Action Reports – Page 192

ELF Mexico Torch More Earth Destroying Machine

“Urban expansion is one of the biggest ecological problems, with roads being built over fertile land comes loads of consequences such as pollution, warming of the ground with excessive heat, massive felling of trees, etc. The expansion of civilization and its unnecessary technology leaves the world in the hands of the powerful who control the repressive state apparatus ready to stop any kind of resistance that is put in front of them to halt their run of destruction.

It is for this reason that on the night of February 22 we of the ELF decided to go out at night in Mexico State and set fire to a machine that destroys the earth and a truck owned by the dominators.

We say it once again, there will be no mercy until the abolition of all that oppresses us.

F.L.T/E.L.F”

received anonymously from Bite Back: http://www.directaction.info

Anti-Coal Protesters Blockade Washington Power Station (U$A)

2nd March 2009
Thousands of demonstrators braved icy winds and snow to march on the US capitol’s coal-fired power plant on Monday to demand a more sane approach to energy policy. Organized by Capitol Climate Action thousand blockade the five main gates to the Capitol Power Plant in south-east Washington, not far from Capitol Hill.

The blockade lasted nearly four hours, forming what organizers called the largest display of civil disobedience on the climate crisis in U.S. history. Police were out in force, but no one was arrested.

The 99-year-old coal fired power station is responsible for an estimated one-third of the legislative branch’s greenhouse gas emissions. It is no longer even used to generate electricity but instead acts as a glorified boiler providing steam for heating and chilled water for cooling buildings for the legislative buildings of the Capitol Complex.

Environmental and climate celebrities led the protest action, including NASA climatologist Dr. James Hansen, who released a video on You Tube in February urging people to join him March 2 at the demonstration to send a message to Congress and the President that, “We want them to take the actions that are needed to preserve climate for young people and future generations and all life on the planet.”

“What has become clear from the science is that we cannot burn all of the fossil fuels without creating a very different planet,” Hansen said. “The only practical way to solve the problem is to phase out the biggest source of carbon and that is coal.”

Congressional Democrats have already moved to convert the Capitol Power Plant to cleaner-burning natural gas. On Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Leader Harry Reid released a letter asking the Capitol Architect to switch the Capitol Power Plant from coal to 100 percent natural gas by the end of 2009.

“The switch to natural gas will allow the CPP to dramatically reduce carbon and criteria pollutant emissions, eliminating more than 95 percent of sulphur oxides and at least 50 percent of carbon monoxide,” wrote Pelosi and Reid in their letter to Acting Architect of the Capitol Stephen Ayers.

“We strongly encourage you to move forward aggressively with us on a comprehensive set of policies for the entire Capitol complex and the entire Legislative Branch to quickly reduce emissions and petroleum consumption through energy efficiency, renewable energy, and clean alternative fuels,” they wrote.

“While the costs associated with purchasing additional natural gas will certainly be higher, the investment will far outweigh its cost,” wrote Pelosi and Reid. “The conversion will also reduce the cost of storing and transporting coal as well as the costs associated with cleaning up the fly ash and waste.”

“Eliminating coal from the fuel mixture should also assist the City of Washington, D.C., in meeting and complying with national air quality standards, and demonstrate that Congress can be a good and conscientious neighbour by mitigating health concerns for residents and workers around Capitol Hill,” the leaders wrote.

“We’ve been fighting to clean up the Capitol for years – it’s an important symbol for the whole nation,” said Friends of the Earth President Brent Blackwelder on Thursday.

Last week, Blackwelder and representatives of Earthjustice and the Sierra Club sent letters to Reid and Pelosi asking that they stop using coal at the Capitol power plant.

“Dirty coal plants all over the country continue to release heat-trapping gases and pollute the air we breathe, so there remains much work to be done, but today’s announcement is a signal of a major change in direction,” Blackwelder said.

“People in D.C. have been fighting against the plant for years, it is very dirty and located in a poor neighbourhood. They haven’t had much success until now,” said Adrian Wilson, a San Francisco-based environmental organizer with the Capitol Climate Action coalition. “The fact that three days before the action, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid wrote letter for plant to be switched from coal to natural gas shows the power of direct action to make change quickly.”

Bruce Nilles, director of the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign, said, “Stopping the use of coal at the Capitol Power Plant will help local residents breathe easier, but the positive impacts will stretch far beyond the District. Bold measures are needed right now to reduce global warming emissions and we look forward to continuing to work with Congress and the new administration to send a clear signal to cities and states across the country that after eight long years, America is serious about clean energy and green jobs.”

