continues to spew forth from the BP-sponsored National Portrait Gallery
and countless other oil-sponsored arts institutions across London. But resistance is growing, and this summer might just be remembered as the
tipping point in the campaign to free art from oil.

More info:
http://www.risingtide.org.uk
http://www.artnotoil.org.uk

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
BP’s sponsorship of the National Portrait Award is greenwash – a way of cleaning up BP’s tattered public image and covering up its shocking
environmental and human rights record.

Greenwash is as toxic as oil. With it, BP buys our approval, and hopes we’ll forget about the gusher in the Gulf, the 300 000 lives already lost each year due to climate change, and the fact that the company is poised to enter the Canadian tar sands – the most destructive project on earth.

Every pound the National Portrait Gallery accepts from BP is tainted. In response to changing public opinion, cultural institutions eventually
decided that it was no longer in their best interests to take money from the tobacco industry. It’s high time we kicked Big Oil out of our
galleries too.

Check out a brilliant video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-adx5mS2klA

london@risingtide.org.uk
http://www.risingtide.org.uk

Protest against BP – This Saturday 26/06 1pm at Tottenham Hale BP Garage, London

Against climate crimes in the name of profit and in solidarity with workers exploited by giant corporation BP, come and protest this Saturday 26 June, 1pm at Tottenham Hale BP garage.

Haringey Solidarity Group have organised a protest against giant corporation BP this Saturday 26 June, from 1pm at Tottenham Hale BP Garage (map here: http://tiny.cc/28p38)

Against climate crimes in the name of profit and in solidarity with workers exploited by giant corporation BP, come and protest this Saturday 26 June, 1pm at Tottenham Hale BP garage.

Haringey Solidarity Group have organised a protest against giant corporation BP this Saturday 26 June, from 1pm at Tottenham Hale BP Garage (map here: http://tiny.cc/28p38)

We aim to draw attention to the many climate crimes BP is responsible for, all in the name of profit, show solidarity with workers exploited by the corporation and encourage people to build collective and local alternatives to the climate crisis.

See the text of the leaflet below.
An on-line version is available here: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4403399/BP_Protest.pdf

Please circulate widely, come along, bring banners, placards, etc…

—–

BP – Guilty of Climate Crimes!

Called by Haringey Solidarity Group as part of Haringey Sustainability Month

The dangerous greed of BP has seen them trashing the planet in pursuit of profit – across the world, BP is guilty of climate crimes that should all be front page news.

The Gulf of Mexico: BP’s faulty drilling results in one of the worst oil spills in history, killing workers, endangering wildlife across the region and leaving a massive clean-up operation.

Canada: Extraction of millions of barrels of tar sands oil, producing 3-5 times the greenhouse gases of conventional oil, causing mass deforestation and polluting indigenous communities.

Colombia In January, industrial action organised by trade unionists in the region of Casanare was severely repressed by BP, with the help of a special police force known for anti-worker violence.

Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline: This crude oil pipeline, running through Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan, was financed by BP, visibly scarring the landscape and wrecking areas of great natural beauty, including natural spring water reserves.

Not to mention communities across the world! While adding to the wealth of a few, BP is destroying the common wealthe of the many. We need to act locally to resist companies like BP dictating the way our economies are structured – for profit and against the environment.

See over for how we can take action collectively in our communities to fight climate change and create a future sustainable society.

——————————

Building Alternatives to the Climate Crisis

Oppressive and destructive corporations like BP do not serve the general interest. We need to end our dependency on oil and fossil fuels, which gradually destroys the planet and our lives, and aim for the development of renewable energy managed by the community.

We can organise locally and take back control of our lives and environment by building sustainable communities for the benefit of all. People in Haringey are getting together to form collective, grassroots alternatives and solutions to the climate crisis.

See below for how to get involved!

Haringey Solidarity Group

We are a group of local people who want to get rid of the current system which places profit and power before people’s real needs. To do this, we believe we all need to get organised, fight back and take over the decision-making in communities and workplaces. We support and participate in local campaigns, spread ideas and help create effective opposition to the powers that be.

www.haringey.org.uk, email info@haringey.org.uk, write to PO Box 2474, London N8 or call 0845 223 5270

Sustainable Haringey

An independent informal network for everybody wanting to make Haringey more sustainable. It brings together groups and individuals already making positive contributions and welcomes those who would like to find out how to do more. In June there are events happening across the borough as part of Sustainability Month.

See www.sustainableharingey.org.uk for further details

Oil execs gather – we besiege ( + video link)

As oil executives gathered at a London hotel for their annual strategising conference on Monday 21st June, up to 200 climate activists crossed the river from BP-sponsored Tate Modern to converge on the front entrance with a samba band and a giant p

Drum it Out 1Drum it Out 2As oil executives gathered at a London hotel for their annual strategising conference on Monday 21st June, up to 200 climate activists crossed the river from BP-sponsored Tate Modern to converge on the front entrance with a samba band and a giant paper-mache oil-covered seabird.

Titled “Drum It Out”, the protest also put the industry on trial before a People’s Court which loudly found it guilty of crimes of pollution, war crimes, climate crime, and more.

The court heard live testimony by witnesses not only from the Gulf, but from Nigeria, Ghana, Colombia, Peru, from Iraq which has suffered the devastation of a war for oil, from Canada where indigenous people are resisting the Tar Sands oil project destroying a land as large as England, and from Kenya and China which are suffering droughts as a result of the changing climate. “The Gulf of Mexico is not the only disaster,” the protesters said – “in fact it’s not even the largest, and in some places this destruction of life has been going on for decades. The oil industry is not sustainable. They think they rule the world, but they are facing resistance everywhere. They cannot come to this hotel and think they will carry on business as usual”.

A dead fish award was presented to Bloody Oil in its various company guises, and a “fish” was delivered to the hotel to be passed on to Congress delegates.

Following the trial, the main and back entrance were besieged by the drumming crowd, with no injuries and no arrests. Two activists who had succeeded in penetrating the building were unceremoniously ejected. The Drum Out will be followed this Saturday by a Teach In, at the School of Oriental and African Studies, where campaigners will learn more about the ongoing resistance by workers and communities in oil regions, will link-up live with organisers in Ghana, and will discuss how to work together to bring the industry down. One protester commented, “If even half the money invested in subsidising oil, cleaning up its disasters and funding its wars were devoted to alternative forms of energy, people wouldn’t be suffering these outrages, and the planet would be safe.”

london[at]climatecamp.org.uk

Watch the Video http://www.youandifilms.com/2010/06/bloody-oil-drum-em-out/