Action Reports – Page 207

When you threaten One you threaten All: Eviction Succesfully Resisted in Bristol

An attempted illegal eviction occurred this afternoon at Unity Home, number 87 Ashley Road, St Pauls, Bristol. IT WAS RESISTED

An attempted illegal eviction occurred this afternoon at Unity Home, number 87 Ashley Road, St Pauls, Bristol. IT WAS RESISTED

Ownership of the house is claimed by Places for People, Britain’s largest housing association. Its chief executive, David Cowans, topped the list of richest “social” housing providers with a salary of £257,928 in 2007 (Every single penny on the backs of the poor). Instead of providing adequate social housing they work for corporate gain and through speculation with our money are feeling the pinch of the property market crash. This is a social housing provider playing with public money.

Number 87 is actually owned by Places for People’s charitable arm (Places for People Individual Support), which is supposed to provide housing for homeless and the elderly. They plan to turn the majority of the house into private owned apartments. It currently is housing 20+ people.

It has been empty for over 3 years and squatted by a large number of otherwise homeless people since April 2008.

At 12.00pm today (28 Oct 2008), bailiffs acting for Places for People arrived – shortly to be accompanied by the police – demanding that the residents be out by 12.30pm. They claimed paperwork had been sent through to the occupants, but in fact no notice of eviction had come through. This was an illegal attempt at making people homeless and was answered with solidarity.

A critical mass of people began to build in response to those resisting the illegal eviction and by about 1.30pm there were between 30-50 people outside the gates on Ashley Road, with many many more inside, ready to resist what the bailiffs and police were preparing.

People took to the roof, occupied spaces in windows, defended the doors – fortifying the building. A banner was dropped explaining: WHEN YOU THREATEN ONE YOU THREATEN ALL – for the defence of squats and autonomous spaces. Against companies like Places for People – Britain’s most commercialised, corrupt landlord.

A stand off ensued and eventually by around 2.00pm the bailiffs and police departed the scene. A beautiful victory for solidarity in resisting the corporate takeover of our city.

This eviction threat is imminent and all support is needed.

The residents of the building have made repeated attempts to negotiate a settlement with P4P but commercial gain seems their only aim. The residents ask all those who believe in housing for all and the stand against gentrification to join them.

Squatters and residents together against corrupt landlords!

Greece and the growing re-appropriation attacks against Super Markets

Attacks in Capital circulation and revenue
Greece and the growing re-appropriation attacks against Super Markets

Τhe saturday of May 31st 2008 was a beautiful day for the greek movement of insurrection. One action organised by a small group of comrades caused a fracture in the greek social process. On the last days a big debate was goin’ on in the streets, in the working places, cafes, houses and -in appearance only- on the tv screen. Basic products (milk,rice etc.) were becoming more and more expensive, a process which started since the introduction of the Euro currency, January 2002 and by the last months prices kept raising steeply. Peoples’ resentment concetrated during all these years of price stagnation, was so big that although grossly mediated by the TV news, forced finally the government to introduce measures that were , supposed , to control the rising of the prices, but whose actual target was to calm peoples anger down. (It is interesting to add that inflation rate was steady and did not rise, probably because of “creative” tricks due to Eu rules that oblige member-states to keep a low inflation rate)

Super Market brand owners were profiteering in a really high grade in expense of the peoples pockets and the actual resistance and pressure was rather low. Consumer unions, some newspaper articles, calls for lowering the prices, one day boycotts. But what to do?People are dependent from big Super Markets that control most of the food market and wages in Greece are rather low for eu standards (Pensions are worse) and prices were among the higher in EU. Old people, low income and the unemployed were affected most but we can say that almost all working class people and even lower middle class (petit bourgeois) were having a hard time to get around . So the government announces on the 28 of May “41 measures against price stagnation”.

True is the politicians did not really cared. “So what are they going to do,anyway?”. Opposition parties do nothing but talk, and people rely on the media “apparent” opposition. But it is in these times were nothing seem to happen, when the forces of insurrection that are exorcised to stay away from the fight, make their sudden and unexpected appearance in the scene. And nothing is the same as before..

On Saturday May 31st 2008 a group of comrades, wearing their masks entered a big Super Market in the city center of Athens, re-appropriated products, carried them to a street fruit-market nearby (mostly old and lower-income people go there) and distributed the products to them. Oil, cheese, milk, detergents,shampoos … The action met great correspondence from the people. Clapping applauses, exclamations, whistles. The products disappeared within seconds. The manifesto of the action said : “The game is set. We don’t want to be a part of this fake game, with the governments’ communication tricks, the oppositions’ abstract talking about some “bad” people making profit and the shit of the media. We put into practice our own measures against price stagnation. Re-appropriation now. Everything is stolen from us, Everything belongs to us… That was it…

The attacks start to spread widely. In June three more actions against Super Markets took place in Athens. One more in July. Then came the summer (movements have holidays?) and on September actions started again. Two happened in Thessaloniki , the second biggest city in Greece. One attack was planned on the day when the Prime Minister traditionally addresses the nation , from the International Expo of Thessaloniki and speaks about the government policy of the year to come. Last week three such actions took place (15,16,18 October). In most of the attacks products are distributed among people in street markets, to people passing-by and on one action the loot was left on a central Athens square where many immigrants live and at the exits of the metro station there.
These actions are really popular among people. It would not be an exaggeration to say that people wish every time they go to a street market for an action like that to take place. Media can’t hide the facts , but try to distort them. They like to call us “Robin Hoods”. We are not at all “Robin Hoods”, it is not about charity. The issue at stake here is the diffusion of such “illegal” practices among the society, so that other social groups adopt such practices to defend social autonomy and interests. To debunk the normality that orders “Work-Buy-Pay-Sleep-Shut Up”. To make people collaborators in “illegal” attacks against capitalist order. To promote Mutual Aid.

