Action Reports – Page 290

How many cops does it take to police a Tea Party? – Faslane 365

25.03.2007

Fifty people attended a Tea Party outside the gates of the Faslane Nuclear Base in Scotland. Tea was served in china cups and saucers. A table displayed vegan scones, cucumber sandwiches and cakes. Local residents were invited to share tea with activists and discuss how to disarm Britians Trident Weapons of Mass Destruction.

25.03.2007

A small group of disarmament activists travelled from Brighton to hold a Tea Party at the Faslane Nuclear Base in Scotland. An invitation was sent out to local residents around the base who have been disturbed by the recent string of road blockades which have been part of the Faslane365 campaign*. The Invitation read “We would like to cordially invite you to a Tea Party full of sophistication, poise and wisdom. We hope to talk with you and test the old english conviction that any problem can be sorted out with a nice cup of tea”.

The Tea Party was set up on the pavement outside the base and a table displayed an elegant array of vegan scones, cucumber sandwiches and cakes. Fifty guests arrived from Glasgow, Helensburgh and all over Britain. Bemused passers by witnessed permanent residents of the Faslane Peace Camp** dressed in their finest gloves and hats, sipping tea from china cups and saucers. Old gowns were worn and live guitar music entertained. The tea party hosts said “We wanted to counter the barbarity of nuclear weapons and show these uncivilased weapons of mass destruction the proper way to behave”.

Peace activists and local residents alike, looked on with laughter as twenty six police officers arrived to ‘police’ the event. They formed a line across the gates to the base, creating their own blockade of the previously unobstructed entrance. After hungrily watching cakes being eaten, they made the rule that no one could cross the road. The guests continued to ignore them and after three hours stood in a line they left.

Fun was had by all.

* Faslane365 is the campaign to continuously blockade the Faslane Nuclear Base for a year. www.faslane365.org
** Faslane Peace Camp has been located outside the Scotish Nuclear Base for coming up to twenty five years. It has been witnessing and campaigning for peace, making it the longest standing protest site in the UK.

Developing Social Centre – Sheffield

Anybody want to help develop a social centre ..

45 Marlborough Road, Broomhill S10

Anybody want to help develop a social centre ..

45 Marlborough Road, Broomhill S10

We’ve been fixing up an old 20 room house in Broomhill.
We’ve housed destitute stateless, had plumbing workshops, Bike workshops some art works are appearing and Its been used as a film set for independent film.
There is heating and lighting .. but NO electricity.
We have a well stocked kitchen with the alternative supermarkets out the back of Somerfield and Sainsburies easily accessible.

There is a great room downstairs with an arched window that would make a wonderful acoustic gig space.

Internet access is available whilst batteries stay charged.

If you have any meetings or social events that would benefit by being held in a free non commercial autonomous space come around and make use of the space. This would help us also maintain and defend the space.

See you soon.

>>>Amazing!

If I have done my homework right, this house was used as a meeting room and campaigning centre by local suffragettes at the turn of last century.
Adela Pankhurst – the youngest Pankhurst daughter – lived here 1910-1912.
We must continue the radical tradition of this beautiful house.

Pollution Control Advice subverts in Nottingham

Pollution Control Advice on the Mansfield Road, [near the Forest Road], Nottingham.
And on the Derby Road:

Pollution Control Advice on the Mansfield Road, [near the Forest Road], Nottingham.
And on the Derby Road:

Was told about this and went to take these piccys.

Demo, Norwegian Embassy, London over Norwegian involvement in Irish gas pipeline

23.03.2007

Statoil, Norway’s state owned oil company has interests in a gas pipeline being constructed in Ireland. Many locals oppose its construction. Their protests against the pipeline have been policed in a heavy handed way. The protest was taken to the Norwegian embassy in London yesterday.

