Global – Page 102 – Earth First!

Friday 8th June 2007 – International Day of Direct Action against Climate Change and the G8

Direct Action for Climate Justice – Resistance is Self Defense!

We all know the terrifying statistics: a million species extinct by 2050, 19 of the 20 hottest years on record since 1980, Greenland and Antarctica melting, droughts, floods, famines ? the G8 have had over 30 years to address climate change and only succeeded in providing trillions in subsidies to the very industries that are destroying our planet and our future. And while the G8 continues to line their pockets, island states disappear and hundreds of thousands die as a result of the freak weather conditions caused by their irrational and uncontrollable obsession with never ending economic growth.

Direct Action for Climate Justice – Resistance is Self Defense!

We have a ten-year window to act. As the megalomaniac G8 leaders meet in Germany, masked behind a barrier of fences and soldiers, intent on leading us further towards catastrophic and irreversible climate chaos, we must shout, scream and roar ‘no more’. Now is the time to take direct action and shut them down, them and their climate criminal industry friends!

The 8th of June International Day of Action Against Climate Change and the G8 has been called by the International Rising Tide Network. This is a call for autonomous, decentralized actions appropriate for your town, city, or local area. Use this international day of action to support local struggles against oil refineries, gas pipelines, strip mines and coal-fired power plants. Disrupt the financial backers of the fossil fuel industry. Organise workshops to spread sustainable post-petroleum living skills. Find a weak point in the infrastructure of resource exploitation and throw a literal or symbolic wrench in the works. It’s time to visit your local polluters and give ’em hell!

We already know of actions planned across the UK, North America, Germany, Canada and Australia and that’s just the start! By 8th June actions will be planned around the world. Pass this call out on to all environmental justice, climate action, radical sustainability and related movements in all the G8 countries and the Global South.

Rising Tide will create a collection of outreach and agit-prop materials (including this call out in five different languages) that can be used by groups around the world to organise locally. These materials will be downloadable from www.risingtide.org.uk and http://risingtidenorthamerica.org.

Direct action and civil disobedience are the rational response in this time of crisis. Support the 8th of June International Day of Direct Action against Climate Change and the G8! Tell us about planned actions for climate justice being planned in your community. Contact us – info@risingtide.org.uk and contact@risingtidenorthamerica.org

In June 2007 the G8 will understand the meaning of rebellion, revolt and revolution. Their recipe for catastrophe will be met with our worldwide resistance!

Week of Iceland Actions in the Low Countries

16.03.2007
This morning, Saving Iceland and the Dutch/Belgian environmentalist network GroenFront! built a dam blockading the entrance of the Icelandic Embassy in Brussels (photo-report). Earlier this week, a picketline was held at the Icelandic Consulate in Rotterdam and the folk singer Armand, the “Dutch Bob Dylan”, performed songs of praise to Icelandic nature. Last night, EarthFirst! closed down both ALCOA’s Dutch head office in Drunen and an ALCOA factory in Kerkrade, the Netherlands in opposition to heavy industry. The actions this week express growing international concern on the plans for expansion of the aluminium industry and megahydro in Iceland and other countries such as Trinidad and Brazil.

http://www.savingiceland.org/node/694

14 Landrovers covered in Paintstripper

Fourteen 4x4s were covered in painstripper in a Land Rover Dealership near Hereford in an action against climate change. Slogans were also sprayed while the vehicles were left to ruin.

This action was taken to warn any dealership specialising in these cars, that they are a target. Driving one of these vehicles is the equivelent to leaving the TV on for 32 years, cars like this must be stopped in their tracks.

Fourteen 4x4s were covered in painstripper in a Land Rover Dealership near Hereford in an action against climate change. Slogans were also sprayed while the vehicles were left to ruin.

Climate Change is the most massive globally destructive issue that is facing us today, we can not wait for anyone else to take action but ourselves. The new dawn is coming for direct action in defence of the Earth. There will be no more tolerance.

