Action Reports – Page 181

Shell security breached and work stopped in successful action at sea

On Tuesday, after the afternoon confrontation in Broadhaven Bay which resulted in one man’s arrest and a couple hours of halted work for the dredgers, the Shell to Sea fleet of kayaks headed out on the water a second time around 6pm and two protesters managed to board one of the dredgers, climbing on to the neck of the c

Shell has been continuously dredging in the area since Monday evening, interfering with protected fishing areas for local fishermen, defiling what was once a pristine marine habitat full of dolphins, whales and other marine life, and disturbing sleep for local residents. They have buoyed off an ‘exclusion zone’ in the public waters, with boats patrolling the area to make sure no one crosses into it. There is a diverse assortment of vessels occupying the once pristine bay; the majority of these are either carrying out or assisting in the current dredging and surveillance operations. An Garda Siochana (police boat) have also been patrolling the work zone along with two black RIBs; The Laura Emily accompanied by its twin the Galltee, both brimming with men dressed in black military fatigues and video cameras for filming protesters. Other smaller motorboats accompanied the Shell crew, including ‘safety boats’ and a large white motor launch. There were tugboats for moving the dredgers, barges for holding the sand being removed from the seabed and, of course, the massive dredgers themselves.

A group of twelve Shell to Sea protesters in eight inflatable kayaks, two hard kayaks, and two rubber dingys set out on the water at 6pm for the second time in one day on Tuesday 2nd June. Three of the kayaks managed to evade the security boats and get close enough to board one of the dredgers. One protester began to climb the ladder from her boat while another kayaker blocked a security boat from grabbing her. The other protester used the tires on the side of the dredger to board the deck. Once on the boat, both protesters were climbing onto the crane within seconds. They slid down into the neck of the crane making it impossible for the crew to remove them.

Loud cheers were heard from ashore where people were gathered at the Rossport Solidarity Camp, and the mood on the water was extremely positive. ‘Shell to hell’ chants were abounding, and there were even some playful exchanges between Shell to Sea kayakers and a couple of motorboats. There were varying attitudes on different boats, but not all of the gardai or safety boats were unfriendly. Both inflatable kayaks which had been left in the water where the two protesters had boarded the dredger were quickly recovered. One was towed out of the ‘exclusion zone’ by a Shell to Sea protester, and one was brought on board the gardai boat and placed back in the water outside of the exclusion zone. The rest of the Shell to Sea kayakers remained on the water to ensure the protesters were not going to be dangerously removed, then began taking shifts to stay close to them and provide support.

In a surprisingly honest conversation between the kayak protesters and a worker on one of the boats, the worker stated that he ‘admired the persistence’ of the local community and supporters who are resisting the pipeline. He also said he thought the pipeline plan was ‘relatively safe’ and asserted that sometimes risks have to be taken. Unfortunately with a kill zone of up to 200 meters and the uncertainty of never having built such a high pressure pipeline through a residential area, the risk is high. This is why resistance to the pipeline is so strong; as one of the two protesters who occupied the dredger later stated, “Today we took this action in solidarity with the local community and to try to protect this beautiful area from being ravaged by Shell.”

The rotating shifts of support continued on through the night, with small groups of kayakers keeping an eye on their friends long after the gardai had left around 12am. Once it was dark and the gardai had left, the mood at sea changed. The Shell security and the safety boat for the dredger were the only ones left. The Shell security RIBs became increasingly aggressive towards the kayakers. They made multiple attempts to capsize them, and used intimidation techniques such as turning their lights off until they were up close then suddenly shining floodlights, disorienting and frightening them. One of the kayak crew reported feeling seriously concerned that the situation would escalate. A security guard even stated his intention was to sink the boats, a plausible threat given the recent vicious attack by IRMS on Willie Corduff. It was reported that the ‘safety boat’ also seemed concerned for the safety of the kayakers, and may have been their only protection in the situation.

By 4am, the two protesters on the dredger were feeling very cold and tired, and felt as if they had achieved a significant victory. They voluntarily climbed down from the crane, and were illegally detained by IRMS security and brought to Ballyglass pier where they were arrested and charged with loitering in a public place.