The Police is really confused. Cashiers have a short work-break. Super Market owners feel anxious about the situation. People have fun.

So what about us Comrades. In Balkans, East and West Europe, States, Latin America, Oceania, everywhere? Can we plan something? What are we waiting for? Capitalist crisis is already here and we are the ones to pay again for the fucking banks and their tricks. The plan is simple, believe us. Two douzins of comrades, masks , sunglasses, an appointment. You converge suddenly and you attack. Some people watching, some others filling the trolleys, everybody distributing them. It is simple, it is direct, dangerous for the enemy and really amuzing. We wish you nice actions and lot of success.

Make Plans
Be Ready

Rampart – police break down door

28 October 2008
A small number of police broke down the front door and entered the Rampart today. They searched people for drugs and photographed them as well as the barricades and the building itself. They explained their actions saying that it is because the area is a high-risk drugs area. This is unfortunately true of the street but we are concerned that this may be related to our eviction as well. They entered the Rampart without a warrant and then left after they had photographed. This was NOT an eviction attempt.

Difficult right now to say what it means in relation to an eviction, but on the side of caution, we are asking people to come to the Rampart tonight (Tues 28th) to stay over to defend the building and help with barricades for what might be an early morning eviction. We will also need people to assist outside if the time comes so send us your mobile number to be informed. There will be a hearty breakfast for the brave.

—

28th october 2008, london, whitechapel, lunchtime:

the police unexpectedly intruded the rampART social centre in their lunchtime. they must have been starving, because they felt like breaking the doors. we wonder if it was appetite, that made them force their way in, or curiosity, to see the progress of our efforts to barricade the rampART. still, we art not amused of officers on the scrounge…

… although we are generally open for people to come by to wine and dine with us, but we’d like to invite people to knock on the doors, rather than knocking them down. and we don’t support gluttony of greedy developpers, groping houses to convert them to luxury flats, because they want to bite more than they can chew…

… as you might know, the rampART is under threat of immanent eviction, so these three coppers might have been the vanguard of the 80 riot cops that are expected to come by with the high court bailiffs to evict the space. so we are thinking how many people we will have to cater for breakfast. needless to say, we’d prefer to pamper our friends and supporters. so feel welcome to join the feast & fight the beast and defend your favourite social centre…

please contact us via email: rampart@mutualaid.org or phone: 07852657501

48hrs of Action against E.ON and New Coal

Friday 28th and Saturday 29th November 2008

The UK Government is calling for an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050, we are calling for 48 hours of action against E.ON and new coal NOW.

Friday 28th and Saturday 29th November 2008

The UK Government is calling for an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050, we are calling for 48 hours of action against E.ON and new coal NOW.

It’s easy enough to set a target that’s 42 years away, but we don’t stand a rapidly melting snowball’s chance of achieving it if the government give the green light to new coal fired power stations (7 are in the planning stages, with E.ON’s new Kingsnorth being first up) and keep dishing out subsidies to new coal mines. Coal is the dirtiest fuel there is, so while the government continues with business-as-usual through the last 100 months we have to make a difference on climate change, we call for 48 hours of action against new coal – now!

Join us in saying ‘No to New Coal’: get your friends together and plan an action for your area. Go stickering, blockading, serving direct action warning notices at supply chain premises, organise an awareness raising talk, hang a banner, get creative on the streets, the options are endless. Get together, get creative, and plan an action!

On Friday you could visit the Coal Authority, E.ON offices, UK Coal offices or Global Coal Management offices, to name but a few. Or take aim at their investors or parts of their supply chain. On the Saturday you could take action at 2nd round FA Cup matches sponsored by E.ON. Together, we’ll raise awareness about killer coal, and we’ll say loud and clear that we won’t stand for new coal – at Kingsnorth or anywhere else.

For more information visit – http://www.e-onf-off.org.uk/ – where a list of potential targets, action ideas and plenty of resources will follow shortly.

This day of action is supported by The Camp for Climate Action, Rising Tide, Plane Stupid and Campaign against Climate Change.

Paraguan resistance to GM soya plantings – evictions & violence

28 October 2008
Peasant organisations are resisting against the beginning of the GM soya season all over the country of Paraguay. They demand access to land, land reform and the stop of the pesticide spraying which impacts on their communities. Despite the new government, many camps have been evicted and violence has taken place: 2 leaders have been murdered and hundreds of peasants have been arrested. Please sign the letter below to put pressure on the government and put a stop to violence!