23.03.2007

The non-violent protest outside the Norwegian embassy started at around midday and continued for more than an hour. Police were called but no arrests made. A samba band played and and one policeman complained that the band really needed a string section. It was a good humoured demo, but the point was made. I have personally seen a video of the protests in Ireland and was shocked at the violent way the police delt with often quite elderly protesters who include local fishermen and farmers. I saw them being beaten with battons, pushed and punched.
Press release by demonstrators.
The demonstration held yesterday 22nd March, 2007, by a nationwide autonomous collective, was highlighting Norway’s state-owned Statoild and gas company’s present involvement in the proposed gas pipeline adn refinery development in the West of Ireland at Rossport, county Mayo.
Statoil has an alleged ethical policy, but there are not ethics involved in this development and no local support or consultation. The company, and thus the Norwegian government, are promoting human rights abuses by supporting the Irish State’s policy of brutal suppression of the right to protest using the Irish police (Garda), and polluting Carrowmore Lake, the local drinking water supply.
This group is issuing a demand to Norway and Statoil to stop its part in this development or face a call for a tourist boycott of Norway and disruption of Norwegian trade and commerce to the UK.

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220307_Nor_Emb – video/x-ms-wmv 8.4M

From the press release:

“The demonstration held today, by a nation-wide autonomous collective (and one dog), was highlighting Norway’s state-owned Statoil and gas company’s present involvement in the West of Ireland at Rossport, County Mayo.

Statoil has an alleged “ethical policy”, but there are no ethics involved in this development and no local support or consultation. The company, and thus the Norwegian government, are promoting human rights abuses by supporting the Irish State’s policy of brutal suppression of the right to protest using the Irish police (Garda), and polluting Carrowmore Lake, the local drinking water supply.
This group is issuing a demand to Norway and Statoil to stop its part in this development or face a call for a tourist boycott of Norway and disruption of Norwegian trade and commerce to the UK.”
The dog bit was not in the original release, that was my lil’ add on. So, sue me.

As the video shows the banner blocking the door lasted as long as it took the ten or more heavily armed police officers from the Metropolitan Diplomatic Division to arrive. They removed the banner immediately and ushered the protestors into one specific area of the pavement.

Two Irish citizens then decided to try to apply for a Norwegian passport, as Norway has profited massively from Irish natural resources, producing far superior health and education prospects in Norway than in Ireland. So they figured the least Norway could give back was a free passport and access to their health care.

The representative, as the video shows, seemed to find the whole thing funny at first, but watch his smile drop as he is shown printed images from the recent month’s of violence the local community of Rossport have suffered at the hands of the Garda.

As reported in the 6 November 2006 release of Garda Review, Superintendent Joe Gannon, who is in charge of policing the Shell/Statoil Corrib Gas Terminal construction site, was quoted: “There were no arrests. That was part of our strategy; we did not want to facilitate anyone down there with a route to martyrdom. There has been that policy ever since.”

No arrests. But baton charges, throwing old men and women in ten-foot deep trenches, punching, kicking, martial arts techniques and daily intimidation are acceptable, it seems from this journalist’s own experiences over the last month.

Take Action Against Illegal Tree Felling in Liverpool!

Langtree McLean are currently cutting their way through trees at the former Garden Festival site in Liverpool, even though they don’t have planning permission yet and they don’t own the site yet! If they get their way, the site will be almost completely clear-felled!

They are destroying semi-mature trees, including oaks, from the original plantings for the Garden Festival in the early 1980s. The tree-felling is also devastating for the birdlife established on the site, as birds commence their breeding activities at this time of year.

At a meeting this Sunday 26th March, concerned people will be able to discuss resistance strategies. Meet 2pm at the Old Police Station on Lark Lane. Visit http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=337249&Y=387623&A=Y&Z=1 for directions.

National Grid feeling the pressure as time runs out on giant pipeline project (& video interviews)

National Grid’s pet pipeline is way behind schedule. They are in a panicked rush to get it built and avoid hefty fines, but a determined protest campaign and the rugged welsh landscape are ganging up on the ill-fated pipe.

National Grid will be penalised with hefty fines if they don’t complete the project on time, so they are pulling out the stops – doubling the number of diggers they use from 200 to 400 and working in 4 places at the same time.

Phase 1 of the project, from Milford Haven to Ffelindre, is 90% complete, but phase 2, from Ffelindre to Tirley in Gloucestershire, is far from.

