Squatting / Free Spaces / Protest Sites – Page 85

Titnore tree protest camp appeals for help (& audio report)

SPRING is in the air, the birds are singing in the trees and Titnore Woods in Sussex is once again a lovely place to be…

With the end of a tough winter, the protest camp near Worthing has today appealed for help in a spring offensive aimed at making sure it is in fighting fit shape as its first anniversary and another rebel summer approach.

SPRING is in the air, the birds are singing in the trees and Titnore Woods in Sussex is once again a lovely place to be…

It was set up in May last year to oppose plans for a 875-home estate, access roads and new Tesco megastore on ancient woodland and green fields in West Durrington.

Top of the wishlist at the moment are pallets, long support beams for treehouses, climbing equipment (not harnesses) and climbing rope. Also someone with a van or similar vehicle who would be able to help clear away rubbish from the site.

Most of all, of course, there is a plea for more people! Whether you can spare five minutes, five hours, five days, five weeks or five months, your physical presence in any supportive capacity is always appreciated.

Why not get down there yourself and discover the kind of environmental direct action that they thought had gone out of fashion after Newbury?

The camp is in woods just north of “Somerset Lake”, a fishing lake east of Titnore Lane. However, Titnore Lane is very dangerous for pedestrians and easiest access is from Fulbeck Avenue, off Titnore Way. Take the path at the far east of Fulbeck Avenue, then turn left until there is a large gap in the hedgerow on the left, opposite a cleared square of ground on the right, and cross right over to the far side of the field, keeping the clump of trees to your left.

It can also be reached via the car park at Tesco’s in Durrington, served by the “Pulse” bus route from Worthing town centre. Basically head straight on from the entrance to the fields at the back end of the supermarket car park, reaching the gap in the hedgerow mentioned above.

Nearest railway stations are Durrington and Goring by Sea on the main South Coast line with direct trains from Brighton, Portsmouth and London.

There is a camp phone – 0780 4245324.

More info: www.eco-action.org/porkbolter
www.protectourwoodland.co.uk

Indymedia Global Report article on Titnore – mp3 5.5M
a piece about the camp made for the Indymedia radio show

News from the rampART

Been a while since there has been an update on the situation at the rampART social centre posted on the newswire. Below is the latest newsletter – regisiter as a member yourself via http://lists.riseup.net/www/info/rampart and get the latest news each week.

EX-VORTEX EVICTED…

We’re sorry to hear that the Vortex social centre in Stoke Newington was evicted in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Most of us involved in the rampART collective have been so caught up in working on the building that we didn’t get to visit the Vortex at all.

Despite the Vortex being evicted they’ll still be meeting until they find a new building.

Tonight’s meeting (wednesday 7th March) is at: 7.30pm
Ryan’s Bar (basement), 181 Stoke Newington Church St, N16 0UL
(map: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=532996&Y=186437&A=Y&Z=1
(yellow bar on the same side as the vortex up at albion road end of church street).

Planned events for International Womens Day have been relocated with the help of the local Kurdish and Turkish communities. A scaled-down programme of events on Thursday 8th March will now take place in the IMSC community center on nearby Tyssen Road, N16. Workshops on DJing, self-defence, assertiveness, dreams and political music will be running as well as live music and food and refreshments.

FIRE EXCITE…

The new fire exit we’ve been working on has now finally been completed so we are happy to ‘reopen’ for larger events. However, the new fire exit also means the hall is no longer sound proof so expect events to end earlier until we come up with a solution to soundproofing the door while retaining it’s function as an emergency exit.

FIRE ENTER…

This friday we have the fire inspection so wish us luck. We think the place is pretty much as ready is it’s likely to get. Thanks to all those who came through with items off the wish list.

RAMPART EVENTS

– TIBETIAN NATIONAL UPRISING PARTY, SATURDAY 10TH

On Saturday evening we’ve got an after demo event organised by the
Tibetan Youth. It starts at 7pm with films and goes on till 12.

– COMING SOON

* We were going to restart the cinema nights this Friday but confusion over possible relocation of an event booked for the Vortex means we’ll leave it this time and relaunch in the next couple of weeks. We’d like to hear from you whether we should stick to Thursday nights or would you prefer Tuesdays or perhaps Friday nights ending in a social, music and refreshments?
We intend to try to have a program arranged a month ahead so please let us know about any films you think should be shown.

* We’d also like to hear from those interested in a digital photography skill share (practical and discussion based workshop on shooting with a focus on social justice reportage). Please contact us to register your interest and help us choose a date.