San Marco eviction & videoclip showing what happened when a large group of campesinos halted fumigation tractors of Brazilian soy producers. Paraguay, community of Yvypé all at http://www.lasojamata.org/en/node/230

In Paraguay, GM soya monocultures are today the main cause of deforestation, the destruction and pollution of other ecosystems, of violence and the eviction of small farmers and indigenous peoples. Paraguay has nearly 2,6 million hectares of soy plantations for animal feed exports and, more recently, for agrofuel. A journalist who visited the country in 2007 described the impact of soya monocultures as follows:
“Rural eastern Paraguay used to be full of jungle, small farms, schools and wildlife. Now it is a green sea of soybeans. The families, trees and birds are gone. The schools are empty. The air is filled with the toxic stench of the pesticides like paraquat and 2,4-D used to protect the soy crops” [http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/3093].

The remnants of Paraguay’s Atlantic Forest and of the Alto Parana forest, as well as wetlands, grasslands and rivers are being destroyed and polluted by the expansion of immense RR soya fields. Deforestation is worsening global warming and also causing severe regional warming and droughts. It has contributed to the worst fire season ever recorded in Paraguay last year, and probably to the severe drought which is currently affecting the south of the country. More than 100,000 small peasant families have been evicted for soya plantations and over 100 peasant leaders have been murdered since the late 1990s in conflicts over access to land. Agro-chemical (glyphosate, 2,4D, and others) spraying of soya plantations severely affects the health of people living in soy region, in some cases leading even to deaths, and also destroys people´s food crops. Hunger and malnutrition are increasing as less and less land is available to farmers for growing food.

In August this year, a new government took office and the new president, Fernando Lugo, promised to support small farmers against pesticide poisoning and soya expansion. However, the government has given conflicting signals by also supporting increased soya exports at the same time. Also, the police and juridical forces have been supporting soya businesses in suppressing the peasant movement in their fight against pesticide spraying and the expansion of soy monocultures.

This month, at the start of the new soya planting season, small farmers’ organisations have mobilised to stop pesticide spraying and to protect peasant agriculture and the environment against further destruction. They have set up around 130 lawful camps at the margins of soya ‘latifundios’ (large estates). In recent weeks, they have been increasingly subjected to violence, with two murders of peasant leaders, unlawful arrests and detentions. Also, various camps have been violently evicted, with use of increasing numbers of paramilitaries. Many peasant leaders are receiving death threats. The civil security guards that former government organised ‘Comision Garrote’ are the main actors behind this threats.

The tendency seems to be that the violence and repression against the peasant movement will intensify. For many in the movement, this year is their last chance to stop soya expansion and to protect what remains of Paraguays’ forests and wetlands, sustainable peasant agriculture, and small farmers and indigenous people?s future.

Please write to the authorities in Paraguay and urge them to fully support small farmers and their demands for protection from pesticide spraying, from evictions, environmental destruction and pollution, for food sovereignty and land reform.

See last action report – farms occupied – at http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/21753/

See also:
Video about the 2 evictions in Alto Parana:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYEBsk0jtG4
Video about the camp against the pesticide spraying in Caaguazú
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4xnXaZGjS8
Peasant community in San Pedro against the pesticide spraying
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfLEXvipkJw

Articles about the current situation in Paraguay:
http://www.lasojamata.org/

LETTER (send the Spanish version that is below)

Dear Sir/Madam,

Re: Please protect Paraguay’s communities and environment against soya
monocultures

I was very pleased to hear about President’s Lugo’s stated commitment to
protect small farmers against soya plantations, including against
pesticide spraying and to stop deforestation. However, I am deeply
concerned to hear about the increasing violence against peasant
organisations that are mobilising against pesticide spraying in the soya
monocultures, while arguing for a new agricultural policy that protects
small farmers and food sovereignty as well as the environment.

Two peasant leaders ? SindulfoMartínez member of the organisation MCP and
Bienvenido Melgarejo of the organisation ASAGRAPA have recently been
murdered. There are reports of a ‘hit list’ with the names of fifty
peasant leaders who fear that they could be murdered next. In the past
weeks, the courts and the police have been involved in the eviction of
peasant camps which have been lawfully set up on the margins of, not on,
soya plantations, resorting to laws which exist to prevent criminal
offences. People have been unlawfully evicted, detained, criminalised and
tortured.

With this letter, I want to show my strong support to the main demands of
peasant movements and civil society organisations in Paraguay: that
pesticide spraying of soy monocultures must be banned and effectively
stopped. The lands illegally sold to agribusiness companies must be
returned to the landless Paraguayan peasants.

I urge you to stop the eviction orders and repression against peasant
mobilisation. The two recent murders and all reports of police violence
and torture must be fully investigated and those responsible must be held
to account. The families of those who have been murdered must receive
financial compensation.

The government must take immediate action and investigate the death
threats against peasant leaders. The first step for this is to dissolve
the so called ?Citizen Security Commissions?, commonly called ?Garrote
Commissions?. These groups are the main actors of the para-police violence
against social organisations in the rural areas.

In front of the urgent situation of poverty and environmental devastation
in Paraguay, the government must initiate a programme to support peasant
farming and food sovereignty, rather than further sacrificing Paraguay’s
communities and environment to produce animal feed and agrofuels for
export.

Please let me know what your plans are for addressing this urgent
situation, in order to avoid more violence and human rights violations,
including more killings of peasants, and to protect communities and the
environment from soya monocultures.

