Action Reports – Page 184

second recent spate of Manchester 4x4s deflated

May 13, 2009
Probe into Manchester attacks on 4x4s
POLICE are hunting a radical environmental activist after a series of attacks on gas-guzzling 4×4 vehicles.

Each of the vehicles, also known as Chelsea Tractors, either had their tyres slashed or let down.

And on every vehicle, all damaged in areas of south Manchester, a note was left saying they had been targeted because ‘they contribute to climate change’.

May 13, 2009
Probe into Manchester attacks on 4x4s
POLICE are hunting a radical environmental activist after a series of attacks on gas-guzzling 4×4 vehicles.

Each of the vehicles, also known as Chelsea Tractors, either had their tyres slashed or let down.

And on every vehicle, all damaged in areas of south Manchester, a note was left saying they had been targeted because ‘they contribute to climate change’.

Owners of such cars have been branded irresponsible by environmentalists, for their vehicle’s size and fuel consumption.

Critics say the large four-wheel drive vehicles were originally intended for use by farmers on rough terrain in the countryside.

But they have become popular with middle-class families living in cities and are used for school runs and shopping trips.

Two separate attacks have now taken place in Manchester in less than a month.

Tyres on 20 cars were slashed or let down overnight in the Ladybarn and Withington areas of the city.

Overnight on Thursday April 23, the tyres on 11 cars were also slashed or let down in Ladybarn, Withington and Didsbury. All the areas are also popular with students.

On both occasions, notes left on all the cars were addressed ‘Dear road user’, and blamed the vehicles for climate change.

They went on to say such large vehicles were responsible for greenhouse gas emissions, intimidated other road users and pedestrians, and used oil which was the cause of wars.

They ended by saying the ‘attack’ was not on the owner, but on their choice of car.

Detective Inspector Damian Moran, from Greater Manchester Police, said: “Those responsible might believe they are making a point, but this behaviour is criminal.

“It is mindless vandalism with no regard for the distress and nuisance caused to decent members of our community and will not be tolerated.

“If anyone knows anything or has seen anything suspicious during those two nights that might help us catch those responsible, please contact me.”

[- mainstream report from M.E.N.]

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Manchester activists deflate SUV tyres

“A group of concerned Manchester residents deflated the tyres of a number of Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV’s) last night to protest their contribution to climate change, oil consumption and road traffic accidents. Around 80 vehicles in the Chorlton area were targetted. The tyres were let down and not slashed, this was done without any damage to the tyres.

“Given the threat of climate change and the governments inaction in dealing with it, the group say that direct action such as this is, unfortunately, necessary. Large SUV’s contribution to climate change is more than the average car as they emit substantially more greenhouse gases. These large vehicles also have higher consumption and therefore require more oil: a finite resource which many conflicts are required to secure access to.

“This issue is not just about climate change and world conflicts, SUV’s are a serious safety hazard. Road traffic statistics have shown that in car collisions involving SUV’s, people in the other car are 6 times more likely to die than if they had collided with an average car, and furthermore SUV’s are twice as likely to be fatal in collisions with pedestrians.

“James, a member of the group, said, “These vehicles are totally unsuitable for the city, they’re dangerous, polluting and an unnecessary status symbol. They should not be on our city roads.”

“Large SUVs are a symbol of excessive consumerism and due to a wide range of issues, driving one in urban areas constitutes anti-social behaviour to which we are all vulnerable.”

[- activist press release]

‘Mother Earth in climate crisis’ say indigenous people

12 May 2009
A statement by indigenous representatives from around the world describes ‘Mother Earth (as) no longer in a period of climate change, but climate crisis.’

The statement, known as the Anchorage Declaration, was released after indigenous people from the Arctic, North America, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America, Africa, the Caribbean and Russia met in Anchorage, Alaska for the ‘Indigenous Peoples’ Global Summit on Climate Change’.

‘We are deeply alarmed by the accelerating climate devastation brought about by unsustainable development,’ the Declaration says. ‘We are experiencing profound and disproportionate adverse impacts on our cultures, human and environmental health, human rights, well-being, traditional livelihoods, food systems and food sovereignty, local infrastructure, economic viability, and our very survival as Indigenous Peoples.

