Action Reports – Page 163

Sabotage and digger-diving – work stopped twice in two days at Mainshill Wood

For the past two weeks Scottish Woodlands and others contracted by Scottish Coal have been devastating parts of Mainshill Wood, those beyond the Solidarity Camp. Plantation forest is being felled at an alarming rate, with massive harvesting machines and JCBs tearing up more of Scotland’s countryside. Scottish Coal is establishing its own site, south of the Solidarity Camp and right in the middle of Mainshill Wood. Your solidarity is urgently needed – this work must be stopped.

An anonymous communique was received after three of the four large pieces of harvesting machinery on site were sabotaged in the early hours of Thursday morning. Work is on-going round the clock, but did not start until 4 or 5pm on Thursday, being delayed for many hours. The communique reads:

“On the morning of Thursday 8th of October three heavy vehicles had their locks glued. These vehicles belong to Scottish Woodlands Ltd, who have been subcontracted by Scottish Coal to clearfell Mainshill Wood.

The vehicles damaged have been working to prepare the Mainshill Wood area for coal extraction. If it is open casted then it will join several other mines in the Douglas Valley, two of which are currently expanding.

Scottish Coal, the land owner Lord Home and the government and more than prepared to sacrifice the health of local communities and environment, as well as contribute to climate change and nearly universal environmental degradation for wages, bonuses, targets and profits.

This action was taken by a group of autonomous people in solidarity with all those who oppose the development of Mainshill Wood into an open cast coal mine.”

Digger-Diving

On Tuesday night at around 9:30pm, long after it had got dark, residents of the Solidarity Camp suddenly realised that a massive harvesting machine was cutting through the last line of trees separating the camp from the rest of the site, dangerously close to where people live and were sleeping, both in treehouses and tunnels.

Residents quickly surrounded the machine, and tried to explain that the driver was putting people’s lives at risk. The driver, breaking the companies own health and safety regulations, continued working despite people being within metres of the machine. At one point the saw blades on the end of the harvester’s arm were swung within a metre of a resident’s head. Eventually after much shouting and whistle-blowing, the harvester was chased back to the access gate.

Shortly after, another piece of heavy machinery that collects the felled trees tried to make its way up the access path, but was blocked by residents of the camp. The driver refused to stop and kept moving towards the people blocking its path, and only did when it was clear that the windscreen might be redecorated if the machine wasn’t stopped. One driver exclaimed “I don’t care” in response to a resident shouting “you’re going to kill someone!”, while the second driver at one point jumped out of the cab in pursuit of a resident and shouted “I’m going to kill you”.

That same night, a resident in a surrounding community had called Strathclyde police after a house was attacked with air-rifles. The police didn’t bother to show up. At the Solidarity Camp, however, within 20 minutes two police vehicles and four officers braved the mud and threatened to arrest anyone stopping work, claiming the residents were endangering themselves by coming close to the machinery, despite the fact that the machinery practically came on to the camp! The only compromise was that Scottish Woodlands agreed to stop felling trees at night.

The above hightlights the disregard that Scottish Woodlands and Scottish Coal have for the safety of Solidarity Camp residents (not to mention the health of local communities) and how Strathclyde Police are complicit in protecting property and the interests of private business, and not people.

Come to Mainshill

Your support and solidarity is urgently needed at Mainshill. Even if just for a few hours, people are needed. You can go and stop work for the day, chop wood, build barricades and defenses, or do the washing up. It is impossible to stress how fast the work on the site is happening, and how quickly the area is being devastated.

Mainshill Solidarity Camp
– e-mail: mainshill@riseup.net
– Homepage: http://mainshill.noflag.org.uk/

Hit the Production of Climate Chaos – get involved – 13th December call for actions

The climate catastrophe has not happened by random chance and the melting glacier is not its place. Our economic system, the way it produces goods, and the way they are transported and finally consumed is the root of climate change.