Thank you,

Yours faithfully,
Asunto: Por favor, proteja a las comunidades paraguayas y al medio
ambiente de los monocultivos de soja

Estimada Sra., Estimado Sr.,

Ha sido muy satisfactorio para mí, saber acerca del compromiso del
Presidente Lugo para proteger a los pequeños campesinos en contra de las
plantaciones de soja, así como de las fumigaciones con pesticidas y la
deforestación. Sin embargo, me preocupa seriamente cuando escucho acerca
de la escalada de violencia dirigida hacia las organizaciones campesinas
que se movilizan en contra de las fumigaciones de pesticidas sobre las
poblaciones y a favor de una nueva política agraria que proteja a los
pequeños campesinos, la soberanía alimentaria y el medio ambiente.

Dos líderes campesinos -SindulfoMartínez de la organización, Movimiento
Campesino Paraguayo- MCP (Vía Campesina-PY) y Bienvenido Melgarejo de la
organización Asociación de Agricultores de Alto Paraná- ASAGRAPA han
sido recientemente asesinados. Hemos tenido noticias acerca de una ?lista
negra? con nombres de unos cincuenta líderes campesinos que temen ser los
próximos asesinados. Jueces y la policía han estado en estas últimas
semanas implicados en el desmantelamiento de campamentos campesinos
establecidos legalmente en las márgenes, y no dentro, de las plantaciones
de soja, amparándose en leyes de prevención del crimen. Los campesinos han
sido ilegalmente expulsados, detenidos, criminalizados y torturados.

Con esta carta quiero demostrar mi enérgico apoyo a las dos principales
demandas de los campesinos y las organizaciones de la sociedad civil de
Paraguay: Las fumigaciones con agrotóxicos de los monocultivos de soja
deben ser prohibidas y detenidas de manera efectiva. Las tierras vendidas
irregularmente a los agroempresarios deben ser devueltas a los campesinos
sintierras paraguayos.

Exijo frenar la actual ola de desalojos y represión a las movilizaciones
campesinas. El desalojo por recursos de amparo preventivo es una medida
jurídica irregular. Los dos recientes asesinatos y todos los reportes de
violencia policial y tortura deben ser investigados a fondo, y sus
responsables deben ser penalizados. Las familias de los asesinados deben
ser compensadas económicamente.

Así también el gobierno debe actuar de forma inmediata y frenar las
amenazas de muerte que penden sobre los dirigentes campesinos. El primer
paso para ello es atender a las demandas de las organizaciones de
desarticulación de las ?Comisiones de Seguridad Ciudadana?, comúnmente
denominadas ?Comisión garrote?. Estos grupos son los principales
protagonistas de violencia parapolicial contra las organizaciones sociales
en el campo.

Frente la urgente situación de pobreza y devastación ambiental del campo
paraguayo, el gobierno debe iniciar inmediatamente un programa de apoyo a
la agricultura campesina y la soberanía alimentaria. Basta ya del
sacrificio de las comunidades campesinas e indígenas del Paraguay y del
medio ambiente para mantener un modelo agroexportador sojero que sólo
produce alimento para animales y agrocombustibles.

Por favor, deme a conocer sus planes para contener esta urgente situación
y para evitar más violencia y violaciones de derechos humanos, incluyendo
más asesinatos de campesinos en su país, y para proteger a las comunidades
y al medio ambiente de los monocultivos de la soja.

Muchas gracias por adelantado y un atento saludo.

ADDRESSES / DIRECCIONES

1. Presidencia de la República del Paraguay
Excelentísimo Don Fernando Lugo Méndez, Presidente de la República del
Paraguay
Palacio de Gobierno
El Paraguayo Independiente e/Ayolas y O´leary
Central telefónica 4140000 (RA)
website: www.presidencia.gov.py
e-mail: presidente@presidencia.gov.py
webmaster@presidencia.gov.py

Secretaria General
S. E. Miguel Angel López Perito
Ministro, Secretario General y Jefe del Gabinete Civil de la Presidencia
de la República
Tel 4140288, fax 4140310

2. Secretaria del Ambiente (SEAM)
S. E. José Luís Casaccia , Ministro, Secretario Ejecutivo
Avda. Madan Lynch 3500 y Reservista de la Guerra del Chaco.
Tel + 595 21 615803/4, fax + 595 21 615807
casaccia jcasaccia@hotmail.com

3. SENAVE, Servicio Nacional de Calidad y Sanidad Vegetal y de Semillas
Ing. Agr. Luis Llano Imas , presidente
Oficina central del SENAVE: Edif. PLANETA I. Humaitá Nº 145 c/ Ntra. Sra.
de la Asunción. Telefax: + 595 21 445 769 /+ 595 21 441 549, Asunción –
Paraguay
presidencia@senave.gov.py
secretaria_general@senave.gov.py

S. E. Rafael Filizzola, Ministro
Chile y Manduvirá
Tel + 595 21 493 661, fax: + 595 21 450.027
ministro@mdi.gov.py
vmseguridad@mdi.gov.py
sgeneral@mdi.gov.py
5. Ministerio de Justicia y Trabajo
S. E. Blas Llano, Ministro
Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia y Estados Unidos
Tel + 595 21 447010, + 595 21 493209, fax + 595 21 208469
mjt@mjt.gov.py

6. Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganaderia
S. E. Candido Vera Bejarano, Ministro
Presidente Franco 479
Tel + 595 21 441036, central + 595 21 451316/ 447304
Viceministerio de Agricultura: vagricultura@mag.gov.py
Secretaría General: secretariagral@mag.gov.py

7. Fiscalía Gral. del Estado
Dr. Rubén Candia Amarilla
fiscaliageneral@ministeriopublico.gov.py

Protestors stop work at Shipley open-cast

27th October 2008: today protestors from Earth First! stopped work at an open-cast coal site for over two hours – they ran onto the site and clambered on diggers & dumpers and held out banners stopping the work safely. Some of the digger drivers were very friendly and were glad to have a break as they work very long shifts, from 7am-6:30 with only lunch & half hour breaks at 10 & 3. Today work had not been able to start till 10 as nature was fighting it’s own corner, with rain drowning the site, and it was stopped again at 1 for 3 hours due to the protest.

