Action Reports – Page 83

arson attack on company who put cctv in schools

last night fire erupted in the tranquillity of bristols well-to-do redland area, targeting a marked vehicle of Standfast Ltd.

last night fire erupted in the tranquillity of bristols well-to-do redland area, targeting a marked vehicle of Standfast Ltd. besides the usual functions that led us to attack a company invested in "security" (as always, securing the sanctity of private property in mass society) one of their many cctv contracts in bristol, bath, avon, somerset and gloucestershire is both state and private schools, where as you can read in the newspapers even the toilets are no escape from the cameras.
daily submission under impersonal institutions rarely comes naturally. after the nuclear family, the education system at all stages is instrumental in adapting the free child to the civilized world of workplaces, malls and (other) prisons that todays youth are destined for. constant surveillance has proven a most effective step in this domesticating process, kids learning to selfregulate under the assumption that they're permanently being watched, and this has been made to seem normal by reality tv, the saturation of control technology in the dead synthetic urban enviroment (supplied by the likes of Standfast Ltd.), and the atomised crowd of a generation filled with selfish fear of punishment or repremand.

but it is often still the young people who are least destroyed by this onslaught and who still find themselves impelled to refuse the system (like the riots last summer and scattered moments of revolt everyday since and before). this is just a reminder – WHEN YOU HIT A LENS IT WILL BREAK LIKE ANYTHING ELSE! so shouts to youth rebellion against society, the claimants of the recent attack on security vehicles in nottingham, and everyone else committed to the timeless crime of freedom!
strength for Gustavo Quiroga, held in immigration detention after the Delta squat eviction in Thessaloniki, and for the Gremlin Alley resisters in cardiff!
strength for the anarchists non-cooperating with the grand jury in the american northwest, and for the ones who fled from it!
strength for the street fighters held for the march29 battles in Barcelona, and Carolina whos accused of burning a Starbucks that inspiring day!

anarchy here, now and always — yours in war, counter-surveillance cores.

(USA) Croatan Earth First! Locks Down North Carolina DENR For Complicity In Fracking

Seven members of Croatan Earth First! and participants from our Piedmont Direct Action Camp locked together today, barricading the front of North Carolina’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) building in downtown Raleigh. Providing physical, active resistance against fracking in North Carolina, CEF! has chosen DENR for an action as they are responsible for helping legalize fracking, and will be responsible for regulating it. They have also hired a corrupt Mining and Energy Commission board, which includes people with vested interests in hydraulic fracturing occuring. We are letting them know that this farce won’t stand! No compromise in defense of Mother Earth!

In addition, a sizeable demonstration is being held around the lock down, with several large banners, signs, literature, etc. Police actively cleared the site, and have closed off the road, labeling the entire block a crime scene. Press was being prevented from approaching the site. In negotiation made with the police, press was allowed inside to do interviews and take photos if the blockaders agreed to unlock later. The protesters decided to unlock as a tactical decision to walk away without arrests and save our legal funds for future events.

Press Release

Croatan Earth First! Locks Down NC DENR For Complicity In Fracking

Raleigh, NC – This morning multiple people locked themselves to the front of the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources headquarters at 217 W. Jones St. in protest of the state’s continued path towards the legalization of hydraulic fracturing (or fracking) for natural gas. Environmentalists across the state have organized and campaigned against hydrofracking legislation for over a year, which resulted in a veto of SB 820 this past summer by Beverly Perdue. The legislature overrode the veto shortly after during a controversial vote in which a mistaken ballot was cast for legalization, and the voter was refused a recast.

“All legal channels of protest have been exhausted,” says Earth First!er Emily Smith at the rally outside the action. “We’ve learned that the legislature and regulators will not protect the water we drink and air we breathe. It’s time for the public to take other types of action to stop hydrofracking. “ This past Spring NC DENR released a report that grossly underestimated the possible environmental risks of fracking. Since then, they have been working with the newly formed Mining and Energy Commission which includes several members that are closely linked to oil & gas: Ray Covington, a partner at NC Oil & Gas, who profits financially from an increase in leased lands for fracking; Chairman Jim Womack, a Lee County Commissioner and an oil industry supporter who claimed at a DENR public meeting that you were more likely to be hit by a meteor than have water contaminated by fracking; and Charles Holbrook a former employee of Chevron Oil.