The Capitol Power Plant demonstration was part of a larger movement in the nation’s capital on the weekend that lasted through this evening – Power Shift 2009. Some 12,000 college and high school students travelled to DC for the second Power Shift conference, a meeting of students confronting climate change, and business-as-usual attitudes in Washington.

Energy Action, a coalition of 50 environmental groups, organized the Power Shift weekend conference and lobby day. For three days, students attended seminars on the histories of coal power, direct action and uranium mining, media and leadership training sessions, grassroots organizing and anti-oppression workshops.

For video, links to lots of photos and more, http://www.capitolclimateaction.org/

Council’s £50,000 attack on volunteer-run social centre

Press release from The Common Place, for immediate release 7pm 27th Feb 2009

Press release from The Common Place, for immediate release 7pm 27th Feb 2009
Today Leeds city centre’s volunteer-run community space The Common Place lost the court battle to keep its entertainment licence (1). After three problem-free years the licence was withdrawn by Leeds City Council in July 2008 leaving the social centre without its main income. Leeds City Council perceived The Common Place as not being a true members club as we are open to huge variety of events and types of people. This openness had also led to lax procedures when signing non-members in, a condition of the licence.

The Common Place is a space used by many of the most marginalised and vulnerable members of society (2). Carl Gallager of Zermansky and Partners, acting for The Common Place estimates that Leeds City Council have spent in excess of £50 000 bringing this case to court in a attempt to shut down the centre, despite a chorus of support from dozens of groups who use the centre and over 1000 messages of support (3).

Common Place Volunteer Amy Stephenson said, “It beggars belief that despite the deepening recession and the lack of affordable, social city centre venues that the council has spent so much time and effort on the closure of this much-loved resource.”

Dom Marsh said, “The Common Place is exactly the sort of place that the council should be encouraging. It provides free space to groups who might struggle to find affordable spaces as well as an amazing gig venue for up-and-coming local performers.”

The Common Place Management Committee repeatedly attempted to meet with the Council licensing department to avoid a court case and to reassure them of our status and capability as a members’ club. However, this attempt to identify and rectify any perceived problems was rejected outright by the council.

The future of the Common Place is now under serious threat. Without licensed events the ability of the social centre to provide a resource to the people of Leeds is uncertain.

Notes
1) The Common Place is a volunteer run members club and social centre at Wharf Street LS1 – details at www.thecommonplace.org.uk
2) The Common Place is used by groups including the award winning Common Conversation, The Permaculture Association, The United Refugee Organisation, TIDAL (a Leeds-based fair trade association), Theatre Under Fire, St. Anne’s Homeless Support, Leeds Domestic Violence Partnership
3) The common place received over 1100 on-line signatures on it’s petition and over 30 letters of support from individuals and groups including The Refuge Council, Leeds Metropolitan University Union, Leeds University Union, Church Action on Poverty, Leeds Stepping Out, Ladyfest Leeds, The Healthy Living Network.
4) Contact: Paul Chatterton 07894340531

Fossil Fools Day 2009, 1st April – actions & resources

FFD is only five weeks away! We know of various affinity group actions around the UK but thought we’d upload some inspirational public actions you can get involved with on the April 1st and some resources to help inspire you to take action in you local area.

PUBLIC ACTIONS

12 Noon

PUBLIC ACTIONS

12 Noon

Help build a Camp for Climate Action in the City of London.Stopping carbon markets – because nature doesn’t do bailouts. Meet at the European Climate Exchange, Hasilwood House, 62 Bishopsgate, EC2N 4AW. Bring a pop-up tent, sleeping bag, wind turbine, mobile cinema, action plans and ideas … let’s imagine another world. Don’t let the financial and fossil fools make the rules!