After about an hour, a few police turned up (the whole of the local police station, bless) though they didn’t have the vehicles to get over the mud to the protestors! After hitching a lift from UK Coal workers across the mud, they tried various ruses to get the EF!ers’ names (PACE s.25 even though they hadn’t yet figured out what substantive offence had been committed), and back-up arriving, the police were set to start arrests for aggravated trespass.

Eventually, people decided to leave, though they were forced to give their details and photos for later cross-referencing. The cops quoted section 68 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act meaning that if those same protestors return within 3 months they risk arrest.

A dead easy fun day out, just armed with a press release, banners and a desire to see a just sustainable world in the future.

See you down in the woods at Lodge House, Derbyshire…

——-

Press release:

Work stopped at open cast coal mine site

Today activists from Earth First! (1) halted the continuing destruction of countryside at Shipley in Derbyshire by UK Coal. The action is part of an ongoing campaign against UK Coal’s plans to open mine 1 million tonnes of coal from the site, over the next five years. They plan to release 3.5 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere over this period.

The protesters entered the site around 1pm this afternoon and brought work to an end whilst they peacefully occupied machinery. They intend to stay for as long as possible.

Climate change is the biggest threat facing us, and burning coal is the biggest historical cause of climate change. Every day more coal is burned, yet industry and government seem intent on burning even more.

Jim Hansen, director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and eminent climate scientist, wrote in a letter (2) to Gordon Brown “The single greatest threat to the climate comes from burning coal. Coal-fired generation is historically responsible for most of the CO2 in the air today – responsible for about half of all carbon dioxide emissions globally”

Dave Porter, a protester at the site said ‘All over the country groups are emerging as part of a growing, international movement defending communities and the climate from new coal. We’re faced with a system that’s not listening to the people – a system that disregards the science in the face of the single biggest threat to our planet. If the government won’t save the country then it’s down to all of us to take action!”

Today’s action follows a mass trespass at the site on Saturday 25th October, when people from around the country gathered at the site in Derbyshire to show the strength of opposition to plans for developments in the coal industry.

In August activists squatted a derelict house (3) on the site of the proposed open cast mine, the eviction lasted for nine days and raised the profile of UK Coal’s activities in Derbyshire as well as their project costs.

People across the country are pledging to continue resistance to all developments of the UK coal industry.

Press phone 07722 727 064
Phone on Site 07900 028 306

Notes to the editor

(1)The principles behind Earth First! are non-hierarchical organisation and the use of direct action to confront, stop and eventually reverse the forces that are responsible for the destruction of the Earth and its inhabitants. EF! is not a cohesive group or campaign, but a banner for people who share similar philosophies to work under.

(2) Jim Hansen is the director of NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and an increasingly renowned climate scientist. He wrote an open letter to Gordon Brown on the 19th December 2007 calling on him to lead the way with renewable technologies and not renew coal. More recently he has given evidence to the
crown court in defence of 6 Greenpeace activist charged with criminal damage at Kingsnorth Power station in Kent.

(3)In June 2008,activists squat an abandoned farm at the Lodge House planned opencast site near Shipley in Derbyshire. The farm was about to be demolished, work was held up. The eviction cost the local police force £58,000 and UK coal will be billed for some of the expenses. The full cost of the eviction to UK coal who hired bailiffs and equipment, is expected to be much higher.

Other past actions on site: trespass, 2 at UK Coal, digger diving, squat.
Future action: 1 november – Residents’ demo at Lodge House, Derbyshire.
Meet at the entrance to the site on Heanor Road, the A6O8, by Smalley village. See http://www.multimap.com/s/xHBDydN0
eaven.umbrella@yahoo.co.uk
www.eavengreen.wordpress.com

Picnic in the Park – Photos Shipley Open Cast Site, Derbyshire & Shipley Bodge court case collapses

25 October 2008
Protesters went to have their picnic.

This was rudely interrupted as a person from the high court tried to get them to move, and seized the Veggies catering trolley and escorted some protesters off.

The police looked on in a hungry manner at the protests organisation to have a picnic with good healthy food.

After they went up to the entrance of what used to be Prospect farm aka Bodge House, now demolished.

—-

27 October 2008
The first court case arising from the eviction of Bodge House, Shipley, where protesters occupied the site of the proposed open cast coal mine from June until August, collapsed today. Case dismissed.

One of those evicted in August was in Derby Youth Court today facing a charge of aggravated trespass:

“at Smalley in the county of Derbyshire, having trespassed on land, namely Lodge House, Smalley, and in relation to a lawful activity, namely open cast mining, did an act, namely suspend yourself in netting between a building and a tree, which you intended to have the effect of obstructing or disrupting that activity…”

The police witnesses all turned up to do their bit, but the trial collapsed after the prosecution admitted that it didn’t have the evidence to support its case. The crown prosecutor asked for an adjournment, the defence objected, the district judge agreed with the defence and dismissed the case.