“Having people who support and benefit from oil and gas extraction on a regulatory commission is like a fox guarding the henhouse.” The EPA recently released a study that confirmed contamination of the water aquifer in Pavillion, Wyoming with fracking fluids, but DENR has done nothing to modify their report. “We’re not going to let industry destroy North Carolina like they have Pennsylvania,” says Smith referring to the numerous spills that have occurred in the highly fracked Marcellus Shale—including 4,700 gallons of hydrochloric acid spilled this year in Bradford County and a 30-foot methane geyser which erupted in Tioga county, PA. A blowout at one of Chesapeake Energy’s rigs in Wyoming this year burned escaping methane for several days and more than 70 residents had to be evacuated. “Fracking is not only contaminating our land and water irreversibly, but it’s spewing massive amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere.”

More clashes with riot police in Greece over gold mine

Hundreds of protesters in Thessaloniki have been in involved another battle with riot police over plans for a gold mine in northern Greece’s Halkidiki peninsula. One policeman and three protesters were hurt, while 21 protesters have been detained. Clashes between protests and local residents on one side and police and mine workers on the other side have become a regular occourance since March when plans for the mine were approved. A multimillion-dollar gold mining project in a nearby area was cancelled a decade ago after similar protests.

Below is a translation of a recent report about the situation from Indymedia Athens:

In the mountains of Halkidiki is a huge disaster at the expense of Mother Nature. The Greek state has sold the rights to exploit the gold beneath the primordial forests of dark in the company Eldorado-Greek Gold. That is why the company has already started the despicable work: intensive deforestation of 4,000 hectares of forest and mineral processing plant construction between villages Olympiad, Stan, Mary and Great Ierissos. The state and the company with the work will take away the life of the forest itself but also by the thousands of animals that live in it, clean groundwater and soil will be contaminated by toxic substances such as cyanide. In simple words, a whole living world would exterminated for the profit of multinational corporations and government leaders, leaving behind contaminated land and death.

Residents not complacent to the disaster, from passages such as the Olympics and the Great Panagia for decades have been struggling against mining. This year saw the final authorization from the government and the project has now started. From March there have been on going conflicts with residents and defenders of the forest on one side and the police and workers of the company on the other.

This dominant behavior of culture over nature is a result of the authoritarian mentality of anthropocentrism, arbitrary belief that man is greater than the natural element surrounds him. This concept is the result of the alienation of man from the natural world. With the mediation of the process of civilization, the building of cities, states and power relations people ignore the earth-animal-nature, which is directly tied to the existence and development of the natural world.

Habitats are threatened today directly from the mines not only in Halkidiki but other parts of northern Greece such as Kilkis and Alexandroupolis. But let's not fool ourselves, the technocracy and capitalism in today's world are expressed through a global system of striking any part of the world over sea or land. But especially in countries of the so-called third world, plunder of nature and poor people is unthinkable. Giant multinational corporations with the help of state and international organizations extorting indigenous populations by any means (war, food crises, financial measures) to accept investments and work with them in exchange for a meager salary and a short and miserable life. With modern engines cut forests, disembowel the earth, pollute the air, water and soil. This hunt for "treasure" whether minerals such as gold or energy (oil, gas, coal) is totally deadlocked and destructive. The so-called progress of civilization and the ideology of development only serve the temporary existence of the world's authoritarian system that dissolves cultures but tens of thousands of years, primeval forests, animal communities and ecosystems that promises dystopia.

The destruction of the natural world not only in Greece but also at the global level does not leave us time tolerances of this situation. Needs as living creatures to deny us the system dominates and fight for its destruction. To redefine our relationship with the natural world and to resist that prevents us from living in harmony with it. The state, the industrial system and mazopoiisi cities need to be destroyed to flourish in the debris an indomitable life for people, animals and nature.

AGAINST THE RAPE OF THE NATURAL WORLD
ANYPOCHORITOS STRUGGLE FOR LIBERATION AND FOR TOTAL ANARCHY

Coal Seam Gas Banner Drop in Australia

Protesters from the the Lock the Gate Alliance have taken part in a banner drop on Brisbane’s Kangaroo Point cliffs with seven giant banners with anti-CSG messages were attached to the cliff face.

