Squatting / Free Spaces / Protest Sites – Page 75

Samhain bagpipe gathering at Tara, plus action days 31st October -5th November

Samhain Bagpipe Gathering
Feis-Teamhrach (The Great Feast of Tara)

Come celebrate the Celtic New Year at Tara

Samhain Bagpipe Gathering
Feis-Teamhrach (The Great Feast of Tara)

Come celebrate the Celtic New Year at Tara
Hill of Tara, near Navan, co Meath, Ireland.

Relighting the Ancient Beacon fires & Samhain Shindig

Bring your feasting food that you want to eat and share

Wed Oct 31st Lighting Taras 7 Beacons And Feast
Thurs 1st/Fri 2nd Nov DAYS OF ACTION
Sat Nov 3rd Fire, Music and Banquet
Mon 5th (and every Mon) direct action Route walk.

Vigil camp 00353 861 758557 Action camp 00353 861 537146

Calling all musicians, bards, performers & poets
Bring your flutes, whistles, drums and voices to the Halls of Tara. Big call out to all
BAGPIPE players to gather on the Wed and Sat.
Calling all People to join in the Defense of TARA
Act now to preserve this world heritage site!

Fliers/posters to download at www.tarapixie.net

For directions to Tara check the websites below
www.savetara.com www.tarawatch.org
www.tarapixie.net

SAVE IRELAND’S TARA VALLEY!

Edinburgh Temporary Autonomous Arts Exhibition

8.10.2007
FREAK, the Free and Reactive Edinburgh Arts Kollective, are transforming a derelict warehouse in Granton into an arts venue for a four day event from the 10th to the 14th of October. There will be art exhibitions, live music, performances, films and educational workshops.

The transformation is well under way. There are about 25 people on site all the time now with more arriving all the time. If you’ve got spraypaint and spare time, or something creative to contribute, then go down today and help out. If you go down today or tommorow you’ll see how genuine artists grafitti, and from Wednesday they have a full programme of events.

Lancaster anti-supermarket protest camp & update

New protest camp goes up in Lancaster with local residents in support – nobody wants a supermarket with a huge parking here!

New protest camp goes up in Lancaster with local residents in support – nobody wants a supermarket with a huge parking here!

News Release
From: Lancaster Citizens’ Alliance
For immediate release
Mon 8 October 2007

Angry residents occupy proposed supermarket site

This morning Lancaster residents moved on to council owned land in Scotforth – the site of a proposed supermarket, rumoured to be Tesco’s. Locals are shocked by secret moves in the Council’s Cabinet to sell off land at Lawson Bridge, off the A6. Their message: they will not allow the council to sell off their town for what they call “dodgy development”.

Says local resident Deirdre Mason: “The council may love the idea of Tesco’s, Centros Miller and the Bailrigg Science Park, but local residents are concerned about the threat to local businesses and the unique character of the city! These developments will be the death of Lancaster. Time to say ENOUGH! to all these sordid schemes. Let’s send a clear message to all these developers: they are not welcome in our town.”

The occupation will last for 24 hours and will be followed by a protest outside the Cabinet meeting tomorrow (Tuesday 9th Oct) at Lancaster Town Hall from 9.30am onwards.

Residents are concerned about the way the Council is selling off Lancaster piecemeal, leading to a town crippled by gridlock, and having only “clone town” shops that are to be found in any high street in the country. “The council is blinkered when it comes to recognising the historical value of our town, the
vibrancy and high quality of the local traders.” says Stephen Dickinson of Scotforth. “They sold off our market – it’s now half dead. Now they want to see off the rest of the town centre with Centros Miller’s proposed monstrosity and this mega supermarket in Scotforth. The time has come to say ‘Enough!’. It’s
time for our councillors to listen to us!”

-ENDS-

For further information please contact Deirdre Mason at the protest camp on:
07798 745613

Photo opportunities:
Mon 1pm at the protest camp, Lawsons Bridge, Scotforth Road, Lancaster
Tuesday 10am at Lancaster Town Hall

Notes for the Editor:
1 The land threatened by supermarket development and currently under occupation is near Lawson’s Bridge, between the railway line and the A6 (Scotforth Road). Lancaster City Council owns about 5.5acres there, immediately to the south of Ray’s Drive.

2 The land is currently rented to a farmer for use as pasture. It is also well used by Scotforth residents for dog-walking and other kinds of recreation, and there is a community woodland area at the northern end which is threatened by the development.

3 Lancaster Council Cabinet will be discussing the proposed sale in their Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, 9th October. The meeting takes place at Lancaster Town Hall at 10am.

——————————————————————————————-

Update – The fight carries on (and we will win!)