Let’s hope the others go the same way.

Shipley Bodge was evicted in August, an extremely lengthy and costly exercise for UK Coal who, three months on, are still facing determined opposition to their mining plans.

Manchester students flashmob the RBS and E-On Recruitment Stalls + follow-up demo (update)

A busy careers fair at Manchester’s GMex was intererrupted yesterday by several long whistle blasts. 30 or so protestors suddenly revealed their yellow ‘Leave it in the Ground’ t-shirts and surrounded the Royal Bank of Scotland stall, holding banners and chanting ‘leave it in the ground!’.

A protester then read some extracts from the excellent report “Cashing in on Coal”, which shows that RBS is a climate criminal, pouring money into new fossil fuel extraction projects. The protester had his loudhailer taken away by security, but another protester (with a loud voice!) continued reading from the report. The security guards eventually began dragging protesters out so they didn’t get a chance to visit the E.ON stall. However the protest continued outside where people handed out leaflets explaining how E.ON (with a fat loan from RBS) plans to build the first new coal power station in the UK in 30 years, while security guards repeatedly threatened to have them arrested for trespassing.

E.ON flyer – application/pdf 287K
—

Over 50 Manchester students staged a flash mob demonstration at the RBS and E.On Recruitments stalls on Thursday 23rd October 2008. The group were protesting against the banks funding of climate chaos and against E.On’s plans to build a new coal power station at Kingsnorth.

At precisely 1pm, loose coal was dumped on the Royal Bank of Scotland and E-On recruitment stalls. Meanwhile, around 50 demonstrators stripped off their jackets to reveal bright yellow t-shirts with the words, “LEAVE IT IN THE GROUND” emblazoned across their chests.

A list of RBS’ environmental crimes was then read out to prospective employees attending the recruitment fair at Manchester Central (GMEX) convention centre. [4]

Some of the group were then forcibly ejected by security guards whilst others moved on to pay a visit to the E-On recruitment stall. E-On were questioned as to how their plans for a new coal fired power station squared with our commitment to reduce CO2 levels.

Toby Brett, 19, physics student at the University of Manchester says, “RBS, formerly priding itself on being “the oil and gas bank”, vastly outstrips all other UK banks in terms of funding climate change. In fact RBS investments emit more carbon dioxide per year than the whole of Scotland.”[6]

“Whilst I commend them for investing in renewable forms of energy as well as fossil fuels the two simply do not cancel out.”

“We are calling for an immediate halt to highly destructive investment such as in tar sands extraction and a swift switch to renewables. Quite frankly the world cannot wait.”

Marina Gerner, 20, Politics, Philosophy and Economics student and campaigns secretary at the University of Manchester’s Students Union says, “Coal is the dirtiest, most emissions intensive of fossil fuels and it is outrageous to see how our banks invest in it.”

This action is part of a series of actions by students from the campaigning groups People and Planet and Campaigns Collective against RBS and E-On. [5]

It formed part of Climate Action Week at the University of Manchester Students’ Union.

Notes:
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1) “A flash mob is a large group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual action for a brief time, then quickly disperse.” – Wikipedia

2) Climate change is the biggest threat to a secure future currently facing humanity. If current trends continue, average global temperatures could rise by 6.4˚C by the end of the century with devastating and permanent results for the planet. – “Summary for Policymakers”, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2007

3) E-On plans to build the contentious new coal power station at Kingsnorth along with 17 other coal and gas power plants across Europe and Russia by 2010. RBS played a part in the $22 billion loan to E-On required to build these plants. http://www.oyalbankofscotland.com/cioc/pdf/cashinginoncoal.pdf

4) RBS is responsible for $15.93 billion worth of loans to companies engaged in loans to companies engaged in the extraction and/or combustion of coal. – http://www.oyalbankofscotland.com/cioc/pdf/cashinginoncoal.pdf

5) Other actions against RBS and E-On by People and Planet include a similar action at a careers fair in London on the 10th Oct. http://peopleandplanet.org/navid6525
An action against Edinburgh University’s investment in RBS at the university’s fresher’s fair.
http://peopleandplanet.org/navid6381
A “die-in” outside RBS headquarters in London as part of this years Camp for Climate Action.
http://peopleandplanet.org/navid6278
People and Planet and Campaigns Collective members attended the Camp for Climate Action against E-On’s proposed new coal power station at Kingsnorth.
http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/home
On Monday 20th October students at Nottingham targeted amongst others the RBS and E.On stalls at a careers fair for their dubious ethical credentials. Dressed as Grim Reapers they explained that as a member of an organisation the employees are directly supporting and helping the actions of the organisation.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/10/411386.html

6) In 2007 RBS’ embedded emissions (emission due to its investments) was over 43 million tonnes, more than Scotland – PLATFORM, ‘The Oil and Gas Bank – RBS & the financing of climate change’, http://www.carbonweb.org/documents/Oil_&_Gas_Bank.pdf

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Follow-up demo a week later:

Students question RBS at Manchester Uni recruitment drive

2.11.2008
The Royal Bank of Scotland were forced to change the schedule of their recruitment evening at the University of Manchester due to the presence of some polite but well informed environmental activists.

