Squatting / Free Spaces / Protest Sites – Page 58

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

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

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)

—
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

———–

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.

UK free-spaces news – Rampart & Worcester possible evictions

New social centre under threat of illegal & possibly violent eviction tomorrow
21.10.2008
This is to inform everyone as well as a call-out for support – newly occupied community and arts centre in Worcester threatened with illegal and possibly violent eviction tomorrow.

This is a call-out for support – if you can get here before midnight tonight and want to stay here, and eat with us and have a merry night then please do. After midnight, the last door will be fully barricaded. Anyone wishing to show support for this illegal eviction after this point please turn up at 13-17 Carden Street (off City Walls Road), Worcester WR1 around 11.30 tomorrow (WEDNESDAY), bring banners, cameras and camera-phones and provide positive public relations, because if they are forcing their way into our home IT IS ILLEGAL and we will not be scared by this bullshit.

So what happened…?
At about 15:30 today a bailiff arrived at the door with a letter on behalf of Keather Properties Ltd. THE LETTER IS TRANSCRIBED AT THE BOTTOM FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO READ THE BOLLOCKS NOTICE

We’ve been on the phone to the Advisory Service for Squatters, and they have confirmed that this is a totally illegal eviction. They have dealt with matters like this on a day to day basis for 30 years and understand the law a lot better than most commercial lawyers. They assure us any attempt to evict tomorrow will be criminal and we should defend ourselves with numbers and physical barricades. The ‘exercising their rights’ part applies to land, and not buildings. And seeing as a tent can apply as a building, an 8000 square ft commercial building certainly counts!

This would be a different story if we only lived here.. but for two solid weeks we have been putting all our love and energy into this place. We have had dreams become reality in creating a space where anyone is welcome and can come and create anything, anytime they want.

Communal cooking, circuit bending and sewing workshops, music practice, painting, and much much more was on the agenda – our gallery covered with work from many different local artists, and now we have been discovered we are being presented with illegal and violent threats.

This whole thing is new to us.. but the barricades are being strengthened and people are getting ready for a potentially long day of defending the Wet Paint building.

This is a call-out for support – if you can get here before midnight tonight and want to stay here, and eat with us and have a merry night then please do. After midnight, the last door will be fully barricaded. Anyone wishing to show support for this illegal eviction after this point please turn up at 13-17 Carden Street (off City Walls Road), Worcester WR1 around 11.30 tomorrow (WEDNESDAY), bring banners, cameras and camera-phones and provide positive public relations because if they are forcing their way into our home IT IS A CRIMINAL OFFENCE and we will not be scared by this bullshit.

call us on 07965710354

Your friends at WET PAINT 🙂

………….blah blah blah

TAKE NOTICE

KEATHER PROPERTIES LTD (LANDOWNER) are the owners of the land on which you are trespassing and require you to leave. You are here without consent and are therefore trespassing and have no right to remain. You should therefore leave together with all your vehicles and goods by 1200 hours on the 22 day of October 2008.

If you fail to do so, KEATHER PROPERTIES LTD (LANDOWNER) will exercise its rights to self-help to remove you from the land and have instructed Bailiffs from Swift Credit Services Limited to do so on its behalf. This right, under Common Law, is set out on Halsburys law of England. The police will attend if necessary to ensure that there is no breach of the peace.

Should this enforcement action by necessary , you will be held responsible for all costs of your removal and transportation and KEATHER PROPERTIES LTD (LANDOWNER) may take proceedings against you for the recovery of these costs.

KEATHER PROPERTIES LTD (LANDOWNER) will be entitled to take such action because you failed to respond to a request to leave the land on which you are currently trespassing.

DATED THIS 21 DAY OF OCTOBER 2008
SIGNED
LANDOWNER KEATHER PROPERTIES LTD
ADDRESS C/O ROBERT DAVIES PARTNERSHIP LTD.

wetpaint@riseup.net

—

SAVE the RampART

21 October 2008
RampART London’s longest lasting liberated space is facing eviction.

yesterday a member of the RampART collective talked to a guy outside RampART, who introduced himself as Stuart who was also present at court on the 20th of December. he said that the council building control department had been hassling them and he’d narrowly avoided them slapping a court order on them last week in relation to dangerous parts of the building such as slates hanging off etc.

they have been trying to get us evicted since March and got therefore a warrant from the high court, which means they are using the high court bailiffs, the police say they need 80 officers and demanded £25,000 for the costs. so the owner took the police to court and the police backed down. the hold up is still the police who have not given a date yet…

so….