Lock the Gate spokesman Innes Larkin said the banners were a demonstration of the depth of community opposition to CSG mining in southeast Queensland.

‘‘If the government and miners think rural communities will just take this lying down, they’re wrong,’’ Mr Larkin said. ‘‘People in the bush are angry and they are prepared to make a stand to protect where they live, their soil and their water.’’ Lock the Gate have been running a week of protests across the state, which began with a march and concert at Murwillumbah in northern NSW last Sunday.

La ZAD- Largest Protest Zone in Europe Being Evicted

Europes largest protest zone is going through multiple evictions – all through much media silence! Over the past four days La ZAD, an anti-airport protest zone, composing of over 20 occupied sites has been putting up the barricades, opposing and protesting against the harassment and the evictions by a troop of police over a 1000 strong.

Largest Protest Zone in Europe Being Evicted

La ZAD (La Zone A Défendre)

Europes largest protest zone is going through multiple evictions (because there are numerous sites) – all through much media silence! Over the past four days La ZAD, an anti-airport protest zone, composing of over 20 occupied sites has been putting up the barricades, opposing and protesting against the harassment and the evictions by a troop of police over a 1000 strong. La ZAD is in the area of Notre Dame de Lande, just north of the city of Nantes, in the north-west of France.

Video of one of the earlier Police mobilisations:

Resistance aux expulsions from Résistances nddl on Vimeo.

Sit down protest in Bel Air: http://zebuzzeo.blogspot.fr/2012/10/a-notre-dames-des-landes-l-etat-ps.html

Good series of pictures of barricades and resistance: https://picasaweb.google.com/113382718807039752437/Expulsions#slideshow/5799932948346626882

Good info in English: http://en.squat.net/tag/zad/

Tear gas has been used against the barricades and the military have been mobilised to support the evictions.

Below are summaries and translations of their FLASH INFO / UPDATES (please excuse the bad english).

THEIR MESSAGE: And most importantly: there is plenty of places occupied (land and three houses with eviction deadline until October 27), and the the occupant-es are always on site, with lots of other people coming to defend the area, and full of messages and actions of solidarity everywhere! It is not their police pressure which make our protests impotent acts of resistance will continue until the project will not be removed.

October 16th

[Places evicted : la Bellich’, Bel Air, la Gaité, les Planchettes, le Tertre, le Pré Failli, la Pré Faillite et St Jean du Tertre.]

11h18 : // in his speech, the prefect declared that the operation is finished for today, that all went fine, without arrestations and that the military occupation will continue for several days to secure the destruction of the houses

13h15 : charge et tirs de lacrymo vers le Sabot ; arrivée de nombreux fourgons de CRS // Tear gas beeing shot around the Sabot, arrival of numerous riot cop cars

15:10 : les gens dans le Sabot se font gazer, dépanneuse et tractopelle en vue, 3 camions de CRS et 10 de gendarmes se dirigent vers le Sabot // people at the Sabot getting teargased, breakdown lorry and diggers been seen, 3 cop vans of riot cops and 10 military vans heading towards Sabot

15h20 : // barricade burning at the Sabot. It’s seems to getting hot for them

15h40 : // following a exterieur information, the Military are being mobilized for more 48h to prevent new occupations

18h15 : // a digger is arriving at the way to the Sabot to enter in the garden by the side, 40 people are still at the Sabot

October 17th

[Places evicted: les Planchettes, le Tertre.]

8h20 : // a convoy with a rubbish truck, digger and a road semi-trailer are arriving at the Planchettes, under a big escort, big spots lighting on the Planchettes

10:05 : // there is the proposition to meet up in the Sabot to discuss, bring water and food, 10 cop vans seen driving to the north direction Fosse noires/ Planchettes, medias saying that the destruction of the houses started 🙁 , there is demo in Paris in front of the ministery of environment

11h12 : // there are 30 cop vans in the region around the Tertre where they actually destroy the house :(, there are positioned at the end of the Chemin de sueze and at Chênes de Perrières, the destruction of the Planchettes got confirmed by the medias :(, at the Sabot it seems quiet but the helicopter is turning over the Phare Ouest

12h20 : la destruction de Planchettes dans les medias 🙁 sadness and rage…

14h48 : // there are cops arriving in front of the Phare Ouest vers the Chêvrerie
14h58 : // the cops stopped to go forward, people are behind the barricades
15h17 : // people juste got charged by cops vers the Planchettes