Despite the severe difficulties encountered throughout the night the mood across the camp from the kayaking teams and all the support crews was jubilant. Having breached Shell’s security and made such a significant stop to dredging work people at the solidarity camp remain in a defiant mood: watch this space for more resistance to the devastation at sea and on the land.

Kingsnorth construction firm invaded by climate activists!

One of the companies bidding for the contract to construct a new coal fired power station at Kingsnorth has been targeted by climate campaigners. Three people have locked on inside and two are up on a ledge outside having dropped a banner.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

5th June 2009. 10.30am

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

5th June 2009. 10.30am

For more information, interviews and photographs contact 07932 096677 or press@climatecamp.org.uk

CLIMATE CAMPAIGNERS INVADE KINGSNORTH CONSTRUCTION FIRM

Major building contractor BAM Nuttall targeted due to potential role in controversial coal power station

[Photo and filming opportunity at: BAM Nuttall Head Office, St James House, Knoll Road, Camberley, Surrey, GU15 3XW]

This morning, thirteen people invaded the offices of Surrey-based building firm BAM Nuttall. They have locked themselves to furniture, glued themselves to desks, and are asking to speak to Chief Executive Martin J. Rogers about the disastrous implications of building more coal-fired power stations. Several protesters have also occupied an exterior ledge above the building’s entrance, with a banner reading: “No New Coal: Build a Greener Future”, and staff and passers-by are being given leaflets and information about the protest.

The campaigners, from Thames Valley Climate Action [1], are targeting BAM because the company is bidding for the contract to build a new coal power station at Kingsnorth in Kent, for the giant energy company E.ON [2]. This would be the first new UK coal power station for 30 years, and would produce around 7 million tonnes of CO2 per year, equivalent to the entire emissions of a country like Ghana [3]. According to a new report from Kofi Annan’s Global Humanitarian Forum, climate change is already killing 300,000 people per year, and will get much worse unless we urgently reduce our CO2 emissions [4].

One of the protesters, Xavier Perez, said: “BAM Nuttall point to the introduction of low energy lighting and improved heating at their head office as examples of how they are reaching their sustainability goals. This conveniently overlooks the fact that they are hoping to construct a power station reliant on the filthiest fossil fuel in existence. This would be laughable if it were not for the fact that millions of lives, livelihoods and species could be lost.” [5]

The Government and E.ON are claiming that a new Kingsnorth power station would eventually include “carbon capture and storage” (CCS) technology, to catch 25% of its emissions and store them underground [6]. However, the campaigners inside BAM Nuttall point out that this is unproven technology that is still being tested, and won’t be available until at least 2020 [7]. Climate scientists say we need to make sharp carbon cuts long before that date [8]. Even if CCS is one day installed, and works as planned, the plant would still produce more CO2 than a gas power station [9].

The Government’s other favoured justification for building new coal power stations – that the emissions would be included in the EU’s “carbon trading” scheme – has been widely and heavily criticised [10]. Critics say that this scheme is a complex and unworkable distraction from real climate change solutions, that isn’t reducing net emissions, and essentially hands control of the climate over to the same bankers, brokers and private traders responsible for the global financial crash [11].

Another of today’s protesters, Sasha Goodwin, said: “After last summer’s Climate Camp at Kingsnorth, thousands of people pledged to take direct action to stop this power station, and there is a huge wave of public support for the campaign. Today’s action shows how people are ready to act on their words. Any companies thinking about getting involved in the Kingsnorth project should remember the road protests of the 1990s, which cost contractors millions of pounds and prevented many proposed road projects from going ahead.