‘Mother Earth is no longer in a period of climate change, but in climate crisis. We therefore insist on an immediate end to the destruction and desecration of the elements of life.’

The Declaration lists fourteen specific calls for action. These include reducing levels of global carbon emissions; indigenous participation in climate change debate; the recognition of indigenous peoples’ rights in schemes to ‘Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation’ (REDD); the abandonment of ‘false solutions’ to climate change such as nuclear energy, ‘clean coal’ and agrofuels; the recognition by governments of indigenous peoples’ rights; and the return and restoration of ‘lands, territories, waters, forests, sea ice and sacred sites’ taken from indigenous peoples by governments in the past.

The Declaration ends with an offer to ‘share with humanity our traditional knowledge. . . relevant to climate change, provided our fundamental rights. . . are fully recognized and respected. We reiterate the urgent need for collective action.’

Read the Anchorage Declaration

Rossport: 150 people attempt to take down Shell’s compound

On Saturday 9th May approx 150 S2S supporters both from across the country and within the local community have made a sustained effort to halt the ongoing work at the head of the proposed Shell pipeline at its site in Glengad. People of all ages particpated in the action, where ropes and chains where used to attempt to pull down the outer fencing of the site. These effort have so far been repulsed by a very large security operation from both the state and private security firm IRM security. There is in excess of 150 garda, incuding the notorious public order units. Most are posted and lined out at the outside rear of the compound, complimented on the inside by a further 100 hired hands IRM Security

At present there have been some “arrests ” of supporters at tonight action so far. Figures at present range from 6-8. These people are being physically detained but the cops are refusing to officially arrest them, or at least refusing to comment publically that the arrests have been made, and won’t tell observers which Garda station those detained are being taken to. Garda seem to be deliberate targeting people from outside the local area, and avoiding arresting local members of the community. It has been suggested that this make much better media coverage, no doubt some of which we will see in tomorrow papers. There is a prison van, the type used to carry prisonsers to court, inside the compound where Shell and security staff work. Whilst there is movement of cops in and out of the van, it is unclear if people are being detained in it at the moment.

The situation has been described by one supporter as calm, though there are continung skirmishes as people attempt to disrupt the ongoing controversial and devisive work being carried out by Shell againist the wishes of the local community.

New protest camp at Rolls Royce Rayensway, Derby

9.05.2009
Protesters opposed to Trident nuclear submarines have set up a camp across the road from Rolls Royce on the Rayensway in Derby

They have been there for a week and have only just been spotted by the police, which shows how poor the security is taken at Rolls Royce Rayensway, a site that has a Neptune (nuclear) test reactor used to test the fuel reactivity for the submarines engines which powers the hunter fleet, which are equipped with trident missiles. Elements are also made at the manufacturing site with enriched uranium and zircaloy RR has recently gained contracts to build nuclear reactors for power stations

Protesters are wanting Rolls Royce to phase out all nuclear activities at the Rayensway plant within the next 5 years and move into work which is sustainable and provide and make publicly available a comprehensive evacuation plan for people living and working within a two mile radius of the factory. This plan should be thoroughly tested and evaluated by the local council and emergency services.

What you can do

Get down to the camp and show your support tree houses are already in place and we are working on a community space, there is plenty of room as the site is located on the old Ram Arena, the old training ground for Derby’s football team so there is an overgrown football size patch for tents, as well as an old gym which has nice graffiti all of which are under a section 6 notice (right to squat) the site backs on to a fork off the river Derwent and is full of wildlife and trees.