Students, thinly disguised as potential RBS employees, paid a visit to the RBS graduate recruitment evening held at the University of Manchester.

RBS hired extra security to deal with the potential threat following last weeks flash mob http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/10/411541.html and tried to check entrants for the infamous yellow ‘LEAVE IT IN THE GROUND’ T-shirts.

RBS recruitment staff found themselves answering more questions about their financing of the fossil fuel industry than about potential graduate opportunities.

Protestors employed the silent theatre technique whereby RBS did not know who was a genuine recruit and who was just pretending.

RBS insisted that they do hold a concern for the environment as shown by their investment in renewable technology. However, the Leave it in the Ground crew responded that this was massively counterbalanced by their active encouragement and financing of fossil fuel exploration. For example, RBS client E-On’s investment in renewables accounts for just 2% of their portfolio whilst coal accounts for 61%. (www.eon-uk.com/generation/191.aspx)

After 30 minutes of back and forth debate those potential recruits who remained were largely wearing yellow t-shirts. Security looked on nervously.

It seems where ever RBS go, their reckless and short-sighted financing of carbon intensive misdevelopments such as the new coal fired power station at Kingsnorth, will continue to haunt them.

The demo was held by University of Manchester and Manchester Met People and Planet groups.

http://www.peopleandplanet.org

Exeter’s first Critical Mass! Nov 1st 12.00

Come and join Exeter Critical Mass, November 1st. First Saturday of every month, meet outside Exeter Cathedral

Exeter’s first Critical Mass is taking place on November 1st and the first Saturday of every month- meet midday on Cathedral Green. Come and join in!

Come and join Exeter Critical Mass, November 1st. First Saturday of every month, meet outside Exeter Cathedral

Exeter’s first Critical Mass is taking place on November 1st and the first Saturday of every month- meet midday on Cathedral Green. Come and join in!

WHAT’S IS ALL ABOUT?
Critical Mass is a celebration of cycling, often described as an ‘unorganised coincidence’. It happens when a lot of cyclists happen to be in the same place at the same time and decide to cycle the same way together for a while

WHAT’S THE PURPOSE?
“Everyday, all over the world, people are resisting the problem culture of the car by getting on their bikes and riding, instead of driving.

Critical Mass is a celebration of the alternatives to cars, pollution, accidents and the loss of public spaces and freedoms.

Not an organisation or group, but an idea or tactic, Critical Mass allows people to reclaim cities with their bikes, just by getting together and out-numbering the cars on the road”

WHAT HAPPENS ON A CRITICAL MASS?
Each one is different and they follow no set route, with the direction being spontaneously chosen as people cycle along. Anyone is free to join or leave the ride as it pedals along.

The ride lasts no more than a couple of hours (depending on the weather!) and usually ends in a conveniently placed pub for more drinks.

Most all, they are peaceful, safe and fun!

DO I NEED A BIKE?
Nope! Critical Mass is not just for bikes – skateboards, roller blades, wheelchairs, pogo sticks – in fact any form of non-motorised, non-polluting are all very welcome!

Tasmanian Forest Activists Twice Violently Attacked by Loggers – solution to whole conflict proposed by activists

Forest activists attacked in the Upper Florentine Valley, Tassie
22 October 2008
On Monday morning a forest activist was repeatedly kicked in the head by violent, out of control loggers in the Florentine Valley, the site of a protest against old-growth logging.

A peaceful action by conservationists in the Upper Florentine was targeted by violent logging contractors, with one activist kicked in the head and blockade infrastructure attacked with a sledgehammer, seriously endangering two activists. This occurred while a Forestry Tasmania employee watched on.

The group blocked the road for three hours until about 9.30am (AEDT) when a contractor attacked the vehicle with a sledgehammer, she said.

“The contractor set upon the car with a sledgehammer and then dragged the activist out from the car and kicked him in the head while he was lying on the ground,” Ms Majewski said.

She said the victim, who escaped serious injury, was a 22-year-old male activist who unlocked his arm from the road during the sledgehammer attack.

“Members of the Tasmanian community engaged in legitimate peaceful protest in defence of ancient forests should not be subjected to this kind of violence, nor should it be condoned by Forestry Tasmania employees” said Still Wild Still Threatened spokeperson Ula Majewski.

“Due to the carbon-storage value of this forest, the contentious nature of this logging operation and today’s violence, Still Wild Still Threatened requests an immediate cessation of logging in coupe FO042E” Ula Majewski said.

“Violence of this kind is perpetrated by a small minority of logging contractors. Contractors such as Howell’s Logging should focus their anger on those who are endangering their livelihoods, such as Forestry Tasmania and Gunns Limited, who continue to damage Tasmanian communities and forests with an unsustainable, woodchip based industry” Ula Majewski said.

“Activists will be pursuing this matter with the police” said Miss Majewski.

On Saturday the camp will celebrate their second year trying to halt logging of old-growth forests in the Upper Florentine valley, about 120 kilometres west of Hobart.

The rainforest valley is surrounded on three sides by the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has identified the Upper Florentine as having potential World Heritage value.

Ula Majewski, a spokeswoman for the group Still Wild, Still Threatened, said attempts to save the forest were reaching a critical point, with plans to drive a 10-kilometre logging road into the valley this summer.

“That would open the entire area up for logging,” Ms Majewski said.