“BAM Nuttall say they need this work because of the recession, but this completely misses the point. If we keep burning coal, then we’ll lose a lot more than just our jobs – people’s homes, health, food supply, and the stability of our society are all at risk from climate change. Instead, we need to build a sustainable society, powered by renewable energy from the wind, sun and tides, which will lead to better ways to live and work. We need to make sure that this transition is a fair one, actively involving workers from the energy industry. We’re hoping to have some interesting conversations with BAM staff today about all of these issues!”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

[1] TVCA is part of the Camp for Climate Action network, which set up a week-long protest camp at Kingsnorth in August 2008 – see www.climatecamp.org.uk. Today’s action is part of a national campaign, supported by the Camp for Climate Action, called the E.ON Face Off – see www.e-onf-off.org.uk. Previous actions have included the occupation of E.ON’s UK head office by protesters dressed as Santa Claus, and actions at E.ON stalls at University recruitment events which led to the company abandoning their graduate recruitment drive.
[2] BAM Nuttall is a construction and civil engineering firm owned by the Royal BAM Group
[3] Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center: http://cdiac.ornl.gov/
[4] http://www.ghf-geneva.org/
[5] Royal BAM Group Sustainability Report
[6] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8014295.stm
[7] http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/georgemonbiot/2009/apr/23/carbon-capture-and-storage-coal
[8] http://www.tyndall.ac.uk/publications/briefing_notes/bn17.pdf
[9] Generating electricity from coal produces about twice as much CO2 per KWh than generation from gas. Therefore, a 25% reduction would still leave coal about one and a half times as polluting as gas.
[10] See for example http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article5257602.ece, http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227046.200-carbon-trading-wont-stop-climate-change.html and http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/cif-green/2009/may/28/carbon-trading
[11] http://www.carbontradewatch.org/

Thames Valley Climate Action

—

Latest – 10:30

Four cop vans, an ambulance (to deal with the person superglued to the front door) and a police helicopter now on the scene. Passing Conservative councillors milling about expressing their outrage that the boys in blue are doing this rather than catching burglars.

—

1 arrest so far – 11:50

One person inside arrested for aggravated trespass – not given the option to leave of his own accord… Those locked on/glued/perched on ledge still going strong.

—

Several arrests, including one passer-by who wandered over to talk to the people up on the ledge and promptly got nicked.

3rd, 4th and 5th of july amsterdam cyclist declare a war on cars

When the wars on cars begin we’ll have: critical masses, alley cat races, tall bike joustings, bike wars, bike polo, road blockades, workshops, infostands, food not bombs, parties and a lot of fun! Bike action days, this summer in amsterdam.

Manifesto

In the weekend of july 4th we declare a war on cars. In this weekend there will be a bike festival in Amsterdam. On different locations events, workshops, info stands, fun & games, parties, and direct actions to block and frustrate the traffic will be held. Cars lead to pollution, climate change, deaths and injuries. They are a nuisance, and are dominating the public space.Where the public space is not designed to facilitate the ever consuming shopping frenzy and industry it is designed to please fossil-fuel-traffic.

Since there is so little time left to prevent climate change to turn into catastrophic disaster we consider it irresponsible to invest in any type of fossil fuels. To give way to the same corrupted industries that got us in this mess in the first place is rediculous. Still the government is constructing more roads and highways, more lanes on existing highways, and investing in more industry and world trade. Even ‘Agro-fuels’ are not going to save the world. On the contrairy they will starve most of the world’s population. The oil-age is at its end and western society is clasping on to its unfairly acquired concentration of wealth and luxury. Now not only devastating life elsewhere on this planet but with climate change also making sure that in the future of the whole earth will not be so pleasant and bio-divers.

We are not going to take it anymore! When the war on cars begins we will send out a message to car users that they do not have ultimate priority in public space anymore, that cars are outdated technology since oil will not be affordable for ever and that we demand a healthy earth for the next generations. We will temporarily reclaim some public space for games and fun, promoting bikes and demanding more space and facilities for bikes, and for informing people about alternatives to an oil-based society.

Throughout the weekend there will be an ´alley-cat´-race, a carrier bike (bakfiets) race, tall bike jousting and bike wars. To enter an event send an email of your team name and which event to enter to or just show up with your (carrier)bike, tall bike or warbike. Also a lot of help is needed in organizing, and mobilizing. Especially outside Amsterdam and Holland! So get in touch, inform your surroundings, get involved, get active!

bikesnotcars@gmail.com
http://bikesnotcars.wordpress.com

Peru Indigenous Holding Strong in Standoff

June 3rd 2009
A massive indigenous mobilization in the Peruvian Amazon is nearing its second month, with no sign that the native protesters will allow themselves to be intimidated into giving up on their demands.