15h45 : // some 20 cop vans are in front of the Sabot, the cops came out running

15h50 : // callout for support at Phare Ouest, the cops taking off the tree blocking the road

16h15 : // the convoy which cut the tree is leaving, another one seems to arriving quickly from direction Ardillières

18h55 : // the cops broke down the barricade of the Sabot, they entered but they don’t charge yet

19h11 : pigs got charged by the people south of Sabot, defending their home, brave friends of us, keep on rocking against this terroristes…

20h04 : // the militarys start back shooting teargas

20h22 : // It seems the fuckers are winning some terrain on the field on the south, there are also hiding behind the chickens, fucking lame

MESSAGE TO THE PORCS : if you hurt the chickens, we’ll call the animal protection !!!

21h35 : // the Manitou ’ some destruction machine ) is heading in the direction of Phare Ouest, the Sabot still keeps resisiting !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! we love you…….

22h07 : // 10 riot cop vans part vers les Ardillières, around the Sabot, they gas a lot, lot, lot..BUT THE SABOT IS STILL RESISTING !!! fuck you cops, fuck you ayrault, you dont get your airport !!

22h06 : // the working machine left with the convoi. We got confirmed that the cries we heard are not at all cries of fear but of rage and determination!

23h00 : // cops came back to the entry of the Sabot, they get stoned and leave…

October 18th

[Places evicted: la Pointe, la cabane collective de la forêt de Rohanne.]

9:05 : // the cops go into the Saulce, riot cops come closer to the barricade of the Sabot

9h12 : // cops continue to detstroy the barricade of the Saulce. 3 cop vans going towards the chemin de suez from the Saulce barricade

[The rest done with internet translate]

9h37 : it is reported to the police that there are people in the tree-tops of la Saulce. Cloud of tear gas.

10h25 : beginning of the expulsion of the great forest (Foret Rohanne) they are destroying the house collective. people in the trees/ cabins.

10h32 : they empty the house of the collective forest. They have a team of climbing.

11h22 : WE CALL ON ALL AND ALL TO MANIFEST THEIR SOLIDARITY WITH WHAT HAPPENS HERE AND SPREAD THE NEWS MOST WIDELY AVAILABLE Locally: 19h call to rally outside the prefecture of Nantes tonight / at 18.30 in front of the town hall of Rennes Friday evening.

12h00 : Rohanne in the forest: the excavator working and almost finished destroying the communal house, the person in the tree where the climbers are mounted refuses to go down, it is covered by a rubber bullets.

12h14 : From the online press, the prefecture announced the evacuation of the place called Point and Heath Rohanne, and mentions three arrests. To be confirmed.

13h10 : there are still many people in the trees in the forest. The cops are not climbing. There would be three arrested allegedly released. We hear again the helicopter.

16h01 : the GIGN has left the forest, they could not evict people still in the trees.

17h 34 : Lande de Rohanne: since this morning, destroying the collective hut surrounded by a handful of Gendarmes Mobiles. Some people in trees, others ground support. 4 people were descended from the trees GIPN. The remains of the hut were taken by a marabout. 17h cops to head further north to a second cabin floor, releasing those who were on their way, but regardless of at least 3 comrades still in the trees.

20h08 : We have information that a person is detained in police custody in La Chapelle sur Erdre from 4:20 p.m. for refusing to give his name. She was arrested on the road near Ardillères.

23h23 : The person arrested was released this morning, she has a meeting for January 22 at St Nazaire 14h (It is not the person arrested at 16.20, who is still in GAV.)

We learn that 500 people gathered at Nantes tonight in solidarity with the Zad. People's will!

19th October

8h53 : Nothing to report except a few patrols running on the Zad, Filter and roadblocks at certain points, this morning. The cops have massively left the area last night. We remain vigilant but it could be that it is the end of the first "wave" of operation here. It may resume in the coming days, and last …

10h30 : the operation is perhaps not finished for this phase … they expelled L'Isolette, and currently runs around the Fosses Noires.

10h35 : evacuation of the pile of rubble that became Le Tertre.

10h40 : Eviction of Coin en Cours underway, thirty people are around.