“This is one of the biggest [projects] we have ever built,” says Kees Ezinga, head of operations for contractor Nacap Land & Marine Joint Venture. (National Grid have contracted them to do the actual building bit.)
“Last year, we managed to [lay] 100 km of pipe in two spreads. But we have four spreads to go and are bringing in extra equipment,” says Ezinga. “Starting in April, we only have four months to [finish] this job.”
Full article at…
http://enr.construction.com/news/transportation/archives/070226b.asp

Clearly its time to step up the protests and make it as hard as possible for them to work. A concerted effort now could push the project far beyond the deadline, costing National Grid some serious money and undermining the viability of the whole thing. Even if they do eventually get the thing built, it would be massively over-budget and, as happened with the road-building projects of the 90s, future destructive and carbon-intensive projects could be scrapped.

The protest camp in Brecon is under immediate threat of an eviction, just when National Grid are starting to panic. They need people to come and support them, even if you can only come for the day. Its in the Brecon Beacons National Park, in beautiful woodland. You can find the latest news, pictures, and the site contact phone number and directions here:
http://risingtide.org.uk/node/193

There are lots of events coming up around the pipeline.

On Saturday 24th March, there will be a Carnival against the Pipe, starting at 2pm in Trebanos, near Swansea.
Details:
http://www.fightthepipe.co.uk/?m=200703

There will be a bike tour of the pipe, starting at the Carnival and going all the way along the length to Gloucestershire. Have a look at…
http://risingtide.org.uk/bristol/bikethepipe
to see the route and read more about it. The bike tour will be stopping to spread the word about the dodgy pipeline in the communities that it passes through.

On 20th-21st of April, Bath Climate Camp, is targetting the offices of NACAP Joint Venture Land & Marine, who are the contractors building the pipe for National Grid…
They are inspired by the Climate Camp at Drax last September.
More info : http://risingtide.org.uk/node/199

http://risingtide.org.uk/bristol

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With eviction at the camp looking imminent, campaigners appeal for people to join them in the fight against the pipe.

Video 76.1MB – video/mp4 76M

Video 138MB – video/x-ms-wmv 30M

Video also on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNzWVsO-3k4

Christiana callout for mass action

Callout for activists to come to Christiania to fight for the 24 year old Danish squatted village, on Saturday 31st March.

After 24 years as an alternative and progressive culture centre for the youth of Copenhagen Ungdomshuset was stormed and evicted by the police on March 1st.

Callout for activists to come to Christiania to fight for the 24 year old Danish squatted village, on Saturday 31st March.

After 24 years as an alternative and progressive culture centre for the youth of Copenhagen Ungdomshuset was stormed and evicted by the police on March 1st.

Ever since, thousands of people has been taken the streets all over the world to protest against the eviction and to demand a new place and a future for the cultural and political activities that took place at Jagtvej 69.

Ungdomshuset was not the only target of repression. Christiania is also fighting attempts of normalization. We are struggling against an attack on every single one of our free spaces.

This is why we call on all our friends and supporters for a huge united protest from Christiania Saturday the 31 of March at 2pm. For more information check www.ungeren.dk and www.jagtvej69.dk. For contact write to
ktownhc@care2.com

We invite everyone to come and fill the streets Copenhagen with people to show the politicians, that we will not accept them evicting and tearing down a liberated space without offering anything in return to the kids and
youngsters of the city. Nor will we accept the strangulation of Christiania.

All over Europe our free spaces are threatened and attacked by the governments. We will not accept this aggression on our lives and we will not accept the repression against the right to a diversity of cultures.

We demand free space for everyone who refuses to join the commercialized dullness of mainstream society.

We demand a youth house now and we demand a complete stop to the aggression against Christiania.

We will never surrender

The Protest will include grannys kids and bikes. there will be sleepingplaces for people from abroud.

pass this message on to all friends!

greetings from the old Youthhouse crew, the new youthhouse moovement in CPH and the defend christiania initiativ.

http://www.christiania.org/

Geneva Motor Show: all arrested before demo

Paris, 19 March 2007: For the occasion of the closure day of the Geneva Motor Show, some 10 activists from different organizations were planning to do a small demo at the inside of the Geneva motor show, deploying a banner to point out the hypocrite discourse of the car manufacturers.

