Wilderness Defence – Page 10

Grapes of Rathlin

3rd July from SccNEWS Convoys of trucks carrying equipment descended on West Newton yesterday, where Rathlin Energy are commencing their exploratory

3rd July from SccNEWS Convoys of trucks carrying equipment descended on West Newton yesterday, where Rathlin Energy are commencing their exploratory fracking drilling. As the first major activity at the East Yorkshire site kicked off, a handful of protesters and many more anxious locals could only watch in horror as the fracking trucks made their way along the long single track lane towards the well.

The convoys were protected by hundreds of police and riot vans, while local residents were blocked from accessing their own homes and one elderly resident burst into tears at the scale of what was happening.

West Newton is one of two locations in East Yorkshire that Rathlin are attempting to frack. At both West Newton and Crawberry Hill, Rathlin have had planning permission for exploratory drilling since 2012. Earlier this year they also got Environment Agency permits that last until September, in the case of Crawberry Hill, and longer in the case of West Newton. “We knew they were due to do the tests at either site at any time”, says our source from campaign group HEY Frack Off.

Small protests camps were set up at both locations in May. Crawberry was the larger, with number averaging at 20: Not only was it looking likelier that Rathlin would hit there first as the permits ran out sooner, but it's nearer urban centres like Beverley and Hull. Crucially, it is in the area of the massive underground aquifer that is relied on for drinking water for much of the population of Hull and East Yorkshire: “If that were to be contaminated it would be an absolute catastrophe”. So far, Crawberry Hill has yet to see any significant activity.

Over at West Newton, the protection camp has been tiny but doggedly persistent. The villagers in the very rural area have been slow on the uptake but now seem to be waking up to what's about to happen on their doorsteps. At first, they'd been bizarrely anxious about the camp and upset about the protesters' presence, rather than their villages surrounding a hellmouth of the environmental armageddon.

“It's an unbelievably conservative area. Some people didn't even want to contact HEY Frack Off because of our 'controversial' name!”, says our contact. “Most of the local residents have swallowed Rathlin's line and their PR hook, line and sinker.”

But recent well-attended public meetings, and individual conversations, have shown awareness is slowly starting to sink in. Maybe the locals are slowly starting to organise?

Just to show how much they respect the local residents, when the convoys came onto site at West Newton yesterday, they “ran roughshod” over the planning conditions that had been agreed between the local council (East Riding of Yorkshire) and Rathlin Energy to sweeten the fracking pill for local residents.

Firstly, they failed to give the stipulated 14 days notice before any activity commenced. Sneaky, but not surprising given the momentum the anti-fracking movement's been gaining. Secondly, they spectacularly flouted the traffic management plan which promised local residents no more than one truck every ten minutes. Yesterday saw two massive convoys of lorries – around 65 vehicles entering the site. Needless to say, the well pad was crowded.

In terms of policing, our contact reports: “Police have said they have learned from the mistakes of Barton Moss and Balcombe where they allowed peaceful protest in the form of slow walking in front of vehicles down public highways. It's been made quite clear in East Yorkshire that anyone who gets in the way of a vehicle on the public highway will be arrested immediately.”

Police have even admitted to campaigners that it's a “game of numbers”, and that if there were as many protesters as police they'd have to review their tactics.

The location of the West Newton site is so rural that keeping up communications – from simple phone calls to live streaming – is difficult. The campaign is encouraging any potential protectors to get in touch. The camp phone number is 07773739937.

Protests in Nigeria After Mobil Spills 600,000 Barrels of Oil

1st July Youths in Eket and Esit Eket in Akwa Ibom on Monday staged peaceful protests against fresh oil spills in Nkpana community from a Mobil facility i

1st July Youths in Eket and Esit Eket in Akwa Ibom on Monday staged peaceful protests against fresh oil spills in Nkpana community from a Mobil facility in Ibeno.

The youths numbering more than 500 protested on major streets in Eket, including the Marina and Terminal roads.