Although we have no specific requests for tat at the moment but climbing gear and the usual stuff is always needed

The police are aware of the site and so far have been polite and minimal numbers (solo cop) and seem to be visiting once a day

The site is easy to get to by following the river footpaths for Alvaston form the city centre, look out for the peace signs

The location of the site is between point A and the sign A5111 on the right hand side of the road on the Google map
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=Raynesway,+Derby,+Derby,+United+Kingdom&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=9.040008,27.070313&ie=UTF8&cd=1&geocode=FSNNJwMd_irq_w&split=0&ll=52.903415,-1.431656&spn=0.018016,0.052872&z=14

Google street view of the entrance http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?utm_campaign=en_GB&utm_medium=ha&utm_source=en_GB-ha-emea-gb-bk-gm&utm_term=road

For more information visit Trident Ploughshares
http://www.tridentploughshares.org/index.php3

More photos

Wonthaggi Protest highlights Desalination Issue for Melbourne, Australia

One person was arrested when protesters carrying two banners walked onto the Desalination Plant proposed site near Wonthaggi on May 9. The occasion was a rally at the gates of the proposed site organised by Watershed Victoria and Melbourne supporters.

Photos on Flickr | Action: Get Real on Climate Change | FoE

“Last chance to have your say – if you build it, we won’t pay”

For over two years, anti-desal campaigners have organised rallies, meetings, film showings, debates and briefings, outlining the real costs of this project and putting forward the practical alternatives to an energy guzzling desalination plant on the Bass Coast. Despite the spiralling costs of the pilot plant itself, the scarcity of data, criticism of the project from experts inside and outside the government, as well as doubts about financing the project, the government continues to push ahead.

The Desalination Plant is beng designed to supply 150 Gigalitres per year for the Melbourne water supply and will be managed and operated through a public -private partnership (PPP) being extoled by the Brumby Labor Government. But many experts say deslaination should be the solution of last resort as it involves huge amount of (CO2 pollutng) power, and generates tonnes of solid waste and brine sludge which is pumped back out to sea where it can affect the coastal marine environment.

Alternative sources for water include recycled purified water from treatment plants (110 GL/y), stormwater capture (50 GL/y), rainwater tanks (25 GL/y), Flood Diversion (20 GL/y), and installation of dual flush cisterns (15 GL/y) all of which could be done for a fraction of the cost of a desalination plant.

The proposed Desal plant at Wonthaggi will cause 1.18 – 1.57 million tonnes of carbon emission equivalent to 365,000 extra cars on the road, discharge 8,800 litres of brine per second just 500 metres off the beautiful Bass coast, suck in and kill 380,000 small organisms per second into the plant. Operation of the plant will be for profit by a multinational infrastructure company, most likely Veolia who already run the Melbourne train system as Connex. The cost (and profits) of the plant will be passed on to consumers through increases in water rates. The people of Melbourne will pay!

In March Federal Evironment minister Peter Garrett gave conditional approval of the desalination plant in Victoria. Cam Walker from Fiends of the Earth criticised the ministerial decision saying “we believe that his assessment is flawed because it is based on information provided by the project’s proponent rather than independent studies,” he said. He also raised that the decision does not relate to or consider the full impacts on species that are not federally listed. “In particular there are serious concerns about the impacts on marine life posed by the plant, including to whale populations, which are not addressed in the Minister’s decision. Cam Walker said in a news release: Garrett fails Victoria on desalination plant approval.

The coastal zone and beaches nearby are a popular fishing spot that will be effectvely ruined. The effluent pipe for the concentrated brine will only take the sludge 500 metres out to sea to destroy the ecology of the rocky reef environment, when it should be extended 2 to 3 kilometres out to sea where the brine can be adequately dispersed by the currents in Bass Strait.

The Bunurong Land Council is concerned over the destraction of aboriginal cultural sites. Steve Compton, Cultural Officer with the Bunurong Land Council told the rally “Some of those sites on the property are the largest sites in the Bass Coast region … So basically the Bunurong community have asked me to say to you guys that they’re dead against the Desal. There is better options for getting water like putting rainwater tanks in Melbourne. Basically bugger off and leave the coast alone and stop trying to dish out big loads of money to foreign multinationals.” (Youtube Video Report: Bunurong people Oppose Desalination Plant)

Gareth Barlow, a councillor from Bass Coast Shire Council spoke about the council’s long standing opposition to the development. Bass Coast State MP for the Liberal Party spoke of his opposition to the plant, while acknowledging that the Liberals had proposed a smaller State owned Desalination plant at the last election which he had supported.