basically the RampART could be evicted any time and it’s just the police being the ones that has held it up. we will not get notice of the date of the
eviction and we will find it difficult to hold off 80 cops and bailiffs on a surprise 5am eviction. we do need to pro-actively find another building as a backup. we won’t give in without resisting the eviction to make a statement against gentrification and the eviction of free spaces in east London.

we invite you to come and get creative in its defence. this Thursday we are launching an ongoing time of action.

we’ll start building and cooking @ 3 pm, then Danish activists will share experiences from the youth house @ 6 pm, dinner around 7.30 and building and direct action skill-sharing after that. we need tools for making the barricades efficient and beautiful, so if you have access to tools or materials please bring them along.

when we fight for Rampart we are not just fighting to defend the space. we are part of a world wide struggle against the capitalist world order.

we are fighting for everyone’s rights to learn and educate, share, live and love without authorities.

we are fighting for our dreams.

now is the time to show London and the rest of the world that the struggle continues…

rampart@mutualaid.org
http://www.rampart.co.nr

Guerrilla Gardening Comes To Chester

A group of Chester residents, having noticed that there is neglected and orphaned land all over the city, decided to form a guerrilla gardening troop. The term ‘guerrilla gardening’ is used loosely to describe different forms of radical gardening. Sometimes this is gardening with political aims – perhaps highlighting land use issues – or sometimes it is about growing food.

The troop of Guerrilla Gardeners have been out and about in Chester. Their first project involed transforming three litter strewn planters on Christleton Road, one of the main gateways to the city. Litter and weeds were removed and replaced with winter pansies, daffodils, forget-me-nots and honeysuckle.

The troop wants to reclaim land from perceived neglect and misuse. Armed with trowels, bulbs and vision, their idea is to garden everywhere, anywhere.

One Guerrilla Gardener stated:

‘ I was fed up of seeing these planters filled with rubbish and weeds every time I walked into the City Centre. I wanted to reclaim this resource for us all to enjoy’

The Guerrilla Gardeners want to make Chester a more appealing place to live, beautifying the neighbourhood and giving it back to the community.

To get involved or donate plants/saplings/ shrubs

contact chesterguerrillagardeners@hotmail.co.uk

The latest EF! Action Update is out, bringing you reports of eco-resistance for the darkening days…

Bringing light & inspiration to the darker evenings are the action stories in the latest Earth First! Action Update.

Blockades of nuclear power, roads & rivers around the world were joined “with this Shell-blockading D-lock I thee wed”.

Bringing light & inspiration to the darker evenings are the action stories in the latest Earth First! Action Update.

Blockades of nuclear power, roads & rivers around the world were joined “with this Shell-blockading D-lock I thee wed”.

And if anti-fascist action, quarry sabotage, squats, tree platforms, wrekin’ opencasts, scaling luxury hotels & the latest protest camp news wasn’t enough for you, chuck in some glue, arm tubes, a pool of oil, stink bombs, airborne rape alarms and a Lego-sized occupation, then there’s full reports from this summer’s antics at the Camp for Climate Action, Rossport solidarity camp, EF! summer gathering and Saving Iceland camp, plus a crop of global climate camps & news of protest & resistance from all 5 continents.

“No nukes, no coal, no kidding” – with people dying (both literally & symbolically) from the activities of the Earth-destroyers, people have been shouting to just “Leave it in the Ground”, dragon boats have clashed with navy gunboats in Ireland, an oil war was declared in Nigeria, and ‘moles’ spent a week underground digging further and further away from the forces of darkness at an open-cast coal site.

Details of the new Coal Action Network, upcoming dates & a full contact list should help launch (or boost) you into the orbit of eco-resistance.

Subscribe and get it sent direct to a letterbox near you – you’d also be supporting the EF!AU to get printed and sent out to prisoners & protest camps. If you want some to distribute, contact us at: actionupdate (AT) earthfirst.org.uk

Download the latest issue or past issues here.

The EF!AU is there to inspire people to take ecological direct action, to provide info to help you just get out and do it. Don’t feel shy, put your best foot forward.

The EF!AU is the quarterly newsletter of people taking ecological direct action – send us news of your action or campaigns, and come along to the Winter Moot if you want to get involved in any of the campaigns you’ve read about.

What is Earth First!?

Shell Pulling Out of Glengad till early Spring

Important Update from Erris.
The word is – Shell are pulling out of Glengad and suspending work till early Spring. Shell ‘consultants’ are informing local residents that the beach is being ‘reinstated’ and the work will take a number of weeks.

The Solitaire has moved on and is ‘off hire’ to Shell.