– BOMB THE BEETS

A new London Food Not Bombs group is now up and running and serving free, hot vegan food to all who are hungry every week in a park in Whitechapel. They are still looking for more people to be involved with cooking, skipping, or just to come down and support the project, bringing food, music, energy etc whenever it takes place. If you would like to be involved in the Food Not Bombs project (see www.foodnotbombs.net for more information about the idea and the motivations and principles which guide it), send an email to londonfnb@lists.riseup.net , or just come down to help with cooking or the park to help with serving (and eating!) on Saturdays.

They meet midday saturday at the rampART then serve food from around 3pm in Altab Ali park on Whitechapel High Street, which is virtually opposite Aldgate East tube station (and Freedom Books, the anarchist book shop). Serving usually lasts until about 4.30 then it’s back to rampART to wash up. Feel free to bring banners, signs, music, leaflets etc etc, and if you need cooking for an event, just send them the details…

– RAMPART REGULARITIES

Remember there is self defense classes every monday evening and samba practice every wednesday evening except for the third wednesday of every month when it’s the women’s anarchist nuisance cafe.

“YOU ARE ONE OF US”

Also remember that the rampART is, for various reasons, a private members club. Membership is free and you can join by signing up to the mailing list. Please also familiarize yourself with the location of fire exits, fire alarms, extinguishers and first aid kits next time you visit.

FINALLE

OH WISHFULL THINKING!

We still need…
a solenoid valve from a broken washing machine.
a length of hose pipe
some 3/4 inch ply or chip board, at least the size of a door.
somebody to fix the leaking toilet

Stuff we have that you might want…
loads of long pieces of fabric including black stretchy stuff.
lots of dexion angle iron piece of various lengths.
blue gloss paint

West Midlands Climate Camp neighbourhood meeting, 14th march

Come and get involved in organising the West Midlands Neighbourhood for Climate Camp 2007!

There will be a meeting next Wednesday 14th March at the Spotted Dog, Alcester Street, Digbeth starting at 7.30. to discuss the setting up of a West Midlands Neighbourhood at Climate Camp 2007. Also sorting out transport from the West Midlands to the next national gathering/planning meeting for the camp, which will be in Bristol on the 17th and 18th March.

Come and get involved in organising the West Midlands Neighbourhood for Climate Camp 2007!

There is now a mailing/discussion list for everyone in the West Midlands who is going to or who wants to be involved with the Camp for Climate Action 2007. If you would like to either go to the Climate Camp or be
involved in any of the planning the list home page, where you can subscribe, is at http://lists.riseup.net/www/info/wmclimatecamp

http://www.climatecamp.org.uk

Sheffield Rossport Soldarity Action

7.03.2007
Today at 16:00 a peaceful demonstration was held at the Shell Garage on Hoyle Street, Netherthorpe in Sheffield. This demonstration was an act of solidarity with the people of Rossport, County Mayo, Ireland and the campaign ShelltoSea, who are opposing Shells plans to build a potentially lethal high pressure gas pipe line and refinery in a marine special area of conservation.

A banner declaring
“HANDS OFF ROSSPORT”
“NO PIPELINE”
and “Leave it as it is” written in Gaelic, was hung from the garage roof by pirates bearing the Irish Tricolour.

Fliers explaining the reasons for the action and the dangers of Shells proposed pipeline were distributed to Shells customers with a request to boycott Shell.

For more information on the local campaign please see:

http://shelltosea.com
http://www.indymedia.ie
http://struggle.ws/rsc/

or contact 07775752160

Text of Flier
===============

Boycott Shell

Shell,Statoil and Marathon, supported by the Irish government, wants to build a dangerous, experimental raw gas pipeline and refinery in northwest Ireland. But they are being stopped…

* Health and safety

The pipeline, at 5 times the usual pressure, would be built over unstable bogland, with a history of landslides and in very close proximity to people’s homes/ It would be 70m from the nearest home, 30m from a public house and 3 families would have to cross the pipeline every day to leave their houses. A recent independent safety analysis by US based pipeline consultants found: “The Corrib pipeline is not a ‘normal’ pipeline, given its potential to operate under exotically high pressures adn because of unknown gas compositions associated with gas field production. This can seriously increase the likelihood of pipeline failure.” The safety analysis said: “pipeline routing should be at least 200m away from dwellings and 400m away from unshelterd individuals to avoid massive casualties and/or multiple fatalities.”