Anton from the Clean Ocean Foundation highlighted the amount of water wasted in Melbourne from the Eastern Treatment Plant and Gunnamatta outfall and from stormwater runoff. (Youtube Video Report: Desal plant for Melbourne what a Waste)

Cam Walker from Friends of the Earth came down from Melbourne and spoke about the growing disquiet in the Melbourne suburbs on the Desalination Plant being pushed by the Brumby Labor Government, and the need for more grassroots activism on water issues in Melbourne.

There were also speakers who outlined the reasons for opposition to the Desalination Plant for Melbourne and its sitng near Wonthaggi. (Youtube Video Report: Why you should oppose a Desalination plant for Melbourne)

A speaker also covered the prospects and background of Infrastructure company Veolia who looks likely to be the only private contender for managing the plant under a public-private partnership. Veolia’s record in water management (they are also known as Vivendi) leaves much to be desired with community protests and outrage for their water management and pricing practices. (Youtube Video Report: Veolia set to run the Wonthaggi Desalination Plant supplying water to Melbourne)

Just as the speakers were finishing two groups of people entered the exclusion zone of the pilot plant near the dunes to display banners. (Youtube Video report – Protestors enter Desal plant exclusion zone) One person was arrested in the walkon, and was escorted back to the rally where he was released after showing the police identification. The banners said “Fuck off Brumby” and “Desal Costs the Earth”.

Songs were sun to popular tunes at the rally Opposing the Desalination plant near Wonthaggi. (Youtube Video Report: Desal Song: We don’t want to swim in your chemicals)

Lots of police were brought from around the region to “protect” the pilot plant, as well as the presence of private security company employees, but in contrast to Melbourne protests the police were pretty friendly. I guess they are part of the local community and probably know many of the people opposed to the plant. Indeed, some of the police probably also disagree with the plant being built.

Panama: Campesinos arrested over gold mine

June 5, 2009

Late last month, a group of demonstrators were violently arrested by police at a roadblock in the northern Panamanian province of Cocle.

June 5, 2009

Late last month, a group of demonstrators were violently arrested by police at a roadblock in the northern Panamanian province of Cocle.

The roadblock was first set up on May 9, 2009 to resist the Petaquilla Gold mine project, which is owned by the Panama company Minera Petaquilla, and developed by two others: the Vancouver-based junior company, Petaquilla Minerals and the Toronto-based company, Inmet Mining.

As a many as 24 local communities are opposed to the project because of the “aberrant predation and destruction of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, where hundreds of hectares of virgin jungle and forest have been cut down, and where the mountain passes and rivers that made the area one of the most important in the world due to its rich biodiversity have been destroyed and polluted,” notes a May 14 report by La Estrella.

The communities also say “they have never been consulted, but rather deceived, and their lands have been taken from them unfairly in many ways, including the destruction and burning of ranches of indigenous peoples, without even indemnifying the local residents and without any authority of the PRD government fulfilling its constitutional obligation to defend the communities.”

Also reporting on the arrests, La Estrella says 12 demonstrators were arrested in total (other reports say it was 30 demonstrators), “among them the Chiriqui environmentalist Carmencita Tedman. A peasant who did not want to be identified, said that he was really afraid, because policemen were hitting the protestors mercilessly, even women and children. He added that when all this was happening Petaquilla Gold helicopters were surveying the scene.”

The police used rods, and shot pellets and tear gas to subdue the demonstrators.

For background on the Petaquilla Gold mine and local efforts to stop it, visit miningwatch.ca

EUROFLASHMOB: EUROPE UNITED AGAINST AIRPORT EXPANSION

Saturday 16 May 2009. The day of the Eurovision Song Contest.
12 noon on the dot at Heathrow Terminal 1 Departures.
www.euroflashmob.com.

Join Heathrow Flashmobbers in a Europe-wide Flash Mob – taking place on the same day at 6 airports across Europe.

Saturday 16 May 2009. The day of the Eurovision Song Contest.
12 noon on the dot at Heathrow Terminal 1 Departures.
www.euroflashmob.com.

Join Heathrow Flashmobbers in a Europe-wide Flash Mob – taking place on the same day at 6 airports across Europe.

Flash Heathrow! Flash Paris! Flash Frankfurt! Flash Schipol! Flash Brussels! Flash Dublin!

Each flashmob will be singing Eurovision classics (song-sheets provided), so download your favourite eurovision song onto your ipod or phone and bring your friends, instruments, hats, wigs, and your dancing shoes and let’s party.

Now for the serious bit: airport expansion is seriously bad for local people, increased noise, air pollution, and especially the climate. The aviation industry want to expand airports across the UK and Europe, but opposition is huge, and the scientists are telling us we have to drastically cut emissions if we are to beat climate change. Flashmobs are a fun way to highlight the real opposition there is to expansion at airports across Europe. Here’s another big chance to show our opposition to a 3rd runway at Heathrow.

See you in Heathrow Terminal 1 Departures at 12 noon on the dot!

Tell BAA to get in tune: No Third Runway.

www.euroflashmob.com

Perenco and armed forces break indigenous blockade (Peru)

6 May 2009
A gunboat belonging to Peru’s armed forces has broken through an Indian river blockade in the northern Peruvian Amazon.

The gunboat, together with at least one boat belonging to Anglo-French oil company Perenco, broke the blockade at 5:15 am on 4 May. The blockade, organised by local indigenous people, is on the Napo river, one of the main tributaries of the Amazon.

Peru’s indigenous organisation, AIDESEP, condemned the use of a boat belonging to the armed forces, describing it as a ‘use and abuse of their power’. The blockade forms part of Amazon-wide protests by Peru’s indigenous people against government policies and the invasion of their territories by multinational companies. The protests have been going on for almost a month.

Perenco holds the licence to work in a remote part of Peru known as Lot 67, accessible via the Napo River. It is an area inhabited by at least two of the world’s last uncontacted tribes – the company is under increasing pressure to withdraw from the project.

Less than a fortnight ago Perenco’s chairman, Francois Perrodo, met Peru’s president, Alan Garcia, in the presidential palace in Lima, pledging to invest US$2 billion in Lot 67. Just days later the government passed a law declaring Perenco’s work a ‘national necessity’.

Shell compound in glengad is currently being removed and Remove Shell’s Illegal Fences – National Day of Action 9 May – CALL OUT

May 3, 2009
Direct action against Shell in Mayo

May 3, 2009
Direct action against Shell in Mayo
Around 100 members of the Erris community are currently removing shell’s illegal fencing in Glengadd. Whilst some people have locked onto the fence more have thrown ropes over other sections of the fence and are attempting to pull the pallisade fencing down. The private security firm IRMS (with links to european fascists) have a heavy presence and are attempting to cut the ropes.
A garda presence is starting to assemble. The mood is positive.

This is the third time in ten days Shell’s compound has faced direct action from the community

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Saturday 9th May, 2009 at 6pm – Day of Action – Support Needed to Remove Shell Fences from Glengad.

Tearing Down the Barricades
This is a Call Out from the united community of Erris Co Mayo to all our national and international supporters, asking you to come to Glengad this coming Saturday 9th May at 6pm in the evening, on a Day of Action to help us remove Shell’s illegal fences from the area.

As you know, Shell returned to Glengad with fences and machinery on Wednesday 22nd April, with force and violence. Since then there have been a number of attempts at removing the fences and stopping the work, with a mixture of failure and success.

As you can see from the photos and footage below, the will is clearly there to fight Shell, in spite of the fact that large numbers of Shell security and Gardai have been drafted into the area. But what is also clear is that numbers are needed to achieve success. Numbers, People, Bodies. That means you. Please come.

Rossport Solidarity Camp Contact Details: Phone 085 1141170 or email rossportsolidaritycamp (at) gmail (dot) com
By way of background to the current mood in Erris, let’s remind ourselves of 2 key recent events.

In the early hours of Thursday 13rd April, Shell mercenaries viciously attacked Willie Corduff within the confines of the Shell compound.

On Thursday 30th April at a community meeting with Ministers Eamon Ryan and Eamon O’Cuiv, people realised that trying to ‘talk’ to these guys was a fruitless exercise. There were calls from all corners of the community for civil disobedience, the physical stopping of the project and the taking of the ‘law into our own hands’, when the ministers refused to invite Shell to pull back to allow breathing space to resolve the conflict.

This is serious stuff. The mood in Erris now is that people are willing to pay any price to Stop Shell, and to take action accordingly.

But we need support, in numbers, to achieve the critical mass of people required to be effective. To be effective in pulling down Shell fences in order to remove them.

This protest is about taking direct action against the Shell machine and removing it from Glengad.

The pictures and footage included in this article, which show local people attempting to remove fences today, demonstrate that Action has begun in earnest this Spring and will continue in the coming weeks and months. But it’s going to be a battle, when faced, like today, with strong fences and large numbers of Shell security and Gardai. A similar attempt was made last Friday by members of the local community which included Pobal Le Cheile, Pobal Cill Chomain, the Rossport Solidarity Camp and Shell to Sea, but numbers were limited. All groups agreed, at a meeting on the ground, that a National Day of Action next Saturday 9th May was required to build momentum. That is why local people are calling for support, in numbers, to build strength against the show of force against us.

The weather is improving steadily and The Rossport Solidarity Camp is being rebuilt near the shore. People are welcome to come and stay at the camp or the camp house. Phone 085 1141170 or email rossportsolidaritycamp (at) gmail (dot) com

Join us in taking action against Shell. Don’t come empty-handed. Please spread the word amongst your friends, groups and networks.

See you in Glengad.

http://www.shelltosea.com

Camp Bling announces ‘the end’ as road scheme stopped.

Press release:

Camp Bling ‘Save Priory Park!’ road campaign

Thursday 30th April 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

—————————————————————————————

Camp Bling announces ‘the end’ as road scheme stopped.

Press release:

Camp Bling ‘Save Priory Park!’ road campaign

Thursday 30th April 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

—————————————————————————————

Camp Bling announces ‘the end’ as road scheme stopped.

Long running road protest and counter-cultural campaign site Camp Bling, based in the middle of Southend-on-Sea, Essex, is set to be decommissioned by the summer, after the long awaited announcement that the controversial Priory Crescent road widening has now officially been cancelled. (1)

Members of the camp met with Council leaders last night with a view to resolving the situation, after the publication of an open letter from Transport Councillor Anna Waite, stating that £5m in central government funding would be spent solely on the Cuckoo Corner roundabout, with possible junction improvements – but no widening – to follow at the Prittle Brook industrial site at a later date. (2)

As a result, campaigners intend to honour their public pledge to clear and vacate the camp, now that their objective to stop the road has been met completely. It is expected that it will take a number of weeks to fully return the East Saxon king’s burial to its former condition, with all structures and materials on the site to be removed by the group, with the objective of incurring no cost to the local taxpayer.

Speaking from the camp Ginger said, ‘We would like to thank each and every one of the people who have been involved, not just with Camp Bling, but also with the ongoing campaign which ran from 2001 in opposition to the scheme. It’s not every day that you get to be part of an effort to stop a £25m road widening, with the added opportunity to warn people of the culmination of environmental and social crises that we now all face.’

‘For many of us this has been our first taste of an alternative, lower impact, and more compassionate lifestyle. We have shared our experiences – both good and bad – along the way, and often got people to acknowledge the real choices that we all have. It is time for everyone to confront reality, as western industrial society continues to overshoot the ecological limits of the Earth.’ (3)

People are still welcome to visit the camp whilst decommissioning is underway, and are also encouraged to check out some of the alternatives at: www.campbling.org

—————————————————————————————

ENDS.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

(1) Camp Bling was first set up by local activists on 23rd September 2005. For more info about both the camp, and the long running campaign, go to: www.campbling.org

(2) See full contents of letter at: http://www.southend.gov.uk/news/default.asp?id=2835

(3) Climate, Peak Oil, Overpopulation, Mass Extinction, Overconsumption, etc.

Camp Bling ‘Save Priory Park!’ road campaign
www.campbling.org

Contact Camp Bling directly on 07866 967601

Or e-mail camp.bling@yahoo.co.uk