Earth Liberation Front

concrete lock-on tips (following Parliament Square blockade)

If they took only 20 mins to demolish each lockon then your concrete doesn’t sound up to scratch. Don’t mean to brag but a similar lock on I once built took them 6 hours to demolish with jack hammers and angle grinders. In future you need to include some metal reinforcing mesh or crinkly rebar rods, either offcuts of the proper stuff from builders skips or sawn up supermarket trolleys are ok. Including metal mesh serves not only to bind the concrete together but it spreads the shockwave from jack hammers throughout the material rather than allowing it to be concentrated at the chisel tip. Also good to include some short lengths of blue 6mm rope which prevents the forces of darkness from being able to separate the chunks of fragmented concrete which really winds them up. The other really important things are to use freshly bought cement, be sure your concrete mix is very thoroughly mixed – absolutely no sandy or cementy streaks visible – and then poured in less than 20 mins or so and when pouring it, don’t do it all in one go but ram or tamp (jiggle and shake) it in thoroughly into the container in stages with the end of a bit of 4 x 2. Your concrete looks like it has voids in it which is always a considerable weakness. Good luck with future courageous actions.

Never ever use ordinary “building” or soft sand which is only used for bricklaying and will make very crumbly concrete indeed. You should be using all in ballast which is sharp sand already mixed with pebbles. In some parts of the country – mostly the north – you can’t get this so will have to mix your own using SHARP sand and mixed size pebbles from pea size up to the size of brazil nuts or so.

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

Rospuda camp of road protesters temporarily suspended

Due to agreement with road builders and the law not allowing to disturb the birds in lying eggs the Rospuda camp at the Rospuda River in Poland is temporarily suspended. Ecologists are located in nearby villages or await in other cities ready for immediate action. If You need to contact them and await with them ready for action, then here are the data of Polish Greenpeace:

Antarctica: Sea Shepherd Ship Holed during Collision with Whaling Ship

12.02.2007

The Sea Shepherd ship, Robert Hunter, has been holed in its starboard bow, and its port stern section above the waterline, during a collision with the whale spotter ship Kaiko Maru , according to Sea Shepherd’s president Paul Watson. No injuries have been incurred by crew on both ships, and neither ship is in danger of sinking. A pod of whales being chased by the Japanese ship escaped.

12.02.2007

Exact details of the collision are still confusing. It appears the two Sea Shepherd ships caught the Kaiko Maru chasing a pod of whales near the Balleny Islands in Antarctica, south of New Zealand. Attempts were made by Sea Shepherd activists to disable the propellor of the Kaiko Maru, it appears with some success. Sea Shepherd say on their website “At one point during the confrontation, the Kaiko Maru turned to starboard and struck the Robert Hunter.” According to Dr Hiroshi Hatanaka from the ICR on their website “The Robert Hunter rammed the Kaiko Maru.”

“Sea Shepherd threw smoke pots onto the Kaiko Maru and released ropes and nets to entangle her screw. Its propeller has been damaged by them. The vessel is stranded at the moment and has already put out several distress calls.” said Dr Hiroshi Hatanaka, the Director General of the Institute of Cetacean Research on the ICR website.

After the collision between the Robert Hunter and Kaiko Maru, the Japanese vessel was effectively blockaded against sea ice.

The Japanese vessel issued a maritime distress call saying that it was under attack and in immediate danger. According to the Sea Shepherd website “Sea Shepherd acknowledged this distress signal, but they Japanese vessel refused to say what distress they were in.”

The Greenpeace ship also responded to the distress call, offering immediate assistance, heading at full speed to their position. According to Dave on the Greenpeace weblog “According to the Rescue Coordination Centre of New Zealand, first reports stated the Kaiko Maru was ‘under attack.’ Later reports claimed a collision between the Sea Shepherd vessel Robert Hunter and the Kaiko Maru, with the Robert Hunter receiving a hole in the hull above the water line and the Kaiko Maru suffering unspecified damage to its propeller.”

“At approximately 18.15, the Rescue Coordination Centre of New Zealand requested that the Esperanza ‘stand down’. We informed the Rescue Centre that we would remain within VHF range in case assistance was needed. At 20:15 we received what’s known as a ‘Seelonce Feenee’, which means that the distress call is now over.” concluded Dave from Greenpeace.

Jonny Vasic, International director of Sea Shepherd, on board the Robert Hunter described the collision in a Sydney Morning Herald report “It was a loud noise – a big bang. I actually shuddered a bit. The ships collided two times, once side by side, and once when they rammed into us. I haven’t inspected it yet, but they did some damage to our hull. … We are here to keep those guys out of the whale sanctuary. We are not damaged beyond repair. We are still seaworthy,” Vasic said.