The protesters, under the ages of Core Youth Forum, carried placards with inscriptions: “Oil spill is killing our aquatic life’’, “No compensation for oil spill” and “Enough of this oil spillage,’’ among others.

Mr Godwin Peter, the spokesman of the protesters, said the spill occurred on Saturday and occupied communities along the spill line on Sunday.

He said the spill had devastated aquatic life and destroyed fishing equipment, among others.
Peter appealed to Mobil to urgently clean up the environment.

The youths threatened to disrupt Mobil activities if their demands, which included immediate clean up and compensation, were not met.

Also reacting, Mr Inyang Ekong, the Secretary of the Artisanal Fishermen Association of Nigeria, Akwa Ibom Branch, noted that fishing had been suspended in the area as a result of the spill.

He said that fish would be scarce in the state and appealed to Mobil to replace its old pipes to forestall further occurrence.

Ekong said the spill would cause untold hardships to the people of Ibeno.

When contacted, Mr Akaninyene Esiere, the Manager of Public and Government Affairs at the Qua Iboe Terminal of Mobil, confirmed the incident.

“We have confirmed a liquid release from our Qua Iboe terminal on Sunday, June 29, following serious weather conditions and lightning strikes over the area at the weekend. We have activated our emergency response systems to contain the release. All relevant regulatory authorities and community leaders have been notified.We will continue to work with the community to allow progress in the effort by Mobil to contain the spill,’’ he said.

Esiere said that Mobil was committed to safe environment during its operations.

Earth First! Summer Gathering 2014 – exact location & other practicalities added

Updates: Exact location has been releases – see here.

Travel – book your travel to Castle Cary or Bruton train station, then it's a bus journey and 20 minute walk.

Updates: Exact location has been releases – see here.

Travel – book your travel to Castle Cary or Bruton train station, then it's a bus journey and 20 minute walk.

Bus times are : 8.14am – 9.44am – 11.44am – 12.33pm – 2.14pm – 4.33pm (last bus). There's no Sunday service so we will timetable a shuttle bus to return.

Cycling: Bruton is better if you are cycling as it is a mile shorter, and there is also a bus from there too. The last bus from here leaves later. (Bus times from Bruton are: 9:09am – 10:39am – 12:12pm – 1:39pm – 3:54pm – 5:39pm)

We will post the exact address three weeks before the gathering.

Refreshments – ‘This year there is no bar on site. People are welcome to bring their own but we ask that there's no drinking before dinner/7pm. Anyone causing a nuisance or breaking our Safer Spaces policy will be asked to stop and/or leave. There will be a cafe & snack bar on site.’

Dogs – ‘This year dogs are welcome, but please get in touch in advance, and keep them on a lead at all times on the site.’ Further info

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28th-31st August 2014, in the South West….

A place for people involved in radical green direct action to come together….
to talk….share skills….learn….listen….play….rant…. find out whats going on….
scheme….live outdoors….hang out….laugh….
experience non hierarchical, low impact, family friendly living.

An activist camp that spans 5 days and consists of a programme of workshops throughout each day facilitated by people like you and me who think they have a skill or a level of knowledge in a subject that is valuable to share with others to improve their activism.

Is this camp for you? Whether you're just starting out in the world of direct action or you're an old (glued and paint-stained) hand at it, you're welcome here.

More info here

Action dates & gatherings now working again!

The action dates and protest gatherings page is once again working! Apologies, we accidentally deleted it!

If there's any ecological actions that are openly advertised, protest camps or campaign gatherings, that you want to add to it, do it through the submit report link and in the subject, make it clear it's to add to the calendar. Thanks.

The action dates and protest gatherings page is once again working! Apologies, we accidentally deleted it!

Summary of Repression from ZAD

30th June Summary of arrests and trials since the demo in Nantes, February 22nd, according to information found by the anti-repression committee (CARILA)

February 22nd: 14 arrests, two released without charge. Of the 12 people charged, 5 had immediate trials the next day, and the 7 others will have trials later (3 on June 19th, 2 minors in children’s court, and no news for the 2 others).