Thousands of indigenous protesters have blockaded critical infrastructure in Peru’s Amazon region since April 9, when they declared a national strike in protest of new laws that would facilitate increased industrial exploitation of their territories for timber, oil and gas. The laws were passed by decree under powers granted to President Alan Garcia to bring to country into compliance with a US-Peru free trade agreement. The 10 laws that protesters are demanding repealed were not part of the trade agreement, however, and were declared unconstitutional by a congressional commission in December.

So far, indigenous protesters have blockaded roads and waterways, forced a shutdown to the only crude oil pipeline in Peru, forced two oil companies to cease operation, blocked tourist access to the ruins of Machu Picchu (twice), and held protests that paralyzed the region’s biggest city, Iquitos. On May 31, several hundred protesters took over two valve stations on the only pipeline that transports natural gas from the controversial Camisea gas fields.

The protests are organized under the auspices of the Interethnic Development Association of the Peruvian Rainforest (AIDESP), which represents 1,200 different native communities. AIDESP’s elected leader, Alberto Pizango, insists that the mobilization will not end until Congress repeals the 10 objectionable laws, declares the state of emergency (martial law) declared in 5 Amazonian provinces since May 9, and enters a good-faith discussion with native communities over a different model for developing the Amazon.

One of the 10 laws has been tentatively repealed, but this action must be approved by the full Congress. The other 9 laws remain on the books.

McLibel McVictory Protest: Sunday 21st June

Put this in your diary and be there if you are against McDonalds for any reason! Health! Globalisation! Human Rights! The Environment! Animals! Freedom to Protest!

United against McDonalds! One Struggle, One Fight!

McLibel Anniversary Protest:
Sunday 21st June 09′
Meet 12 noon, McDonalds Rose Crescent Cambridge.
All welcome!

Put this in your diary and be there if you are against McDonalds for any reason! Health! Globalisation! Human Rights! The Environment! Animals! Freedom to Protest!

United against McDonalds! One Struggle, One Fight!

McLibel Anniversary Protest:
Sunday 21st June 09′
Meet 12 noon, McDonalds Rose Crescent Cambridge.
All welcome!

Why?
Victory #1: In 1997 activists won the now famous McLibel victory after the company sued 2 campaigners for handing out leaflets about the company’s controversial corporate practices. The Court found that McDonald’s marketing has “pretended to a positive nutritional benefit which their food did not match”; that they “exploit children”; are “culpably responsible for animal cruelty” and “pay low wages”.

More: http://www.mcspotlight.org/

Victory #2: This year in a much smaller local case, an activist was cleared after a walk in protest at McDonalds for the 2008 anniversary of the McLibel case. Police arrested the activist under the Public Order Act. But the court found that the campaigner did not break the criminal law and was exercising freedom of speech. A small McVictory for protest!

More: https://publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/cambridge/2009/04/429034.html

ELF pays home visit to CEO of Australia’s dirtiest Coal Power Station

Following the Australian Rudd government’s refusal to act on reducing carbon emissions while paying into the hands of the country’s largest polluters, the E.L.F payed a home visit to the CEO of the dirtiest power station in the industrialised world, Hazelwood Power Station, in Melbourne, Australia. They hand delivered the following note to Graeme York’s home:

Graeme York
27 Rydaldene Way

Graeme York
27 Rydaldene Way
Berwick, Vic

Dear Graeme,

As the Chief Executive Officer of Hazelwood power station, you are responsible for the dirtiest power station in Australia and the most polluting in the Industrialised World.
You are causing irreversible environmental destruction which will go on to harm not only those living on the planet today, but your children’s children too.

We hold you personally accountable for this assault against our Earth. We do not take lightly to the perpetual destruction of our land-base for the selfish and short-term objective of fattening your bank account.

The irreplaceable and precious eco-systems of this Earth are worth much more than your manicured lawn, expensive car and opulent suburban house. Your property will not remain safe so long as Hazelwood continues to pollute at such an inexcusable level, swallow millions of litres of fresh water every hour and cough out hydrochloric and nitrogen acids in return.