At this morning’s Cabinet meeting of Lancaster City Council councillors voted 8-2 to go ahead with starting the process of flogging the land for a supermarket. This despite an overwhelming display of public outrage. Hundreds of people wrote to the Cabinet Councillors over the week. Scotforth Parish Council deciding unanimously to oppose the supermarket in an emergency meeting last night night and making a presentation to the Cabinet this morning. Dozens of residents camping out in the threatened field. A well attended rally this morning. All this happened in the space of five days – since we found out about the proposed decision.

Cabinet Councillors this morning had the guts to refuse even to consult people prior to the sale.
The Conservative leader of the Council, Cllr Roger Mace said “we’ve had lots
of emails so there has been a consultation already”. At this point several members of the public could no longer contain their anger – shouting “that was us contacting you, not you consulting us” and storming out.

Lib Dem Councillor for Scotforth East (which borders onto Lawson’s Bridge)
John Gilbert said that “starting to market the land will allow consultation
to take place” and “the public can consult all they want” (sic).

This ridicules any pretense of a democratic system (with the notable exception of our Green Councillors who blew the whistle on the issue and joined in with the protest).

However we are only at the start of this process and already hundreds of people are furious about the plans and determined to resist them every step of the way. We have already fought off two planning applications for this site and we shall do so again.

In the meantime, maybe we all need to reconsider the way we shop – kick the habit and stop shopping at Tesco/Asda/Sainsbury’s/etc. Get to know your local shop keepers, support independent small shops, set up food co-ops, before it is too late and they as well as your green fields are gone forever. These supermarket giants are riding rough-shod over communities and the environment everywhere.

To find out more about these issues visit: http://www.tescopoly.org/

Oh, by the way, we’ve not forgotten about the monstrous Centros Miller plans for our city centre either. We’re just as determined to see them off too! More info here: http://www.itsourcity.org.uk/

ENOUGH Is ENOUGH!

Manchester Temporary Autonomous Arts Exhibition, Events & Festival of street art and creative subversion

Following the success of last years extravaganza in Manchester’s Northern quarter….it’s happening again!

Following the success of last years extravaganza in Manchester’s Northern quarter….it’s happening again!
The 2nd annual Temporary Autonomous Arts festival in Manchester 24-28th October 2007.

Once again Manchester is joining the tide of collective groups coming together to create a cultural, interactive autonomous space where people are free to be, free to create and free to express themselves.

Reclaiming space that has no other immediate purpose, we will be repairing, making safe and improving the building we use before transforming it into a vibrant, organic, techno artistic statement. Artists, musicians, writers and performers who otherwise would have no outlet, are invited to display their work uninhibited by the normal constraints placed on the current artistic climate. The space will be used respectfully and intelligently, for genuine community developement, creating fields of opportunity for a future at no cost or harm to anyone else.

We want to exhibit all forms of artwork; drawings, paintings, sculptures big and small, photography, installations and more. Showcasing poets and vocalists, films and performance, words and concepts born out of the free party underground movement. These spaces of reclaimed freedom have been making a significant contribution to an alternative art world and we want to bring it back to Manchester!

Wednesday 24th October

Come help us create the space. All artist and creators are invited to contribute and see the space morph through the day into an overall work of art. This will lead into an evening of visuals and film.

Thursday 25th October

A day of skillsharing and a celebration of D.I.Y culture.

If you would like to share a skill at the D.I.Y Day please get in touch ASAP.

Evening: This will hopefully lead to a performance by the jam session musicians and improv DIY music (bring instruments!)

Friday 26th October

Healing day, alternative therapies and relaxation space from Noon til 7pm

If you would like to run a healing workshop or offer massage or alternative therapies please email us. A full listing of what’s on offer will be here soon

Bicycle Art Parade 6pm Central Library, ending at TAA

It will not only be an amazing bike ride to celebrate the bicycle, to meet other cyclists, to have an excuse to ride around, to feel part of a bike gang, to have a fun evening etc etc.but!this month it will also be Manchester’s FIRST EVER Bicycle Art Parade! So dress up your bike in tinsel or glitter or make it look like a dragon or a fly…whatever..lets get creative!!!!

the last few months have seen around 120 cyclists on critical mass, lets make this one even bigger

Made in Lancashire

A night of celebration of Lancashire! Wi’ hot pot, fancy dress and country dancin’. From 9pm to midnight

Saturday 27th October

Workshops for all throughout the day and including permaculture, truth poets

and from 7.30pm onwards the super fantastic TAA Cabaret open for anyone to take part with unique acts and performance.

If you have any skill shares, workshops or activities you would like to do in the space please email us and we will add it to the time table.

Street Blitz

From 14-28 October 2007 we are hosting Manchester’s first ever Street Blitz, the two week festival of street art and creative subversion.

During the proposed two weeks we want you to use Manchester as an open gallery. There is a map of the city primed and ready for Blitzers to post their activities, no matter how big or small, onto a map overlay.

Install your art or anything which changes the perspective on our city then get online and post it onto the empty map on the Street Blitz website at www.streetblitz.org/manchester. You can add a description and any photos of your work. There will also be room for comments on each placemark which can also be used to tell us if the artwork is still there or if the miserly bureaucrats got there first.

THIS IS YOUR CITY
Leave your mark!

info@forbiddenartsmanchester.org.uk
http://www.forbiddenartsmanchester.org.uk

CLIMATE ACTION NEWS SHEET 72, OCTOBER 2007

Compiled and sent out by Rising Tide UK: info at risingtide.org.uk
To receive this News Sheet monthly, email news-subscribe at risingtide.org.uk
with the subject line ‘subscribe’ (without the quotes).

CONTENTS:
———————————————-
UPCOMING ACTIONS AND EVENTS:
———————————————-
1) NATIONAL DAY OF LOCAL ACTION VS. ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND – 15.10.07
2) SAVE SWALLOWS WOOD – OCTOBER 2007 UPDATE
3) NATIONAL CLIMATE CAMP ACTION PLANNING MEETING – 3-4.11.07 OXFORD
4) CLIMATE CAMPS – 2008 GERMANY AND WORLDWIDE!
5) TARA UPDATE – 22.9.07 IRELAND
6) CRITICAL MASS UPDATES – NATIONWIDE
7) PLYMOUTH ENVIRONMENT CENTRE FILM NIGHTS – AUTUMN 2007
8) TEMPORARY AUTONOMOUS ART – OCT ’07, EDINBURGH & MANCHESTER
9) WRITE IN DEFENCE OF ISOLATED PERUVIAN TRIBES – 17.9.07
10) STUDENT CLIMATE PROJECT LAUNCH GATHERING – OXFORD, 30.11-2.12.07

———————————————-
RECENT HAPPENINGS:
———————————————-
1) ROSSPORT SOLIDARITY DEMOS – 14.9.07 LEEDS, LONDON, BRISTOL, READING,
MADRID & IRELAND
2) DIRECT ACTION IN BRISTOL – AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2007
3) WHY CARBON TRADING ISN’T WORKING – ARTICLES 2006/7
4) GAGGED! SOUTH WALES ANARCHIST NEWSLETTER – SEPTEMBER 2007
5) FEDERAL COURT BLOCKS SHELLS ARCTIC DRILLING – 14.9.07
6) BANK PULLS SAKHALIN-2 FUNDING – 15.8.07
7) "FLOOD SUMMIT" AT AIRPORT – 3.9.07 DONCASTER, YORKS.
8) COAL ACTIONS IN AUSTRALIA – 2/3.9.07
9) GLOBAL ACTIONS AGAINST HEAVY INDUSTRY – 12.9.07
10) GREEK DIRECT ACTION – SEPTEMBER 2007
11) CRITICAL MASS AND CARFREE DAY IN BRUSSELS – 24.9.07
12) ART NOT OIL 2007 GALLERY HITS 50

———————————————-
UPCOMING ACTIONS AND EVENTS:
———————————————-
1) NATIONAL DAY OF LOCAL ACTION AGAINST ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND – 15.10.07
RBS, the self-described ‘Oil and Gas Bank’ and second-largest bank in
Europe is the leading financier of climate change. From West Africa to the
Ecuadorian rainforest, from the North Sea to the Middle East, RBS loans
play a key role in forcing open the new carbon frontier. The thirty oil
and gas finance deals RBS signed between 2001 and 2006 locked us all into
655 million tonnes of emissions over the next 15 years – more than the
UK’s current annual emissions total!
On 15th October, get together with your local group, build on connections
made at the Camp, reach out to others in your area and confront RBS with
your own chosen style of creative direct action.

To find your nearest RBS branch or office:
www.rbs.co.uk/microsites/general/branch_locator/step1.asp
Download Platform’s report ‘The Oil and Gas Bank’:
www.carbonweb.org/documents/Oil_&_Gas_Bank.pdf
For help with planning effective actions: www.networkforclimateaction.org.uk

One such action is being planned in conjunction with West Cornwall Friends
of the Earth; Outside Royal Bank of Scotland, Green St (off Lemon Quay),
Truro,
12 noon, Mon 15th Oct. Contact RTUK for others.

2) SAVE SWALLOWS WOOD – OCTOBER 2007 UPDATE
A lot has been happening in the last few weeks, including the inaugural
Glossop Critical Mass. Also, there are two URGENT letter actions that they
need your help with. They should only take a few minutes of your time.
www.saveswallowswood.org.uk

3) NATIONAL CLIMATE CAMP ACTION PLANNING MEETING – 3-4.11.07 OXFORD
The Climate Camp didn’t stop climate change – but it’s part of a growing
social movement that can! Come and take the next steps forward at the
upcoming UK-wide meeting on Nov 3-4 in Oxford. Everyone is welcome,
whether you came to the camp, or were simply inspired by it.
www.climatecamp.org.uk

4) CLIMATE CAMPS – 2008 GERMANY AND WORLDWIDE!
Following the model established by the Camp for Climate Action in the UK,
plans are afoot for a Climate-Action Camp in Germany in 2008. This will
include knowledge exchange (in workshops), self-organised living that
minimises the ecological footprint, networking and direct action. There
are plans for similar camps to be set up next year in several countries.
watch this space…
www.climatecamp.org.uk

http://www.klimacamp.org/

5) TARA UPDATE – 22.9.07 IRELAND
They are desperate for more people and supplies on site. There are
currently just 20 people trying to stop work all over the Tara Skryne
valley.
www.tarapixie.net
www.savetara.com
www.circlecommunity.org
For recent videos & photos of protests see;
http://livevideo.com/tarapixie

6) CRITICAL MASS UPDATES – NATIONWIDE
For info. and updates check;
http://www.urban75.com/Action/critical.html

7) PLYMOUTH ENVIRONMENT CENTRE FILM NIGHTS – AUTUMN 2007
Including "Reclaim Power" 19.10.07 at 7pm followed by discussion with
Rising Tide representative.

http://plymouthenvironmentcentre.org.uk/events.php#film-nights

8) TEMPORARY AUTONOMOUS ART SHOWS – OCTOBER 2007 EDINBURGH & MANCHESTER
Edinburgh 10th-14th October
Manchester 24th-28th October
For further info. check;
http://www.randomartists.org/

9) WRITE IN DEFENCE OF ISOLATED PERUVIAN TRIBES – 17.9.07
Two companies planning to explore for oil in Peruvian rainforest have
revealed their sensitive plans to ‘communicate’ with the previously
uncontacted inhabitants using megaphones! In the past, oil company workers
in the Amazon region have been killed by isolated Indians. Despite this
risk to their own workers, and the equal danger of spreading fatal
diseases to the Indians, the companies – Barrett Resources of the US and
Repsol YPF of Spain – have refused to suspend their plans.
http://www.survival-international.org/news/2502
You can help by writing a letter;
http://www.survival-international.org/actnow/letters/isolatedindians

10) STUDENT CLIMATE PROJECT LAUNCH GATHERING – OXFORD, 30.11-2.12.07

‘The Student Climate Project came out of discussions at the 2007 Climate
Camp, and
seeks bring together students to take collective action against the root
causes of
Climate Change. It will also develop ways to build the student movement
and deal
with Climate Change issues in the education system. The project is
non-hierarchical
and based on consensus decision making, and the Launch Gathering is the
perfect
opportunity to get involved, share your ideas and plan for action. See
www.studentclimateproject.org.uk’

———————————————-
RECENT HAPPENINGS:
———————————————-

1) ROSSPORT SOLIDARITY DEMOS – 14.9.07 LEEDS, LONDON, BRISTOL, READING,
MADRID & IRELAND
There were a series of demonstrations held in solidarity with the day of
action against Shell’s plans for a gas pipeline & refinery in Mayo,
Ireland.
In Rossport itself over 150 people occupied the refinery site.
Bristol Rising Tide held a solidarity demo at a Shell Garage in Eastville,
Bristol with leaflets and banners.
For more details about the various actions check;
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/5090
http://www.corribsos.com/index.php?id=1&type=page

2) DIRECT ACTION IN BRISTOL – AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2007
Activists in Bristol have been busy. Parts of three golf courses have been
dug up and the message "decadent waste of water" sprayed near a club
house. A mobile phone mast has been sabotaged. A non-passenger line which
transports cars and fossil fuel to the Midlands was cut three quarters of
the way through in two places and marked with high visibility paint. A
warning banner reading: "Stop: Trees on line" was fixed across the line
several hundred yards in front of this.
Also, within the last 6 months, the front tyres of forty 4x4s have been
punctured in and around Bristol.
Finally, a "corporate entertainment" company called 4-Play, which provides
off road driving for 4x4s in the south west, has had vehicles spray
painted with

"4-play – blow-job the planet".
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/5050

3) WHY CARBON TRADING ISN’T WORKING – ARTICLES 2006/7
An excellent series of articles on why the neoliberal approach to climate
change isn’t working can be found at;
http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/subject/climate/

4) GAGGED! ANARCHIST NEWSLETTER – SOUTH WALES, SEPT 2007
Download the PDF here;
https://lists.riseup.net/www/d_read/gagged/gagged19.pdf
Alternatively you can read it here;
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/5052

5) FEDERAL COURT BLOCKS SHELLS ARCTIC DRILLING – 14.9.07
A federal court has denied Shell’s latest request to lift an order
blocking the company’s Arctic Ocean drilling. This ruling likely dooms the
Dutch oil giant’s drilling plans, at least for this year.
http://www.pacificenvironment.org/

6) BANK PULLS SAKHALIN-2 FUNDING – 15.8.07
The European Bank of Reconstruction and Development has decided to pull
its funding for the $20-plus billion Sakhalin-2 liquefied natural gas
project, located in Russia’s Far East.
Since January, EBRD and the Sakhalin Energy shareholders (Gazprom, Royal
Dutch Shell, Mitsui and Mitsubishi) have held talks over the project’s
finance. EBRD cut off discussions in favour of financing other projects,
such as those that promote sustainable energy.
http://www.pacificenvironment.org/

7) PROTEST AS RDA HOLDS "FLOOD SUMMIT" AT AIRPORT – 3.9.07 DONCASTER, YORKS.
Yorkshire Forward (Regional Development Agency) held an outrageous "Flood
Summit" at Finningley airport. Local people visited with pop-up tents and
banners to leaflet the conference’s participants and hold alternative
workshops highlighting the link between aviation growth and worsening
climate change.
The conference was intended to congratulate the RDA on their response to
the recent floods. The choice of venue shows just how out of touch with
reality these half-wits are.
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/5021

8) COAL ACTIONS IN AUSTRALIA – 2/3.9.07
On the 2nd September, twelve Greenpeace activists were arrested at the
world’s biggest coal port at Newcastle, 160km north of Sydney, after
painting the message "Australia Pushing Export Coal" on the side of a coal
ship and unfurling a large banner in Chinese calling on China to be
cautious of John Howard and George Bush’s attempts to sabotage Kyoto. The
protest comes at the start of the 2007 APEC (Asia Pacific Economic
Cooperation) forum meeting being hosted by Australia.
http://www.greenpeace.org/australia/news-and-events/media/releases/climate-change/apec-coal-protest
The following day activists locked themselves on to a coal conveyor belt,
forcing the shut-down of a generator and halving production from
Victoria’s biggest coal fired power station.
http://www.realactiononclimatechange.blogspot.com/

9) GLOBAL ACTIONS AGAINST HEAVY INDUSTRY – 12.9.07
People in South Africa, Iceland, Trinidad, Denmark and America held a
series of coordinated protests against heavy industrialisation. This is
the first event of a new and growing global movement that began at the
2007 Saving Iceland protest camp in Ölfus, Iceland.
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/5067

10) GREEK DIRECT ACTION – SEPTEMBER 2007
For direct action news from Greece, check;
http://directactiongr.blogspot.com/

11) CRITICAL MASS AND CARFREE DAY IN BRUSSELS – 24.9.07
For details and some great pics see;
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/09/381930.html

12) ART NOT OIL 2007 GALLERY HITS 50

and over 1500 hits. Take a look and send in your own work:
www.artnotoil.org.uk

Shell to Sea Two and half years later and still going strong! October 12th day of action

In 2005 small west of Ireland community became the focus of attention of the people in Ireland. Five small farmers in Rossport Co Mayo (one the most remote and isolated places in Northwest Europe) had stood up to a multinational conglomeration of Shell, Statoil and Marathon in fear they would die if Shell built their unprecedented on shore refinery.

The Irish State’s reaction to this was to indefinately imprison them. This transpired to be 94 days at which point Shell decided it was doing more harm than good by imprisoning as there was a series of direct actions and mass demonstration in their defence http://www.indymedia.ie/article/71388. In the weeks running up to this some activists made contact with community activists and started a national Shell to sea campaign. The unbelievable story of what was going on in the west of Ireland was spread through Europe through the meeting of activists at the G8 in Sterling in July 2008.

The story is quite unbelievable. Shell and their partners are attempting to destroy an unspoilt part of the west Ireland, by running a dangerous pipeline through the village of Rossport to an inland refinery that will spew hundreds of thousands of tonnes of methane each year in the local environment. On top of this they are effectively robbing the people in Ireland of €51 billion of Irish gas through a dodgy deal cut with corrupt politicians that at the time was called “economic treason”.

But lots of things are wrong and why should people all across the world we focus on this? Well its simple- we can win and if we do the effects will be immense as a precedent will have been set that will not only effect Ireland but Europe and beyond.

So what happened since 2005 and where are we now?

Traditional sectarianism was put aside and activists of different backgrounds worked together forming what the media would later bill “the looney alliance of anarchists and republicans”. Throughout the summer of 2005 and until the late summer of 2006 things worked very well as constant pickets shut down Shell’s operation in Mayo and pressure mounted on Shell and the Irish State.

Then at the end of September 2006 the State and Shell made their move. Over 200 gardai (Irish police) were billeted to Mayo. The top cop said he would have the protests finished in 48hours. The community and national campaigns response was immense. Picketing went on through the night incase the Gardai tried
to cordon activists away from the site. On the night of the second of October the cops eventually turned out in force. In an effort to maintain the year and half long picket cars were parked blocking the refinery and behind them the community sat in front of the gates. In area with lowest crime rate in Ireland 200 Gardai pulled and dragged community residents from the gates hospitalising two.

This lead to a surge in activity with much campaign activity around the country and internationally, focused on days of action in Rossport. The Garda reaction to these days of Action was violent culminating in a baton charge on November the tenth. The campaign then in the face of what seemed like more violence cancelled a proposed day of action on the 24th of November 2006. Many saw this as decisive moment for the campaign as momentum passed out of our hands. Everyone realised the folly of
it, but as with a lot of things in Shell to Sea it is a learning process. Now it seems it was not as decisive as it seemed as things build again.

This summer the campaign burst back to life by victoriously opposing shell’s attempt to install cabins for works in the bay – read more. This was followed with a very intense week which saw three fishermen including Pat “the chief” O Donnell and his son and a friend imprisoned, the site was shut down for a day. On the fishermen’s release
an invasion of the construction site took place. Over September there have been three site invasions and two days with numerous people blockading traffic attempting to access the site – read more.

All this occurred in the run up to the day of action on September 14th unique in that it had a pre-announced plan. The plan was simple – go there and sit on the road and no vehicles get on site. The run-up to the day was nervous. The big question was- could Shell to Sea with its national support in town (or countryside rather) reassert the right of ordinary people over multinationals in Erris and really push forward the already building momentum behind the campaign. The conditions were certainly right- Shell were and still are running into enormous problems as building has virtually come to a standstill due to poor quality concrete, constant protest and the lack of a pipeline route. On Friday the 14th about 150 – 200 people turned from around the country and this was matched by a sizeable mayo turnout.

The total protestor turnout was matched by a sizeable Garda presence. As the protestors shut down the main entrance to the site with the sit down the Gardai thought they would be clever and direct traffic around the sit down and bore us to tears. After this long you would imagine the cops would realise Shell to Sea is a little more on the ball than this. In the lack of the any trucks to meet protestors we decided to go and take a look and shut the site down. So it was up, over, under and through the gate as the protest made little a secondary gate as well (especially constructed for the day) – read more. The Gardai responded with their usual heavy handed tactics. Regardless of Shell’s rubbish spin, RTE’s (Irelands state broadcaster) desperate attempts to placate Shell and and the gardai’s official line it was plain to see who had won the day and that the train is firmly back on the tracks.

It’s undoubted that Shell to Sea is not yet at the dizzying heights it was at 12 or 24 months ago. However things are moving in a similar direction at the moment. We have learned the mistakes of placing too much faith in politicians to pull a deal out the hat. With this knowledge it could just be third time lucky for Shell to Sea.

Throughout this period the impact on solidarity from the England Scotland and Wales has had an enormous effect. It has been instrumental in keeping the solidarity camp continuing through people coming staying a week or a year, fundraising and donations have also allowed the camp to expand. Hospitality to campaign speakers was always second to none. Above all the impact that people coming has had a profound impact on the moral of people in Rossport. They launched their opposition in 1999 and it took six years to get National attention and then immediately people in the UK, once they heard, took up the challenge. There is still more people from the UK have to offer this struggle.

Another day of Action has been called for October the 12th as the situation is heating up as the pressure mounts up on Shell and political pressure on the greens. These days of Action will not work
on there own – if you cant travel we all need to be active in our communities organising meetings, postering and raising the issue where possible. These days are however crucial to pile on the pressure –
showing in a visible robust way the level of opposition to this project and highlighting the brutality of what is an everyday occurrence in Rossport.

At this stage many of us are scratching our heads as to why mayo people can’t do this at the height of summer but then again what else would you be doing on windy Friday morning in October? Ok fair enough we all do but it will certainly be worth it to force this to its logical conclusion after 8 years. For us it’s a few days of a trip to Rossport for others it’s the highlight and morale booster in a 8 year struggle that must and will end soon When people arrive its intensely appreciated as it shows they are not struggling on their won and people care. What are you doing on October the 12th? Organise a picket at the Irish embassy or a Shell filling Station or their headquarters. Or if possible travel to Rossport. Travel to Dublin for Thursday at six and book a ticket on the Dublin buses. Book early though. Come you need a holiday!
(for tickets phone or text 0851609850 in Dublin) Cork – corkshelltosea@gmail.com or call 0851141170 for general info.

www.rossportsolidaritycamp.com, www.shelltosea.com www.indymedia.ie/mayo

Camp Hope – 20/21st October vs Gloucestershire Airport expansion

Camp For Hope At Staverton Airport, Gloucestershire 20/21st October. Inspired by the Camp for Climate Action 2007 activists and local residents are organising a camp to protest the expansion of Gloucestershire Airport at Staverton. “Camp Hope” will take place at a secret location near the airport on the 20/21 October.

Location is near the airport and to be announced on our website on the evening of 19th October.

Staverton Airport want to extend their runway and increase services. The extra noise and fumes will damage the local environment and the huge amounts of CO2 will add to global warming.

We need to put our children’s future and the environment before the profits of an airport.

Saturday 20th Oct:

Learn about global warming, what it means to you and your children. Learn what you can do about it.

Workshops and discussions start at 13:00pm

Lead speaker David Drew MP

Sunday 21st Oct:

Peaceful protest against the airport’s impacts on noise, the environment, and the area’s image

The airport claims “only a small minority are opposed to the development,” Come and show them that you are not part of a small minority by making your voice heard

You can come and camp for the weekend, or just come for the Saturday or Sunday.

For public transport to the airport, take the 94 bus to Staverton Bridge. Also, parking is available. Stewards will direct you from the airport entrance

Take a look at http://campforhopeatstaverton.blogspot.com or www.myspace.com/campofhope and http://kevsclimatecolumn.blogspot.com For more information email CampForTheFuture@btinternet.com

If anyone has access to any of the following it could be very useful :

* Marquees, yurts, caravans, temporary structures, tents
* Wood for building (especially 2×2, 3×2, 18mm ply)
* Nails, woodscrews etc.
* Wood for burning
* Food (vegan, locally produced, organic)
* Water containers
* Water piping
* Water
* Hay/Straw
* Vans and trailers
* Beer
* Scraps of material (the bigger the better)
* Banners/Banner making equipment
* People to give workshops/speeches
* Entertainment
* Cable ties
* Tarpaulains
* Carabinas
* Solar electricity (PV) panels
* 12v Batteries
* Wheelie bins
* Buckets
* Rope
* Gaffa tape (what every site is built on)

We also need people to help to organise and publicise the event. If you have any time which you can use to help out it would be greatly appreciated.

Report from Anti London Olympics/regeneration march and meeting plus comment

Sunday the 23rd September was a sad day in the history of gardening. It was the day the Manor Gardens Allotments were closed by the Olympic Delivery Authority.

It was also the day former allotment holders and many other people decided to march and demonstrate their concern over the way in which development and so called regeneration is soaking up much needed green space. Martin Slavin an Olympic researcher was on the march and comments “ … so called regeneration projects like the Olympics are more about the careers of those involved in the Olympic industry, and the profits of developers and construction companies than they are about improving the lives of ordinary people”.

The Manor Gardens Allotments, were a little piece of the countryside in London, and were given to the gardeners of East London by Mayor Villiers, an old fashioned philanthropist, he was dedicated to improving the life of working class Eastenders by a transfer of resources from him (rich) to the people of East London (poor). As well as the allotments, the Olympic project has swallowed up a huge chunk of land in East London, most of it compulsorily purchased. The acquisition of the Olympic Park land is virtually a mirror image of what Major Villiers did all those years ago.

The compulsory purchase of the Olympic Parkland has been funded by public money, and as such it can be argued that it should stay in public ownership, post Olympics, however, exactly what will happen to the land remains undecided, but both Ken Livingstone and Ruth Kelly have publicly stated that they plan to bank role the Olympic project by selling off land within the park to developers when the Games are over. Major Villiers would no doubt turn in his grave, as his beautiful allotments along with virtually the whole STATE AREA site is bulldozed for a project which will most likely result in a transfer of land from public to private ownership. As the Olympic project runs further and further into financial difficulty the pressure will be on to claw back as much money as possible. This will inevitably mean getting into bed with property developers who, along with the construction companies, will be the main beneficiaries of a project that has been flawed from the very beginning.

An added tragedy to this story is that much what will form Olympic Park was previously available for use, on a non-income dependent basis, a cycle circuit, allotments, social housing, football pitches, little nooks and crannies, were all sorts of marginal business and artists had found a foothold. There was also a rave scene at Hackney Wick, with tired and dazed ravers leaving parties on Sunday mornings whilst the well dressed congregations of the many African Churches filed by. It was an area that had grown organically over more thaan a century and though it has some rough edges the area had an authenticity rarely found in 21st century London. This has been lost to what will more than likely be an Olympic legacy of expensive flats within gated communities, a sterile, privately owned area similar to the docklands.

It would be impossible to sell the Olympics to the nation for 3 weeks of sport, it is simply too expensive, so those making their living out of this project have marketed it on the supposed benefits of a legacy which remains unplanned. One of the problems is that New labour has control of the project, it has central government backing and with New Labour also controlling all 4 of the boroughs in which the Olympic Park is situated, and with the Olympic Delivery Authority awarding planning permission to itself the Olympic project can be pushed through virtually unchecked.

Sunday’s march from Hackney Town Hall to the new security gates of the Olympic construction site was a sign of the public’s misgivings over this deeply flawed project. After the march there was a meeting where discussions were held relating to development and regeneration. One interesting point covered in this discussion was the way these large projects evolve. First plans are made, then a so-called consultation takes place and then the work begins. However the meeting agreed that the consultations were generally a public relations exercise and that they made little difference to the outcome of projects, which are usually forced through despite any public misgivings. The Olympics appears to be a case in point.

Tara frontline Action -avin it

On Monday September 24th, thirty brave cultural conservationists donned face paints and headed off on a route walk from the Rath Lugh direct action camp. Film director and actor Stuart Townsend, fresh from the highly successful aerial photograph on the hill attended by an estimated 3,000 people on Sunday, arrived with four massive bags of shopping for Tara’s soldiers before everyone set off. Stuart’s continuing support is massively appreciated!

Once on route activists erected barricades along the paths of the diggers and bulldozers to slow destruction work. Activists proceeded to Baronstown where seven to eight diggers were occupied, climbed and danced upon. The walk continued as our merry band arrived at Collierstown, an ancient Fianna graveyard. The two diggers working when we arrived were quickly halted with people climbing into buckets of diggers, onto roofs and onto their tracks. Songs were sung and people danced. Work was halted for half an hour before scouts indicated that machinery was working up ahead at Trevet. We headed there and on the way occupied another digger. The driver of this digger refused to turn off his engine despite the fact that activists occupied his machine, a clear violation of health and safety laws and a sackable offense.

Our next stop was Trevet, where one bulldozer was prevented from working by activists. It was then that the Gardai made their appearance. Taking some of our group aside, names were taken and no further action occurred. As our walk was slightly behind schedule, when Garda officers approached we decided to pick up the pace, keeping twenty to forty feet between ourselves and the law. Officers continued to follow us for another 100 metres before heading back the way they came. Having stopped work for hours it was near dinner time so we headed back to base camp. Throughout the day as we passed the sacred sites in the path of the proposed motorway short talks were given about the historical and archaeological significance of each site. No one was arrested and a great day was had by all. The campaign to protect Tara from the money mad mile continues picking up pace after the phenomenal success of the international Harpists for Tara event and John Quigley’s stunning aerial photography. Every Monday route walks will continue.

Completion of the M3 through the Tara Valley is years away and there is everything to play for! Be at the Tara Solidarity Vigil camp on the hill by 9.30 am or at Rath Lugh by 10.00am. Please come, please support and network!

www.tarapixie.net
www.savetara.com
www.tarawatch.org
www.indymedia.ie

Sun 23rd Sep: Rally Against Olympic Evictions – on Allotment Demolition Day

Details of March & Rally Against Olympic Evictions on Allotment Demolition Day – Sunday 23rd Sept
Meet 2pm outside Hackney Town Hall

The demo will be in solidarity with other evicted groups such as Clays Lane Housing Co-op who have already been evicted from their homes and traveller/Gypsy communities soon to be evicted. The demo in Hackney calls into question the excessive social, economic and environmental costs of the Olympics as a catalyst for (de)regeneration.

Details of March & Rally Against Olympic Evictions on Allotment Demolition Day – Sunday 23rd Sept
Meet 2pm outside Hackney Town Hall

“Development” – at what cost?
Their consultation = we know best

Planning permission for the Manor Gardens Allotments temporary relocation site at Marsh Lane Fields in Waltham Forest was granted on Tuesday June 12th 07. The London Development Agency’s plan has always been to remove them to make way for a footpath to the stadia needed for the four weeks of the Olympics.

Manor Gardens, bequeathed to be allotments ‘in perpetuity’ by their original owner the ‘Right Hon’ Major Villiers, sit in the North central section of the Olympic Park. The site has been earmarked to be vacated on Sunday 23rd September.

However, allotment holders aren’t going out with a whimper. Tomorrow, they are going to hold a march and rally on Allotment Demolition Day. Allotment holders, supporters and campaigners will be meeting at 2pm outside Hackney Town Hall, marching to Hackney Wick Community Association Baths, 80 Eastway, E9.