We do not believe that this COP will solve the climate crisis. The delegates, NGOs and company representatives are stuck in an ideology of never ending economic growth and universal market solutions to all human-made problems, such as ecological destruction. Social justice issues are consequently ignored.

On December 13th we call for action on this economic system. We encourage affinity groups to take action on targets in Copenhagen, and abroad. In the Morning of December 13th we will also shut down the harbour of Copenhagen through a mass action blockade. The harbour is a key symbol of the global free-market economy. Here becomes visible what is usually hidden: ecological deterioration, economic and social exploitation, and utter injustice.

Since the dawn of colonialism the global shipping industry has been characterized by violence. What was once gold pillaged from the Incas is these days profit based on cheap resources and cheap labour – usually transported by ships. Today, container shipping is one of the foundations of capitalism. There are hardly any regulations: fuel is not taxed, emissions are not subject to control and borders are seemingly non-existent for container ships. At the same time, the never ending need for more cheap goods is almost limitless. The ‘free’ global flow of goods continues to grow – with benefits for only the few.

But whereas these flows of goods can enter the EU/ rich world freely, humans cannot. As soon as people do not have the right passport or enough money when entering rich countries, they are put in prisons, deported and deprived of the most basic human rights. And the militarisation of the seas is not just happening around the EU borders. It is also used to protect international shipping, like in Somalia where international fishing fleets have robbed Somali fishermen of the fundamental elements of their existence.

Finally, international shipping is more than just a method of transport for the global economy. It is in itself a primary cause of climate change. Approximately 5% of Global Greenhouse Emissions are produced by the shipping industry. Container ship fuel is basically toxic waste left over from petrol production, containing high amounts of sulphur and mercury. And like international flights, nobody is responsible for shipping industry emissions under the Kyoto Protocol.

Climate justice and real social change will not come from above. Effective change has to come from everyone – affected, responsible, and observer. True change has to be organized and realized by people all over the world – all people on the streets and in the fields. We say no to the power of governments, companies and so-called non-government organisations which are only interested in maintaining their power, influence and flows of capital.

We will try to stop this madness for a day. Fighting for climate justice means changing our economic system and this needs to happen here in the rich global north, which reaps the most benefits from the disaster. For the free flow of people and ideas, instead of flows of goods to benefit the few.

Contact htp@riseup.net to get involved with planning the action, or come to one of our next meetings: Berlin October 3-4 & Copenhagen October 18.

‘Ratcliffe 114’ Protestors at Court – Callout for support – updated

The Ratcliffe protestors being persecuted for ‘conspiracy’ are at court next week – show some support!

There are 3 groups appearing in Nottingham Mags on the 12th 13th and 14th – they need our support to show we will not be intimidated.

Solidarity – No conspiracy!

—

Ratcliffe 114 – one more charged, now 25

The Guardian mentions the M1 case:

The Ratcliffe protestors being persecuted for ‘conspiracy’ are at court next week – show some support!

There are 3 groups appearing in Nottingham Mags on the 12th 13th and 14th – they need our support to show we will not be intimidated.

Solidarity – No conspiracy!

—

Ratcliffe 114 – one more charged, now 25

The Guardian mentions the M1 case:

“Sometimes these cases – such as the conspiracy to commit public nuisance charge brought against members of the “No M1 Widening” campaign in 2007 – are just thrown out by the judges. But sometimes, as in the conspiracy cases against animal rights activists and anti-arms manufacturing campaigns, they are treated extremely seriously. The impact on the lives of the accused is enormous, because under the terms of a conspiracy charge, you can be forbidden to talk to anyone involved, which can involve housemates, family, friends. Your possessions can be seized (Julie White of the M1 campaign had her door broken down by police, her computer seized and held for a year, and even items taken off her washing line) and held on remand for the duration of the trial.”

…

“if the court allows the case and convictions follow, it has catastrophic implications. Any activist involved with planning any kind of illegal direct action could be charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated trespass.