* Environment

The refinery will have nine chimneys up to 140ft high releasing carbon dioxide and methane. 16 houses are within a 2km radius of the plant. Air and water emissions from the refinery would pollute the local environment. The emissions from the proposed refinery at Ballinboy will pollute Carrowmore Lake which
supplies the region with water. Broadhaven bay is where Shell plans to pump the waste from the refinery: including lead, nickel, magnesium, phosphorus, chromium, arsenic, and mercury. This bay provides livlihoods for local communities through fishing. Shell claim there is “no evidence that Broadhaven Bay is of particular importance to whales and dolphins”, contrary to the findings of a UCC study(commissioned by Shell). The UCC research team recorded over 220 sightings of seven whale and dolphin species, plus sightings of two seal species in Broadhaven Bay and north-west Mayo waters.

* The great gas giveaway

The Irish government has helped Shell in this project. In 1975 for oil and gas exploitation in Ireland the terms were between 8% to 16% production royalties to the government and a 50% tax rate. In addition there would be an up to 50% goverment participation in the exploitation of any find, as the establishment of a government energy company was planned. Moreover gas was sold to government companies at reduced bulk discount. Successive governments between 1985 and 1992 whittled this away to a situation where there are no royalties, no government participation, and a 25% tax rate. Furthermore there is a 100% tax write-off meaning multinationals can count their production, development and exploration costs as ‘tax’ and hence pay less tax, or even conceivably no tax. Laws were changed to allow Shell to use private land through a Compulsory Aquisition Order. Government owned forestry was sold to Shell for the refinery site.

Essentially this is a great gas giveaway, while underfunded public services go down the tube. The privatisation of natural resources is no aberration, when the same is planned for An Post, Dublin Bus, and Irish Rail, with inevitable impact on jobs and services; indeed the downgrading of the public health service is to the advantage of the private sector. Big business enjoys very low tax rates and the super-rich benefit from tax evasion amnesties, while more than 85% of income tax is paid for by PAYE workers.

Call for workshops at the Earth First! Summer Gathering 2007

This year’s gathering is from 18 – 22 July in Norfolk, near a mainline railway station.

The focus is on practical skills, but there will also be many of the regular diverse and interesting workshops.

This year’s gathering is from 18 – 22 July in Norfolk, near a mainline railway station.

The focus is on practical skills, but there will also be many of the regular diverse and interesting workshops.

The idea is to have multiple workshop sessions, e.g. four two-hour slots spread over four days building up skills in a particular area, so people can learn the basic skills to actually do the job at other mobilisations, events like the climate camp – or wherever. For example plumbing, electrical skills, medics…and whatever else people want to do… It’s not just about the practical skills but also about getting to know each other and starting to work together.

If you would like to offer a workshop please write to:
martinshaw64@riseup.net

Thanks – the EF! summer gathering collecting
General contact details etc at http://www.earthfirstgathering.org.uk/

please forward to people you think would be interested.

Vortex Evicted

The ex-Vortex Social Centre in Stoke Newington was evicted this morning. Bailiffs arrived at 5.30, with several police vans in attendance and proceeded to break down the door.

Although most people were quickly removed from the building one valiant soul hid in the attic and it was over an hour later that the police and bailiffs completely occupied the premises.

The ex-Vortex Social Centre in Stoke Newington was evicted this morning. Bailiffs arrived at 5.30, with several police vans in attendance and proceeded to break down the door.

Although most people were quickly removed from the building one valiant soul hid in the attic and it was over an hour later that the police and bailiffs completely occupied the premises.

Many local people got out of bed and braved the rain to offer support and help retrieve equipment. The bailiffs refused to allow anyone to re-enter the building to collect personal possessions until it was pointed out that the residents had a legal right to leave with their belongings.

After a brief stand off during which local hate figure and arch-bastard Richard Midda threatened to come down to the building to negotiate the bailiffs finally agreed to bring out most of the equipment remaining in the building. Several people howeverare still waiting for their clothes and other personal possessions.

No arrests were made during the eviction.

It seems that Midda bottled out of a chance to speak to the squatters and locals about his actions and his plans for the building.

So it seems that parasitic landlord Midda’s long term plans for the Vortex remain unclear however in the short term it seems the building will be occupied by 24 hour security. A call has gone out to respect the security guard’s peace and quiet, no banging on the door at 2am and absolutely no attempts to hound them out of Stoke Newington like the cowardly dogs they are.