February 24th: 5 immediate trials, 4 of them judged for “violence against someone with public authority”, and “participating in an armed group”. They were all convicted.
100 hours of community service
5 months suspended sentence
5 months of prison
5 months of prison and 1 month probation
6 months of prison and 6 months of probation + 500 euros for the undercover cops supposedly injured

Of all those convicted this day, no one went directly to prison. This means that they can negotiate a lighter sentence.

March 31st: First wave of arrests after the demo: 9 people were arrested at home (in Carquefou, St. Herblain, Nantes, and Ille-et-Vilaine).

2 were released without charges
4 were judged the next day in immediate trials
2 minors: one accused of throwing fireworks at the police judged in juvenile court, placed under house arrest until their trial in 2015, the other we don’t think they were charged but we have no confirmation
1 person had a trial later but we don’t have contact with them

April 1st: Immediate trials for those arrested the day before

P: 4 months suspended sentence, forbidden to carry weapons for a year, forbidden to protest in Notre Dame des Landes and Nantes for a year
J: 5 months of prison, forbidden to carry weapons for 2 years, forbidden to protest in Nantes for 2 years
G: 2 months suspended sentence + 2 months prison (suspended sentence from last arrest), aquitted for vandalism
E: 1 year of prison, starting immediately after the trial, forbidden to protest for 3 years, forbidden to have explosives or flammable materials for 3 years. The judge doubled the sentence that the DA asked for!

May 14th: G arrested in Paris under a warrant for vandalism February 22nd. He refused an immediate trial, fuzzy photos were the only evidence. He was placed in preventative detention, but got out a month later because of a procedural error. His trial is July 16th.

May 27th: R. arrested in the street in Rennes by undercover cops, transferred to Nantes. He refused immediate trial, and was put under house arrest, and forbidden from the Loire-Atlantique region until his trial, June 19th.

June 13th: Additional trial for someone convicted February 24th to decide how much they should pay in damages to the undercover cops. No information on the verdict for the moment.

June 18th:
O. arrested at home in Rennes, accused of vandalism, he has an immediate trial the next day.
Someone from the ZAD arrested in Nantes, who had a warrant out for violence against the police and participating in an armed group.

June 19th:
Trial for 3 people arrested during the demo -K: convicted of throwing paving stones towards the police and arrested in possession of a hammer and an iron bar, 4 months suspended sentence, 18 months probation (forced to find a job or go to vocational school, and forbidden to carry weapons) + 105 hours of community service -C: convicted of participation in an armed group and throwing a beer can at the police, sentenced to 2 months suspended sentence -G: arrested in possession of a hammer, sentenced to 1 month suspended sentence
Hearing for O. (arrested in Rennes the day before): he refuses his trial and is put under house arrest until his trial, July 10th
Trial of R. (arrested in Rennes, May 27) for vandalism and participating in an armed group. Sentenced to 8 months suspended sentence + 1 month suspended sentence + 5218 euros in damages for the city of Nantes+ forbidden from Loire-Atlantique region for 2 years.
Hearing for 5 people arrested 2 days before by undercover cops while driving: -one person (a hitch-hiker) accepted the immediate trial, convicted to possession of 1 gram of hash + refusing fingerprints and DNA. No sentence 3 people refused immediate trials and are put under house arrest until their trial, July 18th 1 person refused an immediate trial and is in prison awaiting trial (July 18th)

“They were arrested tuesday after a “random” identity control by undercover cops on the ring road in Nantes. Amoung them was R., who had a trial Thursday and was on their way to Nantes to see their lawyer with their friends. After 48 hours of police custody, 4 of them were charged with “possession of stolen goods”, suspected of having stolen… a head lamp. Also they refused to give fingerprints and DNA. More seriously, they are accused, based on some flyers in their car and a toolbox, of “association of wrong-doers”, and “intent to commit an armed assembly in front of the courthouse in Nantes”. They risk up to 5 years in prison.”