No press release has issued from Shell and they are behind in their weekly ‘progress’ reports to the PAD (Petroleum Affairs Divison) of Minister Eamon Ryan’s Department of Communication, Energy and Natural Resources, which can normally be read here: http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Natural/Petroleum+Affairs+Division/Corrib+Gas+Field+Development/SEPIL+Weekly+Progress+Reports+to+PAD.htm

It appears that Shell are wrapping up operations at the proposed landfall site in Glengad. The trench excavated through the cliffs into the protected areas is being backfilled, and the causeway built out into Broadhaven Bay is being removed. Also one side of the site fencing on the beach has been removed. And the cable drum has been removed from the winch.

Unfortunately the commencement of removing the causeway will not be able to remove the hundreds of tonnes of fine material, which has been washed away, polluting the local sea area for miles. Fishermen have said they can see the discolouration in the water 5 or 6 miles away from the Shell beach compound.

Various materials which Shell were supposed to have kept stored and separate in the compound, have in fact been mixed and stored on the beach and much of this, as well as unsuitable causeway materials, has been washing away for months now, through high tides and rain.

Broken concrete and steel have also been added to these material heaps, which I would assume will be dumped or buried on site, whether on the beach or inside the compound in the SAC/SPA. It appears that this ‘foreign rubble’ is now being used to fill the trench which was dug through the cliff to take the pipe.

The Solitaire has left Scotland for the Spanish port of Algeerias, near Gibraltar, a main bunker port, several days ago.

For unknown reasons Shell continue to employ boats to sit in the bay a few hundred metres from the landfall site, with 3 boats there this morning, including a small tug / winch boat. Its not clear what if anything they are doing.

The road widening and upgrades to facilitate Shell have continued, with Mayo County Council closing or blocking the road for long periods despite vehement local objections to these upgrade works, with people living along the route being forced to block the sides of the road at their properties to prevent the Council stealing their margins to widen the road for Shell.

I would remind people who are interested that AFRI are holding a Hedge School, which looks to be even better than last year’s with a weekend of talks from some very relevant people, http://www.corribsos.com/index.php?id=515&event=1 or http://www.afri.ie for details. That’s the 24th, 25th & 26th Oct.

Protest halts logging in upper Florentine Valley-Monday 13 October 2008 & campaign update newsletter

MEDIA RELEASE
Monday, 13th October 2008
Tasmanian forest defenders take a stand against climate crimes in the Upper Florentine Valley

This morning, forest activists from Still Wild Still Threatened conducted a peaceful action in the Upper Florentine Valley, halting logging operations in coupe FO42E. A forest defender is perched high on a tree-sit to protest against the continued decimation of Tasmania’s carbon dense old growth forests.

“We are speaking out against the climate crimes which continue to be perpetuated by Forestry Tasmania and Gunns Limited, and are calling on Kevin Rudd to take immediate action and put a stop to the rampant wood-chipping of some of our most significant carbon sinks” said Still Wild Still Threatened spokesperson Christo Mills.

“A recent ANU study has clearly shown that Tasmania’s ancient forests can play a key role in combating dangerous climate change. [1]However, these globally renowned forests continue to be subjected to destructive roading, logging and burning operations” said Mr Mills.

“The carbon rich forests of the Upper Florentine Valley are being systematically destroyed to feed the rapacious appetite of an environmentally unsustainable wood-chipping industry.The devastation of these carbon rich forests is an international disgrace and forest defenders will continue to take peaceful action against these reprehensible climate crimes” said Mr Mills.

“Protecting Tasmania’s ancient forests is a simple and highly effective climate change solution” said Mr Mills.

For comment, contact: Christo Mills 0447 631 735

—–

The latest campaign update newsletter, Spring 2008 – upcoming dates (Note: Southern hemisphere spring is our Northern autumn) – not that you’d think of flying there in any case, boys & girls 😉

Halloween land squat, Birmingham – housing crisis

POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENT OF GREEN FIELD SITES FOR HOUSING

The issue of a lack of good quality, well maintained homes for social rent has long been an issue in Birmingham

Poor quality and badly maintained rented homes cause a variety of problems for their occupants including poor health.

POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENT OF GREEN FIELD SITES FOR HOUSING

The issue of a lack of good quality, well maintained homes for social rent has long been an issue in Birmingham

Poor quality and badly maintained rented homes cause a variety of problems for their occupants including poor health.

During colder months the issue of insulation is a major problem with those on low wages or benefits not being able to heat their home properly. AND IT IS YET ANOTHER SOURCE OF CLIMATE CHANGE caused by a lack of insulation

On September 1st 2008 JUSTICE NOT CRISIS action group scaled the Town Hall in Birmingham to protest at the council’s social housing policy.