Both Sea Shepherd ships have been away from port for several weeks and are running low on fuel. Captain Watson said “We’re only probably good for the next few days,”

According to a report in The Age newspaper Captain Watson warned that unless anti-whaling governments such as Australia took stronger action, he might try to ram the stern of the Nisshin Maru.

“Do whale defenders have to die down here for the world to notice and take action against the criminal activities of the Japanese whalers?” he said. “For this reason it has been decided to stop the operations of the Japanese floating slaughterhouse, the Nisshin Maru, by ramming one of the ships up the slipway of that foul, sadistic piece of killing machinery.” he told a reporter for the Age.

Captain Watson has appealed to the Australian Government to enforce its territorial waters in the Antarctic against whaling, just as it has enforced laws against fish poaching in its territorial waters.

Both Sea Shepherd vessels do not have any current registration from a State, and have been labelled as ‘pirate ships’. Japan has pressured both the UK and Belize to cancel maritime registration of the two Sea Shepherd vessels.

Background:
* SF Indybay IMC – Antarctic Direct Action: Japanese Claims of Injuries are Bogus says Sea Shepherd
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/02/09/18360001.php
* SF Indybay IMC – US Government Refuses to Act against Japan on Whaling
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/02/09/18360043.php
* SF Indybay IMC – Sea Shepherd crew missing in Antarctic waters
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/02/08/18359650.php

Sources:
1. The Age – Whaling protesters threaten Japanese ship
http://tinyurl.com/2tnceo
2. Sea Shepherd – Sea Shepherd Saves Whale Pod from Whalers
http://www.seashepherd.org/news/media_070211_2.html
3. ICR – RESEARCH VESSEL DAMAGED IN SEA SHEPHERD ATTACK
http://www.icrwhale.org/070212Release.htm
4. Greenpeace – We condemn violence in the Southern Ocean
http://weblog.greenpeace.org/oceandefenders/archive/2007/02/we_condemn_violence_in_th.html
5. Sydney Morning Herald – ‘Pirate’ ship collides with whaler
http://tinyurl.com/34uhf3

Sea Shepherd Engages Japanese Whalers

February 9th, 2007 0830 Hours. (Auckland N.Z. time)

The Sea Shepherd ships Farley Mowat and the Robert Hunter have been engaged in a confrontation with the Japanese Whaling factory ship Nisshin Maru since 0530 Hours this morning.

February 9th, 2007 0830 Hours. (Auckland N.Z. time)

The Sea Shepherd ships Farley Mowat and the Robert Hunter have been engaged in a confrontation with the Japanese Whaling factory ship Nisshin Maru since 0530 Hours this morning.

When the Robert Hunter first approached the Nisshin Maru there were three hunter killer vessels with the mother ship. These vessels quickly fled northward. The Nisshin Maru fled East straight towards the Farley Mowat. At two miles from the Farley Mowat, the Nisshin Maru turned and fled back west again.

There was a pod of whales in the area near the whalers. The Sea Shepherd crew are happy to report that these whales fled and are now safe from the Japanese harpoons.

The Sea Shepherd crew have successfully delivered six litres of Butyric Acid onto the flensing deck of the Nisshin Maru. This “butter acid” is a nontoxic obnoxious smelling substance. The foul smell has cleared the flensing deck and stopped all work of cutting up whales.

Sea Shepherd crew in Zodiacs have nailed plates to the drain outlets on the Nisshin Maru that spill the blood of the whales from the flensing deck into the sea. This is backing up the blood onto the flensing decks. The plates are secured by Hilt nail guns that drive steel nails through solid steel.

Sea Shepherd has relayed the coordinates to the Greenpeace vessel Esperanza. Despite Greenpeace’s refusal to cooperate with the Sea Shepherd ships, the whales need every anti-whaling ship in the area. Greenpeace refuses to give Sea Shepherd their position so it is unknown how long it will take them to reach the area where the whaling fleet is operating.

Sea Shepherd was able to outmaneuver the Japanese Satellite tracking system by taking the ships south of the Balleny Islands through heavy ice. Thirty years of ice navigation opposing the Canadian seal slaughter has proven quite helpful. The Satellite surveillance program cannot track a ship’s wake through the ice. “We came in the back door out of the freezer so to speak,” said Captain Paul Watson.

The Sea Shepherd ships have been searching for the Japanese fleet for five weeks and have covered thousands of square miles of ocean.

The crew of both Sea Shepherd ships are relieved that the Japanese whaling fleet has been found and is now under pursuit and engaged in confrontation with the Robert Hunter and the Farley Mowat.

You can support Sea Shepherd’s Operation Leviathan by visiting their webpage and making an on-line donation here: http://www.seashepherd.org/donate.html

Colombian farmers evicted by British mining companies

Representatives of African-Colombian and Indigenous families evicted from their land in the province of La Guajira, Colombia to make way for a massive opencast coal mine will speak in London on Monday 29th January, 6.30pm-8.30pm at The Human Rights Action Centre, 17-25 New Inn Yard, London EC2.

Many communities have been forced from their land since the mine opened in the 1970s. The village of Tabaco was demolished in 2001 just after British-based companies bought into the project. Many inhabitants accepted the inadequate financial compensation on offer, others are still holding out for community relocation so that they can continue living as a community and farming the land as they did before.

The British-based companies that now own the mine are Anglo American, BHPBilliton and Xstrata. All raise money on the London Stock Exchange. Anglo American has its head office in London. Many pension funds invest in these companies. Many ordinary working people in Britain, without knowing it, are benefiting from the destruction of farming communities in Colombia by the world’s richest mining multinationals. All three companies have good reputations as socially and environmentally responsible enterprises. The reality is very different. Come and hear the communities’ side of the story

Location: The Auditorium, Amnesty International UK, The Human Rights Action Centre, 17-25 New Inn Yard, London EC2
Contact: info@colombiasolidarity.org.uk
(nearest tube Old Street)

Sea Shepherd flagship now running as a Pirate

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society flagship Farley Mowat is now officially a pirate vessel. The ship cleared Australian Customs in Hobart, Tasmania, on December 29th, 2006, only hours before the nation of Belize struck our flag. The Farley Mowat has no home port and can be siezed and sunk by any navy.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society flagship, ‘Farley Mowat’, is now officially a pirate vessel. We are at sea without a flag, in search of illegal whaling operations in hostile and remote waters at the bottom of the world.

The Farley Mowat cleared Australian Customs in Hobart, Tasmania, on December 29th, 2006, only hours before the nation of Belize struck our flag. The Belize registry had only been issued ten days before on December 19, 2006

The Belize registry was sought after Britain pulled the registry in early December the same day it was issued. In October, the Farley Mowat, registered under the Canadian flag since April, 2002, had her registry suspended by Canada.

This is all apparently part of a strategy by Japan to use its economic muscle to lean on any nation that allows us to be registered under their flag. According to a credible legal source in Melbourne, the Farley Mowat as an unregistered pirate vessel may be interdicted at will by any naval vessel of any government, its crew arrested, and the ship sunk.

‘This is incredible but not surprising’, responded Captain Paul Watson, ‘The oceans are crawling with poachers flying flags of convenience and the Japanese and Norwegian registered whalers are illegally slaughtering whales in sanctuaries and killing endangered species, yet we are forced to have our flag struck for opposing these illegal activities.’

The Farley Mowat will continue on to the Southern Oceans without a flag.

‘We have a mission and that mission is to save whales’, said Captain Watson, ‘We will not surrender this ship to any navy and we will not comply with any order to cancel our campaign. If anyone wishes to stop us from protecting whales they will have to sink us.’ The captain and the crew of the Farley Mowat are not concerned about being called pirates.’

‘It was not the British Navy that ended piracy in the Caribbean, it was Captain Henry Morgan who did that and he was a pirate’, Said Captain Watson, ‘I am proud to add my name to the long list of honourable and noble pirates like Sir Francis Drake, John Paul Jones and Jean LaFitte. To that end we have our own version of the Pretty Red or Joli Rouge and it is the crossed shepherdâ€™s staff and Neptuneâ€™s trident under a human skull engraved with the yin and yang of a dolphin and a whale. If they want us to be pirates than we will be damn pirates but we will not abandon the whales to the agony and misery of the harpoons without a fight. We are pirates of compassion in pursuit of pirates of profit.’

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has been opposing illegal whaling activities since 1977 and 2007 marks the 30th anniversary of Sea Shepherd high seas interventions against whalers and illegal fishing operations in the worldâ€™s oceans.

During the entire three decades of Sea Shepherd activities not one person has been injured and not one Sea Shepherd activists has been convicted of a felony crime. Sea Shepherd intervenes against illegal activities in accordance with the principles established by and contained within the United Nation World Charter for Nature.