For more details visit – http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/g20

6PM – *** POSTPONED by BP following police advice. ***

For reasons unfathomable yet deeply pleasing, BP* has chosen Fossil Fools Day to celebrate its centenary. This will take place at the British Museum, where the not-so-great and the far-from-good will quaff cocktails, snaffle canapes and watch a celebratory film. And Rising Tide and Art Not Oil will be there too, between 6-7pm, to say ‘Your Party’s Over!’ Bring banners, musical instruments, a sense of climate justice and a nonsense of foolery. Meet at 6pm at the British Museum’s Gt. Russell St. gate. * BP = Burning Planet, British Plunder, Bloody Profits, Broken Promises,Boring Parties, Breathtaking Protests and..? Send your unravelled acronyms to info@artnotoil.org.uk

RESOURCES

Media – Rising Tide has produced an 11 page Media Q&A for Fossil Fools Day. If you think you’ll be talking to the media on the day and want a few tips for tricky questions send us an email (info@risingtide.org.uk) and we’ll email you a copy.

Action Ideas – For a short guide on why and how to take direct action against the fossil fuel industry … including planning tips, target locations, examples of successful actions and much more visit the RT Resources page were you can download ‘15 Actions to Topple the Fossil Fuel Empire’.

FFD is only 5 weeks away so whether you’ve been looking for a chance to dip a toe into the growing climate action movement, or have had your kick-ass action planned since last year, now is the time to do it – whatever it is. On April 1st, join the global day of resistance and pull a prank that packs a punch.

http://risingtide.org.uk/fossilfoolsday2009

Climate Rush at UK Coal HQ & coal awards – Doncaster & London – and next one 5th March at RBS

Northern Climate Rush visit to UK coal headquarters

Around 15 climate activists from the North of England visited the headquarters of UK Coal near Doncaster yesterday, 26th February, in a protest against new coal and calling for tougher measures to control CO2 emissions.

Two people climbed up lamposts to suspend a 6m banner reading ‘Leave it in the Ground’, while on the ground below the protestors played a bit of samba, danced, and had a picnic. The protestors wore Edwardian themed dress including red sashes with the words ‘No New Coal’ written across them.

UK Coal is the UK’s largest coal company. The Doncaster protest was timed to coincide with the Climate Rush at the UK Coal Awards, hosted by UK coal, in London.

The police reaction was fairly low-key and non-obstructive, although they did take an awful lot of photos (I suppose they had nothing else to do). A van driver was hassled by cops, had his details checked and was told he was not insured to drive the vehicle (which was not the case).

—

Thursday 26th February 2009
PRESS RELEASE: Northern Climate Rush visits UK Coal headquarters

Climate activists from the North visited the headquarters of UK Coal near Doncaster today in a protest against new coal and calling for tougher measures to control CO2 emissions. The protest coincided with the ‘Climate Rush’ in London where people intended to gatecrash the Coal UK Conference and Awards 2009 at the Landmark Hotel in Regents Park. However, the London protesters arrived to find the Conference had moved venue at the last minute. Around 200 protesters in London occupied the lobby of the Landmark and dropped banners. They asked that the hotel to refrain from hosting any future events with fossil fuel industries such as UK Coal, to which the management agreed.

The protestors of both demonstrations wore Edwardian themed dress including red sashes with the words ‘No New Coal’ written across them. In Doncaster two female protesters scaled lamp-posts to hang a banner reading ‘Leave it in the ground’ across the entrance to the UK coal headquarters.

Coal is the dirtiest form of energy production yet the government has plans to expand the coal industry, including a new coal fired power station at Kingsnorth in Kent. UK Coal are responsible for operating several open cast mines across the UK. Open cast coal mining is particularly damaging to the local environment since it involves scalping the landscape and typically provides an average of only 40 jobs per site, for a handful of years only.

Vanessa Hall, spokeswoman for the Northern Climate Rush said, “It is essential that we take climate change seriously and move away from dirty fossil fuels like coal. There is no way we can avoid runaway climate change if we continue to burn coal.”

Megan Beech, 24, said, “The coal industry talk about Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) as the magic bullet that will allow us to keep burning coal. However CCS is as yet an unproven technology. You don’t start a fire on the promise that one day we”ll invent a fire extinguisher with which to put it out.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

This is the third major ‘Climate Rush’ event, following from the first in Parliament square in October 2008 on the centenary of the Suffragette rush on Parliament. Protesters demanded ‘Deeds Not Words’ on climate change, including an end to airport expansion and no new coal. The second was at Heathrow and Manchester airports to draw attention to the threat of aviation and climate change.

The Northern Climate Rush is made up of campaigners from Manchester, Leeds, Huddersfield, Bradford and Liverpool.

www.climaterush.co.uk
www.northernclimaterush.wordpress.com

———

Climate Rush hosted cocktail party for the coal industry outside of the Landmark Hotel on Marylebone Road, London.