On Thursday 30th October JUSTICE NOT CRISIS are squatting a piece of vacant council housing land and setting up the JOHN LINES HOMELESS VILLAGE. We intend to celebrate Halloween on the Friday and stay for as long as possible.

For full up to date info please visit the web site at www.justicenotcrisis.wordpress.com
email us at justice.not.crisis@googlemail.com

We are campaigning for:

1. That the council release some of their housing land to housing associations so that they can use £100m worth of government grants to build 2,000 new homes for social rent.
2. We oppose the building of 1,000s of new homes on green field sites in and around Birmingham as part of the councils aspiration to build up to 60,000 new homes.
3. We want to see the council improve their homes to a much better standard than the laughable “decent homes standard”.

SWOMP – A freestate in Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Introduction

It is the fourth time activists have squatted a piece of land in the Pijp (an area of Amsterdam) and by far the most succesful action. They are protesting against unnecessary demolition and speculation as well as taking action in support of local neighbourhoods for a sustainable future.

Introduction

Some history

On July 11, 2008, a group of people from the Pijp squatting group and Groenfront! Amsterdam squatted a vacant lot at Rustenbergerstraat 438-440. A school had previously stood on the land and was demolished against the wishes of the neighbourhood, probably to prevent it being squatted. There are currently no plans for the site, which has a tree which is protected by permits. Previous land squats had been evicted quite brutally by police so this time the activists were prepared – they were in large numbers, had the support of local residents and made sure their caravans were well secured in the ground!

After one month, the project declared itself a free state and the residents pledged to live in a carbon neutral fashion on the site. Instead of waiting for local government to decide what to do with the land they decided to take action themselves! Permaculture gardens were set up and solar panels were installed. Local squat cafes are doing benefits in support of the project. In September an open day was held with a tour speakers and discussions

Living at SWOMP (in the words of one resident)

The whole thing has grown into a climate friendly experimental garden. Every day we are learning more about the problems you encounter when having to provide for yourself (doing it in a way which means in the future you can keep providing yourself). These are the same problems society / the community will faces soon. We are experimenting with permacultures, we have a groundwaterpump and a solarcell and are planning to build our own eco toilet.

Being busy with this I’m meeting a lot of other people being busy with similar stuff, and suddenly the feeling of being an activist calling out in the land of the deaf is changing. More and more people seem to be realising something has to be done, and most importantly, we can do it (we are going to win)!

We stumbled across the concept of transition towns. Apparently others are doing the same as us. Others, not activists just communities. Communities that stop and think: how are we going to deal with the upcoming (unavoidable) oil-crisis and climate change? What happens when the trucks stop driving and bringing us food and produce from all over the world? Looting, only the fittest will survive? Or can we as a community prepare ourselves and equip ourselves with workable solutions. We should start preparing: Where do we get food? Who heals the sick, how do we transport? How do make tools without our current technology? And most important of all how do we prevent future crisis? How can we find a balanced way of living without wearing out our own surroundings?

New ethics will have to be developed. This all might seem a distant dream or fantasy but it is already happening all over the world. With 33 transition towns in England and 77 worldwide. And four times more being set up worldwide. It is actually a very accessible way of changing, it’s realising that we ourselves need to do it and nobody else. It starts with creating consciousness. Not about the upcoming crisis, everybody knows about that by now and activists all over the world feel frustrated about everybody knowing but nobody acting on it.

We need to grow consciousnes about self-determination, and about the possibilties that you have as an individual and a community. Of course the government and corporations won’t change by themselves. We don’t need to wait for them, we should even exclude them. The steps seem so big but are actually small and achievable. It starts with growing consciousness, its almost like a sect man! Wherever some people start being busy with transition towns, all the people around them get infected and enthusiasm soon grows a network. A network starts having meetings, and in the meeting realistic goals will be set. “In however many years we should be able to get at least 50% of our food from our own lands, by then we need to have reduced our oil-dependence, at least by the year of XXXX, we shall be totally independent”.

Stuff like that, read it, it’s inspiring. In England ther are some towns, villages, dwellings, but also neighbourhoods that started thinking about the future. These towns or dwellings will be the pioneers in the time of transition which pretty soon everybody is going to experience. We can wait till our wallets force us to change, or we can be the ones who will later have the advantages of having started off early. It’s just a logical step to take in a time like this.

Links

In”>http://www.steenbreek.org/img/pers/DeMorgen_20080906.pdf>In the Belgian press