This Earth does not exist for the profits of avaricious CEOs like you,

The Earth Liberation Front.

Anti-Shell actions at Rossport, Eire

2nd June 2009

Rossport: Causeway at Shell compound ‘washed away’ by Shell to Sea action

2nd June 2009

Rossport: Causeway at Shell compound ‘washed away’ by Shell to Sea action

Part of the Shell causeway extending into the sea at Glengad was yesterday evening removed by Shell to Sea protesters. This was in protest at the illegal blocking of access to the public beach and to oppose the forcing of this unsafe project on the local community and the giveaway of Ireland’s natural resources.

A group of about 30-40 people waded into the sea to gain access to the causeway, and proceeded to remove a large amount of the stone which makes it up. They were confronted by a 70 Shell security after about half an hour of the action, at which point the people left. An upbeat and playful mood prevailed over a beautiful evening.

The Rossport Solidarity Camp has again taken up residence in Glengad, and after a very successful weekend, including a number of actions, will build up the resistance to Shell over the coming weeks and months.

—-

Monday the 1st of June saw the arrival of a multitude of assorted vessels to Broadhaven bay. The boats, which are subcontracted by The Royal Dutch Shell company (Shell), are attempting to prepare for works on the controversial Corrib gas project.

Today however, their progress has been significantly impaired by resident Shell to Sea activists that had already gathered a small, albeit formidable, fleet of kayaks, ready to deploy within short notice. The Kayaks were birthed from the Rossport Solidarity Camp, which directly overlooks the vicinity that the Shell boats have been operating in the past twenty-four hours.

Currently there are diverse assortments of vessels converging in the once pristine bay; the majority of these are either carrying out, or assisting, dredging and surveillance operations. An Garda Siochana, have also been sighted patrolling the work zone, along with two black ribs; The Laura Emily accompanied by its twin the Galltee, which are both brimming with men dressed in black military fatigues.

Works, taking place earlier this afternoon, came grinding to a complete halt when twelve activists in kayaks broke through the security line that consisted of nine high speed security boats. The activists managed to tactfully circumnavigate security boats for approximately two and a half hours, which effectively halted Shell dredging works for a considerable period of time.

After numerous attempts by Gardai to secure an arrest, they eventually managed to drag one man from his inflatable Kayak. The man, in his fifties, is reported to have been halting a dredger conveying silt into a barge, and thus stopping afternoon work.

This current work being carried out by Shell is likely to signify the impeding arrival of the Solitaire; at over 400 meters long the Solitaire is the largest pipe laying vessel in the world, and its expected presence in Co. Mayo will undoubtedly provoke formidable resistance.

At this point in the project, all dredging works carried out in Rossport are likely to be held as sacrosanct by Shell’s board of directors, and conversely seen as detrimental by the Irish public.

South American dam news

2 Arrests in Home Depot Dam Protest; Take Action!

May 27th, 2009

2 Arrests in Home Depot Dam Protest; Take Action!

May 27th, 2009
Two activists were arrested at a Home Depot in Glendale, CO, near Denver, after hanging a banner off the building that read, “Dam Home Depot, NOT Patagonia!” Home Depot is under pressure from International Rivers and allies for its ongoing financial involvement with the main Chilean interest promoting 5 dams in Chilean Patagonia.

Home Depot has a shareholders’ meeting coming up on Thursday, May 28 in Atlanta, Georgia. Contact them (before their May 28 shareholders’ meeting if possible, but certainly during or after as well) and tell them to cancel purchases of timber from the Matte and Angelini Groups (the companies CMPC and Arauco) for their involvement in plans to dam wild Patagonia, and to drop the charges against Earth First! protesters in Arapahoe County, Colorado. Call 1-800-553-3199 (press extension # 5), or send an email directly from this site.

For more background on the issue, visit International Rivers’ Patagonia page.