As a preventive measure, Police Detectives of the Geneva Canton have taken the whole group of activists and the camera crews in their presence in custody, and kept them for more than 8 hours for questioning.
Jeroen Verhoeven, Coordinator of the 4x4network and participating in the action, has been hand-cuffed and taken away to the police station for questioning. The activists have been charged of being” the alleged authors of threats alarming the public”, even if the action did not take place!

In order to avoid any dissident voice at the motor show, the activists have been phone-tapped, hand-cuffed, strip searched, their DNA and fingerprints have been taken, and video material, laptops and mobile phones have been seized by the Geneva Police. The disproportionate character of the measures taken to prevent a non-violent action, gives reason to question the underlying motive of this intervention of the Geneva Police.

Jeroen Verhoeven strongly rejects the methods of the Swiss Police Detectives, who use anti-terrorist laws to intimidate and muzzle anti-4x4activists and says that: “Apparently pointing out the risks of climate change is equal to alarming the public and as such a criminal act under Swiss law”.
Only car manufacturers seem to have the right to “inform” the general public trough advertising for climate killing gas-guzzlers.

Because Climate Change is indeed a “threat which can alarm the general public”, the European groups united in the 4x4network will continue, despite the intimidations, to demand binding legislation for the emissions of newly sold cars, with a target of 120gC02/km by 2012.

Contact:
Jeroen Verhoeven +32.2 542 61 01 (mobile phone seized…)
http://www.4x4network.org/

Anti-Trident Protest at Atomic Weapons Establishment – 19th March

Almost thirty demonstrators braved the chilly early morning weather at the gates of the Atomic Weapons Establishment in Aldermaston, Berkshire – Britain’s nuclear bomb factory – to protest against Parliament’s decision last Wednesday to renew Trident, and against the construction and development work that has been going on all the while at the site, even before any democratic decision has been made on the future of Britain’s nuclear warheads. Particularly noticeable is the work on the Orion laser, which is designed to circumvent the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and facilitate the development and testing of a new generation of nuclear warheads, in contravention of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The action was called by Block the Builders, fresh from their successful blockade of Parliament Square in London on Wednesday. Amongst those present on Monday were the University of Kent Student CND – making their debut at Aldermaston; the knitting grannies; and Jane from Bristol, who went to school locally and was celebrating her 85th birthday; and of course masses of police! The story was covered by the Newbury Weekly News, who were particularly intrigued by the knitting grannies:

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/News/Article.aspx?articleID=3997

The next planned blockade and protest at Aldermaston has been called by Trident Ploughshares for Tuesday 10th April (just after Easter weekend). Please come along and bring your mates too, and help keep up the pressure!

More details:
http://www.tridentploughshares.org/events.php3#1477
http://www.blockthebuilders.org.uk/index.php

Whitechapel Knees Up against Starbucks

Starbucks, everyone’s favourite nipple-less mermaid merchants, have decided to move into the east end with a new store in Whitechapel. It’s an area with a vibrant community of local cafés and small coffee shops, as well as being an area local to many Space Hijacker agents. As you can probably guess, we are less than pleased about our new neighbour…

We are worried about an oncoming blanding of local culture, as other multinational chains follow Starbucks into the area and attempt to gentrify it with their bland corporate décor, homogenous facades and tasteless products. In defence of our area, and to show off the lovely culture we have, we are putting on a tea party outside the new Starbucks!

We will be setting up a stall and giving out free fair trade teas, home made sandwiches, and all manner of other goodies to our neighbours, in an attempt to show what the area will be missing if Starbucks and their ilk are allowed to settle in.

Bring along tea, biscuits, home-made cakes, jams, and scones to share. Bring your dining room furniture out into the street, bring bunting, music and of course bring friends.

1pm
Sat 24th March
Outside the new Starbucks
Whitechapel High St
London

Opposite Altab Ali Park
Tube – Aldgate east or Whitechapel
Bus – 25, 205, 106 or 254

http://www.spacehijackers.org