Morale remains high and Stoke Newington may see another Social Centre soon, meanwhile the campaign to keep the ex-Vortex building for community use will continue.

pics at http://johnnyvoid.blogspot.com/2007/03/ast-stand-at-ex-vortex.html

Radley Lakes: Join the protest march on legs and cycles on 10 March

Join a Cycle Ride and March to Say No to NPower’s “Criminal Damage” to Radley Lakes on Saturday 10 March

Repost from Live Journal:

You are invited to join cyclists from across Oxfordshire in a bicycle ride in support of the campaign to “Save Radley Lakes” next Saturday. Cyclists in Oxford are invited to congregate in Broad Street, Oxford City (OX1 3AS) outside the Oxford Campus Store, at 12.45pm on Saturday 10th March, 2007, while walkers from Abingdon and Didcot are invited to congregate at 1.10pm in Abbey Meadow (OX14 3JE) in Abingdon to hear speakers, then walk to Thrupp Lake. The cyclists will proceed toward Radley Lakes, with bells, whistles and banners, coinciding with a march by Save Radley Lakes the same day at Thrupp Lake at 1.55pm.

Join a Cycle Ride and March to Say No to NPower’s “Criminal Damage” to Radley Lakes on Saturday 10 March

Repost from Live Journal:

Everyone is welcome to join the cycle ride as a planned show of support for the campaign, and the ride will end at the lakes. Bring bells, whistles and banners if you can.

The ride will take place at a leisurely pace. Radley Lakes have been used by Oxonians for over 30 years as a leisure site to walk, cycle and enjoy the environment. Npower has filled all the lakes east of the railway with ash, and now it wants to destroy the remainder in the same way, completely destroying habitat for many species of birds, fish, animal, and plant. News of the cycle ride is being broadcast to Cyclox, Critical Mass, Sustrans, CTC, and of course Save Radley Lakes. Cyclists are angry that the Npower’s damage to the lakes will also ruin the beautiful views of the lake environment on the Sustrans cycle route than runs between two of the lakes, and there are reports that Npower’s site workers are already taking liberties with the cyclists “right of way” blocking the path to cyclists.

An experienced cyclist will lead the ride along an official cycle route from Oxford to Thrupp Lake (distance 5 miles). Feel free to forward this message to people or groups who you think might be interested, or email jon.rees@gmail.com Please send me an SMS on 07970 893371 if you intend to join us.

See you Saturday

Route: http://www.sustrans.org.uk/webfiles/leaflets/Hanson%20Way.pdf

first Bath Climate Camp meeting – 8th March

between thursday 19th and sunday 22nd of April there will be a Climate Camp in Bath.

The camp will be a self managed space with workshops, actions, party and protest. Most of the action/protest will be focused around the head offices of Land and Marine who are building a contraverisial gas pipeline through wales. The pipeline has been the scene of numerous demos and actions, delaying progress on almost a daily basis. Its time to take the battle to Land and Marines doorstep!

between thursday 19th and sunday 22nd of April there will be a Climate Camp in Bath.

Our first planning meeting will be this thursday 8th March at 7.30 downstairs in the hobgoblin, city centre, Bath. We need plenty of ideas, energy and enthusiasm to make the camp a sucsess, so feel free to come along.
Also, if you are interested in hosting a workshop on any eco subject, please get in contact.

e-mail bathclimatecamp@yahoo.co.uk for more info.

cheers

Vortex Being Evicted!

6.03.2007 5:25am

The Vortex Social Centre is being evicted now. People needed urgently to get down to 141 Church Street, Stoke Newington, N16 and show support. Bring noise making equipment.

6.03.2007 5:25am

The Vortex Social Centre is being evicted now. People needed urgently to get down to 141 Church Street, Stoke Newington, N16 and show support. Bring noise making equipment.

Reclaim the streets – Auckland

4 Mar 2007
K road rocked to the sound of climate change protesters yesterday as cops blocked off the road for a reclaim he streets style party. Around 200 people participated in snow fights, stalls and a people’s assembly with many onlookers interested. Bands played samba and world style music along with a punk band, and people danced across a street normally filled with cars. A people’s assembly and speakers spoke about the disastrous effects of climate change if we do not act now. The participants voted for free and frequent public transport and then voted in favour of a peaceful non violent revolution (they didn’t even give us a chance to vote against this one) The Save Happy Valley Auckland Coalition talked about the importance of stopping coal mining in Aotearoa and a group of public supporters wore “save malcolm’s snails” T – shirts, referring to one of the most active campaigners for SHV in Auckland. After the peoples assembly a car was symbolically smashed up, spray-painted and plants were put inside. Overall the day was moderately successful informing passers by and providing a fun outing for climate activists but the turn out was fairly small.

http://www.aucklandsburning.blogspot.com