—

More South American Dam News

Chilean Patagonia: International Rivers deployed two large banners at Home Depot’s annual shareholder meeting in Atlanta, GA, USA, on May 28, demanding that the corporation sever ties with the two companies pushing plans to dam 5 rivers in wild Patagonia. Inside the meeting, protesters brought their demands directly to the company’s board.

The action came only a day after 2 Earth First! activists were arrested for dropping a similar banner off a Home Depot in Colorado. For more information on the campaign to Dam Home Depot and Save Patagonia, visit International Rivers’ Patagonia page.

Brazil: At least 7 people were killed when a water storage dam burst, flooding the city of Cocal da Estação, population 30,000. Thousands were left homeless or without electricity. Following the accident, a Brazilian dam expert estimated that 200 other dams in the country are at risk of failure.

In better news, a federal judge has suspended the environmental permit for the Belo Monte dam on the Xingu river, due to insufficient consideration of the effects on indigenous people. The Xingu dams have drawn a great deal of opposition on both legal grounds and from indigenous nations whose territory would be flooded or degraded if they go through. They are part of a much larger plan to scale up Brazil’s energy infrastructure through the construction of massive hydroelectric and nuclear plants.

Peru: The Central Ashaninka del Rio Ene (CARE), representative of the indigenous Ashaninka communities of the Ene Valley, declared its unequivocal opposition to the planned Pakitzapango hydroelectric dam stating, that “the Ashaninka communities of the Ene river … Repudiate the use of the Ashaninka word Pakitzapango in light of its spiritual and cultural significance for the Ashaninka People of Peru [and] Demand that any activity such as research, promotions, reports, meetings or proposals that support or promote the construction of the Pakitzapango dam are immediately called off. The Ashaninka of the Ene valley will NOT permit the entry of any institution carrying out any of the mentioned activities.”

Read the full declaration.

UPDATE (June 4 2009): It appears that the dams planned for Ashaninka terriotry in Peru are intended to sell electricity to Brazil, primarily for mining, metal processing and industrial agriculture industries in the Eastern Amazon.

Philippines: New Peoples Army seizes guns from mining company

On the evening of May 29, 2009, a platoon of the 3rd Pulang Bagani Company-NPA disarmed another 1102nd Provincial Mobile Group-PNP squad assigned as a security force of the APEX Mining Corporation in Barangay Masara, Maco, Comval. Swiftly seized were five high-powered rifles consisting of four (4) M16 armalites and one (1) M14 rifle after being surprised by the raiding NPA unit that entered the company compound. Since the target PNP unit did not make any armed resistance, they did not have any casualty.

The mining firm which is owned by the London-based Crew Minerals Corporation was punished for the continuing environmental destruction its operation has caused. One such devastation was the landslide in Barangay Masara last year that caused deaths and displacement in two barangays. Also, the 1102nd PMG-PNP in Comval forms part of the Investment Defense Force (IDF) — the Arroyo regime’s armed component that directly protects the interests of large mining companies and big agribusiness, and violates the inherent rights of poor peasants and lumads to their livelihood and ancestral lands.

from….

http://www.philippinerevolution.net/cgi-bin/statements/stmts.pl?author=mac;date=090531;lang=eng

climate rush bike ride report – no arrests; meanwhile, campaign materials confiscated….

1st June 2009
up to 200 cyclists joined the climate rush bike ride tonight outside chatham house where the corporate conference “coal: an answer to energy security?” was being held.

Cyclists assembled outside chatham house, while an energetic krishna band on wheels played rather good covers of sex pistols and other rousing tunes. a second sound system was used for short speeches and announcements.

there were quite a few police around, including some forward intelligence and photographer taking snaps (which dependent on a possible appeal to the house of lords by police, may soon be a pointless job if they can’t keep all their nice pics on a nice big database of innocent protesters).

slightly later than planned (isn’t it always), the mass set off on it’s mystery bike ride to visit ‘climate crime scenes’ and aiming to end with a picnic.

the ride took in BAA and E-ON HQs among other places, and after a few rounds of parliament square, set up a picnic on westminster bridge.

—-

The ‘Bike Rush’ gathered around 5 pm outside Chatham House, where earlier in the day 5 Climate Rush activists were arrested when they tried to block the entrance to the conference, ‘Coal: An answer to our energy security’ with a bike sculpture and a banner reading ‘NO NEW COAL – CLIMATE RUSH’.

By 18.10 when the protest moved off there were almost 300 cyclists and a tandem pulled sound system. The rush toured the main streets of the West End including Piccadilly Circus, Shaftesbury Avenue, Oxford St, Regent St, St James St and The Mall, passing Buckingham Palace and then cycling around Victoria before heading to the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Bridge.

Some of the protesters rode in white dresses and hats evoking the Suffragette era, and one came in black as a widow, mourning the end of coal. Many more wore red sashes, copied from the purple sashes worn by the Suffragettes, but red, to signifying the we are at the highest level of danger – and some carried the message ‘Climate Code Red’. Others bore the suffragette motto, ‘Deeds Not Words’, and there were also sashes saying ‘No Airport Expansion’. ‘Action on Coal Now!, Trains Not Planes’ and ‘Pedal Power.’

Police on pedal bikes rode with the protesters, stopping the traffic at some junctions so the ‘Rush’ could safely and legally go through red lights, and at several points there were a couple of police Forward Intelligence Teams (FIT) beavering away as usual behind their long-lens cameras and video collecting thousands of images of protesters and journalists for the database they deny having. There were also police vans and more police outside several places occupied by ‘climate criminals’, including the government’s clumsily-named Department for Business Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (BERR), responsible for promoting much of its anti-environment climate warming activity.

The ‘Rush’ halted outside several of these offices of companies they accuse of criminal irresponsibility towards the environment, including BP in St James Square, the British Airports Authority at Victoria, and BERR. At each stop people came to the microphone to comment on the activities of these organisations and others we had passed, explaining how these companies were harming our environment.

After cycling around Parliament Square, and stopping to express support for the Tamils on hunger strike there, the mass of cyclists came to a halt on Westminster Bridge, and after a few minutes, decided to have the end of ride picnic in the middle of it.

A very long banner with the text ‘Remember Remember the 5th of December’ – the date of the Climate Demonstration – as well as a reference to the man often claimed as the only person to have entered parliament with honest intentions, was hung briefly from both sides of the bridge and displayed it on the roadway.

Police quickly cleared the cyclists from the southbound carriageway, but when I left around 15 minutes later the picnic was still continuing on the northbound side of the bridge, and no traffic was moving across the bridge in either direction.

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Police Abuse Powers To Prevent FA Cup Climate Protest

Police officers unlawfully confiscated campaign leaflets and T-shirts from climate protesters outside the FA Cup final on Saturday, preventing a legal demonstration from taking place. Activists from the Camp for Climate Action are calling this yet another example of over-the-top policing designed to silence environmental protest, and are redoubling calls for an independent public review of the policing of protest.

On Saturday just after 12 noon, two police officers stopped Alan Wen on his way to meet fellow climate campaigners outside the match. Mr Wen and his fellow campaigners had been planning to hand out leaflets to match-goers, explaining how E.ON, the sponsors of the FA Cup, are trying to build the UK’s first coal-fired power station in 30 years, which would have disastrous consequences for the climate [1]. Claiming to be acting under the London Local Authorities Act, the two police officers seized the flyers and T-shirts – all bearing the spoof logo “E.ON: F.OFF” – and demanded Mr Wen’s name and address, threatening to arrest him if he did not comply. In fact, the officers had no legal powers to do any of these things, and Mr Wen was not breaking any laws [2]. He is now considering making a formal complaint.

A spokesperson from the Camp for Climate Action’s legal team said: “Have the police learned nothing from the G20 protests? This was yet another disgraceful example of over-the-top policing, designed to prevent environmental protest from taking place. Why are the police abusing their powers to protect the profits of a giant energy corporation?”

This incident follows widespread public criticism of heavy-handed and aggressive police tactics at the April 1st G20 protests, as well as concern about inappropriate use of police surveillance and stop-and-search powers against environmental campaigners [3]. A report by the National Police Improvement Agency, thought to be critical of police tactics at last August’s Climate Camp protest at Kingsnorth power station, has been mysteriously kept out of the public domain [4]. Meanwhile, the Climate Camp’s legal team have slammed an upcoming review of the policing of protest by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC), branding it a “whitewash” and refusing to be involved.

In an email to the HMIC explaining their decision [5], the Climate Camp’s legal team said “If a truly independent, wide-reaching and influential public review of the policing of protest were to be launched, we would consider becoming involved. However, the HMIC review is likely to be a biased, toothless whitewash and so we believe that our time will be better spent campaigning against the root causes of climate change.”

The human rights organisation Liberty have similarly declined to be involved in the HMIC review.

ENDS

Notes for Editors

[1] German energy corporation E.ON have applied for Government permission to build the first new UK coal-fired plant in thirty years at Kingsnorth in Kent. If built, this
power station would produce the same amount of carbon dioxide as the world’s 30 least polluting countries combined. If – as the Government have suggested – the new power plant is fitted with a demonstration “carbon capture and storage” (CCS) device, this would only reduce its emissions by a quarter. This means that even if the technology worked (which is by no means certain), Kingsnorth would still be far more polluting than a gas power station – let alone a switch to wind, solar, tidal, or wave, or simply using less energy in the first place, all of which are viable alternatives.

[2] The London Local Authorities Act
(see http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/localact1994/ukla_19940012_en_1#l1g4) gives police in London the power to confiscate literature “which advertises, or contains or comprises an advertisement, for commercial gain”. It only applies to commercial advertising and does NOT give police the power to seize campaign leaflets or T-Shirts. It is perfectly legal to distribute free leaflets in a public place so long as nothing is for sale. The Local Authorities Act also contains no provisions for police to search people to look for “free literature”, nor to take people’s names and addresses.

[3] See for example http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8061050.stm, http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/henryporter/2009/mar/12/protest-kingsnorth and http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2009/apr/02/g20-climate-camp-protest-london-police-bishopsgate.

[4] http://www.indexoncensorship.org/2009/05/police-shelve-review-on-kingsnorth-protest/

[5] The full text of the email to the HMIC is copied below:

(Sent Friday 29th May 2009)

Dear HMIC,

We are writing to formally reject your offer of discussing how we might be involved in the HMIC’s “Review of the Policing of Public Protest”.

The disgraceful police behaviour at the G20 protests this April was part of a worrying ongoing trend in the disproportionate and aggressive policing of protest. At the Camp for Climate Action at Kingsnorth in 2008 we encountered the indiscriminate use of stop and search powers, the mass confiscation of personal property, and aggressive behaviour by police officers on multiple occasions. There is a desperate need for a truly independent public review into the policing of protest – but this HMIC review will be no such thing, for the following reasons:

* Lack of independent membership: The HMIC is staffed largely by ex-police officers, and despite its claims of independence retains strong ties with both the Home Office and the police. It cannot be trusted to carry out a full and fair review of police tactics.

* Narrowness of scope: The proposed HMIC review aims to “Assess the effectiveness and impact of public order tactics” and “identify difficulties and barriers” to their “successful implementation”. The closest it will come to critiquing these tactics will be to “examine the overall direction of public order goals, strategies and tactics” with relation to “the acknowledged principles of British policing”. The review will not consider whether some or all of the tactics used by police at protests are in fact completely inappropriate. It also continues to consider protest as a form of public order offence – i.e. a form of criminality – rather than a vital democratic right in a free society.

* Lack of influence: Even if this review were, against all the odds, to produce a serious critique of police practices we have little faith that its findings will lead to any significant shift in policy or practice. As a case in point, a similar review by the NPIA into the policing of the Kingsnorth protest seems to have been buried without any public exposure.

If a truly independent, wide-reaching and influential public review of the policing of protest were to be launched, we would consider becoming involved. However, this HMIC review appears likely to be a biased, toothless whitewash and so we believe that our time will be better spent campaigning against the root causes of climate change. We note that the human rights organisation Liberty have similarly declined to be involved.

Yours sincerely,

The Camp for Climate Action Legal Team

http://www.climatecamp.org.uk