14h12 : We hope that our friends in the forest are doing well. The area is expelled and destroyed. Thank you Le Coin, we will miss you!

Received by mail: For tonight rally outside the prefecture of Nantes in 19h! It is proposed that we find in red and black! It brings songs, then bring your vocal cords! Song for all print here: http://www.deljehier.levillage.org/ … Otherwise, it also offers a meeting point for you to carpool morbihannais … Visit the Rond-Point du Petit Molac Questembert at 17:30. Will print some of the world! El pueblo unido, Lalalalalala …….

15h43 : difficult time to live without news of our friends in places management, we are still trying to get out, but our communication is difficult KLAXON!

(France) Communique from the ZAD

We live here, we’ll stay here!

After two days of resistance and solidarity, only seven houses and one plot were evicted at the ZAD, a threatened area meant to make place to an airport in Notre-Dame-des-Landes. Everywhere police forces met determinated opponents, inhabitants refusing to leave their houses, their roofs. Demonstrations. direct actions took place around several locations, roads we barricaded, activists keeping joining the ZAD area, etc…

Since hours, opponents are defending several plots, the Far West, the Sabot, a cultivable land back in use since May 2011. Right now, the Sabot in drowned under a cloud of tear gas, with a drumming samba band. Outside the ZAD, many solidarity actions took place, such a demonstration in front of the main state building in Nantes tonight.

Contrary to what was announced by the highest state representative of the region tuesday morning, the area is far from being empty. Around 20 houses remain occupied, this is even not including house owners, renters and farmers still living in the area. The pressure and acts from the police, such as the destruction by fire from one wood hut, without checking if it was still occupied, won’t silent dissent.

Without trying to compete with the military arsenal deployed by a state to protect its projects of “public utility”, acts of resistance will go on as long as the project isn’t abandoned.

Not only here, but from Atenco to Val de Susa, to Chéfresne, everywhere people are struggling. We’ll refuse to conform to what is forced on us!

Coming on the agenda :

– Saturday October 20th, midday, meeting point at la Pointe (le Temple de Bretagne): gathering with opponents to the airport project.

– in the coming months, demonstration to re-occupy the ZAD, date to be announced on the ZAD website.

More Information: http://zad.nadir.org

Video: Canadian Minister and Shell embarrassed over tar sands at climate conference

Watch the Canadian Environment Minister and Shell's UK Chairman having their London conference speeches hijacked by our anti-tar sands stage invaders.

Watch the Canadian Environment Minister and Shell's UK Chairman having their London conference speeches hijacked by our anti-tar sands stage invaders. See conference delegates laughing as the minister is called "an agent from a rogue petro-state", and Shell's speech referred to as "world-class greenwash".

Ongoing Protests Over Brazil’s Anti-Indigenous Decree

On July 17, Brazil’s Office of the Solicitor-General (AGU) issued Decree 303/2012, which dramatically scales back indigenous rights that are guaranteed by the country’s constitution. The law contains a provision that would permit the construction of “strategic” infrastructure projects such as roads, hydroelectric dams and mines in indigenous territory without consulting the affected peoples and communities.

In addition, the law allows military occupation of indigenous land at any time, prohibits any future designation of indigenous lands EVER, and otherwise infringes on indigenous people’s control of their own territory.

The law has sparked large protests across Brazil. According to Intercontinental Cry:

“On August 10, more than 50 indigenous leaders occupied the headquarters of the AGU to demand the revocation of Decree 303; On August 20, sixteen different Indigenous Nations in the State Mato Grosso came together to show their outrage against the Decree and the recent gutting of the FUNAI, Brazil’s Buerau of Indian Affairs; and on September 4, the Guajajara shut down BR-316, a federal highway that connects the cities of Belém in the state of Pará, and Maceió in Alagoas. …

“Most recently, on September 24, about 500 Pankararu marched against the “anti-indian” decree; and on September 28, the Tembé set fire to illegal logging machinery and trucks within their territory in the municipality of Nova Esperança do Piriá, Pará, Maranhão border. As well, on October 2, the Guajajara headed out again–this time with the Awa–to occupy the Carajás Railway[pt] which links the municipalities of Mineirinho and Auzilândia in the northern state of Maranhão. The railway is owned by mining giant Vale.

“The APIB says that many more mobilizations are on the way in the south, northeast and north of the country.”