As White says: “You could pick up anyone you wanted. We’re getting into thought crimes now.” Is that what the police are after?”

Disrupting E.ON at London City University undergraduate fair + Kingsnorth shelved, or not? (+ Tilbury)

7th October 2009

7th October 2009
E.ON, were holding a talk at the student recruitment fair yesterday. The company is responsible for the planned new coal power stations at Kingsnorth, which combined would produce the same carbon emissions as Ghana. With the report by the Global and Humanitarian forum stating that three hundred thousand people are already dying already each year due to climate change, it isn’t a viable option.

The group of activists stormed the talks yesterday by E.ON, getting past the security guards who were holding a pretty tight presence outside the doors, quite possibly due to the continued protests against E.ON at student fairs last year http://leaveitintheground.org.uk/?p=185 .

While three burly guys jumped on one activist, the others handed out flyers to the bemused students woken up from the corporate PowerPoint slumber. An activist took to the podium to tell the audience what E.ON are really about. Claiming themselves as a Green Energy Company while 95% of their investment is into non renewable energies is a clear sign of greenwashing and the corporate bullshit that students have to listen to.

—–

Kingsnorth power station plans axed – Local Campaigners Respond

8.10.2009
The timing couldn’t be better, Kingsnorth Climate Action Medway (KCAM) and WDM hosted a debate tonight to discuss the future of coal in Medway. The meeting culminated in the announcement that E.on have essentially pulled out of building a new coal fired power station at Kingsnorth.

Local campaigner Trish Marchant said “Its fantastic news for us, but it’s a small victory. We in Medway will be sending our support to the next local group who take on the fight” In a heavy blow to the government’s plans to promote energy from coal, the German company have said they will not pursue the new plant in the UK until at least 2012.

Jane Harris, a local KCAM campaigner said “This is a step in the right direction, it shows that people really do have the power to challenge the government and corporations. However, according to UN figures climate change is currently responsible for 300,000 deaths per year. We need to seriously rethink any plans to use new coal, we need to be focusing on renewable green energy”.

Should the project have gone ahead, the coal units would have been be the first to be built for more than 20 years.

Dave Davidson, a resident of the peninsula said “I’m cautious about Eons real agenda. Are they trying to apply pressure to Ed Milliband to make a decision or are we really seeing the change we have been working for. I hope for the future of our planet that it’s the latter.”

Jill Osborne of Tipping Point said “Its been amazing working alongside such committed locals. The people of Medway certainly know how to mount a resistance. This victory will be a huge inspiration to climate change campaigners across the world.”

http://kcam.co.cc

—

– Climate Camp responds

Wednesday, 7 October 2009: Climate activists celebrated victory against carbon intensive coal power last night, as energy company E.ON announced they were indefinitely delaying building a new power station in Kent. The Camp for Climate Action targeted the Kingsnorth site in August 2008 1 as coal is one of the most environmentally destructive ways of generating electricity.2

E.ON’s anouncement comes as hundreds of activists prepare for the Great Climate Swoop on 17th October, when they plan to take control of Ratcliffe-on-Soar3, another coal-fired power plant operated by E.ON 4. Activists will be co-ordinating the protests through text messages and twitter, which were also used to plan the G20 protests.

Activist Dennis Stevens said: “This is an amazing victory which shows how ordinary people can take back the power from corporations and government which do not value people and the environment. We need a social movement to develop community control of our energy supply and our society; not our current system which ignores the needs of people and the climate.”

Resistance by Climate Camp activists to the Kingsnorth plan has been widespread, including the Tipping Point shop in nearby Gillingham which works within the local community to expose E.ON’s greenwash, and actions targeting E.ON’s PR firm Edelman and construction firms bidding for the Kingsnorth contract. Climate Camp activists have also dumped coal at E.ON student recruitment events, given out leaflets at FA Cup football matches sponsored by E.ON, and even disrupted a climate change conference sponsored by the energy giant itself.5

Emma Jackson added: “E.ON are finally recognising that the days of building new coal-fired power stations are over. Now we have to start shutting down existing power stations, and that’s why we’re going to Ratcliffe-on-Soar next week. And if E.ON try and bring back their plans for Kingsnorth then we’ll be back there too”.

More information on the Great Climate Swoop at Ratcliffe on Soar is available at thegreatclimateswoop.org

Ends.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1 Kingsnorth would have been the first coal-fired power station in the UK for more than 30 years.

2 If built, Kingsnorth will emit between 6 and 8 million tons of CO2 every year. If all the coal plants proposed for Britain are built, an extra 50 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year would be pumped into the atmosphere, almost a tenth of the UK’s current total emissions.

3 Ratcliffe-on-Soar is the UK’s third most polluting power station and emits more CO2 each year than Costa Rica.

4 climatecamp.org.uk/actions/climate-swoop-2009

5 leaveitintheground.org.uk/?p=185

Tel: 07772861099, 07040900905 or 07932096677
Email: press@climatecamp.org.uk

http://tippingpoint.co.cc

—

Or is it really a success?

Headlines would suggest a major ground breaking victory for the enviromental movement and the campaign against new coal with the announcement by Eon however the Tipping Point blog suggests the news might not be so significant (see http://climateshop.wordpress.com/2009/10/08/news-sinking-in/). Eon has since confirmed that it remains in the governments competition to build a demonstration carbon capture and storage facility attached to a coal-fired power plant by 2014 and since the winner is unlikely to be announced untill 2011 how can Eons annoucement be taken as a victory?

All Eon are saying is that they a likely to delay commiting cash to build the new plant for the next two or three year so that certainly does not translate as shelving the project, not when they are still seeking the billion pound gift from Ed Miliband to trial the CCS.

—

What does this mean for coal in the UK?

It is the suspension of the key project that has so far defined the battle over new coal in the UK. It is therefore highly significant, but not a fatal blow. The investment freeze could be un-frozen with the right level of subsidy, and has no direct impact on the other plants being considered for CCS demonstration. There is now a new threat emerging at Hunterston in Scotland, from a consortium including RWE and Dong energy (a Danish utility) for a plant identical to Kingsnorth, and they are claiming they will build with or without Government assistance.

—–

Health warning – report from mainstream newspaper, hence “ecofriendly”!!!

POWER FIRM HALTS PLANS FOR NEW GREEN STATION 12th November 2009.

PLANS to build a new, ecofriendly power station in South Essex have been put on hold.

The existing power coalfired power station at Tilbury is due to be decommissioned in 2014,possibly even in 2013.It had been expected that its operators, npower, would replace it with a new power station, but on Monday they announced they wouldn’t now be making an application to build a new supercritical coal-fired power station at the site.

There has been a power station at Tilbury since 1956, with oil-fired Tilbury ‘A’ coming online to the national grid a year later.Coal-fired Tilbury ‘B’ followed in 1967 and has operated, with significant efficiency upgrades since then. The original station was mothballed in 1981 and eventually demolished in 1999, allowing the creation of the station’s innovative environmental centre.

However, a European directive which came into force on 1 January, 2008 gave the power station just 20,000 hours of operating life before it has to be replaced by a more environmentally-friendly, carbon efficient system (see further below for data *1* ). Nigel Staves, Tilbury Power Station manager, estimates that timescale will run out as early as 2013. He says: “Given the current market, we are unable to make an economic case for this new coal power station. “We are also considering the outcome of the Government’s policy review on the conditions for new coal stations. For this reason, our plans for Tilbury are now on hold. “However,we firmly believe new, more efficient, coal-fired generation should ultimately have a role to play in a low -carbon economy alongside gas, nuclear power and increasingly renewable energy sources. “We continue to see the Tilbury site as an important one, both to RWE npower and in terms of the future of power generation in the UK. “Given the existing energy infrastructure and proximity to areas of high demand for electricity, it is an obvious choice for power generation. “We are now reviewing potential options.”

