Action Reports – Page 164

Mainshill Solidarity Camp needs you! Clear-felling and drilling ongoing

Want to support a community in it’s fight against corrupt councils and coal mining companies? Want to protect part of Scotland’s beautiful landscape and endangered wildlife? Want to take land and power away from a wealthy aristocrat and live communally on liberated land? Want to do something about the vast expansion of opencast coal mining and its contribution to climate chaos? Then get yerself down to Mainshill Solidarity Camp!

Over the past couple of weeks work has resumed at Mainshill Wood with large areas of plantation forest being felled and borehole drilling ongoing, in preparation for the opencast mine. Scottish Coal, with the protection of Strathclyde Police, have moved in another team of drillers, J B Site Investigations, and ‘forest managers’ Scottish Woodlands to carry out this work.

Last week drilling work was stopped when a camp resident scaled a drilling rig and held off attempts by police climbers to remove her for 6 hours. Other actions to stop work and prevent felling have been ongoing.

But the Solidarity Camp needs support – stopping this preparatory work and importantly the felling of more plantation forest is essential to winning this campaign. Even if just for a day, come along to the Solidarity Camp and help us put a stop to Scottish Coal and Lord Home’s plans to rip up the Douglas Valley and poison local communities.

Go to http://coalactionscotland.noflag.org.uk/?page_id=415#How%20to%20Get%20There for directions to the camp.

mainshill@riseup.net
http://mainshill.noflag.org.uk/

Great Climate Swoop latest info – updated

Ratcliffe-on-Soar maps

10 days to go…

Ratcliffe-on-Soar maps

10 days to go…

Each bloc has a separate mission, and slightly different plan, to ensure we have the whole power station covered for a successful take over! The first thing you need to do is choose your bloc and sign up for text alerts here: http://climatecamp.org.uk/actions/climate-swoop-2009/text-updates

Below is more info about each blocs plans …

*TAKE BACK THE POWER & FALSE SOLUTIONS BLOCS*
Take Back the Power’s mission: get to the control room and take back the power!
False Solution’s mission: get to the coal pile and expose the false solutions!

1) Get into the zone marked on the map here: LINK for 10am
2) Get to the muster point for 11am. The muster point will be sent out on Saturday morning, before 10am
3) SWOOP on Ratcliffe for 1pm!

If you don’t get any communication about a muster point – just swoop for 1!

The muster point will be a great place to get excited and energise for swooping, get legal info and get the reassurance that you’re not taking over Ratcliffe on Soar alone!

On the other hand, if gathering as a group isn’t your thing, join the decentralised Capitalism is Crisis bloc and make sure you swoop at 1!

And if you haven’t already got a map, it’s really, really important that you print one out when signing up for the text. It can be printed from here shortly:
http://climatecamp.org.uk/actions/climate-swoop-2009/swoop-information – best printed on A3 but any map is better than none!

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THE GREAT CLIMATE SWOOP – 17 DAYS TO GO!

There are less than three weeks to go until our day of action! Just imagine… It’s the morning of Saturday 17th October. You receive a message telling you to move into position at the south side of Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station. The helicopter blades cut through the noise of the cars zipping up and down the M1. Your mission is clear and you’re ready to swoop.

Presented by Climate Camp, Plane Stupid, Rising Tide and Climate Rush, the swoop will see thousands of concerned individuals converging and taking over E.ON’s biggest coal fired power station.

Read the information below carefully, as it contains important planning details that aim to make the swoop the huge success it needs to be. People are being urged to arrive the night before (Friday 16th) if at all possible, where there will be an info stall at Nottingham station (6pm-9pm) directing people to a pre-action meet up point, followed by places to crash.

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BLOCS & HOW IT’S GOING TO WORK

We can now announce the four blocs! Whether you want to highlight a solution or expose a problem, sign up to receive text alerts and details of your mission on the day.

STEP 1: CHOOSE YOUR SWOOP GROUP

*TAKE BACK THE POWER*

Mission: Get to the control room and take back the power!

While the workers receive pitiful pay rises, the bosses of plants like Ratcliffe are raking in record profits. It’s time to kick start a just transition to a clean energy world by building the real solutions to climate change. Let’s demonstrate that we can’t rely on governments or corporations or anyone else to sort out the mess we’re in; it’s up to us to be the change we need. Join the TAKE BACK THE POWER bloc and aim for the control room to hit that big red ‘off’ switch

*FOOTSTEPS TO THE FUTURE*

Mission: Get to the main gate and create your vision of a better future!

A bloc for the young, old and all in between to create a vision for a future beyond fossil fuels. Efficient and renewable, this bloc will be a space to show the solutions. From bike powered sound systems to solar showers, come, conceive and create.

This Bloc will be meeting at 10am on Saturday 17th at Nottingham train station to travel en masse to the power station. (However, fear not, if you are up for one of the other Blocs there will be just as clear ways to get involved on the day distributed via the text messaging system)

*FALSE SOLUTIONS*

Mission: Get to the coal pile and expose the false solutions!

Coal is not the answer! The only real solution to climate change is to stop burning the fossil fuels that are causing it! Let’s expose the greenwash and technofixes. Come armed with green paint! Or how about a net to capture and store some coal?! Whatever your tools and methods, decommission that coal!

*CAPITALISM IS CRISIS*

Mission: Get anywhere in or around the power station and choose your own
adventure! This is the decentralised option.

Through the fences; up the chimney; in the water. You’ve got your own ideas about making this a spectacular action. Do what YOU can and how YOU want. The economic and climate crises are linked. Capitalism is a root cause of climate change and cannot be the solution!

——————————————————-

STEP 2: DECIDE HOW TO GET THERE

You have two options for how to begin your mission:

OPTION 1:

Looking for people to swoop with? Coming from further a field?

Make your way to Nottingham station between 6 and 11pm on Friday 16th October. There’ll be someone there to meet you, introduce you to fellow swoopers and direct you to accommodation if you need it. But please email info@thegreatclimateswoop.org if you will need a place to sleep. Make sure you’re ready to go at 10am on Saturday.

OPTION 2:

In an affinity group already?

That’s great! Make sure you’re in the Nottingham area at 10am on Saturday 17th October. If you need or want to get there the night before let us know if you’ll need a place to stay, but the more you can sort out for yourself the better!

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HOW’S THIS GOING TO WORK?

Whether you’ve arrived the night before or on in the morning, you’ll receive a text message with details of the next part of your mission. Then be prepared to swoop on the power station at 1pm!

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Info about regional transport, regional pre-Swooop events, what to (not) bring and signing up to the Swoop SMS service all at http://www.thegreatclimateswoop.org

Fences video for the Great Climate Swoop –
http://www.vimeo.com/6865520

Also, check out this invaluable resource, with photos & maps of the power station –
www.brightonclimatechange.org/southcoastblog/?p=76

Details of previous action at Ratcliffe 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Stop Vedanta mining in India : meeting on how you can help

Saturday 17th Oct 2-4pm London School of Economics

Saturday 17th Oct 2-4pm London School of Economics
Corporate murder, environmental crimes:
Vedanta plc, DfID and the Indian State
PUBLIC MEETING AND FILM SCREENING

Samarendra Das activist, film-maker and researcher will discuss these and related issues at a screening of extracts from his remarkable film Wira Pdika (Earthworm and Company Man) in which people from the Adivasi Dongria Kondh and Majhi Kondh communities, activists, singers and dancers, forest dwellers and fisher people speak about their lives and their struggles against Vedanta. If Vedanta are not stopped, the mine will destroy the Niyamgiri hills – known as the most beautiful mountains in India – wiping out the ancient civilization of the Dongria Kondh adivasi community who regard the Niyam Dongar mountain and forests of the area as their Gods. It will also lead to unprecedented environmental disasters, water pollution and mass unemployment.

sasg@southasiasolidarity.org
07846873341

The meeting will be in Rm 302 Clement House, London School of Economics, The Aldwych, London WC2
(Map of LSE at http://www2.lse.ac.uk/mapsAndDirections/findingYourWayAroundLSE.aspx)

http://www.southasiasolidarity.org

For more info on what’s at stake check out
www.actionaid.org.uk/index.asp?page_id=101732

For latest news check out
http://londonminingnetwork.org

Sheffield Social Centre Opens

The location of the Social Centre can now be announced:

Pisgah House Road in Broomhill, S10 5BJ

You can take a number 52 bus from the centre of town to just past Broomhill at Hoole Road and it’s a two minute walk from there.

The location of the Social Centre can now be announced:

Pisgah House Road in Broomhill, S10 5BJ

You can take a number 52 bus from the centre of town to just past Broomhill at Hoole Road and it’s a two minute walk from there.

The social centre is a non-hierarchical, anti-capitalist space based on a number of core principles which reflect the world its organisers want to see: co-operation and mutual aid, openness and inclusion, voluntary participation and shared responsibility.

It is a place where discrimination of any kind is challenged in order to create as inclusive a place as possible. One way of achieving this will be through open meetings using consensus decision-making, which happen every other day at 10am to decide how the centre operates, with the first one of these happening on Thursday October the 1st.

A programme of workshops, discussions, and other events is planned for the first fortnight. The full timetable can be found on the Events page and anyone is welcome to propose things they’d like to organise in the social centre by emailing info@sheffieldsocialcentre.org.uk, calling 07729575582, or by visiting the centre.

“We’ve established this space for people to openly discuss and learn from each other about issues of social and environmental justice, because there’s a chronic lack of public space in which people can come together and freely and genuinely talk about the things they are concerned about, and take action together to change them. The only real way of addressing the problems of our society is for us all to realise the power we possess when we act co-operatively, and helping people to make that realisation is one of our main goals in setting up this social centre”.

The building being occupied, Pisgah House, is on the same site as the Tapton Experimental Gardens, both of which are owned by the University of Sheffield. In 2007 local residents defeated a planning application by property developers Miller Homes to demolish all of the buildings on the site.

The last decent social centre we had was Matilda, but that was evicted in summer 2006 by the ironically named ‘Yorkshire Forward.’

Building photos

For events for the first 2 weeks and a map, look at http://sheffieldsocialcentre.org.uk/

Banamex bank branch bombed and two HSBC ATMs burned

Subversive Alliance For The Liberation Of The Earth, Animal and Humans bombs Banamex bank branch in Mexico City

Communique:

“BOMB IN BANAMEX BANK BRANCH. Mexico

Once again we have shown who our enemies are; it was in the early morning around 2:00am today that our cell decided to join the battle for the dissolution of civilization. An explosive device was placed in a Banamex branch, located in the southwest of Mexico City, in the Milpa Alta borough. As everyone knows, Banamex is a company that promotes torture, destruction and slavery; the purpose of the attack was to stop these bastards who need to know that we are not playing, that we are not merely vandals. Our enemies know perfectly well why we did it, and their media allies have to cover the truth; well we also have something prepared for them. Stop the construction of the prison in Tláhuac. Fire to the prisons! Prisoners to the streets! Stop the destruction of the nature reserves for line 12 of the metro. Stop the expansion of progress. We have endless reasons why your filthy techno-industrial system provokes our rage and hatred and we say to you now that we will not stop until we see your ashes.

The bank was fucked up, the windows, signs and ATMs were left unusable, the damage exceeded 500,000 Pesos. This town was astonished to see the damages, the police never expected this and even less that we would do it right in front of their faces since a patrol car was only one block from the bank and never suspected the person who passed right in front of them; after a few seconds we fled escaping a second patrol car.

Alianza Subversiva Por La Liberación De La Tierra, Animal Y Humana [Subversive Alliance For The Liberation Of The Earth, Animal and Humans]

Greetings to the ELF, ALF and eco-arsonists for the liberation of the earth.”

Eco-anarchists burn two HSBC bank ATM machines in Mexico

Communique:

Eco-anarchists went out to fight against evil capitalism during the early morning hours of September 17, with rage and conviction. We turned to one of the many banks that are destroying the planet and causing famine in the poorest countries; shaking their damn egos, we decided to sabotage two ATMs and set them on fire, leaving a clear message ‘Murdering Capitalism.’ We are very pleased to be a stone in the shoes of these damned murderers!

Once again we demonstrated that there are those who will speak for the fallen, for people who are not guilty of all this capitalist and consumerist crap!

Total liberation!
Health and anarchy!
Rage and action!
The flame will burn!
A greeting to all those who fight!”

ELF Torches Cars at Dealership in Guadalajara, Mexico

Earth Liberation Front Torches Seven New Cars at Dealership in Guadalajara, Mexico

Communique:

“Sabotage against car dealership by eco-anarchists in Guadalajara, Mexico

In the early morning hours of September 26 our cell, in solidarity with the attacks of our comrades of the F.L.A., decided to sabotage and to destroy technology which is designed to destroy the environment. We visited a sports car dealership and among the cars there was a Hummer as well as others; the message was clear, EARTH-DESTROYING MACHINE ELF. We set approximately 7 cars on fire, leaving them unusable. These attacks are not by eco-terrorists but are by people who have turned their tears into action and their frustration into rage. Our groups are being sought and investigated by police in addition to the trashy press which is harshly critical of us. It is clear that our attacks are not to hurt people; they are aimed at the economy of a system that destroys the environment and exploits animals. We will not stop these acts because the ALF and ELF are decentralized groups so that if they catch one group other people will continue with attacks.

ZERO TOLERANCE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION

ZERO TOLERANCE FOR SPECIESISM

ANIMAL, HUMAN AND EARTH LIBERATION.

ECO-ANARCHISTS GUADALAJARA MEXICO”

Spanish:

“Sabotaje contra distribuidora de autos por eco anarquistas en Guadalajara Mexico

En la madrugada del 26 de septiembre nuestra celula solidarizandose con los ataques de compañeros del F.L.A. decidio sabotear y destruir tecnologia diseñada para destruir el medio ambiente, visitamos una distribuidora de coches deportivos de entre esos coches habia una HUMMER y demas maquinas, el mensaje fue claro MAQUINA DESTRUCTORAS DE LA TIERRA ELF aproximadamente incendiamos 7 coches que quedaron inutilizados, estos ataques no son de eco terroristas son de personas que convierten sus lagrimas en accion y su frustracion en rabia, nuestros grupos estan siendo buscados e investigados por la policia ademas de que la prensa amarillista da duras criticas hacia nuestros grupos, queda aclarar que nuestros ataques no son para lastimar personas van destinados a atacar a la economia de un sistema que destruye el medio ambiente y explota a los animales, no pararemos estos actos porque el ALF y el ELF son grupos descentralizados en el cual si atrapan un grupo otras personas seguiran con los ataques.

CERO TOLERANCIA A LA DESTRUCCION AMBIENTAL

CERO TOLERANCIA AL ESPECISMO

LIBERACION ANIMAL,HUMANA Y DE LA TIERRA.

ECO ANARQUISTAS GUADALAJARA MEXICO”

Source: http://www.elfpressoffice.org

Copenhagen Mass action against Coal Plant today

26th September 2009

26th September 2009
Today in Copenhagen is a large mass action against a Coal Power Station near to the city. Breaking news is of one mass ‘preventative’ arrest of activists from one of the two blocks (green / purple) and the cops attacking another group with truncheons. A hole has been cut in the fence of the plant at the rear. The action is continuing…

—

As is now usual when the Danish cops make a mass ‘preventative’ arrest of loads of protesters, they kettle them, take them individually, and handcuff them with their arms behind their back. Then they put each person one by one behind the other with the legs alongside the one in front. Sitting in the fashion for a while becomes painful as you wait for the wagons to eventually arrive and cart you off from the protest site.

They’ve been using this mass arrest thing for a number of years now. It doesn’t matter who you are, if you’re in the place they want to arrest people then its tough!

It’s like the UK kettle with an added twist!

—

Today about 1500 people took direct action to shut down one of Copenhagen’s coal fire power plants.

The action plan was openly announced several months ago and Danish police have been gearing up for massive use of force and to trial new anti-protest laws. Around 100 of the protesters managed to get inside the power plant which should have been shut down due to safety regulations at that point – but was kept running. However, as this was the goal for the action protesters have declared the action a success. Around 100 people have been arrested.

One person so far has been charged. The action was widely and positively covered in Danish news and protesters regard it as a very positive trial run for actions around the COP 15.

—

Success critera for Shut It Down Saturday 26th September, Copenhagen

1. enter a power plant and to shut down the production
2. confront politicians and energy companies with direct action, challenging the existing system
3. to evoke international recognition of the intentness of climate movements
4. mobilise people for climate activism by participating in an creative, colourful and integrating action
5. and finally to raise awareness about the conflict between coal power and climate change

http://shutitdown.dk/

SHAC’s Operation Liberation – Open Letter to the Cops!

– VIDEO OF POLICE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgV8p1KavSk

An open letter to all police officers involved in the policing of SHAC’s Operation Liberation protest on 26th September 2009.

Dear Police,

– VIDEO OF POLICE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgV8p1KavSk

An open letter to all police officers involved in the policing of SHAC’s Operation Liberation protest on 26th September 2009.

Dear Police,

Yesterday protesters from around the country came together to take part in Operation Liberation a protest organized by SHAC as part of a campaign to close down Highgate Farm who breed rabbits and ferrets for animal testing.

The police on the day did not let the protesters go down to the farm and the protest was a static demo away from both the farm and the village. You used an unmanned drone to observe the demo as well as lines of cops and police vans all around us. While it has been argued in the past that drones would be used to limit police numbers the number of police was huge. You drew a line on the path and wouldn’t let anyone past it. One officer even move people back who’s shoes were slightly over the line another push someone back without even asking the protester to move!

The police seem intent on provoking another Newchurch by preventing effective peaceful protest and building up anger by antagonising the national animal rights movement. If you want to show people that keeping to cooperative protest is a good idea, putting them at the end of a lane away from their target and being totally inflexible isn’t a great way of going about it!

I know there are some police trying to avoid another Newchurch. However it seems you have been manipulated by a particularly extreme element in your ranks that needs to provoke the movement to keep its funding. NETCU and similar units seem to be in a very bad way in terms of resources and in this recession they need to manipulate you to keep the funds flowing away from your local policing priorities and to line the pockets of there cosy little number. They don’t want to see the movement cooperating with you because that will make them unnecessary.

Many of you may already be angry that money has in the past been wasted on such units. Do you really want funds to be taken from you and used to sent a car of two or more specialist officers from faraway to a small peaceful protest that could easily be dealt with by your beat bobby (or PCSO) in two minutes flat?

You have probably been told that the animal rights movement has been frozen by the SHAC trials, this is not the case. The movement is getting up, shaking itself down and deciding it’s direction. Where are you going to push it towards?

See you on the streets,

An activist.
—————-
This does not necessarily represent the views of everyone at Animal Rights Cambridge. Animal Rights Cambridge has no leaders.

Animal Rights Cambridge
http://animalrightscambridge.webs.com/

Target Brimar: against the military-industrial complex

Brimar is a Manchester-based company which makes components which form a vital part of the Apache helicopters used by the Israeli military in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon, by the US Marines in Iraq and by British and US militaries in Afghanistan.
The newly-formed Target Brimar campaign is calling a launch demonstration on Saturday October 17th, meeting at the Gardeners’ Arms roundabout in Moston, Manchester at noon. All are welcome, and please bring banners, placards, musical instruments… there will be vegan food and speakers from the Palestinian community and from the Edo Decommissioners, the activists who during the Israeli invasion of Gaza in January broke into a Brighton arms factory and damaged equipment there. There is transport available from Brighton/London, and a Critical Mass bike ride from Manchester city centre at 11am.
In addition to this launch demonstration, we are calling on people in Manchester and nationwide to take autonomous action and to carry out regular vigils, noise demonstrations and other protests in the vicinity of Brimar’s factory off the Greengate main road in Chadderton.
For more information, see http://www.targetbrimar.org.uk or http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=123955974338&ref=nf or email info@targetbrimar.org.uk

Anti-golf course group Trumps statues

24 September 2009
Campaigners against Donald Trump’s £1bn golf resort plans in Aberdeenshire have dressed up statues around Scotland as the American tycoon.

The Menie Liberation Front group said the masks and golf clubs had been added to about 20 statues in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Stirling.

24 September 2009
Campaigners against Donald Trump’s £1bn golf resort plans in Aberdeenshire have dressed up statues around Scotland as the American tycoon.

The Menie Liberation Front group said the masks and golf clubs had been added to about 20 statues in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Stirling.

The Trump Organisation condemned the “stunt”.

Grampian Police said the force was investigating the incidents in Aberdeen.

Mr Trump hopes to build what he has described as the “world’s greatest” golf resort at Menie.

A spokesman for the protest group said: “We are dressing up famous Scottish statues as the American tycoon to symbolise the way Trump thinks he can walk over Scotland.

“This development has gone too far. Throwing families from their homes for a private development is outrageous.”

The protest group – which has threatened further action – said no statues were damaged.

Sarah Malone, executive vice president of Trump International Golf Links Scotland, said: “This publicity stunt is perpetrated by a handful of individuals, and can only serve to tarnish our regional and national profile.

“Gimmicks such as this illustrate the lack of credibility of those involved and do a great disservice to local people.

“We are dealing with serious issues that need to be handled in a responsible and mature manner.”

Refusing to sell

Grampian Police are looking for a man in his 30s and one in his 50s in connection with the incident.

Officials from Aberdeen City Council have been removing the pictures, banners and sets of plastic golf clubs which were placed on the statues.

Martin Glegg, of the Tripping Up Trump group, said he was not aware of the protest and had never heard of the Menie Liberation Front.

He told BBC Scotland: “It shows lots of people are upset by the issue.”

The Trump Organisation has already won outline planning permission for two golf courses, a “residential village” and a hotel.

Mr Trump has said his vision comprises a world class golf course, a second 18-hole course, 950 holiday homes and 500 houses.

The proposal was originally rejected by a committee of the council before being called in by the Scottish government and approved.

The Trump Organisation has said the owners of four homes on land which forms part of the planned resort have rejected “incredibly generous” offers.

Mr Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jnr, told BBC Scotland they had been offered a 15% premium on market value.

He said they had also been given the chance to buy new homes at cost price, and the lifetime use of facilities.

A page of the Menie Liberation Front: taking action to protect the people and ecosystem of Menie

Tripping Up Trump, a fresh energised movement standing up for the people and environment threatened by Donald Trump’s development in Aberdeenshire.