(USA) Tar Sands day of action – Over 50 Enter Tree Blockade in Defiance of Police Repression to Defend Tree-Sitters

WINNSBORO, TEXAS – MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2012 – Following a weekend of nonviolent civil disobedience training in North Texas by Tar Sands Blockade, many dozens of protesters and supporters are rallying today at the site of the largest and longest tree sit in Texas history to stage the largest walk-on site protest and civil disobedience in the history of Keystone XL pipeline construction. Several individuals are defending the tree sitters and the trees by locking themselves to construction equipment being used in proximity to the forest blockade. Solidarity actions are also taking place in Washington DC, Boston, Austin and New York City.

Altogether more than 50 blockaders are risking arrest to stop Keystone XL construction and bring attention to TransCanada’s repression of journalists attempting to cover the blockaders’ side of the story. They are joined by dozens of supporters who are rallying on public property with colorful banners and signs alongside the easement’s closest highway crossing. A massive media team is in tow to document the day of action and any possible police repression.

As the Winnsboro tree blockade enters its fourth week, the blockaders are resupplying their friends in the trees with fresh food, water, and cameras to further document their protest despite the threat of a newly-expanded Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) by TransCanada and egregious criminal overcharges by local law enforcement. Due to the SLAPP suits’ outrageous claims, the tree sitters have by-and-large felt too threatened to safely reveal their identities, despite their protest being nonviolent. That the defiant walk-on protest is the largest yet attempted in the history of protests surrounding Keystone XL construction sends a clear signal that the blockaders will not be deterred by SLAPP suits and other legal threats to limit their civil liberties.

“Three weeks is a long time to be sitting in a tree. The training I got this weekend has me ready to rise up and join the sitters in defending Texas homes from the toxic tar sands,” shared Glenn Hobbit, 28. “They’re saying we might get sued or worse, but stopping this pipeline is too important.”

Last week, the multinational corporation opened a civil suit in which it named 19 individual defendants, 3 organizations, and 6 anonymous tree sitters for a total of 28 defendants seeking an injunction, declaratory relief, and damages. All the named defendants are former arrestees of Tar Sands Blockade actions with the exception of media spokesperson Ron Seifert, who has yet been arrested in connection with a protest, and area landowner Eleanor Fairchild, who acted independently with activist and actor Daryl Hannah. Hannah was not named in the suit.

Tar Sands Blockade is a coalition of Texas and Oklahoma landowners and climate justice organizers using peaceful and sustained civil disobedience to stop the construction of TransCanada’s Keystone XL tar sands pipeline.

“In reality, Tar Sands Blockade is not trespassing on TransCanada’s property. Many of TransCanada’s easement contracts were brokered through fraud and intimidation, and their entire legal foundation is being challenged in the courts for those reasons,” explained Ron Seifert, Tar Sands Blockade spokesperson. “If anything TransCanada is trespassing on the property of landowners who never wanted anything to do with their dangerous tar sands pipeline.”

UPDATE 8:15AM – Supporters rally nearby to stop the pipeline.

UPDATE 8:20PM– A beautiful morning in what remains of our East Texas forest. TransCanada has clear-cut outside of their designated pathway and around the west side of the tree blockade leaving a muddy path of destruction in their wake.

UPDATE 8:35PM– Over 50 blockaders march through the woods toward the tree blockade

UPDATE 9:00AM – One blockader arrested after sitting down in the path of Keystone XL and refusing to leave.

UPDATE 9:06AM- Three blockaders have been arrested. We outnumber TransCanada’s police 3 to 1. Two blockaders have locked down to excavator equipment protecting the tree blockade.

UPDATE 9:20AM- Livestreamer @uneditedcamera (Lorenzo) has been detained and handcuffed, but they’re STILL STREAMING! Police are trying to flank groups of protestors. Watch the stream live NOW!

UPDATE 9:45AM- Small group of ground blockaders break through police line and enter tree blockade!

UPDATE 10:00AM- 4 arrests so far. Freelance journalist/livestreamer Lorenzo Serna has been released. The rally at the easement near the highway is going strong with chanting, singing and lots of colorful banners. TransCanada is barking orders at the police. We should have video and pictures soon.

UPDATE 11:00AM- Today’s first solidarity rally in Washington DC is beginning now outside the American Petroleum Institute!