Coal UK planed to presented celebratory awards to the most damaging companies in the coal industry. Climate Rush offered an alternative awards based on the ecological damage that the coal industry is inflicting on the environment.

However after several tries at rushing the hotel people discovered that the award dinner had been cancelled.

Brochure for the awards dinner:
http://conf.mccloskeycoal.com/journals/McCloskey/Conferences/Conferences/attachments/Coal%20UK%20Brochure%20web.pdf

Climate Rush calls for:

1. No new coal to avoid runaway climate change

Coal is the dirtiest fossil fuel, and by far the dirtiest way to produce electricity. We must leave coal in the ground and not build any new coal fired power stations if we want to avoid runaway climate change. CCS is an unproven technology that may never be a viable option. Climate change is happening now and we must act now to stop it.

2. We can’t have infinite growth on a finite planet

At this outdated and fossilized awards ceremony UK Coal is celebrating the worst excesses of our failing economic system. Just like overpaid bankers these heads of corporations are receiving plaudits for plundering the planet.

3. A transition to a low carbon society with sustainable jobs

We must counteract any jobs losses from the coal industry with a major re-skilling program in sustainable trades. Many more jobs will be created by a huge retrofitting program of old housing stock and in the new renewable energies sector than in new coal. The German clean energy revolution has seen the creation of 250,000 new jobs.

More photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/filkaler/tags/climaterush/

—

Landmark Decision Against Coal Industry
For immediate release: 26 February 2009

LANDMARK DECISION

A top class London hotel has vowed companies and organisations which contribute to climate chaos will no longer be welcome to use their facilities for corporate promotion and entertainment

The move follows a Climate Rush action on the Landmark Hotel in Marylebone, where hundreds of protesters converged on Thursday to halt a coal industry awards ceremony.

Coal is acknowledged among scientists and climate change activists as the world’s worst contributor to climate change in the form of CO2 emissions.*

The coal industry under the banner of UK Coal were booked into the Landmark to host an awards ceremony with five star food and drink where they planned to hand out gongs for UK coal personality of the year and the best open cast miners among other categories.

Protesters dropped banners and staged a peaceful sit-in to speak out at the hotel’s support and the coal industry’s insistence of “business as usual” in the face of evident escalating climate chaos.

The Landmark’s landmark decision has been applauded by activists. “At Last! For too long profiteering from climate change has been sold to the public as a necessity of ‘business as usual’. But with global temperatures rising and climate chaos running riot in the form of drought (Africa and Australia) and flooding (low lying lands all over), we all need to work together.

“ We applaud the Landmark for their good sense and the vision to say ‘enough is enough’. They rightly don’t want to be associated with the corrupt system that needs overturning. We welcome the Landmark to play their role in the new way of doing things so needed.”

The Landmark now plans to deny companies such as the Royal Bank of Scotland (the biggest single investor in coal and oil industries) and oil companies, such as ESSO, BP and Shell, as well as the coal industry from using their ballrooms and banquet halls to promote their cause.

The hotel has also pledge to communicate with the 24 other five star hotels in its’ group to suggest they do the same.

Climate Rush has pledged to work with the Landmark Hotel to ensure the right companies are blocked, to send a clear message to polluters: they’re not welcome.

ENDS
Notes and footnotes to Editors

Coal is responsible for 50 % of the climate change gases in the atmosphere caused by human activity.

Climate Rush is a cutting edge movement of carbon cutting individuals who have seen the light and want to spread the word through their remit: Deeds not words, based on the clarion call of the suffragettes

For high quality photos and further comments please ring 075 2839 8441 or email media@climaterush.co.uk

For comments from the landmark hotel please ring Francis T Green 0207 631 8000

—

UK No New Coal Awards

Climate Rush is delighted to announce that it will be presenting the following “Canary in the Coalmine” awards:

Science Fiction award
goes to the most unbelievable technology not yet available to stop CO2 emissions, Carbon Capture and Storage.

Financial Fool award
goes to the Royal Bank of Scotland, for helping to raise $16 billion in loans to finance the worldwide coal industry over the past two years.

Lifetime Achievement award
goes to Drax coal fired power station, for the Greatest Emissions in the UK, equivalent to that of the 54 poorest countries in the world.

Best Supporting Role
goes to the biggest Climate Coward, Gordon Brown, for his useless leadership over Climate Change.

Best Newcomer
goes to the next likely “factory of death”, Kingsnorth coal fired power station in Kent.

and finally…

UK Coal Personality of the Year
goes to Paul Golby, CEO of energy company E.ON, for outstanding services to Greenwash (whilst plotting to build Kingsnorth)

——

CLIMATE RUSH: THURSDAY 5TH MARCH, 1PM, RBS HQ

GIVE US OUR MONEY BACK and STOP TRASHING THE PLANET

Royal Bank of Scotland: £33 billion in bail outs SO FAR!

Using OUR MONEY!

RBS boss 50-year-old Sir Fred: retires early with a whopping £16 million pension fund.

Using OUR MONEY!

OUR bank: arranges £16 billion in loans to the coal industry in just two years.

RBS: the BIGGEST investor in climate chaos.

FOR THE LOVE OF OUR MONEY, WHAT PLANET ARE THEY ON?

Grab your mates, bring some lunch and get down to the bank to demand OUR money back.

Royal Bank of Scotland HQ

Thursday 5th March

1.OOPM PROMPT: think flashmob…

280 Bishopsgate, near Liverpool Street Station

ANGRY? You better believe it: Let’s rush!

See what they’re saying about the RBS Climate Rush in the Guardian here

Facebook invite here: invite ALL your friends

Please help spread the word by downloading the poster as a pdf here to print out and stick up wherever you go!

Be sure to keep checking the site for updates… and don’t forget to subscribe and join our facebook group!

Protestors To Go Bananas at Leeds Tesco

Banana flashmob at Leeds Tesco in protest of Tesco refusing to stock only Fairtrade bananas.

Ctrl.Alt.Shift, a movement of young agitators, is demanding that Tesco ban the sale of non-Fairtrade bananas for good. At 1pm on March 3rd 2009, Protestors will stage a flashmob protest at Tesco Metro in Leeds city centre. Using Fairtrade bananas as dummy phones, the protestors will hold loud phone conversations about the poor ethical standards that Tesco maintains. A viral video and social network campaign will run over the internet in the run up to the event.

Leaflet link here

Over the last five years, British supermarkets have engaged in banana price wars, matching each other’s price cuts to such a low level that it is now impossible for many plantation workers to earn a living – or even a legal minimum – wage.

Hannah Martin who is part of Ctrl.Alt.Shift and helped organise the Leeds flashmob said ‘It’s a scandal that a company as powerful as Tesco refuse to fully support an organisation as significant as Fairtrade, Ctrl.Alt.Shift want to show Tesco we wont sit back and let this continue’.

In 2007, both Sainsbury’s and Waitrose agreed to sell Fairtrade-only bananas. But Tesco refuse to follow suit. As the nation’s largest retailer, it is Tesco’s duty to support Fairtrade practices within the World’s supply chains. As a result, many plantation workers are still paid less than $2 per day.

CtrlAltShiftLeeds
flash@ctrlaltshift.co.uk
http://www.ctrlaltshift.co.uk

Work Stopped at Shipley Open Cast Coal Mine Site

26th Feb 2009
This morning a group of four ex-local residents, not affiliated with any particular group went digger diving at the Shipley Open Cast Coal Mine.

Work was stopped for one hour and a half. The protestors left when the police turned up.

The police entered into discussion with UK Coal about creating a more permenant space for people to protest at, the police suggested some kind of shelter. UK Coal declined, stating that they were worried the protestors would turn the shelter into a “concrete lock-on”.

No arrests were made.

Same banner; different protest.

Work Stopped at Rosewell Open Cast Coal Mine Site

23.2.2009
At 9am today a group of eco-activists began to disrupt the operations of Scottish Coal at the Rosewell open-cast coal mine in the Midlothians. Some of the 10 activists stopping work today are local residents.

They climbed onto digging machinery to prevent works and climbed onto trucks to prevent coal from leaving the Rosewell site for 2 hours this morning. Then police arrived but no-one were arrested.

One activist said “the burning of coal to generate electricity is one of the most polluting and destructive of all human activities. We cannot deal with climate change while companies like Scottish coal continue to profit from coal exploitation.”

A local resident said “With a government committed to expanding opencast, deep mine and new coal power generation across Scotland, asking politicians will achieve nothing. Peaceful direct action is the only way people are going to stop coal expansion.”

Another said. “We are opposed to this climate disaster of an energy policy and to the scarring of scotland’s countryside with these horrible open-cast coal mines, Rosewell and Scottish Coal’s other operations have and will continue to be met by resistance from local people taking direct action.”

This action was done by individuals who are not affiliated to any particular group.

This is another example of the growing resistance to new coal in scotland. For more general info on how people are stopping new coal in Scotland, check out www.coalactionedinburgh.noflag.org.uk

Germany: Upper class car torched, armament company & luxurious condo-project attacked

02/02/09: Upperclass car from O.Rohr (housekeeper of L14 and R94) torched
02/02/09: Armament company attacked with stones and color
09/02/09: Stones and bottle against luxurious condo-project

Upperclass car from O.Rohr (housekeeper of L14 and R94) torched

Berlin, 2 of February 2009

02/02/09: Upperclass car from O.Rohr (housekeeper of L14 and R94) torched
02/02/09: Armament company attacked with stones and color
09/02/09: Stones and bottle against luxurious condo-project

Upperclass car from O.Rohr (housekeeper of L14 and R94) torched

Berlin, 2 of February 2009

A claim which reached us:
„On monday the 2 of February we payed a visit to the offices of Rohr, district Mariendorf, and we torched his car.

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Armament company attacked with stones and color

Hamburg/Kiel, 2 of February 2009

Claim of the attack:

„On the night from the 1 to the 2 of February, we rendered nicer the armament company Northtrop Grumman, sited in the Woltmanstr.19 in Hamburg and the Marine Logistic (Marlog) sited in the Werltstr. 179, Kiel, by using stones and color.
Through this action, we want to adress us against the gathering of international politicians of the NATO State members, their accomplices, armament industrialists such like Northtrop Grumman and Marlog and to the Army, who will all meet at the beginning of February 2009 at the 45 conference for the security politic, taking place in Munich.
They want to meet there, in order to improve the civilian-military cooperation.
This means war and oppression for millions of people.
We also see this action as a contribution to the beginning of the protests against the 60 years festivities of the NATO happening in Baden Baden and Strasbourg at the beginning of April 2009.

Against capitalist globalization and worldwide war politic of NATO States which leads to a further militarization of societies to their inside and to the outside!

Action Group against militarism and capitalism

Source: Interim

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Stones and bottle against luxurious condo-project

Berlin, 9 of February 2009

Unknown persons threw stones and bottles full of color against the facade of a house sited in the Dresdnerstr., Mitte.
Since this house is considered being of the upperclass, one can not exclude a political motivation behind it, so the police.
State security investigates.

Source: Berliner Zeitung

note for english-speaking readers: this luxurious house built on the border between Kreuzberg and Mitte has been already victim of attacks during the past.

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direct action news from germany
http://directactionde.blogspot.com

CLIMATE ACTION NEWS SHEET 86, February 2009

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UPCOMING/ONGOING EVENTS AND ACTIONS:
————————————

1. ARTIVISM, Smash EDO’s week of anti-war creativity – Brighton – 24.02.09-01.03.09
2. Climate Rush – London and Manchester – 26.02.09
3. Camp for Climate Action Gathering – Nottingham – 7-8.03.09
4. Earth First! & Treesponsibility Tree Planting weekend – Hebden Bridge – 13-15.03.09
5. People’s Blockade of the World’s Biggest Coal Port – Newcastle, Australia – 21.03.09
6. Direct action and carbon trading education weekend – London and Brighton – 21-22.03.09
7. Fossil Fools Day – all over – 01.04.09
8. Coal Caravan – Midlands, Yorkshire and North East – 24.04.09-04.05.09

——————
RECENT HAPPENINGS:
——————

1. Biofuelled attacks in Sumatra, Indonesia – 18.12.08
2. Plane Stupid turns Southampton airport into a refugee camp – 17.01.09
3. Climate Rush activists lock on to Parliament – 20.01.01
4. E.On Ref Off! – 24.01.09
5. A not-so-Royal welcome for the nuclear industry – 09.02.09
6. Manchester RBS branch roof occupation – 11.02.09
7. Occupation of Kelsterback Forest, Frankfurt Airport, Germany – Ongoing
8. New report – Catering for the Coal Industry

————————————
UPCOMING/ONGOING EVENTS AND ACTIONS:
————————————

1. ARTIVISM, Smash EDO’s week of anti-war creativity – Brighton – 24.02.09-01.03.09
Including an Art Exhibition, Music & Voices in Exile, Peace Choir, Images from the Smash EDO campaign and the world events that inspired the resistance to Brighton’s local bomb builders. Events include Guy Smallman, international photo-journalist; on the ground photography from Israel’s invasion of Lebanon in 2006; the classic drawings of John Catt, veteran anti-war activist; photography by Medyan Dairieh, Al-Jazeera journalist; ‘On the Verge’ the film they tried to ban; Clandestine Rebel Clown Training; Radical Cheerleading: make pom-poms, write cheers and practice your moves; carnival creations and mask making; and Benefit Finale at the Albert Pub.
www.smashedo.org.uk

2. Climate Rush – London and Manchester – 26.02.09
Climate Rush cordially invites you to an awards ceremony for the coal industry, to honour the world’s greatest emitters of CO2, on THURSDAY 26TH FEBRUARY at THE LANDMARK HOTEL. Dress formally for cocktails in the Winter Garden at 6.30 prompt.
www.climaterush.co.uk

And in Manchester, Northern Climate Rush will be paying a visit to the UK’s largest coal company – UK Coal. Meet in front of the Student Union building at 1pm.
www.northernclimaterush.wordpress.com

3. Camp for Climate Action Gathering – Nottingham – 7-8.03.09
With the G20, climate criminals and COP 15 in mind, be part of the gathering – inspiration, action and solidarity guaranteed.
www.climatecamp.org.uk/?q=node/468

4. Earth First & Treesponsibility Tree Planting weekend – Hebden Bridge – 13-15.03.09
The annual and sociable opportunity to plant thousands of native trees on a ecologically degraded hillside is happening in March. Organised by Earth First! activists in collaboration with Calderdale community group Treesponsibility. Based in Hebden Bridge in Calderdale. A weekend of hard but satisfying work planting native woodland combined with good food and socialising.
More info: treesponsibility@yahoo.co.uk or 07983743894

5. People’s Blockade of the World’s Biggest Coal Port – Newcastle, Australia – 21.03.09
Coal exports are Australia’s single biggest contribution to global climate change, and the fastest growing. In Newcastle, the world’s biggest coal port, community groups have been campaigning against the doubling of coal exports from Newcastle Harbour. There have been three community blockades of Newcastle Harbour now, and each of them has managed to keep coal ships from entering or leaving for most of the day. The next one is on Saturday 21 March 2009.
www.risingtide.org.au

6. Direct action and carbon trading education weekend – London and Brighton – 21-22.03.09
Climate Camp Carbon Trading Education Weekend, London. With Climate Camp targeting carbon markets this year, find out everything you ever wanted to know about carbon trading and more but were afraid to ask! More info:international@climatecamp.org.uk

Also this weekend, a two-day direct action training at the Cowley Club, Brighton. 10 AM start.
www.cowleyclub.org.uk

7. Fossil Fools Day – all over – 01.04.09
Climate Camp at the European Climate Exchange, followed by a “celebration” of BP’s centenary at the British Museum; interspersed with local actions all over the country and the world!

Climate camp hits the city: stopping carbon markets // because nature doesn’t do bailouts
On April 1st the G20 leaders arrive in London. At a time of climate crisis their response to the market meltdown is emergency loans to car manufacturers, increased spending to encourage consumption, and bailouts for the very people who got us into this mess – just the thing that will make the climate crisis worse. Don’t let them get away with it: join our camp in the Square Mile! Gather at noon, April 1st, at the European Climate Exchange, Hasilwood House, 62 Bishopsgate, EC2N 4AW.
www.climatecamp.org.uk/g20

“Celebrate” BP’s centenary: Tell them the party’s over!
For reasons unfathomable yet deeply pleasing, BP has chosen Fossil Fools to celebrate its centenary. This will take place at the British Museum, where the not-so-great and the far-from-good will quaff cocktails, snaffle canapes and watch a celebratory film. Join us between 6-7pm, to say ‘Your party’s over!’ Bring banners, musical instruments, a sense of climate justice and a nonsense of foolery. Meet at 6pm at the British Museum’s Gt. Russell St. gate.
www.fossilfoolsday.org
www.artnotoil.org.uk

8. Coal Caravan – Midlands, Yorkshire and North East – 24.04.09-04.05.09
The fabulous climate caravan lives on, as the COAL CARAVAN, walking and cycling between the sites for proposed open cast mines and new power stations in the Midlands, Yorkshire and North East. On our route we’ll be talking to local people, organising bicycled power films and events, holding public discussions and displays, and linking groups from different areas to help strengthen isolated campaigns. For route details see:
www.earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/21915
More info or to get involved: caravan@climatecamp.org.uk.

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RECENT HAPPENINGS:
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1. Biofuelled attacks in Sumatra, Indonesia – 18.12.08
In the rush to clear subsistence farms and forest for agro-fuel plantation, local villages in the global South are suffering. On 18th December 2008 the village of Suluk Bongkal in Sumatra, Indonesia was attacked by hundreds of armed police and paramilitaries with fire-arms and teargas and was also fire-bombed from a helicopter. Hundreds of houses were burned down and later bulldozed. Most of the villagers fled into the forests and others were arrested. The attack is linked to a subsidiary company of Sinar Mas, Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) which is clearing land for pulp and paper tree plantations. Sinar Mas is one of the biggest owners of palm oil and pulp and paper plantations in Indonesia. A protest letter is collecting signatories to send to the Indonesian authorities.
To sign and for more info: www.regenwald.org/international/englisch/index.php

2. Plane Stupid turns Southampton airport into a refugee camp – 17.01.09
Activists chained themselves to the entrance of Southampton airport and erected tents at the main entrance in a bid turn the regional airport into a climate refugee camp. In addition to setting up camp, activists formally submitted a planning application with Eastleigh Borough Council to turn the airport into refugee housing.
www.planestupid.com

3. Climate Rush activists lock on to Parliament – 20.01.01
On the day that Parliament voted about the third runway, nine Climate Rush activists highlighted the high farce that is UK democracy by chaining themselves to the gates of Parliament. Despite staying for hours and entertaining tourists and the press, when the police finally cut them out, the activists walked away scot free.
www.climaterush.co.uk

4. E.On Ref Off! – 24.01.09
On Saturday 24th January a group of London Climate Camp activists turned up at Stamford Bridge dressed as football referees to show E.ON the red card. Over 40,000 Chelsea and Ipswich fans arriving for the game heard us blowing the whistle on E.ON’s dirty FA Cup sponsorship money, and thousands of them were personally handed an “E.ON F.OFF” red card explaining how the company is making foul profits from the climate crisis. It was all good fun and reactions were pretty positive – E.ON themselves would have paid tens of thousands to get the opposite publicity for their brand!
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/01/420346.html

5. A not-so-Royal welcome for the nuclear industry – 09.02.09
Hundreds of tourists, visiting the Palace for the Changing of the Guard, were amused to see “nuclear guards” taking their place at the gates. They held up a large banner reading “Nuclear Power is Not the Answer to Climate Chaos!” and a placard reading “Royal Nuclear Family? No Thanks!”, drawing attention to the fact that Prince Andrew, the UK’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, was hosting a gala lunch at the Palace for the nuclear industry, presumably to plot how best to promote their toxic greenwash agenda at home and abroad.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/02/421693.html

6. Manchester RBS branch roof occupation – 11.02.09
Around 35 students held a climate change ‘Eviction Demonstration’ outside (and on top of) a Royal Bank of Scotland branch at the University of Manchester Students Union. The group from People and Planet also submitted a motion to the Union General Meeting proposing that the Union does not renew the lease for RBS’ branch when it expires in January 2010. Students climbed up on to the roof of the branch, and dropped banners advertising RBS’ fossil fuel investments. Others engaged in ‘rapid information dessimination’, racing off to speak to as many people as they could in 20 minutes before returning back to the RBS branch to compare scores.
http://www.earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/22169

7. Occupation of Kelsterback Forest, Frankfurt Airport, Germany – Ongoing The occupation of the threatened Kelsterback Forest continues. This is a large and beautiful forest that has already been encroached upon for existing airport infrastructure and is “in the way” of a planned, additional runway.
http://waldbesetzung.blogsport.de

8. New report – Catering for the Coal Industry A personal account from an activist on the ground in Columbia,documenting resistance to exploitation in Columbia’s’ coal industry.The report is focused on the lives of those who prepare and serve the food necessary for the mine to function. They want people outside of La Loma to hear of their inhumane, dangerous and humiliating working conditions. Reading and sharing this report helps to break the invisibility of the exploitation within the global coal infrastructure.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/01/419675.html

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