Video (same video also here)

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Campsite firebombed by loggers

24 October 2008
Three car loads of men arrived at the group’s campsite late last night, Still Wild Still Threatened member Ula Majewski said. “A number of unknown individuals arrived at Camp Florentine around 11.30pm and used jerry cans of petrol to set the two vehicles on fire,” Ms Majewski said today. “A forest activist who was sleeping in the vicinity of the vehicles was woken by shouting and loud smashing.

“A forest information booth provided for tourists was also set on fire and a gas cooker inside exploded,” she said.

The incident was reported to police after some of the activists had to walk out of the forest because their cars had been destroyed in the attack. Still Wild Still Threatened spokeswoman Ula Majewski said her group had used a “dragon” to block a road used by log truck drivers and forestry workers. With a “dragon” a car is driven over a device dug into the road and an activist, using a hole in the floor of the vehicle, locks an arm onto the device, she said.

The attack in the Florentine Valley, 120km west of Hobart, follows a violent clash between forestry workers and activists at a road block in the same area on Tuesday. Activists had disrupted logging in the area for a day last week using a tree-sitter, allegedly costing contractors an estimated $10,000 in lost revenue.

The camp has swelled with supporters to the Strathgordon Rd site in solidarity the protesters. The campsite, where five people were sleeping, blocks a forest road to an area marked for logging.

http://www.myspace.com/stillwildstillthreatened

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Tasmanian forest activists propose a solution

Still Wild Still Threatened and the Huon Valley Environment Centre are proposing a solution to the protracted debate over contentious forestry operations in old growth and high conservation value areas of the Southern Forests.

“Still Wild Still Threatened and the Huon Valley Environment Centre are proposing a Tasmanian and Australian Government driven solution to contentious logging and roading operations in the Southern Forests. We are calling on all stakeholders to adopt a considered and rational approach to bringing this prolonged forest debate to a fair and environmentally responsible conclusion,” said Still Wild Still Threatened Spokesperson Ula Majewski.

“Our organisations are prepared to cease all in-forest peaceful direct action that restricts logging and roading operations, contingent on a moratorium on all forestry operations in old growth and high conservation value areas of the Southern Forests, and the creation of an independently mediated dialogue that aims to resolve the forest issue,” said Huon Valley Environment Centre Spokesperson Adam Burling.

The conditions of this proposed solution are:

1. SWST and the HVEC will commit to a cessation of all in-forest peaceful direct action that restricts

logging and roading operations in the Southern Forests

2. The Tasmanian and Australian Governments will commit to a moratorium on all forestry, logging and roading operations in old growth and high conservation value areas of the Southern Forests;^1

3. An independently mediated dialogue will be undertaken, driven by representatives of the Department of Premier and Cabinet and the Office of the Prime Minister, and attended by representatives of the relevant ministries, including climate change, and relevant conservation groups and industry stakeholders. This dialogue will aim to resolve the long running forest debate in Tasmania in an environmentally and economically sustainable manner;

4. That the above commitments remain in force for a period of six months, with extensions granted if dialogue is ongoing;

5. That community events continue unhindered in the Southern Forests, and forest activists are able to maintain a presence in areas such as the site of Camp Florentine.

“The Tasmanian community deserves better than to see the continued logging of our precious remaining carbon dense ancient forests, such as the Styx, Weld, and Upper Florentine. And it deserves better than to see a forest industry that exists on government handouts and marginalises local operators. We urge policy makers to consider this unique proposal,” Adam Burling said.

“We will be formally contacting Premier Bartlett and Prime Minister Rudd about this today and are seeking a response by Tuesday 11^th November,” said Ula Majewski.

UNITED ENVIRONMENT GROUPS TAKE TASMANIAN FOREST SOLUTION TO THE FEDERAL CABINET

Environment groups working towards an end to the conflict over forest management in Tasmania took a united position to meetings with four Federal Cabinet ministers last night in Launceston.
Meetings were positive and environmental campaigners are confident this will mark the start of a constructive working relationship that could see the long-overdue delivery of environmental, social and economic viability to the struggling Tasmanian timber industry.
“We are hopeful requests to the Federal Cabinet and Tasmanian Premier Bartlett to engage in meaningful dialogue and participate in the solution to this long-running dispute will bear fruit” said Dr Phill Pullinger, Director of Environment Tasmania.
“Collectively, we call on Tasmanian Minister David Llewellyn to take a more open and constructive approach than that so far displayed, and help bring the Premier to the table and start talking about a positive way forward,” said Vica Bayley, spokesperson for The Wilderness Society.

Recent revelations that forest contractors want assistance to exit the industry, and that sawlogs are in over-supply, show that now is the time for a resolution to this conflict.
The Australian (4/11/08) reports, “In Tasmania, hard-hit forest contractors are seeking a federally funded exit package to allow them to leave the industry “with dignity”.

“Forestry Tasmania is not the appropriate body to negotiate this conflict. Only Premier Bartlett can, by joining with federal leaders and helping to steer forest conflict to an amicable closure” said Jenny Weber, spokesperson for the Huon Valley Environment Centre.

“Environment groups support a responsible forest industry in Tasmania and are united in the belief that there can be a resolution to the debate that could deliver win-win outcomes for our forests and forest-dependent communities,” said Ula Majewski, spokesperson for Still Wild Still Threatened.