June 20th: Hearing for S., who lives on the ZAD. He was arrested 2 days before in Orvault, accused of having stolen 2 books. He had a warrant out for participating in the February 22nd demo. He is accused of theft (with prior convictions), refusing fingerprints and DNA (with prior convictions), and participating with a weapon in an armed group, and violence against the police. He refused an immediate trial and has been put in jail awaiting his trial on July 7th.

2 people are currently in preventative detention, awaiting trial.

Blockade Halts Old-Growth Logging in Mattole Forest

30th June A forest defender has taken to the trees to defend an important area of the Mattole Riv

30th June A forest defender has taken to the trees to defend an important area of the Mattole River watershed in Northern California. Going by the name “Skunk,” the blockader is stopping the construction of a new logging road into old-growth forest.

Skunk is supported by residents of Humboldt county and allies who have worked for months to stop Humboldt Redwood Company’s plan for 1,000 acres of logging in the Mattole Forest.

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In April, activists hung a banner across from Humboldt Redwoods State Park to protest the logging in the Mattole.

While Humboldt Redwood Company claims they are not logging old-growth, their definition restricts logging only areas with more than 8 old-growth trees in the span of an acre. They also define old-growth as existing in the year 1800, cutting out any trees younger than exactly 214 years.

Skunk insists, “Our main demands to Humboldt Redwood Company are very simple—don’t cut unlogged forest, and don’t cut old-growth. This road threatens to destroy forest that has never been logged before, and will pave the way for logging even more important habitat if the community does not rise up to stop it.”

The Mattole provides shelter to Golden Eagles and Spotted Owls, among other rare species, and has long been the home of old-growth Big Leaf Maple, Douglas Fir, Tanoak, and Madrone.

This area of Northern California has a long history of forest defense against Maxxam/Pacific Lumber throughout the 1990s. What we are perhaps seeing is just the beginning of a new chapter.

Support needed at Yorkley Court NOW

Update 24/6: The situation here is still urgent as of this morning; large numbers of security are currently trying to get on site.

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Update 24/6: The situation here is still urgent as of this morning; large numbers of security are currently trying to get on site.

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**Support needed now – Please get the the site**

Bailiffs attempted an illegal eviction at Yorkley Court Community Farm this morning & are still there and its likely they will try something on the bottom strip tonight.

More people are urgently needed to defend the land.

Even if you can just get there for a few hours, it helps to have as many people as possible on site.

Background:
In the early hours of this morning, police and private security thugs decended, without prior Notice (a legal requirement), upon the peaceful peasants living on the land, and growing food at Yorkley Court. This outragous, competely unlawful act of aggression came without warning, whilst Yorkley Court Farm are fully engaged with the District Council in their planning process, and were looking likely to be granted the initial stages of planning permission during the coming weeks. We're not sure what exactly the Council, no doubt in colusion with certain private business interests think they're doing, more information as we get it. Please come and help us stop this illegal eviction attempt

http://yorkleycourt.wordpress.com/

How to get there: Head to Yorkley, near Lydney in Gloucestershire. See a map below.

Site mobile: 07784887895

Environmentalists Halt Leard Forest Clearance for the Winter

13th June Australia Whitehaven Coal yesterday announced it would halt its clearing of Leard State Forest until September following an injuncti

13th June Australia Whitehaven Coal yesterday announced it would halt its clearing of Leard State Forest until September following an injunction in the NSW Land and Environment Court by the Maules Creek Community Council.

The group, aided by the EDO, specifically appealed over the fact that many animals in the forest hibernate over winter and therefore were more likely to be killed by clearing during winter months.

The company voluntarily called a halt to clearing yesterday afternoon, just as the court’s decision on the injunction was due, until the results of a full hearing on the matter.

Maules Creek Community Council spokesperson, Phil Laird said, ‘We are pleased that Whitehaven has been forced to respond to our legitimate challenge in the court by today undertaking to stop clearing in Leard State Forest’.

The Maules Creek Community Council is arguing that Whitehaven is in breach of its development consent by winter/spring clearing of the forest. A breach of development consent contravenes the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.

‘This outcome today sends a strong message to coal mining companies across NSW and to the NSW government: if they will not enforce the law, then the community is prepared to step up and do it themselves’ Mr Laird said.