RWE npower said this meant it would not be progressing with its bid for Government funds to develop a carbon dioxide capture demonstration plant at a new Tilbury station, but it remained interested in other opportunities to develop the technology.

Sheffield Social Centre – New Location & another eviction hearing!

New location announced for the Anti-Capitalist, Non-Hierachical, Liberated Space.

Sheffield social centre has moved, nothing else has changed.

New location announced for the Anti-Capitalist, Non-Hierachical, Liberated Space.

Sheffield social centre has moved, nothing else has changed.

The new location is 10 Northumberland Road, just off Glossop Road. The building was vacant when we entered and no criminal laws were broken.

We are keen to enter into discussion with the buildings owner to avoid costly legal proceedings. In the meantime the cafe and the full programme of events are running as usual in this open and inclusive community space. Come down any time, all are welcome.

http://sheffieldsocialcentre.org.uk/

—

9.10.09: yesterday, at around 5pm, notices were served at 10 Northumberland which state that a trespass hearing is due to take place at Sheffield County Court at 10:30am on Wednesday 14th October.

Reclaim the Earth Centre at Doncaster – People needed for planned occupation

The Earth Centre in Doncaster has been left to ruin for 5 years. We intend to take it back. This site now owned by the council was developed to be a sustainable living education centre and community farm. It is currently being used as a firing range by weapon enthusiasts Cerberus Airsoft.

The Earth Centre was developed on derelict land left over from former coal pits, it was intended to be the museum for the millenium. Initial plans were for a gradual development of the site, incorporating community-led projects and with much construction work being undertaken by Mowlem, who used the site to train apprentices. The first stage of that project opened in 1994, including a sustainable aquaculture centre and a community farm.

In 1995 the Millennium Commission made an award to Earth Centre, which became one of its Landmark Millennium projects. The site was completely redesigned and virtually all existing landscaping and projects were destroyed, which lost the goodwill of the local community who felt excluded from the project. From 1996 work progressed on the remediation of the remaining polluted land and the design and construction of the many buildings and exhibitions.

In September 2004 the attraction closed to the public, and only pre-booked school parties were allowed. By the end of October, the Earth Centre, monument to Sustainability, was to the money men un-sustainable and was put in the hands of administrators. It is now in the hands of the Council who surprise surprise have made no effort to return it to its original intent. Instead the council chooses to allow access to Cerberus Airsoft a company specialising in providing war games and shooting outings to a select membership group. General public will be thrown off by the police!!

We think that this is an amazing site and the original concept behind the Earth Centre is a fantastically intelligent way of educating communities about sustainable living. It is now the time to return the Earth Centre to the people.

We need support in many forms to make this happen. To begin with we need people to come and help occupy the site, we will need tools and volunteers. This is a great opportunity for anyone that has been wanting to live in a community, in an eco village setting and a real chance to put South Yorkshire on the map for environmental education and lifestyle.

We’re planning a swoop on the site and then aim to transform it so that everyone can use it and benefit from its resources.

Please help contact – thereismore2lfefolks@yahoo.co.uk

This is a very urgent matter!
The following story was published in local paper ‘Peterborough Today’ 15 February 2007

DONCASTER Council is poised to sell off the ill-fated Earth Centre to developers after admitting running costs mean it would be “extremely unlikely” it could be used by community groups.
The probable fate of the 200 remaining acres of the former £38 million green visitor attraction was revealed in the council’s Corporate Asset Management Plan, presented to councillors last week.
The Earth Centre has been mothballed with 24-hour security patrols since it was wound up in 2004.
The Asset Management Plan presented to a meeting of the Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Panel describes the Earth Centre as “extremely unlikely to find sustainable use from community or other not for profit groups because of the very high cost of running and maintaining both the buildings and the grounds.” The report goes on to say that a “disposal solution” would be the “only viable option” for the site.
Ripon-based Pearson Developments Limited have submitted a planning application to build 300 houses, flats and offices on 17.5 acres of the 30 acres the company bought from the Millennium Commission. This land includes the former car park area and the lodge facilities.
Doncaster Council owns the remainder of the 200-plus acre site, including greenbelt land and the showpiece conference centre and galleries.
Their report adds: “Adjacent land owned by the Millennium Commission was sold in spring 2006 to a developer and discussions are in hand regarding a possible sale of the council’s landholding potentially to the same developer.”
Former Earth Centre member Bernard Pearson said: “All the money spent there was spent by the Millennium Commission from lottery money – I think the people who have paid into this should be taken into consideration. I don’t think the Council has tried very hard to get rid of it.”
Mr Pearson, who claims the maintenance bill for the site is in the region of £30,000 per month, added of the likely sell-off: “I think it is sad but it was what one would expect after two and a half years. I would look forward to seeing what proposals are put forward for the site. A lot of public money was invested in the site and I would hope the public will get something out of the arrangements.”
Opened in March 1999 as one of the Government’s flagship millennium projects, the Earth Centre was originally billed as an ‘environmental theme park’.
But the projected visitor numbers failed to appear. A relaunch in 2001 saw the centre rebranded to appeal to business and education users, but its fortunes did not revive enough for the attraction to break even. It went into liquidation in 2004 and has been mothballed ever since.
Nobody at Doncaster Council was available for comment this week.

We will not allow this to happen action must be taken!

The Earth Centre is key in educating the world about the effects of climate change and sustainable living solutions

Check out what it’s got to offer!

• 80% of building materials were either reclaimed or recycled
• Europe’s largest flat-foot photovoltaic installation.1,300m2 canopy containing 250 photovoltaic panels – generating 80,000 KW of electricity per year and would run the systems and the galleries.
• Conference centre constructed largely from reclaimed materials including telegraph poles, crushed concrete, glass and radiators.
• A shop and café area
• 6500m2 black box gallery space conditioned through an underground thermal store called the Labyrinth
• “Living Machine” sewage treatment plant. A local water treatment system processing all waste water coming from Earth Centre toilets, basins and kitchens, operating entirely through biological reactions, using both bacteria and nutrient-demanding tropical plants in the warmth of a greenhouse.
• Fully integrated network of water management that incorporates rainwater harvesting and the treatment, storage and recycling of water for use in irrigation and water features and as a wildlife habitat.
• 100,000 new trees including 15 acres of willow as well as some ancient woodlands, two rivers and a variety of ecological grasslands and wetlands
• Demonstrations of organic gardening methods, fruit orchards, willow sculptures, forest and bog gardens, and other flower and sculptural gardens

All this and a pirate ship!

……Attention……
We need support for the takeover of the Earth Centre, we intend to transform it into a camp for sustainable living and community activism contact us now! A swoop date will be announced soon.

Scottish Power, Hatfield Moor Gas Storage Facility, URGENT HELP REQUIRED!!! Protest, Sunday 11th October

HATFIELD MOOR GAS STORAGE FACILITY, LINDHOLME, DONCASTER, SOUTH YORKSHIRE.

Scottish Power, the current owners of the site, have just submitted a planning application to DONCASTER METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL seeking permission to both extend, and reinstate a naturally occurring gas field situated under the area. The site stands adjacent to a small residential estate, a couple of prisons, and a NATURE RESERVE which already is designated as an area of Special Scientific Interest.

During the construction phase of the project, Scottish Power themselves admit that they will be running drilling operations 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week, for at least 10 months.What effect will this have on local residents, wildlife and environment.Also, the original geological survey of the area to which Scottish Power base their planning application is some 30 yrs old now and has been shown to have been riddled with flawed data in any case.
In addition, our local MP, who initially seemed happy to support us, appears to have changed sides, hmm, interesting but not surprising!

We have arranged the first of many peaceful protests, which is to be held on Sunday 11th October, starting at 2pm, meeting up point: Lindholme ‘Green Gym’ Playing Field, Lindholme, Doncaster, South Yorks (adjacent to Lindholme Immigration removal centre. DN7 postcode. Support desperately needed!!!).

As I mentioned earlier, we are a small community, with little chance of successfully holding any real form of protest on our own, so any support would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks

Sheffield Social Centre Injunction Hearing

At around 1pm today notices were served at the Sheffield Social Centre, http://sheffieldsocialcentre.org.uk/ giving notice of an eviction hearing at 3pm today, Tuesday 6th October 2009.

At the 3pm possession case hearing the judge agreed to give until 10am tomorrow to contest the possession case.

At around 1pm today notices were served at the Sheffield Social Centre, http://sheffieldsocialcentre.org.uk/ giving notice of an eviction hearing at 3pm today, Tuesday 6th October 2009.

At the 3pm possession case hearing the judge agreed to give until 10am tomorrow to contest the possession case.

So I guess that means that everybody should get down to the Court on West Bar (the new ugly, neo-classical one) tomorrow morning to protest!

Key Coal Terminal Shut By Climate And Community Campaigners

Update: After a six hour blockade, one man had been arrested at the scene for assault and three women and a man had been arrested for breach of the peace. They’ve been charged with causing about £200,000 ‘damage’ to the coal terminal operation.

—-

At 6.30 this morning ten campaigners, together with local residents, peacefully blockaded Ravenstruther coal loading terminal in South Lanarkshire. Having stopped its reopening after the weekend, they are currently preventing coal being loaded and transported. [1] Protesters plan to stay in place as long as possible.

Two protesters are locked on top of the coal conveyor belt, holding a large banner with the words “No New Coal” high over the terminal. Others are blockading the front gate with their bodies, arm tubes and bike locks.

The action is aiming to disrupt the operations of Scottish Coal in the region. The protesters are acting to oppose the five open cast coal mines active in the area, and in resistance to the thirteen new open cast coal mines due to open in Scotland. [2] [3]

Bill Reid who is at the site said: “In the face of dangerous runaway climate change, increasing our dependence on coal – the most polluting of the fossil fuels – is simply unacceptable. We urgently need to switch to renewable energy and close existing mines. We shouldn’t even be thinking about new ones.”

The demonstration today is in support of the Lanarkshire communities who are opposing new open cast mines. [4] Anna Mackenzie, a local resident said: “We’re here today to send a clear message that we don’t want parts of Scotland such as South Lanarkshire to become the most heavily mined areas in Europe, as they will be if permission is granted for all the new open cast coal mines currently being proposed. Direct action is not just the only avenue left open, it is also an effective one, as demonstrated by the occupation of Mainshill Wood which has been preventing an open cast mine from starting and furthering highlighting the negative health impact which open casting has been having on the people of Douglas.” [5]

Another protester, Helen Forbes said: “Local authorities, the Scottish government and companies like Scottish Coal and Scottish Power are ignoring the scientific evidence on climate change. We have to take responsibility for our climate and our future, and stop the coal industry and its expansion. Today at Ravenstruther we’re acting responsibly”.

With Scotland’s CO2 emissions increasing significantly, continuing the consumption of coal will make it impossible for Scotland to meet its 80% target reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050. Jo Price said “The Scottish government is paying lip service to the dangers of climate change. As long as they allow companies like Scottish Coal to dig up our countryside and burn the product we won’t meet the targets.” [6]

It is estimated that 6,380 tonnes of coal were stopped from being loaded, equivalent to 11,675,400 kg CO2 released into the atmosphere.

The blockaders apologized to any workers affected by today’s demonstration, but in recognizing the desperate need to stop burning coal sees no other choice but to target the companies responsible for mining it.

ENDS ~ NOTES SEE BELOW
NOTES FOR EDITORS

[1] There is currently a coal freight train sitting in Ravenstruther coal-rail terminal, which this action is preventing from being loaded. Five such trains leave Ravenstruther every day.

