Wilderness defence
The Minorca Opencast Protest Group has been formed to oppose plans already submitted by UK Coal plc for an Opencast Coal Mine between Measham and Swepstone in Leicestershire, England. The application was submitted in July 2009, but has yet to be decided on by Leicestershire County Council (as at 7/12/09).
The Minorca Opencast Protest Group has been formed to oppose plans already submitted by UK Coal plc for an Opencast Coal Mine between Measham and Swepstone in Leicestershire, England. The application was submitted in July 2009, but has yet to be decided on by Leicestershire County Council (as at 7/12/09).
You can find out more about our campaign by logging on to:
http://www.leicestershirevillages.com/measham/minorca-protest.html or http://mopg.co.uk/
In the early hours of Sunday 29th November a group of autonomous activists caused embarrassment to Lord Home, exposing his role in the proposed development of Mainshill Woods into and open cast coal mine. This action was taken by a group of autonomous people in solidarity with all those who oppose the development of Mainshill Wood into an open cast coal mine.
In the early hours of Sunday 29th November a group of autonomous activists caused embarrassment to Lord Home, exposing his role in the proposed development of Mainshill Woods into and open cast coal mine. This action was taken by a group of autonomous people in solidarity with all those who oppose the development of Mainshill Wood into an open cast coal mine.
Lord Home was entertaining friends at his country mansion, almost certainly before a day of grouse shooting. In the dead of night, the activists deflated tyres on all of the posh cars outside the house, put superglue on the windscreens and left a sign on Home’s lawn saying ‘No Open Cast’. The car presumed to belong to Home’s housekeeper was left untouched.
Actions such as these are not mindless acts of vandalism but designed to embarass Lord Home into having to explain his blind pursuit of profit and neglect of community interest to his cronies. As well as drawing attention to the fight to stop the open casting of Mainshill, the action may conveniently also have put some of Home’s mateys off going grouse shooting again.
3 December 2009
The go-ahead to build the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam, planned for the Xingu river in the Brazilian Amazon, has been delayed following protests by Indians and objections by local and international organisations.
3 December 2009
The go-ahead to build the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam, planned for the Xingu river in the Brazilian Amazon, has been delayed following protests by Indians and objections by local and international organisations.
If constructed, the dam will be the third largest in the world, costing over US$10 billion, bringing more than 200,000 workers into the area and forcing an estimated 20,000 people from their homes.
A large proportion of those displaced will be indigenous peoples who have been living in the area for centuries. Nine million hectares of rainforest will be affected.
The dam was condemned because it violates human rights and harms the environment, at a hearing on dams organised by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights last month.
Kayapó Indians together with 14 other tribes participated in a week-long protest in October.
After the protest, Indian representatives delivered a letter to President Lula in which they warned, ‘If the Government decides to go ahead with the construction of Belo Monte, we Indians of the Xingu will commence a war.’
Although FUNAI, Brazil’s Indian Affairs agency, acknowledges the dam will have a negative impact on indigenous peoples, it has given its go-ahead for the project.
The auction when companies will bid for contracts to build Belo Monte has been delayed owing to problems in acquiring an environmental licence for the project. If the licence is not granted by January, the construction of the dam will be further postponed, possibly until 2014.
On Tuesday, representatives of indigenous communities and others affected attended a public hearing where the authorities involved in the construction of the dam spoke of its impacts. However, no representatives of the government bodies most closely linked to the project attended. Another hearing was held yesterday, followed by a protest by indigenous leaders.
The Licensing Director and the Infrastructure and Energy Coordinator of Brazil’s Environment Ministry, key figures in the Belo Monte case, announced their resignation on Tuesday.
For more information about the Belo Monte dam see International Rivers.
Read more about dams affecting other indigenous peoples around the world.
Spirit of Freedom (December 2009)
Produced by EARTH LIBERATION PRISONERS SUPPORT NETWORK
“The whole experience has been tough, but all the kind and strengthening words and wise thoughts from strangers made it much easier!” (Former Swedish Animal Rights Prisoner)
Spirit of Freedom (December 2009)
Produced by EARTH LIBERATION PRISONERS SUPPORT NETWORK
“The whole experience has been tough, but all the kind and strengthening words and wise thoughts from strangers made it much easier!” (Former Swedish Animal Rights Prisoner)
Welcome to the December 2009 edition of Spirit of Freedom. A few months ago ELP reported the arrest of the American, Justin Solondz in China. As people will be aware Justin is wanted for questioning in connection to an FBI investigation into the ELF that led to the Oregon and Washington Trials.
When ELP first heard of the arrest we wrongly believed, like many others, that Justin would be extradited to America where he would be remanded to stand trial for his alleged ELF activity. However, a couple of days ago ELP learnt that rather than extraditing him, the Chinese decided to put Justin on trial accused of drugs related activity. Justin was duly found Guilty and sentenced to three years imprisonment followed by deportation. This is of course very bad news for Justin and if anyone has any contact details for Justin (or knows what prison he is held in, in China, please contact ELP as soon as possible).
Besides Justin’s imprisonment, sadly over the past few weeks ELP has learnt about the imprisonments of a number of people across Europe and North America accused of a variety of activity, this includes the imprisonment of former Italian ALF prisoner Sergio Stefani who has been accused of stealing a car and charged with “subversive conspiracy” and placed in a jail specifically designed for political activists! ELP encourages everyone to write urgent letter of support to all of the new prisoners on our list and remind them we are behind them. But also please don’t forget our existing prisoners. All of the prisoners listed below welcome letters of support.
So please, regardless of what languages you speak and regardless of where you live in the world, your letters of support really do make the world of difference to the prisoners. So please support the eco-prisoners and no compromise in defence of Mother Earth!
If anyone notices any of ELP’s prisoner details is out of date or we do not list a prisoner who we should list, please let ELP know as soon as possible.
ELP is run by a small group of volunteers and although we try to ensure our lists are accurate, we admit we do make mistakes. So help us help keep the lists accurate by letting us know of any changes we need to make.
ECO-DEFENCE PRISONERS
Grant Barnes #137563, San Carlos Correctional Facility, PO Box 3, Pueblo, CO 81002, USA. Serving 12 years for setting fire to a number of SUV vehicles. The letters ELF were spray painted onto all of the vehicles. (Grant is a vegan).
Nathan Block, #36359-086, FCI Lompoc, Federal Correctional Institution, 3600 Guard Road, Lompoc, CA 93436, USA. Serving 7 years & 8 months for an ELF arson against a Poplar Tree Farm and an ELF arson against an SUV dealership. Also admitted his role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy. (Diet unknown).
Marco Camenisch, Postfach 3143, CH-8105 Regensdorf, Switzerland. Serving 18 years. 1) Ten years for using explosives to destroy electricity pylons leading from nuclear power stations. 2) Eight years for the murder of a Swiss Boarder Guard whilst on the run. In ’02 Marco completed a 12-year sentence in Italy for destroying electricity pylons in Italy. (Marco is a meat eater who encourages organic living).
Niall Harnett, Castlerea Prison, Harristown, Castlerea, Co. Roscommon, Republic of Ireland. Severing 4 months for non-payment of a fine. The fine was issued following Maura’s involvement in an anti-Shell petrol company protest. (Diet unknown).
Maura Harringon, Dochas Centre, Mountjoy Gaol, North Circular Road, Dublin 7, Republic of Ireland. Severing 8 months for non-payment of a fine. The fine was issued following Maura’s involvement in an anti-Shell petrol company protest. (Diet unknown).
Leonardo Landi, Carcere Sanremo, Via Armea, 144, 18038 Sanremo (IM), Italy. Il Silvestre activist awaiting trial accused of robbery. (Leonardo is a vegetarian).
Jeffrey Luers, # 13797671, CRCI, 9111 NE Sunderland Ave, Portland, OR 97211-1708, USA. Serving 10 years for arson on a SUV dealership & the attempted arson of an oil truck. The original sentence was 22 years & 8 months, but was reduced on appeal. (Diet unknown).
Marie Jeanette Mason, #04672-061, FCI Waseca, Federal Correctional Institution, PO Box 1731, Waseca, MN 56093, USA. Serving 21 years and 10 months for her involvement in an ELF arson against a University building carrying out Genetically Modified crop tests. Marie also pleaded guilty to conspiring to carry out ELF actions and admitted involvement in 12 other ELF actions. (Marie is a vegan).
Eric McDavid, 16209-097, FCI Victorville, Medium II, Federal Correctional Institution, PO Box 5300, Adelanto, CA 92301, USA. Serving 19 years & 7 months for planning to destroy the property of the U.S. Forestry Service, mobile phone masts and power plants. At the point of his arrest no criminal
damage has actually occurred. (Eric is a vegan).
Daniel McGowan, 63794-053, USP Marion, US Penitentiary, PO Box 1000, Marion, IL 62959, USA. Serving 7 years for an ELF arson against a Poplar Tree Farm and an ELF arson against an old growth logging corporation. Also admitted his role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy. (Daniel is a vegetarian).
Steve Murphy #39013177 (for his most current prison address check out the website http://supportsteve.org/ ). On remand accused of attempted arson and criminal damage at a town house construction site in 2006. The FBI claim the action was done under the banner of the ELF. (Steve is a vegan).
Jonathan Paul – See details in Animal Liberation Prisoners List.
Justin Solondz (Address Unknown – China). American Green Scare defendant accused of direct action activity in America. Serving 3 years in China for drugs related offences then due to be deported back to America. His exact prison location is currently unknown. (Diet unknown).
Jonatan Strandberg, Box 248, 59323, Västervik, Sweden. Serving 15 months imprisonment after admitting damaging a communication tower used by the Department of Defence, cutting the cables on a crane used in creating urban sprawl, and damaging a vehicle used in the logging industry. Jonatan is a diabetic and follows a paleo diet, demanding locally sourced food).
Michael Sykes 696693, Richard A. Handlon Correctional Facility, 1728 Bluewater Highway, Ionia, MI 48846, USA. Serving four to ten years for anti-sprawl arsons, criminal damage to a utility pole, spray-painting political graffiti and burning the American flag. (Diet unknown)
Briana Waters 36432-086, FCI Danbury, Federal Correctional Institution, Route 37, Danbury, CT 06811, USA. Serving six years for involvement in an ELF arson on a University. (Diet unknown).
Joyanna Zacher, #36360-086, FCI Dublin, 5700 8th St.- Camp Parks- Unit F, Dublin, CA 94568, USA. Serving 7 years & 8 months for an ELF arson against a Poplar Tree Farm and an ELF arson against an SUV dealership. Also admitted her role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy. (Diet unknown).
ANIMAL LIBERATION PRISONERS
(All Animal Liberation Prisoners follow a minimum vegetarian diet and most are vegan).
Anonymous Female Prisoner One (E-mail messages of support to
holland@die-tierbefreier.de ) German woman held on Remand accused of raiding a mink farm in Holland. (She is a vegan).
Anonymous Female Prisoner Two (E-mail messages of support to
dbf-sg@riseup.net ) Dutch woman held on Remand accused of raiding a mink farm in Holland. (She is a vegan).
Jonny Ablewhite TB4885, H.M. Prison, Hewell Lane, Redditch, Worcs B97 6QS, England. Serving 12 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied guinea pigs for vivisection. (Jon is a vegan).
Dan Amos VN7818, HMP Guys Marsh, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 0AH, England. Serving 4 years for conspiracy to blackmail Huntingdon Life Sciences. (Dan is a vegan)
Gregg Avery TA7450, HMP Coldingley, Shaftesbury Road, Bisley, Woking, Surrey GU24 9EX, England. Serving 9 years for conspiracy to blackmail Huntingdon Life Sciences. (Gregg is a vegan).
Natasha Avery NR8987, HMP Send, Ripley Road, Woking, Surrey, GU23 7LJ, England. Serving 9 years for conspiracy to blackmail Huntingdon Life Sciences. (Nat is a vegan).
Mel Broughton A3892AE, HMP Frankland, Brasside, Durham, County Durham DH1 5YD, England. Serving 10 years for “conspiracy to commit arson” against Oxford University vivisection department. (Mel is a vegan).
Lauren Gazzola #93497-011, FCI Danbury, Federal Correctional Institution, Route #37Danbury, CT 06811, USA. Serving 54 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Lauren is a vegan).
Alex Hall, Inmate #2009-06304, Davis County Jail, 800 West State St., Farmington, UT 84025, USA. On Remand accused of raiding a mink farm. Also accused of breaching bail conditions whilst on bail. (William is a vegan).
Kevin Kjonaas #93502-011, FCI Sandstone, PO Box 1000, Sandstone, MN 55072 USA. Serving 72 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Kevin is a vegan).
Robert Lewis (address unknown – England). Serving 18 months for sending threatening letters to a company linked to drugs testing. (Diet Unknown).
Daniel McGowan – See details in Eco Defence Prisoners List.
Robert Griffiths (address unknown – England). Serving 18 months for sending threatening letters to a company linked to drugs testing. (Diet unknown).
Gavin Medd-Hall WV9475, HMP Coldingley, Shaftesbury Road, Bisley, Woking, Surrey GU24 9EX, England. Serving 8 years for conspiracy to blackmail Huntingdon Life Sciences. (Gavin is a vegan).
Heather Nicholson VM5859, HMP Foston Hall, Foston, Derby, Derbyshire, DE65 5DN, England. Serving 11 years for conspiracy to blackmail Huntingdon Life Sciences. (Heather is a vegan).
Kevin Olliff, #1300931, TTCF 161 D-Pod, 450 Bauchet St., Los Angeles, CA 90012, USA. On remand accused of stalking. Exact details of the indictment have not yet been revealed but the charges appear to relate to a person employed by an educational facility so may be linked to vivisection. (Kevin is a vegan).
Jonathan Paul, #07167-085, FCI Phoenix, Federal Correctional Institution, 37910 N 45th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85086, USA. Sentenced to 51 months for an ALF arson on a horse meat plant. Also admitted his role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy. (Jonathan is a vegan).
Stergio Stefani – See Other Political Prisoner List.
William James Viehl, Inmate #2009-05735, Davis County Jail, 800 West State St., Farmington, UT 84025, USA. Awaiting sentencing having pleaded guilty to raiding a mink farm. He is due to be sentenced in December. (William is a vegan).
Nicole Vosper VM9385, HMP Bronzefield, Woodhthorpe Road, Ashford, Middx, TW15 3JZ, England. On remand accused of blackmailing Huntingdon Life Sciences. (Nicole is a vegan).
Dan Wadham, A5705AA, HMP Camp Hill, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 5PB, England. Serving 5 years for conspiracy to blackmail Huntingdon Life Sciences. (Dan is a vegan).
Kerry Whitburn TB4886, HMP Lowdham Grange, Lowdham, Nottingham, NG14 7DA, England. Serving 12 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied guinea pigs for vivisection. (Kerry is a vegan).
Sarah Whitehead, VM7684, HMP Bronzefield, Woodthorpe Road, Ashford, Middx, TW15 3JZ, England. Serving two years for: 1) rescuing a puppy from horrific conditions. 2) rescuing over 100 animals from a pet breeder who was later prosecuted for animal abuse. Also awaiting trial for SHAC activity. (Sarah is a vegan)
GRAND JURY RESISTERS
The following people have been jailed for refusing to testify before Grand Juries in America which are investigating ALF & ELF activity.
Carolyn Feldman, Washington County Jail., 2185 Lexington Blvd. PO Box 6, Washington, IA 52353, USA. (Diet unknown).
Muscatine County Jail Inmate, c/o “Scott DeMuth”, 400 Walnut Street, Muscatine, Iowa 52761, USA. Scott has also recently been indicted for conspiracy under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. (Scott is a meat eater who advocates bow hunting).
PLOUGHSHARES PRISONERS
Helen Woodson, 03231-045, FMC Carswell – Admin. Max. Unit, POB 27137, Ft. Worth, TX 76127, USA. Serving 8 years 10 months for actions that focused on the interrelationship of war & the destruction of the natural world. The actions included pouring red paint over the security desk of a federal court and making threatening communications. Previously Helen had served 20½ years for: 1) Using a hammer to disarm a nuclear missile silo. 2) Burning $25,000 on the floor of a bank whilst denouncing war, environmental destruction & economic injustice. 3) Mailing warning letters with bullets attached to Government & corporate officials. (Diet unknown).
OTHER ANTI-WAR PRISONERS
Elija Smith VP 7551 HMP Lewes, 1 Brighton Rd, Lewes, Sussex, BN7 1EA, England. On remand accused of disarming a weapons factory, which, amongst other things, makes Hellfire Missiles. The action was in protest at Israel military action against Gaza. (Diet unknown).
THE LECCE DEFENDANTS
The Lecce Defendants have been charged with “subversive association” accused of damaging Esso petrol pumps to oppose the War on Iraq; sabotaging the cash machines of a bank which funds an immigration centre; and targeting the multinational company Benetton in support of Mapuche land rights activists in Chile. All of the defendants are currently either under house arrest or released on bail.
ANTIFA PRISONERS
Aleksey Bychin, FBU OIK-2 IK-7 otryad No. 7, ul. Karnallitovaya d. 98, g. Solikamsk Permskiy Kray, 618545 Russia. Serving 5 years for defending himself against neo-nazis. (Diet unknown).
Andrei Mergenov, FGU IZ 64/1 OKB 2 komn. 73, Up. Kutyakova 107, 410601 Saratov, Russia. Serving 3 years for fighting with neo-nazis. (Diet unknown)
Tomasz Wiloszewski, Zaklad Karny, Orzechowa 5, 98-200 Sieradz, Poland. Serving 15 years for accidentally killing a neo-nazi whilst defending himself. (Tomasz is a vegetarian).
OTHER PRISONERS
Pavel Delidon, ul. Timiryazeva-1, FGU IK-7, 309990 Valuyki Russia. Anarchist/Animal Rights activist jailed for attempting to obtain wages owed to him, but which had not been paid to him by his employer. IMPORTANT: Pavel can only receive letters written in Russian. He is punished by the prison if he receives a letter not written in Russian so please, only send letters written in Russian. (Diet unknown).
Richard Sills (Address Unknown, USA). Serving 15 months for bomb hoaxing a University saying they would be targeted by the ALF if they didn’t stop their animal experiments. (Diet unknown).
Alessandro Settepani, Carcere San Michele, Via Casale, 50/A, 15122 San Michele (AL), Italy. Co-defendant of Sergio Stefani. Arrested for stealing a car and then remanded for “Subversive Conspiracy” and remanded into a prison for political activists. (Alessandro is a vegan).
Sergio Maria Stefani, Carcere San Michele, Via Casale, 50/A, 15122 San Michele (AL), Italy. Former ALF prisoner arrested for stealing a car and then remanded for “Subversive Conspiracy” and remanded into a prison for political activists. (Sergio is a vegan).
Fran Thompson, #1090915, CCC, 3151 Litton Drive, Chillicuthe, MO 64601, USA. Serving Life for killing, in self-defence, a stalker who had broken into her home. Before her imprisonment Fran was an eco, animal & anti-nuke campaigner. (Fran is a vegan).
MOVE
MOVE is an eco-revolutionary group who carried out protests in defence of all life. All move prisoners describe themselves as vegetarians. There are currently eight MOVE activists in prison each serving 100 years after been framed for the murder of a cop in 1979. 9th defendant, Merle Africa, died in prison in 1998.
Debbie Simms Africa (006307), Janet Holloway Africa (006308) and Janine Philips Africa (006309) all at: SCI Cambridge Springs, 451 Fullerton Ave, Cambridge Springs, PA 16403-1238, USA.
Michael Davis Africa (AM4973) and Charles Simms Africa (AM4975) both at SCI Graterford, PO Box 244, Graterford, PA 19426-0244, USA.
Edward Goodman Africa (AM4974), SCI Mahanoy, 301 Morea Rd, Frackville, PA 17932, USA.
William Philips Africa (AM4984) and Delbert Orr Africa (AM4985) both at SCI Dallas Drawer K, Dallas, PA 18612, USA.
Mumia Abu Jamal, (AM8335), SCI Greene, 175 Progress Drive, Waynesburg PA 15370, USA. In 1981 Mumia, former Black Panther and vocal supporter of MOVE, was framed for the murder of a cop. He was originally sentenced to death but is currently awaiting re-sentencing following a court hearing in 2001.
STATEMENT ON VIOLENCE
Some people listed in this newsletter have carried out violent actions including assault and murder. ‘Spirit of Freedom’ does not condone violence. But we are also against censorship & believe people can decide for themselves who they wish to support.
ABOUT E.L.P. SUPPORT NETWORK
ELP is an international eco-prisoner support network founded, in Britain, in 1993 to support jailed eco-activists. We support the prisoners by producing various regular prisoner lists:
Spirit of Freedom is ELP’s international monthly prisoner listing which is circulated by e-mail.
Urgent ELP! Bulletin is an e-mail service that distributes the names of any new eco-prisoner as soon as ELP gets their details. For more info e-mail ELP4321@hotmail.com
On-Line Newsletters – ELP has a number of websites that provide news, prisoner lists and additional info about ELP & the prisoners.
English language ELP Website
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk
Greek language ELP Website
http://greekelp.blogspot.com
North American ELP Website
www.ecoprisoners.org
Turkish language ELP Website
www.geocities.com/yesilanarsi/elp.htm
ELP Extra is an e-mail group that circulates the details of political prisoners, ELP learns about, who do not fall within the remit for support by ELP. To subscribe to the list e-mail ELP4321@Hotmail.com
Australian ELP.SN is our Australian contact. For more info e-mail elp4321@hotmail.com
Belgium ELP.SN is our Belgium contact. For more info e-mail
elp_bel@hotmail.com
German ELP.SN is a prisoner led initiative run by eco-prisoner Marco Camenisch. For more info contact Marco Camenisch, Postfach 3143, CH-8105 Regensdorf, Switzerland.
Greek ELP.SN is our Greek contact. For more info e-mail greekelp@yahoo.gr
North American ELP is our North American contact. For more information e-mail naelpsn@mutualaid.org
Turkey ELP.SN is our Turkish contact. For more info e-mail
yesilanarsi@yahoo.com
A NEW protest has been called by downland campaigners in Worthing, West Sussex.
They are fighting plans by Worthing council to sell off land next to Iron Age hill fort Cissbury Ring.
The campaign’s efforts have forced the authority to announce it is rethinking its plans, but protesters are warning this is just a ruse.
A NEW protest has been called by downland campaigners in Worthing, West Sussex.
They are fighting plans by Worthing council to sell off land next to Iron Age hill fort Cissbury Ring.
The campaign’s efforts have forced the authority to announce it is rethinking its plans, but protesters are warning this is just a ruse.
At a meeting on Thursday December 3, the council cabinet will be meeting to discuss disposing of the land on a 99-year lease, rather than actually selling it.
Stop the Cissbury Sell-Off is calling for a protest outside the Town Hall in Chapel Road, Worthing, at 6.30pm and for people to attend the meeting at 7pm as well.
Said a SCSO spokesman: “Despite what you may have heard, Worthing Borough Council have NOT abandoned their plans to sell off land close to Cissbury Ring.
“Indeed, they have said that they will now sell ‘long term leases instead of selling the freehold of our buildings and land’.
“That will mean any buyer will consider themselves the new owner – just the same as you would if you bought a leasehold flat with a 99 year lease.
“That means that full public access and enhanced conservation management of our public downland will be ‘out the window’ unless we act now to make council leaders change direction.”
Hundreds of residents protested against the controversial council plans on November 14.
They then filed up on to the land itself, waving banners and placards, and let off distress flares to draw attention to the threat.
Further information on the campaign, including maps of the land in question, can be found on the SCSO website at www.scso.co.uk. To contact the group email info@scso.co.uk
On the morning of the 22nd of November a drilling rig had it’s electronics and hydraulics cut. The specialist drilling rig is owned by Apex Drilling Services. The machine damaged is one of two rigs that have been working to prepare the Mainshill Wood area for coal extraction.
On the morning of the 22nd of November a drilling rig had it’s electronics and hydraulics cut. The specialist drilling rig is owned by Apex Drilling Services. The machine damaged is one of two rigs that have been working to prepare the Mainshill Wood area for coal extraction.
This sabotage is one of many recent attacks against coal and coal mining, and it should be clear that these actions will continue regardless of the existence of Mainshill Solidarity Camp.
This action was taken by a group of autonomous people in solidarity with all those who oppose the development of Mainshill Wood into an open cast coal mine.
Find out more about the Rossport Solidarity Camp in Co.Mayo, Ireland & how to support the community struggle against Shell in 2010.
Find out more about the Rossport Solidarity Camp in Co.Mayo, Ireland & how to support the community struggle against Shell in 2010.
UK supporters of the Rossport Solidarity Camp are holding a gathering at the Sumac Centre in Nottingham from the 12th-14th February. Anyone who has been active in the campaign or who would like to find out more is welcome to join us for the weekend. There will be food by donations & accommodation. We will be discussing how to support the struggle in Rossport over the next year as the project moves to the on-shore pipeline stage.
The project has recently been further delayed, with half of the proposed on-shore pipeline route deemed as posing an unacceptable risk to the local community. Shell have been asked by the planning board to go away & design a new route by February. This will probably go through the bay which they had previously ruled out on environmental & technical grounds.
There is still a lot of fight left in this campaign & works on a new route; if given permission probably won’t start till June. That gives us lots of time to plan & prepare a solid resistance. The local community need our help as much as ever so please come along to the gathering; meet people involved in the struggle & plot how to take on one of the biggest multinationals in the world!!
www.indymedia.ie
www.shelltosea.com
Weekend Itinerary.
Fri 12th: 12-5pm. Cycle caravan meeting. For those people interested in helping to organise a spring ride to Mayo around communities in Ireland.
6pm: Introduction to Shell to Sea & the Rossport Solidarity Camp.
Sat 13th: 10-6pm. Main meeting to discuss supporting the campaign both in the UK and the camp.
8pm -1am: Benefit night at the Sumac Centre
Sun 14th: 10am onward. Brunch & space for informal chats/more meetings
Vegan food will be available for donations. Sleeping space also provided.
Tel: 07510285458
Further gathering details at http://www.veggies.org.uk/event.php?ref=1664
Two Welsh bailiffs were found walking around the site this morning and followed to one of the bunkers which has been built as a defence.
Two Welsh bailiffs were found walking around the site this morning and followed to one of the bunkers which has been built as a defence.
The bailiffs then attempted to rip off one of the bunker’s walls but left soon after. Camp residents are concerned that two appearances of the National Eviction Team and bailiffs within 4 days may mean that they are all in Scotland waiting to evict the camp. Please come to Mainshill if you can and help us defend the site. The Gathering on Saturday 28th – Tuesday 1st is going ahead as planned.
The Lappersfort forest has been okupied again,
and is now under eviction threat.
Come and stay if you like!
Aktion & Eviktion Practice Weekend 4-6 December
The Lappersfort forest has been okupied again,
and is now under eviction threat.
Come and stay if you like!
Aktion & Eviktion Practice Weekend 4-6 December
In the dark chilly woods, a new wind is stirring; winter is moving in, and with the cold nights come a new band of pirates and elves tiptoeing their way between the trees.
After 14 months of okupation, and a pointless pact with the devil signed by 3 previous okupants stating that the forest should be voluntarily packed up by November the 30th, it seemed that the struggle to save the Lappersfort was coming to an end…
But all ends are new beginnings in disguise, and a new seed of mutiny has been sewn in the fertile soil of the forest.As long as it stands threatened, the Lappersfort will be okupied by humans to defend it.
Grown over the ruins of an old ammunitions factory, the Lappersfort forest stands as a symbol for the re-growth and re-wilding of nature and for the healing of the wounds left by industrial and suburban civilisation.
The action camp is as of now under direct EVICTION THREAT, and we are now busy with barrikading, digging in, and getting ready every way we can, while still trying to reach out for more humans to come and help protect this beautiful piece of forest from falling victim to another pointless project of the kapitalist death machine.
For a freespace in the woods and for the woods, for life and wilderness everywhere, Lappersfort stays until the bitter or better end……
On the weekend of the 4-6th of december (hoping that the camp still exists by then), there will be workshops on eviktion and aktion related stuff, including climbing, tunneling, lockons, freeclimbing etc. There will obviously be food and music, and we are still looking for individuals or bands to come and play, and other people with ideas for workshops are also wished for.
Lappersfort stays!
lappersfort@riseup.net
http://lappersfort.freehostia.com
Four Protestors currently on Coal River Mountain. Two locked down to drill rig on Bee Tree Permit site. Mine security and county police are currently there as well. Blasting is still halted.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 11/21/09
Contact: Zoe Beavers 304-854-7372
Email: news@climategroundzero.org
Four Protestors currently on Coal River Mountain. Two locked down to drill rig on Bee Tree Permit site. Mine security and county police are currently there as well. Blasting is still halted.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 11/21/09
Contact: Zoe Beavers 304-854-7372
Email: news@climategroundzero.org
PETTUS, W. Va. – Early this morning two concerned citizens, Dea Goblirsch and Nick Martin, locked down to a drill rig on Coal River Mountain’s Bee Tree mountaintop removal site, effectively stopping blasting. Two others, Grace Williams and Laura Von Dolen, joined them in direct support, holding a banner with the message “Save Coal River Mountain”.
These nonviolent protestors have taken this action to bring attention to the extreme danger facing residents of the Coal River Valley from blasting near the Brushy Fork Impoundment. They plan to stay locked down until law enforcement removes them.
Resident of Rock Creek, W Va., Delbert Gunnoe, stated his concerns with the blasting, “You know when they put a blast over there, and it shakes the windows over here, at what, ¾-a-mile distance, imagine what it does over there.” Gunnoe continued, “if [the impoundment] did bust…what would be the destruction? The town of Whitesville would no longer exist.”
The four are fearful of the blasting that Massey Energy began in late October. These blasts are 200 feet from the Brushy Fork Impoundment, permitted to hold nine billion gallons of toxic coal slurry. The impoundment sits atop miles of hollow, abounded underground mines, further endangering its integrity. By Massey’s own estimates, roughly 998 people will die should the dam break. The emergency evacuation plan states that a 40-foot wall of sludge, cresting at 72 feet, will flow through the valley, reaching 20-feet-high about 15 miles down the road. Apart from the initial flood, the impact of this potential spill would be felt along the Coal River’s 88 miles.
“The Brushy Fork Sludge Impoundment keeps residents of the Coal River Valley up at night, waiting for eight billion gallons of toxic coal slurry to come rushing towards them,” said Dea Goblirsch, one of the two locked down. “I don’t know how Massey executives sleep soundly at night.”
Hydrologist, Dr. Rick Eades spoke of concerns about the stability of the dam as blasting occurs. He questioned “blasting where underground mines existed in the Eagle coal seam, the possibilities for adversely affecting near-surface bedrock in a way that could possibly enhance pathways for slurry to be released via the subsurface and bypass the dam.”
The concern is that slurry will break into underground mine shafts and blow out through old mine openings on the side of the mountain. This potentiality for Coal River Mountain mirrors the cause of the world’s largest slurry spill which occurred in Martin County, Ky. In 2000, 250 million gallons of slurry broke forth from a 2.2-billion-gallon impoundment, killing nearly all life in the Big Sandy River. Its impact reached all the way to the Ohio River, about 100 miles away.
Earlier this week, EPA sent out a letter to Marfork Coal Co., a subsidiary of Massey Energy Co., airing concerns about the absence of a valley fill permit, and requesting an extensive amount of information concerning the mountaintop removal operation on the Bee Tree site.
In note of this, Nick Martin, currently locked down, said, “The EPA’s recent action proves that the communities’ concerns about this site are shared at the highest levels of government.”
Matt Louis-Rosenberg, a Climate Ground Zero activist, adds, “Coal River Wind attempted to get a meeting with the governor for a year and it took people sitting in his office to get him to sit down and meet with concerned community members, just like it takes our actions up on Coal River Mountain to get the federal government to step in.”
The concern showed by the EPA reflects what the residents of the Coal River Valley have known for a long time; the Brushy Fork Impoundment is putting lives in danger, and the blasting on Coal River Mountain only increases that danger. The protestors on the Bee Tree site are putting out a call to action to save Coal River Mountain and protect all those who would be impacted by a catastrophe there. This action fits into a larger fight against mountaintop removal in Appalachia.
On the whole, Gunnoe’s sentiment was, “Don’t like much about Obama, but he’ll have one heck of a supporter if he stops mountaintop mining.”
Note: More information available at http://climategroundzero.org.