‘We appreciate the action taken by Whitehaven today and we will be preparing to vigorously pursue the full legal challenge,’ he added.

The new Maules Creek coalmine project involves a total clearing of 1664 hectares of forest, which currently provides habitat for threatened species including bats, koalas, forest owls, the Swift Parrot and the Regent Honeyeater.

The Nature Conservation Council of NSW has welcomed Whitehaven Coal’s decision to adhere to the conditions of its development consent.

‘This is a clear victory for community members who have been working tirelessly to protect this forest and the region’s water resources,’ campaigns director Kate Smolski said.

‘The decision to stop winter clearing does not end the fight to save Leard Forest, but it does at least give hibernating native animals a fighting chance to escape the bulldozers.

‘It is regrettable the NSW government did not enforce the conditions of its own consent for this atrocious mine, leaving Maules Creek Community Council little alternative but to take legal action.

‘State and federal laws have failed to protect this important natural area, demonstrating the need for deep reform to protect important natural places from coal mining.

‘Until that reform occurs, community groups will continue to seek remedy in the courts, and ordinary people will feel compelled to take direct action in the forest.

‘The Maules Creek mine will tear out the heart of Leard Forest, destroy one of the largest remnant areas of wildlife habitat in western NSW, threaten groundwater resources, and have a lasting negative impact on the local community of Maules Creek. This project should never have been approved.’

Greens NSW MP and environment spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi has also welcomed news.

‘This decision… proves community concerns were justified. It is clear that Whitehaven saw the writing on the wall and went for an undertaking before it was ordered to by the court,’ Dr Faruqi said.

‘Unfortunately, much clearing has already taken place.

‘I have seen with my own eyes just yesterday the section of the forest bulldozed by Whitehaven Coal, presumably in anticipation of a suspension.

‘It is outrageous that Whitehaven Coal was allowed to undertake winter clearing in the first place. This was completely unnecessary.

‘There needs to be an investigation into how these approvals were granted by the NSW government in the first place, as large tracts of endangered ecological communities have been cleared and cannot be replaced or offset.

‘I was also disturbed to see valuable public resources being used to benefit a mining company, with the government ordering police to set up roadblocks on public roads and search cars.

‘The government should be protecting the Leard Forest, not big coal.

‘In a democratic society, the public have the right to protest peacefully and I have been inspired by the activists standing up to protect our environment and our wildlife.

‘The Greens and many in the community are opposed to this massive coal mining project because of its destructive impacts on biodiversity, cultural heritage and its massive contribution to climate change: allowing clearing during the winter months further compounded these damaging impacts.

‘Congratulations to the grassroots community groups and the Environmental Defenders Office that brought forward this legal challenge. The Greens will continue campaigning to stop this coal mine completely’ she concluded.

Patagonia Dam CANCELED!

chao hidroaysen 13th June After an eight-year struggle, Chile’s grassroots and environmental movements have successfully won the rejection of five planned megadams on two Patagonian rivers!

It’s not every day we celebrate a victory as significant and hard-won as today’s triumph in the eight-year campaign to protect Chilean Patagonia from the destructive HidroAysén dam project!

This morning, Chile’s highest administrative authority – the Committee of Ministers – made a unanimous decision to overturn the environmental permits for the controversial five dam mega-project, which was planned on the Baker and Pascua rivers. This highly anticipated resolution effectively cancels the project, ruling that assessment of the project’s impacts was insufficient to grant project approval back in 2011.

The Committee, which consists of the Minister of Environment, Health, Economy, Energy and Mining, Agriculture, and Tourism, evaluated 35 appeals which were filed by the Patagonia Defense Council and local citizens in response to the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment after it was approved in May 2011. Though it has taken more than three years, with meetings and decisions being repeatedly delayed and eventually passed on to the new administration, today’s decision is a recognition of the technical and procedural flaws surrounding HidroAysén as well as the significant impacts the project would have had on one of Chile’s most iconic regions.

