Squatting / Free Spaces / Protest Sites – Page 78

Wrap up of West Coast Convergence for Climate Action & actions

Between August 8th-14th, 400+ people gathered for the West Coast Convergence for Climate Action. Participants took part in nearly 100 workshops, as well as lots of games and performances.

The event took place in Skamokawa, Washington in close proximity to a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal at Bradwood, Oregon. The Columbia River divides Oregon and Washington, and participants in the Convergence learned about attempts to sustain the local economy of the Lower Columbia River while resisting massive fossil fuel developments in the area.

On Monday, August 13th, Convergence participants were joined by dozens of local activists opposing the Bradwood LNG terminal. The group gathered on the Washington shore of the Columbia River, where hundreds of people live in close proximity to the Bradwood LNG proposal. Using fishing boats, sailboats, kayaks, and an umiak, participants in the action crossed the Columbia River and occupied the beach at Bradwood where NorthernStar Natural Gas intends to construct a large LNG terminal.

On Tuesday, August 14th activists locked down in front of the PacifiCorp (aka Pacific Power) building in Portland, Oregon to demand that the company shut down the four dams it operates on the Klamath river and stop developing coal fire power plants. The protesters were joined by a rally of several dozen supporters, many of whom wore hazmat suits painted with fake blood to draw attention to the poisonous conditions on the Klamath River.

No one was arrested at either action; it was generally concluded that the companies targeted wanted to avoid drawing the additional media attention that arrests would bring.

Monday’s action also featured a banner hang hung on a cliff adjacent to the Bradwood site, showing a target symbol and the words “Another LNG Disaster – What’s Your Number?” The “number” refers to recently released clasified pictures obtained anonymously showing that NorthernStar, developer of the LNG terminal, has numbered every structure within two miles. Local LNG opponents first exposed this disturbing mapping project during Clatsop County land use hearings, with one resident asking, “If we’re not going to be impacted at all, then why is there a number on my roof in this picture?”

The global impacts of the LNG industry were also a focus of the Climate Convergence, where participants learned that LNG is up to 40 percent more carbon intensive than natural gas due to its long supply chain (LNG must be extracted as natural gas, liquefied, shipped huge distances, and ultimately re-gasified). Recent studies show that LNG is comparable to gasified coal (aka “Clean Coal,” a true oxymoron – see post about SE Convergence!) in its carbon impacts. Furthermore, local LNG opponents shared what they had learned about the global LNG industry, having communicated with opponents of LNG producing facilities in Indonesia and Russia. In these places, the severe economic, environmental and human rights impacts of LNG development are multiplied many times over in comparison to the experience of rural Oregon and Washington.

Beyond climate change issues, the West Coast Convergence used the carbon trail of various energy sources to put the environmental, human rights, and labor practices of the fossil fuel industry on display. Speakers addressed a huge variety of issues pertaining to coal, natural gas, and hydropower issues while others used the event to demonstrate skills and sustainability practices that can preclude the need for destructive fossil fuels and hydropower.

The Convergence was met with strong local support — nearly 100 people from the surrounding rural counties in Oregon and Washington participated — and important exchanges between those fighting fossil fuel development on local, regional and global scales. Participants came from as far south as Southern California and as far north as Alberta and Vancouver Island.

Common Ground – Squated Community Garden Still Growing, Still Resisting!

2nd Eviction Attempt Resisted, Injunction Broken Again, New Gardens on the Horizon!

Common Ground – a squatted community garden in Katesgrove, Reading – is still being enjoyed by the community and still growing, despite a 2nd attempt by the council to close the garden down and evict the gardeners.

2nd Eviction Attempt Resisted, Injunction Broken Again, New Gardens on the Horizon!

The council owned land, which backs onto several derelict buildings, was occupied by nearby squatters and local activists in January this year. They spent four months transforming a rubbish strewn junkyard into a beautiful garden, relying on recycling, donations and self-organisation to get the job done.

On May 19th the garden was opened to the community, despite the Council obtaining an injunction making the opening BBQ and acoustic music gig illegal. Nearly 200 people came through the garden, and all were amazed at the difference. Since then, locals have been using the garden regularly to relax and eat lunch in, or take the children to the play area.

In June, the Council obtained an possesion order for the squatters home and Common Ground. On 20th June, despite leaving their home, the squatters, gardeners, activists and local residents teamed up to resist the eviction of the garden, with a few residents being prepared to break the law to continue occupying the land. Council officials/bailiffs showed up, and pretty quickly retreated, leaving everybody to enjoy another party.

In the last few weeks, the Council have unsuccessfully attempted a second eviction. In late July, once again gardeners, neighbours and activists mobilised to defend the garden from eviction, once again defying the law and once again seeing Council officials retreating empty handed. And last Sunday, despite intimidation as the Council threatened unnamed organisers with jail, several people enjoyed a community picnic and arts day in the garden, creating a brand new mozaic pathway.

Maintaining the occupation of the land is not the only success of Common Ground. In a badly thought out attempt to move the occupiers, the Council offered two alternative sites. However, when the gardeners refused them, the Council were obligated to offer them to the local residents association. Individuals involved in Common Ground have met with the residents association, and it is likely they will help the residents to create a second and possibly third community garden for the area, this time legally. Direct-action gets the goods!

Even better, Common Ground is apparently inspiring others to take direct-action to improve their neighbourhoods. On the other side of a Reading, a lady who had been refused permission from her housing association to create a community garden on some of their derelict land, has told people involved in Common Ground that she has now been inspired to go ahead and do it anyway! Naturally, some Common Ground gardeners will offer advice and assistance with this new project.

Common Ground is located through the alleyway, next to the ex-Womens Information Centre in Silver Street, Katesgrove, Reading, 10 minutes from the train station. Please email katesgrovegarden(AT)yahoo.co.uk for more information.

Resistance is fertile!

katesgrovegarden(AT)yahoo.co.uk

Climate Camp Land Occupied & directions

11.08.2007

Climate Camp activists met at a half dozen locations around London this afternoon, moving during the evening in vans to various sites near Heathrow.

11.08.2007

Climate Camp activists met at a half dozen locations around London this afternoon, moving during the evening in vans to various sites near Heathrow.

Just after eleven the groups converged on a large field opposite the airport. Within minute tripods were erected and occupied with a large banner reading “Climate Camp, No Airport Expansion” slung between the two.

By 11.30 a hundred or so people were on the Sipson Lane site
( http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=sipson&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&sa=N&tab=wl) , half way between Sipson and Harlington villages. Vans were being quickly unloaded, tape was marking out the barrios and tents were being erected. Despite the pitch darkness kitchens were being organised and a village began to take place.

Midnight saw the arrival of the first police – does overtime kick in at a higher rate after the witching hour? Five vans lined up outside the west gate, a couple more outside the east gate and several saloons denoting the presence of senior officers.

A phalanx of cops poured on to the site and demanded to speak to the leaders. A quick call out for people to the main gate seemed to overwhelm them and they beat a hasty retreat back to the vans, a fairly low grade FIT team videoing and stumbling over the bracken as it went.

The mood on the site is one of great elation. After months of planning and anticipation the day has finally arrived and the site is taken.

==========

The Climate Camp site has been successfully taken!

We now need lots of people to come down and get everything set up.

We are on Sipson Lane, between the villages of Sipson and Harlington, North of Heathrow.

By public transport:

Train from Paddington to ‘Hayes and Harlington’ station.

From there bus 90, 140 or H98 heading South. Get off at the corner of Harlington High Street and walk West along Sipson Lane about 600 metres.

About a 2 mile walk – south into Harlington village then as above.

Go one station further on to West Drayton and take the 222 bus to the Western (Sipson) end of Sipson Lane.

Location Map

Staines is quite far away – if you want to make your own way to the site don’t go to Staines!

But what we do know is that if is that if you get yourself to Staines railway station in West London by 10am on Tuesday 14th August, you will be greeted by our friendly welcome team and promptly transported via a magical mystery tour, to the camp! Staines railway station is very small so the Welcome Desk and pickup buses will be running from Spelthorne Leisure Centre, 5 minutes walk from the station.(There will also be lifts to the camp later in the day and throughout the week).

If you get lost trying to find the station or any other enquiries then call 0207 3779088 . There will be someone manning the phone at the London Action Resource Centre 10am to 6pm from 2nd August who will be able to help you.
There will probably be policeman filming you at the station and elsewhere. Do not be intimidated

===

The police are very pissed off that they didn’t find the site for around 2 hours despite being very nearby. They’re demanding to search everything entering the site and even copying every piece of available information from mobile phones, such as serial numbers and phone numbers stored in the address book. No news on the arrestee other than that its a ‘known activist’ who the police decided would make a nice token gesture of force. Anyone wanting to get down to work on the site is very much welcome to get down and get working.

Remember your legal rights & the fun I Spy card (links above & from main article

2nd Arrest

Someone has been nicked for walking on the road. Legal observers were present. Searches becoming a little less thorough, though even the back route into the site is being heavily policed.

New Earth First Action Update OUT NOW!

The printed EF! Action Update is back again! After a bit of a lull a new editorial collective is in place and ready to roll. We have just produced a summer edition in time for the Camp for Climate Action, where you can pick up printed copies.

The Action Update is produced quarterly to aid the sharing of news, information and ideas amongst those interested in taking action. The next newsletter will be out in November. If you’ve got news to share about your groups, campaigns and actions post them straight onto this website and we’ll make sure they’re included in the next edition.

You can also download and print out the PDF of the Action Update by clicking here.

Rossport Solidarity Camp eviction latest

Update on eviction threat to Rossport Solidarity Camp

After over eighteen months of providing a base for activists supporting the local Shell to Sea campaign, the Rossport Solidarity Camp was served notice to quit by Mayo County Council two weeks ago. For the past year and a half the council has accepted the camp’s existence without complaint. It seems no coincidence that the council’s moves to evict the camp come at a time when Shell has been extensively surveying the estuary that runs alongside the camp in preparation for pipeline development. It is likely that pressure has been applied on the council to evict now to minimize the risk of disruption to the laying of the pipeline.

Update on eviction threat to Rossport Solidarity Camp

On Tuesday the 31st July, representatives from the camp attended a court hearing in Castlebar. Following submissions from the camp’s barrister regarding due process and the lack of time given to the camp to prepare a case, the judge reluctantly agreed to adjourn the case until September the 3rd. However, in the meantime he imposed an ‘interim order of injunction’ which allows only two camp members to remain living on site. Notably, prior to the hearing, the legal representatives of both parties had agreed terms for an adjournment that allowed more people to remain on camp. The case is essentially a civil dispute and the judge’s imposition of more stringent terms is indicative, once again, of the partiality of the judiciary with regard to Shell to Sea cases.

The primary function of the camp is to provide a space for people to support the local campaign in resisting Shell. This can be done most effectively if we have a secure base to work from. Consequently, at present, we have decided to vacate the camp in accordance with the judge’s order. In an effort to be prepared for the different potential scenarios we could face, we have sought out possible alternative locations for the camp. Some people in the campaign will continue to fight the eviction through the courts and after the hearing in September we will assess our options.

Community support following the eviction order has been overwhelming. Within a week an impressive fundraising effort had been initiated and we had offers of several houses and fields to relocate to. We have also had help with moving, cleaning, decorating and furnishing. Thanks to such incredible local assistance, one of these houses has been fixed up in the last week and is now being used as the temporary Rossport Solidarity Camp base. Over the next few weeks we hope to make several other locations inhabitable.

Two weeks ago our situation seemed dire. Today, the spirit of the camp is vibrant. It is clear that resistance here will not be hampered by repression. So, while we’re sad to be temporarily giving up our beautiful seashore home, the Rossport Solidarity Camp lives on – albeit in a slightly less rustic form. As before, visitors are always welcome.

BAA climate camp Injunction: What’s Happened At Court & legal briefing

Judge’s reading (reports from first two days below) –

Delivering her ruling in a 90-speech this morning, Mrs. Justice Swift struck out most of BAA’s application, pointing out that much of their evidence was based on news reports and web sites, and ruling that, as there is a “divergence of interest” within the groups named, [with the exception of Plane Stupid], they should not be targeted.

Judge’s reading (reports from first two days below) –

She said it is regrettable that Geraldine Nicholson was ever named in the application, and that there had been no suggestion –despite participation in previous demonstrations– that Joss Garman or Leo Murray had ever harassed or intended to harass anyone.

She has therefore deleted the majority of BAA’s application, substituting wording of her own, intended to allow lawful protest, [as enshrined by right in Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights], although preventing unlawful disruption of airport operations, [as already covered by Heathrow’s by-laws].

The wording of her draft is being studied while the court adjourns for lunch. She is prepared to fine-tune the details, when the court resumes at 2 o’clock.
———————
1st August –
Please note: this is an article written after telephone contact with people outside the court. Please see the other report here.

The High Court in London was the scenery of some funny encounters today as BAA put forward their case for an injunction they served individuals from certain anti-airport groups earlier last week. We’ll spare you all the boring details, so let’s jump to the exciting bits. Basically, the whole thing was badly put together from BAA’s side. Timothy Lawson Cruttenden (TLC) was representing BAA in this case, interestingly enough the same lawyers firm that tried to slap injunctions on protesters at Brighton’s weapons manufacturers EDO. This eventually failed miserably…

Anyhow, the start of the hearing was brought back to the afternoon and once in full swing, BAA put forward some evidence to give their injunction some substance. Their evidence were some articles from the Evening Standard and the Times newspapers and a chapter from the Eco Defence Handbook. Another bit of evidence was an article about last years Climate Camp in which it was said that local people had joined the protesters and mentiones were made about radical direct action tactics. Interestingly enough, the journalist who actually wrote that was in court today as well and said that some of the things in the article he had just ‘put in’ or made up. As one does…

Evidence like this is classed as ‘hearsay’ as it is no direct evidence and therefore pretty irrelevant in court.

It was unclear whether the injunction applied to the named people within the various organisations they served the papers to, or all members from those organisations. If it would apply to all members of the named organisations (over 5 million), it would probably be difficult to enforce but if it only applied to certain individuals, than the injunction wouldn’t have a lot of effect.

BAA was so unclear about this, the judge was said to be very confused and gave them until tomorrow morning to get things straight: who are you asking to be injuncted and for what reasons? The whole injunction business seems to be a total joke, poorly prepared and mainly used as a scare tactic. As things currently look, it won’t have any effect on the actual camp which is to take place from the 14th August. A spokesperson for the Camp For Climate Action was a lot clearer than BAA: ‘ This injunction is totally irrelevant to us. We won’t be intimidated or bullied. The camp is going ahead! ‘

2nd August –
BAA used most of the morning to put forward their case. It basically boiled down to a couple of things. Firstly, BAA thinks that possible disruption caused by protests may highten the risk of ‘Iraqi-style terrorism’ at the airport. One of the examples the BAA laywer Timothy Lawson-Cruttenden used was that protesters might blockade cars going to the airport which in turn could ‘exposing them to a terrorist strike’. He added: ‘of course we see that in Baghdad every day’. Right.

The defence lawyer spent the afternoon putting forward that there are already far reaching laws in place as well as a competent police force who will be able to take care of such events. An injunction would just confuse the situation, rather than add to it. The laywer for Transport for London and the London Underground, agreed, urging the court to throw out the injunction, calling it ‘neither necessary, desirable nor clear’.

Secondly, although BAA hinted yesterday that they might not seek an injunction for all members of organisations supporting the camp for climate action, it made it clear today that it is seeking to injunct the supporters besides the 4 named people on the injunction.

The judge, Mrs Justice Swift, said she will need the weekend to think things over, so a ruling can be expected on Monday morning. The hearing will continue today (Friday) in the morning, for a couple of hours.

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Heathrow’s Injunction – What it means

Everything you needed to know but didn’t have a clue what to ask about Heathrow’s injunction against protesters. Designed for the lay person, it is essential reading for climate campers.

Heathrow’s Injunction – What it actually means.

To say that Heathrow Airport have shot themselves in the foot with their misguided attempt to impose an injunction against all anti-airports protestors, not just the Camp for Climate Action, is an understatement. There is an injunction, but it is toothless. The main aim of the injunction is to scare people off from coming to the camp and from taking action at Heathrow Airport so we want to explain what the injunction really means for Climate Campers.

THE TERMS OF THE INJUNCTION

Who the injunction applies to:
As well as a few named individuals, the injunction has been granted against a nebulous group of ‘protestors’, where protestor means the anti-aviation protest group Plane Stupid, its supporters and those acting “in concert” with Plane Stupid to disrupt the operation of Heathrow airport.

What it restricts:
a) trespassing on Heathrow Airport’s land;
b) any activity impeding, obstructing or interfering with the operation of Heathrow Airport;
c) inciting or helping others to do a) or b).

Nothing in the terms of the injunction order exceeds current police powers. Mrs Justice Swift has based her order on existing laws and bye-laws, and has not permitted the wide restrictions that Heathrow wanted.

SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE CLIMATE CAMP?
Nothing of substance. The Camp for Climate Action is not covered by the injunction. The Camp for Climate Action is separate from Plane Stupid. While it may be argued that there are links between individuals in Plane Stupid and the Camp, they are separate organisations. The Camp for Climate Action existed before Plane Stupid, and is a self-organising entity controlled by no other organisation.

ARE YOU COVERED?
The key phrase which determines whether you become a ‘protestor’ or not is whether you are acting ‘in concert’ with Plane Stupid and the three named individuals (collectively called the Defendants) to disrupt operations at Heathrow Airport. Being part of the Climate Camp does not automatically make you a ‘protestor’ within the terms of this injunction. You would need to do something else in addition which would link you with the defendants. Experience with other injunctions indicates that to be acting ‘in concert’ with the Defendants would require you to:
a) be a known activist with Plane Stupid;
b) do an action explicitly organised by the Defendants for the purpose of disrupting operations at Heathrow Airport;
c) use materials produced by the Defendants in an action which either trespasses on, obstructs or interferes with Heathrow.

So to be safe we recommend that you don’t bring any banners or leaflets or other materials with any reference to Plane Stupid on them to the camp or on actions.

The injunction comes to an end on 31st August. After that it disappears altogether unless Heathrow can successfully apply to extend it.

SERVICE OF THE INJUNCTION
To be covered by the injunction you have to be served first. If you are not served then you cannot be covered by its terms even if you fall under the definition of protestor.

To prove you have been served Heathrow has to demonstrate that you were either
a) personally handed a copy of the injunction, or
b) seen / photographed / videoed reading a copy of the injunction whether on a website or the ones that are likely to be posted up on their property (this is called service by substitution).

We will deal with what to do about personal service below, but service by substitution is very difficult to prove. The injunction requires Plane Stupid, HACAN and Airport Watch to post the injunction on their websites, and no doubt Heathrow will have it on theirs as well. However, they still have to prove that you went to those websites and explicitly viewed the terms of the injunction – something very difficult to do, if not downright impossible.

Heathrow will also display the injunction around its premises, in particular on the fences and posts of its perimeter. The purpose of this is to say that you must be aware of the terms if you were in the area. But it is an argument likely to fall flat unless they have evidence to show that you actually read the notices.

The court may decide that if you have been provided with the terms of the injunction by someone telling you (eg someone shouting it over a megaphone) then you have been served. However there are any number of problems with proving this in court (as has been show to be the case with the police using megaphones to inform assemblies of sec.14 orders).

PERSONAL SERVICE
It is very likely that, despite the hollowness of their victory that BAA will attempt to serve people personally with a copy of the injunction order. The standard tactic, probably with the support of the police, is to have specially appointed individuals called ‘process servers’ whose job is to go around handing out copies of the order to people they think are likely to be ‘protestors’, and at the same time photo / video / record the fact with a description of the person served.

To be served they must give you a copy of the order, but this can amount to tapping you on the body with it and dropping it at your feet, even as you are running off. It is likely that these process servers will turn up at various protests with copies to hand out. They are also likely to be outside the climate camp attempting to serve it on people coming in or out.

You are not required to stand still and simply wait to be served. As they are officers of the court you are not supposed to actively interfere with them serving people but there is no requirement for you to make their life easy for them. If someone dodgy looking comes towards you with a sheaf of paper don’t hang around and take it, or open your window to accept it. Don’t let them into the camp – they have no right to be there. In the past people have been very creative in protecting those that have not been served, for instance, forming spontaneous group hugs around them or simply standing in a line between them and the process server – process servers are not allowed to break the law to serve the injunction order.

If a process server is being aggressive, take action and make complaints – the are not allowed to assault people or act aggressively. Video their actions (though not faces of those being served) in case there are any subsequent court cases – you have a right to video both process servers and police alike, regardless of what they say.

And if you have been served with the injunction this does not mean you are automatically covered by it – you still have to fall into the definition of ‘protestor’ given above. Simply being a climate camper or involved in a climate camp protest does not mean that.

WHAT IS A BREACH OF THE INJUNCTION
If you are a ‘protestor’ within the meaning of the injunction and you trespass on Heathrow Airport Ltd’s land (there is a map attached to the injunction) then you are in breach of the injunction. You are also in breach if you blockade any road or other form of transport for people or vehicles reaching the airport, as this would amount to interfering with or obstructing the operation of the airport. What it does not stop is action against companies involved with the airport being targeted in their own right. It does not stop leafleting or other lawful protest activities from taking place in any place not covered under the trespass clause.

It is not a criminal offence to breach the injunction as it is a civil matter only. You cannot be arrested for breaching the injunction, even if the police say otherwise. Note, however, you can still be arrested for breaking the law and local bye-laws relating to trespass, etc.

Inciting people to trespass, or to impede / interfere with Heathrow’s operation will also be considered to be breaches of the injunction, but then, only if they can prove that you were served or had knowledge that it was breaching the injunction. Note, incitement can be an offence in its own right depending on what you are inciting others to do.

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU BREACH THE INJUNCTION
The injunction does not give the police any powers of arrest for breach of the injunction (of course you may still be arrested if you are suspected of committing a criminal offence). To pursue you for breach of the injunction Heathrow must get the Court’s permission, which is decided at a ‘committal’ hearing. Heathrow will need to first get your name and address in order to serve you with court papers about the committal hearing. At that hearing they will have to prove that you had been served with the injunction, and that you did something that breached the terms of the injunction.

Technically a breach is contempt of court, and can carry a variety of penalties depending on the severity of the breach, these range from a conditional discharge, through fines and jail time. But jail time in particular is very unlikely except for persistent breaches. Taking you to court for breach of the injunction is an expensive and fairly pointless route for Heathrow, and something they are unlikely to do as by the time they get you to Court the camp will be over. Most other injunctions of this sort, such as the one at the climate camp at Drax last year have proved unenforceable and have been ignored by protesters without repercussions.

The publicity generated by these injunction proceedings has been a fantastic boost for the Climate Camp itself and the campaigns against Heathrow and aviation in general. You couldn’t pay for this sort of coverage. We hope that no one will be deterred from coming to the Climate Camp by the injunction – that would be a surrender of our right to freedom of protest and expression. We can all be at the Camp, sure in our right to be there.

FINAL NOTES ON THE PROTECTION FROM HARASSMENT ACT
The outcome of these injunction proceedings is a victory for protesters in the UK and has made a laughing stock of Heathrow’s owner BAA plc, as well as their lawyer Timothy Lawson-Cruttenden, the self-declared ‘market-leader’ in these types of injunctions. Mrs Justice Swift threw out BAA’s application for an injunction under the Protection from Harassment Act (PHA) forcing BAA to fall back on the more toothless common law option, so damaging greatly the ability of corporations to use the PHA to stifle legal protest.

For the last four years corporations have been using the PHA to attack legitimate protest. Originally designed to protect people from stalkers, the Government and companies who are the target of persistent protests have been relatively successful in attempting to declare otherwise lawful forms of protest such as marches and leafleting, the use of megaphones, drums, whistles etc as amounting to harassment and therefore have been able to obtain court orders restricting or banning protests outright. The misuse of this law has lead to a draconian infringement of the rights to protest and assemble. It has also allowed corporations to obtain court orders based on lower standards of proof than would be allowed in the criminal courts, yet the penalties for breaching the orders made are criminal in nature.

As a last point, we would like to distance ourselves from the negative comments by some fighting the injunction in referring to ‘animal rights nuts’. The animal rights movement has been at the front line fighting the draconian terms of injunctions under the Protection from Harassment Act for four years now. These injunctions have never been about stopping illegal activities, but about curbing the right to lawful protest. The outcome of these current injunction proceedings is another step in that same fight.

legal.collective3@yahoo.co.uk

Gagged! 18 – South Wales Anarchist Newsletter

Heres the pdf – http://lists.riseup.net/www/d_read/gagged/gagged18.pdf
audio to follow in the next few days.

some last minute diary dates:
Saturday 6pm – Social Ecology seminar -at the PAD, An introduction by Social
Ecology London
Sunday noon – after the fry up at the PAD a presentation on this years
climate camp, films, talks etc etc
Monday 8pm – South Wales Anarchists forum – a networking gathering with
reports from all the local groups & campaigns. All welcome. 8pm, Glamorgan
Staff Club, Westgate Street, Cardiff. If what you read in Gagged! interests
you, why not come along!
Tuesday 7pm – at the PAD reading group subject ‘Turbulence’ see
www.turbulence.org.uk

GAGGED! #18 • August 2007• www.gaggedanarchist.tk • FREE
Produced by South Wales Anarchists • southwalesanarchists.org

War on Terror = War on Civil Liberties

South Wales cops have asked the Home Office for invasive powers to stop & search people in Cardiff following terror attacks in London & Glasgow Airport. In a move which echoes politicians’ calls to extend internment without charge, the police here are using the terror attacks as an excuse to extend their powers & further strip away civil liberties. Section 44 of the Terrorism Act gives the plod unprecedented stop & search powers & has already been misused to hassle demonstrators & others.
Speaking at the beginning of July Divisional Commander for Cardiff, Chief Superintendent Josh Jones said: ‘Communities defeat terrorism & I ask anyone who is stopped by a police officer over the next few days to help us by engaging positively & passing on any information that they may have.’

However, Assistant Chief Constable Giles York also said: ‘We have seen several well intentioned calls to the police & I am very encouraged at the vigilance being shown by the public of South Wales , particularly as there is no specific threat to the area.’

Does anyone else see a bit of a contradiction here? They’ve asked for powers to stop & search people because of the threat of terrorism, while at the same time admitting there is no threat to people in Cardiff . This is opportunist nonsense. The cops are yet again using people’s very real fear of terrorism as an excuse to get more powers for themselves.

Know your rights

If you’re stopped & searched under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 you have specific & clear rights that cops will ignore unless you make it clear you know them. They may try & get you to give them your personal details, & they may attempt to photograph you – they are not allowed to do either. Here are some pointers provided by the civil rights group Liberty:
• The police can only give you a pat down, remove outer clothes (eg: jacket, hat) search your bags, & have you empty your pockets
• You do not have to give your name or address.
• You do not have to explain why you are there.
• You are not allowed to flee the search, but you are not required to be actively compliant. You are allowed to “go limp” as passive resistance during the search if you do not wish to comply.
• There is no permission to collect DNA data during the search.
• You do not have to comply with any attempt to photograph or record you (although you cannot wear a mask).
• Women can not be touched by male police during these searches.
• Make notes about the officers searching you – name, number, & police force.
• Note the time & the events preceding the search.
• Note the specific wording used by the police to explain their authority to search.
• Ask police for the reason that they are searching you. Specifically, are they searching for terrorists or are they simply trying to deter, delay, or inconvenience you?
check out: www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk

Plod Spread Terror Fears

South Wales Police have been bleating to the press about the increased level of calls from frightened members of the public about so-called ‘suspicious’ behaviour. Instead of appealing for calm or just keeping their mouths shut, they’ve encouraged people to remain ‘vigilant’ against unknown or non-existent threats, & report every paranoid fantasy to the police.

Assistant Chief Constable Giles York said: ‘It is not only my officers making South Wales a hostile area for any terrorist activity, but also our communities. The public are our eyes & ears & we are grateful for the efforts they have taken to report anything which is slightly out of the ordinary.’
Exactly what are the best nuggets of ‘intelligence’ a frightened public have passed on to York & his team?

‘We have received calls from businesses who are reporting unusual purchases’, he said. ‘One supermarket in South Wales notified us of a group buying a large amount of digital cameras. In another call, the manager of a shopping centre notified us of a call he had received in which he was asked for maps of the centre.’

Digital cameras & maps of Cardiff ? Be afraid. Be very afraid.

York added: ‘Both of these calls turned out to have genuine explanations but I encourage anyone to get in contact with us if they have any concerns, no matter how trivial they may seem.’

Nobody is illegal

A Kebab-house was closed & 5 takeaway workers arrested when cops & immigration bureaucrats raided Cardiff’s ‘Chip Lane’ at the beginning of July.

One worker at Dorothy’s Fish Bar said: “There have been lots of police here, at least 20 officers. They sealed off Caroline Street at both ends & have been through all the takeaways looking for illegals. They checked all the staff’s passports & their status.”

It isn’t known what people were nicked for, they could have been so-called ‘illegal immigrants’ or asylum seekers awaiting Home Office approval to stay in the UK. Under current laws refugees are not allowed to work or earn money while their applications to stay are processed, having to live off tiny state handouts. If they work, they are forced into low-paying menial jobs, & if discovered they are arrested & deported.

Asylum seekers are often from countries where there has been military intervention by the West or regimes armed & supported by the UK. Nothing can justify the suffering that is imposed on innocent people like those arrested in Cardiff in the name of ‘immigration controls’. The rich will settle in whichever country makes them pay the least tax, but the poor are forced to risk their lives to try & make a better life for themselves. As Anarchists we believe in complete freedom of movement.

Picket lines

Royal mail staff in Wales took part in the 1st UK wide postal strike for 11 years on 29th June with another 24-hour strike beginning at 7pm on 12th July. Workers are angry at Royal Mails ‘modernisation’ plans, which will result in the loss of 40,000 jobs & cuts in wages & pensions. It will also mean higher stamp prices, less collections, later deliveries, cuts in weekend services & the closure of even more post offices.

*****

A high school in Denbighshire, north Wales, was forced to close as teachers staged a one day strike. Industrial action came following a long running dispute over new pay arrangements introduced in 2006 & serious concerns with working practices at the school with many staff feeling “demoralised & undervalued”. Sound familiar? Ah the predictability of capitalist working relations.

*****

Strike action at the troubled Grampian Food Group factory, Llangefni, Anglesey was cancelled at the last minute after workers accepted a 4% pay deal in a ballot on the 25th June. Workers were due to strike on 26th, 27th & 30th June because of disputes over pay, pensions & the growing casualisation of the workforce.

*****

Health workers across the UK are still considering strike action over a pay rise deal well below the rate of inflation. Earlier this year health workers were offered a miserable 2.5% pay rise. This was cut even further when both the government & employers said that in Wales, England & Northern Ireland this would be staged – with a 1.5% increase given from April & the final 2.5% settlement paid from November. However, following workers complaints & union pressure the respective governmental bodies of Wales & Northern Ireland were forced to make u-turns & health workers in these countries will now receive their pay rise in full backdated from April. This does not yet apply to health workers in England. UNISON has conducted a ballot of its health worker members (460,000 across the UK) for potential industrial action scheduled to take place in September 2007. Watch this space!

*****

Hospital workers at Ysbyti’r Tri Chwm, Ebbw Vale held a demonstration outside the hospital in protest against £120-a-year car parking charges for staff, which were introduced in April. A spokesperson for the Gwent NHS trust stated that charging for car parking was now standard practice at nearly all NHS hospitals in south Wales & that there was a need to maintain equity with staff in other hospital sites who already pay charges. But many workers feel that they are being charged for the privilege of going to work & that parking should be free for all staff, patients & visitors. Too right!

“Wales?” Same old tory Story

David Cameron’s “New” Tories have appointed an Eton-educated hereditary peer who knows “absolutely nothing” about Wales as Welsh Affairs spokesman. Lord Glentoran, who lives in Northern Ireland , said, “As far as the politics of Wales is concerned, as of 48 hours ago I knew absolutely nothing. I now know nothing, plus a bit. I know nothing about the politics but I know quite a lot about the geography.” he denied this was a problem as he had once stayed with a “literally working class family in Bristol“ when he was 16, before joining the Army. You couldn’t make it up!

NO PIPELINE!

On the morning of 19th June a huge number of police & bailiffs arrived at the anti-pipeline tree camp in Sennybridge, Brecon Beacons, to evict protesters from the trees.

The camp has successfully prevented the destruction of woodland in the Brecon Beacons National Park, on the route of the huge LNG pipleine, since January this year. Protesters were taken to court in early June & had been awaiting the eviction. Some people were locked on high up in the trees whilst others were underground in tunnels in order to delay National Grid’s multi-million pound destructive & dangerous project.The A40 road that ran past the camp was closed to traffic & police & bailiffs spent two days removing the activists. Many people headed down to give support but few made it onto site, most being kept in a police cordon outside with journalists.

In total 12 people were arrested, most receiving cautions or conditional discharge with a court fine. National Grid instantly began stripping away the land in order to prevent anyone occupying it again. Perhaps they forget that the route of the pipe is 200 miles long…plenty of room for more resistance!
The camp was successful in raising awareness of how the government & corporations are prioritising money over the future of our environment. Any claim they make to be taking climate change & environmental destruction seriously becomes a joke when they happily overrule objections so they can destroy supposedly ‘protected’ natural land to make way for yet more fossil fuels. Check out: www.fightthepipe.co.uk

Who watches the watchers?

Five security guards working in Welsh Assembly buildings, Cardiff were caught using CCTV cameras to look at nearby homes & hotels. While this has been going on for around two years, the voyeuristic security guards have received nothing more than a slap on the wrist. An assembly spokesperson claimed that these were “isolated” incidences, which were not thought to have infringed anyone’s privacy. We bet the people whose houses were spied on feel a whole lot better now!

Welfare for the Rich

Working class people in Wales are subsidising private industry not only through wage slavery (where the pay we take home is much less than the value of the work we do), but also in huge payouts to businesses funded by our taxes.

Tax is meant to be cash we lend the state so that they can pay it back to us in essential services, education, healthcare, & pensions. But politicians are giving millions to the rich so they can set up more businesses.

For 5 years the Welsh Assembly Government has given millions of taxpayers’ money to business in the form of Assembly Investment Grants (AIG) & Regional Selective Assistance (RSA). During the first 4 years of the scheme’s operations, over 1504 offers of AIG with a combined value of £45.8 million were made to businesses. In the 7 year period to March 2006 1173 offers of RSA with a combined value of a whopping £650 million were made to businesses undertaking capital investment projects in Wales.

These bribes for bosses are typical of the way in which governments operate. Sweeteners for the rich might look attractive to politicians, & might even boost the economy & create a few jobs in the short-term. But in the long-term the people of Wales lose out big-time: Once profits at these subsidised businesses start to fall they close down their factories, sack the workforce & move on to places where the labour is cheaper & new government subsidies are to be had.

Under “New” Labour the gap between rich & poor has widened massively. Payouts to the rich are a major cause of this inequality, the wealthy few can enjoy lives of comfort & extravagance while 3 million British children live in poverty.

COME CAMP WITH US!

Organising & struggling in our local communities is key to building strong social movements & bringing about lasting social change. But we also need to continue to come together in mass mobilisations. It is at convergence spaces like the ones at the recent anti-G8 protests (see Gagged! #17) that we get a glimpse of our collective power. They offer us the space to organise & come up with solutions to social & environmental problems without the need for leaders, where together we can create new worlds in the shell of the old. This summer there are at least two major protest camps in the UK – come camp with us: you know you want to!

CAMP FOR CLIMATE ACTION

On 14th-21st August, somewhere near Heathrow the 2nd Camp for Climate Action will take place, with 8 days of low-impact, sustainable living, learning, collective decision-making & direct action to highlight the problems of climate change & solutions to halt it.

Climate change is happening now. People are dying of starving now. Environmental refugees are moving now & according to the Red Cross already outnumber those displaced by armed conflict. The situation is only going to get worse – unless we act now! If we carry on with business as usual scientists predict a possible 6 degree rise in temperature. Last time the planet experienced this was 250 million years ago & 95% of all life was wiped off the face of the earth.

Our entire way of life is currently structured so that almost every aspect of our lives produces harmful carbon dioxide emission – travel, work, housing, food. In order to cut these emissions by the 90% that many scientists believe necessary, some very major changes need to occur. So where is this change going to come from? We believe that far from offering any solutions to our current ecological crisis governments are part of the problem. Neither can we expect corporations or the market to offer any real solutions. Although we all need to make changes in the ways we live, it’s not enough just to switch brands. We need to challenge the logic of capitalism, which got us into this mess in the first place. Capitalism is based on a very simple principle – perpetual economic growth. This leads to the constant over production of goods & services that we just don’t need, the consumption of the world’s finite resources & ever growing amounts of waste that our ecosystem just can’t deal with. Expecting corporations to sort this out is absurd. They are designed for one thing & that is the maximisation of profit.

The aviation industry is a major contributor to climate change. The main reason why the camp will be at Heathrow this year is to highlight the massive contradiction of the government claiming to be working to reduce emissions while setting the conditions for huge growth in flying, through airport expansion & subsidies on air fuel, which has stimulated a massive increasing in cheap flights.
Last year’s camp was a huge success (see Gagged! #13). Activists from south Wales joined over 600 people to take direct action against Drax powerstation, the UK’s largest carbon dioxide emitter & explored, debated & discussed grass roots alternatives to the current system. Let’s make this year’s camp an even bigger success! Together we can build a better world now! Check out: climatecamp.org.uk

No Border Camp 2007

On 19th-24th September will be the UK’s first “No Border Camp”, continuing the tradition of No Border protest camps across the world since the late 1990s. The government has recently announced its plans to build a new detention centre near Gatwick airport. This will be another in a long list of such places around the world. Places where people are locked up indefinitely & without trial, & from where they can be forcibly deported. Such detention prisons are an integral part of a systematic, racist, & barbarous policy of suffering. Together we can stop this one being built!

The camp will be an experiment in self-organisation. A chance to work together to stop the building of a new detention centre & gather ideas for how to build up the fight against migration controls. It will be an important opportunity to challenge & overcome the artificial borders of class, race, sex, sexuality, & nationality which divide us from each other, & act in solidarity with one another for a world without borders.

‘Freedom of movement’ is such a scary prospect for the wealthy few because migration undermines a central dimension of contemporary global capitalism – that people living in different parts of the world can be paid different wages. Borders, migration controls, notions of citizenship & the ‘rights’ that these entail are all integral mechanisms through which this unequal, exploitative world system is maintained. Without them there would be no way of confining people to a certain place, a certain set of working conditions & rate of pay. Check out: www.noborders.org.uk

COPWATCH

Cop Wankers Part II
Last month Gagged! reported how PC Richard Bowen got away with an 18 month suspended sentence & avoided jail after masturbating in front of an arrested woman in the back of a panda car. He was ordered to do 100 hours community service as a painter & decorator on the estate where he grew up. Let’s hope he doesn’t run out of wallpaper paste. This month we can reveal that yet another UK rozzer, Essex Police’s Martin Chapman, has been suspended for the same thing. It must be something about the uniform. There is a silver-lining though: a few more like this & they might all go blind.

Gwent Cops on Tax Payer-Funded fun
Members of the Gwent Police were living it up at our expense at major events this summer. Cops were sent on free trips to Glastonbury & Wimbledon, allegedly to get hints & tips on how to police major events ahead of the Ryder Cup, to be held in Newport in 2010. Superintendent Nigel Russell denied any suggestions cops had been on a junket to Europe’s biggest music festival, claiming they did not see any bands. “You won’t catch the cops in the moshpit,” he said, trying desperately not to sound like a cock.

Police Numbers Fall
Overpaid work-shy plod are retiring in their droves & not enough new ones are taking their place, according to new figures. For the first time in ages more police are leaving Welsh forces than are being recruited, because of a rise in retirement & resignation rates. The number of cops resigning from the four Welsh forces has more than doubled since 2002, while retirements have also shot up, from 110 in 2002 to 269 last year.

Cop Cars Trashed at Gypsy Camp
Two South Wales Police vehicles had their windows smashed in a disturbance at an official traveller’s camp. A Gypsy Council spokesman told the press he didn’t know anything about the incident, but added: “I’m surprised the police left their cars unattended. It doesn’t matter where they go on housing estates anywhere in the country, they shouldn’t leave them unattended. I don’t know any police force that would leave their cars.”

Welsh Plod Ignored Male Rape Victim
Police have apologised to a rape victim after their handling of his case was criticised by the Independent Police Complaints Commission. Geoffrey Cole, from Neath, was sexually assaulted in October 2005. When he reported the crime, police officers didn’t take him seriously, & failed to make adequate efforts to examine the crime scene for evidence. Mr Cole’s attacker has never been caught.

Diary Dates -If you are unsure about attending any of the events listed below, why not get in touch?

August
1-5 – Big Green Gathering – Sustainable living, music & hippies. Somerset. www.big-green-gathering.com
6 – South Wales Anarchists forum – a networking gathering with reports from all the local groups & campaigns. All welcome. 8pm, Glamorgan Staff Club, Westgate Street, Cardiff.
11 – No Borders Info-day & Social – to mobilise for the No Border camp; with speakers, films, food & live music. From 1pm at the PAD.
14-21 – Camp for Climate Action – near Heathrow airport. www.climatecamp.org.uk
27-30 – Smash EDO Action Camp – Direct Action against the war machine. www.smashedo.org.uk
September
11 – Disarm Desi – actions against Defence Systems & Equipment International arms fair. ExCel Centre, London. www.dsei.org
19-24 – No Borders Camp, near Gatwick. www.noborders.org.uk

Got any news or an event you want us to cover? send details to news@gaggedanarchist.tk

An audio version of Gagged! is available, just check out www.gaggedanarchist.tk, where you can also subscribe online. Five thousand copies of each issue are distributed throughout the region, we always looking to get Gagged! into new places. If you are interested in getting involved in any way, please get in touch info@gaggedanarchist.tk

Peoples Autonomous Destination
a physical space in Cardiff for groups & individuals who cannot or will not work within the constraints of governmental or corporate control.
Vegan fryup every sunday from 12noon.
Not-for-profit-shop every wednesday from 5pm. Plus free shop all the time.
meetings every wednesday from 7pm.
& lots more, check our notice board!
118 Clifton Street, Cardiff CF24 1LW • www.thepad.org.uk

Campaign Groups
Cardiff Rising Tide
is a grassroots group committed to taking action & building a movement against climate change. Meet irregularly, get in contact for details.
cardiff@risingtide.org.uk
www.risingtide.org.uk
No Borders Wales
organises on migration issues & acts to break down boundaries that divide us. Meet thursdays 7pm at PAD.
noborderswales@riseup.net
www.noborders.org.uk
Cardiff Reading Anti-Capitalism
is a study/reading group exploring revolutionary vision & strategy. Meet 7pm last tuesday of the month at PAD.

Cardiff Anarchist Network (CAN) is a collective of people who want to pursue political demonstrations through direct action. There are no leaders, just like minded individuals. cardiffanarchists@riseup.net myspace.com/cardiffanarchists Meet 8pm mondays at PAD.

Gwent Anarchists are like minded individuals believing in autonomy, respect & justice; against all forms of exploitation & bigotry. Aiming to increase the knowledge of, & create a resistance to governments & big business abusing people & the earth. gwentanarchists@yahoo.co.uk myspace.com/gwentanarchists Meet 8.30pm every other monday at the Murenger House, High Street, Newport.

Pembrokeshire Anarchists is a group of like minded people who believe in direct action, justice, freedom & autonomy, are against capitalism, exploitation & bigotry. pembrokeshireanarchists@riseup.net myspace.com/pembrokeshireanarchists

Rhondda Cyon Taf Anarchists are an autonomous group of free-thinking individuals who reject capitalism & resist state control through direct action. We work towards the creation of a world based on justice & freedom. rctanarchists@riseup.net

For more news from all over the world like the sort you find in Gagged! take a look at: www.schnews.org.uk www.indymedia.org.uk www.libcom.org www.anarkismo.net www.infoshop.org

info@gaggedanarchist.tk
http://www.gaggedanarchist.tk

Tara’s Last Stand?

violence on tara
7 arrests
court case today
urgent help needed

www.indymedia.ie click on ´watch revolt footage here`

faeryarmy@yahoo.co.uk

Tara’s Last Stand?

violence on tara
7 arrests
court case today
urgent help needed

www.indymedia.ie click on ´watch revolt footage here`

faeryarmy@yahoo.co.uk

Tara’s Last Stand?

An open letter to all who are interested in the defence of the earth and the standing-up to power.
Please forward, copy, or circulate.

Place: Tara Valley, Hill of Tara, County Meath, Republic of Ireland
Time: NOW

History: Tara Hill and Valley are part of an ancient temple complex of earthworks, henges, raths (forts), and souterrains (underground tomb chambers). Many of the works pre-date the pyramids. Tara was used as the crowning place of the old high kings of Ireland. It is still in use for ceremonies today, and is particularly associated with Samhain (Hallowe’en).

Threat: The Irish government have sanctioned a route through the Tara valley of the M3 motorway. This road will be tolled, is the least-favourable of the five options available according to principles of road-building and economic sense, will ’save’ fifteen minutes of time to the M50 bottleneck (British M25 equivalent) during the morning rush hour to Dublin, and is being sited on a stretch of road that is not even that busy. A gigantic complex of shopping malls is planned at an interchange, due to be sited 1000 yards from the Hill of Tara. Many ancient monuments have already been destroyed. Many more new and unusual findings DUG UP DURING THE EXCAVATION OF THE LAND FOR THE ROAD have been either recorded by record’ (ie made a note of in a book and destroyed) or are being stored in warehouses. Such ancient artefacts dug up include human bones from old graves.

Actions to date: Around ten to twelve regular people have taken it in shifts for the past year in keeping an unbroken vigil fire and camp burning on Tara Hill. These people have held up the progress of the road by direct action, including digger-diving thus far.

Current Situation: The European Parliament (EU) has told the Irish Government that the work they are doing is illegal and to cease immediately. Just after this was announced in the press, many more diggers and machines were sent, on Wednesday July 18th, to a monument on the site known as ‘Soldier’s Hill’ for the road company to establish a compound. Having recruited many more drivers, and turned them into nominal security guards for the day, the company deployed its staff to aggressively remove all protestors from site. Seven protestors were arrested for not following a policeman‘s orders and public order offences. Three were bailed at 500 Euros, with the condition they cease to go to the sites to protest. A further four refused those bail conditions and were remanded on a week’s custody at Clover Hill prison, Dublin, until a court case pending Wednesday July 25th. Internet footage of the high levels of violence utilised by the road company’s men surprised even the long-term campaigners at Rossport, used to dealing with such intimidation.

The Last Stand: A court case is pending in the EU court, but the road company, aiming to save on much lost time and money has started a big push, and has now reached the part of the route where a gigantic WOODHENGE was unearthed during the excavation. This site is currently being ‘recorded by record’ by state-appointed archaeologists. Their work is SAID to need another two to three weeks to complete. The EU court case is due mid-to-late August The Henge is looking like the site of the last stand. The company has drafted in round-the-clock security. The Irish Police has said it will arrest anyone found on site, even if they are merely mounting a peaceful protest. The road company and the Irish Government have continued destroying monuments, even before the ‘recording by record’ process has finished. There are currently around ten to twenty protestors on site.

A Plea: If anyone out there has it in their heart, time, space, trip, whatever to come and lend a hand, the following three general areas would love to be catered for:

1. DIRECT ACTION: anyone with any experience of, enjoyment in doing and a continued desire to do locking-on, tree-house building, ropeway-slinging and so on are instructed to make their way to the site as soon as possible. This plea is especially directed to those who are part of the victorious Nine Ladies camp in Derbyshire, who may be at a loose end and may want to get involved in this action. It may only last a month, one way or the other. Although Irish police has said it will arrest anyone on site, there is still the possibility of digger-diving and road-blocking, provided the numbers are increased.

2. MAGIC ACTION: as part of a psychological warfare front, music, dance, song, partying and all the rest of it are very welcome at this time. This is not only a call for Direct Action people. The festival of Lughnasa (Lammas or Harvest Festival) starts on Wednesday August 1st and it is intended to hold ceremony, play games, sing, recite poetry, and have a party in the woods, from then and throughout the weekend of July 3rd to 5th, and on and on. Even if you can only make it over for a few days, do come for the party anyway!

3. PRACTICAL ACTION: All manner of kitchen workers, camp-cleaners, fire-tenders- you-name-it-ers, whatever it takes to maintain a decent camp. There are always things to do, and there are not really enough there yet to make the stand that is required.

THE NUMBERS GAME:

Experienced Direct Action protestors reckon that a good stand could be made at the Henge if there are AT LEAST ONE HUNDRED PEOPLE THERE. If there are TWO HUNDRED, then the position is that much stronger, while THREE HUNDRED would, it is reckoned, tip the balance against the road company.

In order for the road to be stopped, AS MANY AS POSSIBLE are pleaded with to help in any way they can, to come to Tara AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Otherwise, it may be too late.

Thank you for your time.

We Hope to See you on the Hill

yours, in love of the land,

THE FIANNA FAERY (Soldiers of Faery)
TARA BRIGADE
HILL OF TARA

Camberwell squat centre dances on

Still no word on the eviction. No word from the alleged owners.

So… We decided to press ahead with events… if we get evicted then yah boo. These are what we came up with… There is room for more events… if you have any ideas get in touch. Seriously. There’s no point just consuming this space, make it happen. Every mini-gig or party, meeting or workshop that happens is a dance of defiance to the profiteering scum that boss this world.

Still no word on the eviction. No word from the alleged owners.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Weds 25th: Film night… Film being arranged. 7.30pm

Friday 27th: Café/bar… 7.30 – 1.

Tuesday 31 July: Spanish and Polish Lessons, 7.30 and 8pm respectively.
Beginners and slightly more experienced welcome. Bring pens and paper.
Homework.

Weds 1 August: Film night. Film being arranged. 7.30pm

Thurs 2 August: Discussion night: “Squat or Social Centre”, idea is to discuss squatted and social centres in this country and the world, issues around the differences between them, examples of what people round the world are doing, we will also will try to get an exhibition together of squat centres etc. Maybe some slides. Hopefully a comrade from Madrid will be here, to talk about La Alarma Squat and the Facultad Okupa Autogestionada squatted university they recently got together there.

Friday 3rd: Bar/café, hopefully a party, with DJs… 7.30 – 1am.

Sunday 5th: Ubuntu install fest: Help and hints as to installing free user based software like linux etc. 2pm. Laptops or hard drives obviously would help if you want this stuff!

Tuesday 7: Spanish and Polish Lesson, 7.30 and 8pm respectively.

Weds 8 August: Film night.

Thurs 9th: Historical talk on “Underground Lambeth”, all the stuff hidden beneath the streets and houses of South London’s finest borough (ooh)… 7.30pm.

Fri 10th: Café/bar. 7.30 – 1am.

Sat 11th: Mini bookfair! We agreed to get 4 or 5 stall in, 56a, elephant editions, past tense, last hours, maybe a couple more, and do a big publicity blitz. Mad or what? Could be great! Any ideas for stalls? Past Tense and Elephant confirmed.

Further ahead: There are plans for a Spanish party, and also a jam session, in 3 weeks maybe. If we still here.

Also there will hopefully be a workshop on how to build bike wheels, we’re waiting for some a delivery of stuff before confirming.

We’re not fucking dead yet!

CAMBERWELL VERSUS DEATH? WE’RE WINNING!

Camberwell Squatted Centre, 192 Warham Street, London, SE5,

Tube: Oval

Buses: P5, 36, 185, 436.

Boat: Dinghy to Kennington Park, which will be flooded by the time you read this.

For more info check the website: www.56a.org.uk/warham.html

Siberian protest camp attacked by neo-nazis

In the early morning of 21st July, neo-nazi skinheads launched a vicious and unprovoked attack on an anti-nuclear protest camp in Angarsk, Siberia, Russia. The nazis violently attacked activists in their sleeping bags and tents with iron rods, knives and air pressure guns. 21 year old Ilya Borodaenko from Nachodka suffered a head-fracture during the attack and later died in hospital from his injuries. At least nine others have been reported to be seriously injured, one of which has had both their legs broken. Tents were set on fire and several belongings were stolen.
The camp started last week and is aimed at protesting against a planned centre of uranium enrichment in Angarsk. Ever since the arrival of the activists, the police have tried to intimidate them and have entered the camp in an attempt to gather information about planned actions. The organisation who planned the camp, the ‘Ecological Wave of Baikal’, had planned various rallies in the surronding area to inform locals about the plans and drum up support for the campaign.
Financial help and other forms of solidarity are urgently needed. Contact xmakimax (at) gmail.com or ogopogos (at) gmail.com if you are able to offer support