[2] 3 open cast coal mines deliver coal to the Ravenstruther coal-rail terminal. The new mines proposed for Lanarkshire are likely to use it too (as is the case with Poniel open cast, which started producing coal in
September).

[3] Ravenstruther coal-rail terminal delivers coal to power stations throughout England including Drax (Drax Group plc.), Rugeley (International Power), and Ironbridge (E.on).

[4] Douglas hosted a Community Health Public Meeting on 23rd September 2009, after a Community Health Study of the heavily-mined Douglasdale area revealed it as a troubling significant hotspot for respiratory illnesses
and cancer.

“Studies performed in the United States indicate higher lung cancer rates, and higher mortality rates for respiratory, heart, and kidney diseases in communities living in proximity to open-cast coal extraction
operations. ” (See Coal Health Study, below)

Douglasdale Health Study 2009:

& (PDF):
<“>http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/opencast-mines-will-lead-to-public-health-disaster-warns-poison-expert-1.922198>

“Health should come before opencast profit in Douglas” (Lanark Gazette,
1/10/09)
<“>http://www.searo.who.int/LinkFiles/World_Health_Day_2008_FactSheet2.pdf>

[6] For more on the case against coal mining in Lanarkshire, see Coal
Action Scotland’s excellent briefing.

Today’s campaigners are NOT from the group Coal Action Scotland.

Citizen weapons inspectors visit Manchester factory

Target Brimar campaign press release
Monday 5th October 08:00
– for immediate release

Citizen Weapons Inspectors visit Manchester Factory

Target Brimar campaign press release
Monday 5th October 08:00
– for immediate release

Citizen Weapons Inspectors visit Manchester Factory

At just before 8 o’clock this morning, several citizen weapons inspectors from the Target Brimar campaign visited the Chadderton premises of military component manufacturer Brimar.[1] They were seeking information on possible connections between Brimar’s products and human rights abuses committed in Gaza and the West Bank, Iraq, and Afghanistan.[2]

Target Brimar campaigners, in a research dossier released today,[3] have raised concerns that the company’s products may have been used in the commission of human rights abuses including attacks on civilians during the ‘Operation Cast Lead’ invasion of Gaza by the Israeli Defence Forces in December 2008/January 2009. Brimar directors admitted in 2006, during the war in Lebanon, that the company supplied components used in Apache attack helicopters sold to the Israeli military.

There is also evidence that products developed during a research collaboration between Brimar and the US Marine Corps were deployed with Marine tank battalions in Iraq in 2004-5, including with forces directly involved in the Second Battle of Fallujah in November 2004. And there is concern that Brimar products may be incorporated into helicopters currently being used to fire thermobaric missiles in Afghanistan.

The Target Brimar campaign is calling on the company, which is owned by private investors and has a significant financial relationship with the Bank of Scotland/Lloyds Banking Group and therefore with the British taxpayer, to return to its historically peaceful manufacture of specialist screens and viewing equipment, and on the British government to reviews its arms export policy and to cease its immoral and economically distorted subsidising of the arms industry.

The Target Brimar campaign is calling for a public demonstration on 17th October 2009 calling on Brimar to rethink its military manufacture operations. Full details are available on http://www.targetbrimar.org.uk

Notes for editors

1. the weapons inspectors are, at the time of writing, still at Brimar. They can be contacted directly for interview on 07866 001207. Video footage and stills images will be made available as soon as possible via press@targetbrimar.org.uk and http://www.targetbrimar.org.uk. General questions regarding the campaign and research should be made to 07506 551323 or to press@targetbrimar.org.uk.

2. the inspectors will be directing questions to Brimar regarding its awareness of documented human rights abuses which are likely to have involved the use of its products, and the comprehensiveness of its knowledge of the final destinations of its products once sold.

3. copies of the dossier can be downloaded at: http://www.targetbrimar.org.uk/downloads/target_brimar_dossier_october_2009-1.pdf