What began as a grassroots effort to protect the pristine Baker and Pascua rivers, and the communities and culture of Patagonia, has developed into a fully-fledged international campaign and galvanized a national environmental movement. Over the past four years Chileans have taken to the streets to demand a halt to HidroAysén and around the world an international community has rallied around this call. Today it is these voices that have won out, and together have set in motion a new path towards a bright future for Patagonia and the hope of a truly sustainable energy future for Chile.

Pascua River, Patagonia: Undammed!

To borrow some words from Patricio Rodrigo, Executive Secretary of the Patagonia Defense Council, “The government’s definitive rejection of the HidroAysén project is not only the greatest triumph of the environmental movement in Chile, but marks a turning point, where an empowered public demands to be heard and to participate in the decisions that affect their environment and lives.”

We are thrilled that the government is siding with the majority of Chileans and tens of thousands of people around the world to say no to HidroAysén! We commend President Bachelet for remaining loyal to her campaign promise that HidroAysén would not have her support. And we are looking to the future, with the hope that measures will be put in place to protect this unique region from future threats. (In fact, President Bachelet and the Minister of Environment recently formalized a bill that would create the Department of Biodiversity and Protected Areas (SBAP) with the aim to preserve critical ecosystems throughout Chile.)

Caltrans Case Against Tree Sitter Dismissed

10th June Long-standing trespass charges against Mark Herbert, aka “Falcon,” who perched in an old oak tree in April, 2013, above the hill west of Highway 101 that Caltrans is now

10th June Long-standing trespass charges against Mark Herbert, aka “Falcon,” who perched in an old oak tree in April, 2013, above the hill west of Highway 101 that Caltrans is now excavating for soil to construct the much-protested Willits Bypass, where he observed and reported on developments, were dismissed entirely on May 29th by Judge Ann Moorman in Ukiah Superior Court. Falcon was charged with trespass 602K, “entering any lands, whether unenclosed or enclosed by fence, 1) for the purpose of injuring any property or property rights or with the intention of interfering with a lawful business…”

The District Attorney told the court that no one had subpoenaed the CHP officer from the Special Weapons and Tactics unit who supervised the arrest of Herbert, the witness who was supposed to testify. Unlike other tree sitters, including Warbler, the young woman whose original tree sit sparked the Bypass protests, Herbert was not extracted by force, but agreed to come down when requested to do so.

Herbert’s attorney, Ed Denson, said “Judge Moorman indicated the case was almost a year old and she dismissed it. The CHP investigation was very perfunctory and it should have been clear to the investigating officer that Herbert had committed no crime. The evidence shows that no intention on Herbert’s part to interfere with any lawful business or occupation. “

Denson elaborated: “Herbert’s case differed from that of all the other tree sitters, but the CHP failed to note that. Their report said his tree was north of 101, but the videos clearly show it was on a hill well south of 101 out of the construction area. No one from Caltrans or the CHP had even come to his site to ask him to come down until the day he was arrested by a team of 24 officers. He then voluntarily descended from the tree. It was clear that his purpose in doing the tree sit was to be a witness to the events occurring across the highway during the CHP blockade of the media preventing reporting on the extraction of the sitters. Herbert was a spokesperson for the effort to save the valley while the others were prevented from contact with the public. Had the CHP thought things through, the taxpayers could have saved thousands of dollars.”

The D.A. had almost a year to prepare and still was not ready to prosecute the case. A rally to support Herbert and fellow activist Will Parrish was held on the courthouse steps at noon. Parrish, who writes for the Anderson Valley Advertiser, stopped work on the Caltrans Bypass for more than eleven days last June and July by occupying a wick drain tower on the north end of the project, leading finally to his arrest and the arrests of several other activists trying to supply him with food and water denied him by CHP officers on site.

Parrish’s hearing on restitution demanded by Caltrans in the amount of $150,000 has been postponed to July 17. Assistant District Attorney Sequiera said the case has become confusing and he is insisting now that Caltrans supply their own lawyer to appear in court on the case, which will also be over a year old by the time of the hearing.