UPDATE 11:10AM- 6 blockaders have been arrested at the Tree Blockade.

UPDATE 11:35AM- Picture from the DC solidarity rally. Over sixty people turned out over their lunch hour to stand with the Texas blockade and stop Keystone XL.

UPDATE 12:50PM-We have now confirmed that a 70-year-old woman participating in the blockade was thrown to the ground and tackled by TransCanada’s hired thugs. Video will be coming soon.

UPDATE 1:55PM – At least eight people have been arrested after walking onto the Keystone XL clear cut in defiance of recent repression. Two blockaders are still locked to huge excavator in the path of toxic pipeline.

UPDATE 3:20PM- Solidarity rally in Denton, TX has begun!

UPDATE 3:45PM– In case you missed it, Tar Sands Blockade was on Democracy Now! this morning. Our spokesperson Ron Seifert was joined by landowner Susan Scott and actress Daryl Hannah to discuss the blockade, TransCanada’s bullying and the SLAPP lawsuit against 21 people associated with stopping tar sands.

UPDATE 3:50 PM – Two blockaders who locked themselves to Keystone XL machinery have been arrested. A crowd of supporters stood by and cheered for as they were taken into police custody to the cheers. These two most recent arrests make eight total for the day.

UPDATE 4:00PM – Our first arrestee has been released without charges. He was arrested early this morning when he sat down in the Keystone XL’s pathway and refused to move. His defiant action helped delay police officers and allowed other blockaders to breach the police line and enter the tree blockade. After he was arrested he was made to lie face-down in the mud for several hours. He continued to refuse compliance with the police and siting health concerns had to eventually be removed on a stretcher. He was later released from the hospital without charges.

UPDATE 4:15PM- Solidarity photo in front of the TransCanada offices in Westborough, Massachusettes.

UPDATE 4:30PM -We’re getting sued!

As the Winnsboro, Texas tree blockade enters its fourth week, over 50 blockaders publicly demonstrated on the Keystone XL easement despite the threat of a newly-expanded Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) by TransCanada and egregious criminal overcharges by local law enforcement.

Due to the SLAPP suits’ outrageous claims, the tree blockaders have by-and-large felt too threatened to safely reveal their identities, despite their protest being nonviolent. Today’s defiant walk-on protest is the largest in the history of protests surrounding Keystone XL construction sends a clear signal that we will not be deterred by SLAPP suits and other legal threats to limit our civil liberties.

Apparently we’ve been causing some serious delays of Keystone XL tar sands pipeline.

UPDATE 6:00PM- Six of the eight arrested today have been released from jail on charges of criminal trespass which is a class B misdemeanor. The bail was $1,500 each, a total of $9,000. The two blockaders who locked themselves to Keystone XL machinery will see a judge in the morning.

UPDATE 8:00PM– Today was our biggest day of action yet! More video and stories will be trickling out over the next couple of days as we try and wrap our heads around everything that happened today. In the meantime we have a ton of brilliant and beautiful photos that begin to tell the story. Check them out.

UPDATE 6:00AM – Read the excellent coverage about the blockade in today’s Washington Post.

On Monday, after a weekend of nonviolent civil disobedience training, supporters of the Tar Sands Blockade rallied in Winnsboro, Tex., where protesters were holding a “sit-in” 70 feet off the ground in a swath of trees. The trees stand in the middle of a corridor already cleared for the pipeline. The tree-climbing pipeline foes unfurled a banner that reads: “Rise Up and Defend Your Homes.”

“The only option afforded to powerless individuals who have been abused by the system is this tactic of nonviolent civil disobedience,” said Seifert, the Tar Sands Blockade spokesman. “Everything has been done to petition for justice at every level. And the institutions failed. This is a clear case of injustice, and it’s up to people to rise up and defend themselves.” Read the full story here.

UPDATE Oct 16th, 7:00AM – Watch our intense action video!

For further updates visit http://tarsandsblockade.org

logging company targetted, USA

October 17, 2012

anonymous report:

"puyallup wetlands are under attack by a private logging company that I and others have yet to identify. this attack was carried out on canyon rd. short-term damage was done to a hydraulic excavator, as a warning. if they continue – our attacks will increase."

October 17, 2012

anonymous report: