US: Southeast Climate Convergence occupies nuclear facility

Southeast Climate Convergence occupies nuclear facility. Police set up checkpoints around convergence site.

Southeast Climate Convergence occupies nuclear facility. Police set up checkpoints around convergence site.

August 7 Louisa, VA Activists from the Southeast Convergence for Climate Action occupied the welcome center for Dominion’s North Anna nuclear power plant today. The action was taken to protest Dominion’s plans to build two new nuclear reactors and to call out nuclear power for the false solution that it is to the climate crisis. “We are here to serve notice on the so-called ‘nuclear renaissance’ that the anti-nuclear movement is alive and well,” said Glenn Carroll, coordinator of Nuclear Watch South.

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Southeast Climate Convergence occupies nuclear facility. Police set up checkpoints around convergence site.

August 7 Louisa, VA Activists from the Southeast Convergence for Climate Action occupied the welcome center for Dominion’s North Anna nuclear power plant today. The action was taken to protest Dominion’s plans to build two new nuclear reactors and to call out nuclear power for the false solution that it is to the climate crisis. “We are here to serve notice on the so-called ‘nuclear renaissance’ that the anti-nuclear movement is alive and well,” said Glenn Carroll, coordinator of Nuclear Watch South.

In all 25 people occupied the visitors center for 2 hours until police came in to remove them. The protesters wore shirts that read “Nukes not Welcome” and chanted and sang. “We chose to take non-violent direct action because Dominion and the federal government have completely failed to address the climate crisis,” said Paxus Calta who lives twenty miles from the plant. The protesters also gave their own version of a tour for visitors revealing the true nature of the nuclear industry. In all 6 people were arrested for refusing to leave the building and were escorted out in handcuffs to the cheers of their friends.

The nuclear power industry is attempting to pose itself as our savior for the climate crisis. This is simply not possible. The only thing that the nuclear industry can promise us is a life of radioactive waste, poisoned water, and cancer. Nuclear energy has no place in our transition away from fossil fuels. Since the action, police have set up check points around the convergence, following cars leaving the area, and pulling people over and running ID’s.

We send our solidarity to the UK Climate Camp!
We will continue to fight for climate justice in the southeast. More action to come! The convergence runs through August 11th so come on out! Todays action was planned by Nuclear Watch South, Blue Ridge Earth First!, and Rising Tide North America. www.climateconvergence.org/southeast

Maine EF! Says No More Games; Bold Protest Urges LURC to Reject Massive Plum Creek Development

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, August 13 NOON
Land Use Regulatory Commission (LURC) 18 Elkins Lane – Harlow Building 22 State
House Station Augusta, Maine 04333-0022

For More Information Contact: Logan Perkins – 207-615-5158

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, August 13 NOON
Land Use Regulatory Commission (LURC) 18 Elkins Lane – Harlow Building 22 State
House Station Augusta, Maine 04333-0022

For More Information Contact: Logan Perkins – 207-615-5158

In a bold stunt today, a dozen people affiliated with Maine Earth First!, protested at the LURC office in Augusta. One woman suspended herself 35 feet in the air from a giant tripod made of wooden poles, while others hula-hooped on the ground below her. Under the banner “LURC: Do the right thing! No Development! Plum Creek can’t buy ME” the concerned citizens gathered to make it clear that the only responsible decision is for LURC to reject Plum Creek’s entire plan. Maine Earth First! is an all-volunteer group of Maine citizens working toward the protection of all remaining wild places in Maine as sources of biodiversity, climate stability and cultural heritage.

“The public has spoken and clearly told LURC to reject this destructive proposal.” said Meg Gilmartin from the top of the tripod. “The future of Maine is in their hands and they will be held responsible for the decisions they make for generations to come. Today’s protest should put LURC on notice that their complicity in the destruction of the largest undeveloped area east of the Mississippi will not be tolerated.”

Plum Creek’s Concept Plan proposes to rezone 20,000 acres, an area roughly the size of Portland, for development as part of its Moosehead Lake Concept Plan. The plan includes 90,000 acres of conservation easements to satisfy the Land Use Regulatory Commission’s (LURC) requirement for a conservation balance. An additional 266,000 acres worth ofdevelopment rights on Plum Creek land will be sold to The Nature Conservancy and The Appalachian Mountain Club for $35 million. This conservation is being hailed by many as an unprecedented opportunity to protect a large tract of land in Northern Maine, however, the conservation easements only prevent further development. They do not prevent gravel mining, spreading of sewage sludge, commercial water extraction, socalled”sustainable forestry,” or other extractive activities.

The debate around Plum Creek’s plan has focused in recent months on the future of Lily Bay, slated for a large resort development in the proposal. The Natural Resources Council of Maine and other large environmental organizations have focused their opposition to the plan primarily on protecting the pristine land around Lily Bay. Even these limited efforts have not been successful despite huge public opposition to the development in Lily Bay. When LURC released its recommendations in June, downsizing the number of acres slated for development in Lily Bay, but not decreasing the total number of residences, they were flooded with public comment urging the Commission to reconsider its position on Lily Bay. The protesters in front of LURC today, however are notstaking their opposition on just Lily Bay. “We feel that the scope of the debate has been narrowed to soon by those who would bargain away the North Woods. LURC has heard ample reasons from the people of this state to reject this plan in its entirety. This plan is a bad deal for Mainers and for the North Woods,” said Jessie Dowling, one of the hula-hoopers on the ground below the tripod.

“What LURC has before it now, is an application to extend rampant development, habitat destruction, climate change and mass extinction into one of the most pristine undeveloped areas in the country. The stakes for this type of development are incredibly high. LURC has in its sights a historic and incredibly significant decision to make, and I hope they do the right thing,” said Dowling.

URGENT CALL OUT: MAYO NEEDS YOU! NOW IS THE TIME

During the next 2 weeks, the Solitaire (the biggest pipe laying ship in the world) is set to begin illegally constructing the offshore section of the pipeline. It is believed that the Solitaire is on a pretty tight schedule & booked up for the next 2 years, so ANY disruption provides us with a real opportunity to delay the project significantly.

During the next 2 weeks, the Solitaire (the biggest pipe laying ship in the world) is set to begin illegally constructing the offshore section of the pipeline. It is believed that the Solitaire is on a pretty tight schedule & booked up for the next 2 years, so ANY disruption provides us with a real opportunity to delay the project significantly.

After the success of Climate Camp, come over to Ireland and support a community determined to resist Shell…but they need your help!
Although local resistance has been ongoing, the police and a hired security force have meant it is incredibly difficult. A few weeks ago 13 people were arrested in Glengad (1 man remains in hospital). However the police are now just escorting people from the site and not arresting people.

Therefore there is a real need for clever actions to help delay current construction at the landfall area in Glengad and the planned offshore pipe laying. The local people are calling for your assistance at this time.

It is expected that once the off-shore pipe laying is done, there will be another quiet period for several months before construction is due on the onshore section possibly next spring or summer, so NOW IS THE TIME TO COME!

If you cannot come over please do what you can from home …organise Rossport film nights, protest at Shell garages & offices, contact the Irish Embassy & media.

Travel details on camp website www.rossportsolidaritycamp.110mb.com
The cheapest and easiest way to travel from England-Ireland is to get a coach or train ticket that includes ferry too. www.sailandrail.com – 08705 455 455 www.coachacross.com
Accomodation is avaliable at the camp house
we can win but we need you
e-mail: rossportsolidaritycamp@gmail.com
Homepage: http://www.shelltosea.com, www.rossportsolidaritycamp.110mb.com, www.indymedia.ie/mayo

High tension electrical tower bombed in Chile, claimed by anarchist group

An anarchist group, in an e-mail sent to various media outlets, took responsibility for a bomb attack on a high tension electrical tower on the road at Farellones, where one of the major ski centers of the Metropolitan Region is located.

The message said, “Sabotage the centers of diversion of the rich” and “prepare a subversive September”.

An anarchist group, in an e-mail sent to various media outlets, took responsibility for a bomb attack on a high tension electrical tower on the road at Farellones, where one of the major ski centers of the Metropolitan Region is located.

The message said, “Sabotage the centers of diversion of the rich” and “prepare a subversive September”.

It also mentioned Johnny Cariqueo Yañez, a youth who died March 31 from a heart-attack after he was arrested and jailed on the night of the “Day of the Young Combatant.”

The same anarchist group claimed responsibility for the May 18 bombing of the same police station the youth was jailed at.

The bomb at the electrical tower caused structural damage but didn’t cut off power.

August 11th, 2008
Source: lanacion.cl
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Mientras los ricos se divierten gracias a trabajadores explotados, una bomba en sus centros de diversion les recuerda que la Guerra Social esta Declarada

http://www.hommodolars.org/web/spip.php?article610

Kondh Tribes Determined to Fight UK Mining Firm in India

OrissaIndia’s Supreme Court has today dealt a devastating blow to the Dongria Kondh tribe by giving British FTSE 100 company Vedanta permission to mine their sacred mountain. The tribe say the mine will destroy their way of life forever. Vedanta’s subsidiary Sterlite plans to mine for bauxite, the raw material for aluminium, from Niyamgiri mountain in Orissa, eastern India. Vedanta is majority owned by London-based Indian billionaire Anil Agarwal. The Dongria Kondh say the huge open cast mine will destroy a vast swathe of untouched forest, and will reduce their most sacred site to an industrial wasteland. Last month, thirty Dongria Kondh men blockaded a road that is being built through their forest towards the site of the proposed mine. The tribe say they will stage mass protests if mining goes ahead.

OrissaIndia’s Supreme Court has today dealt a devastating blow to the Dongria Kondh tribe by giving British FTSE 100 company Vedanta permission to mine their sacred mountain. The tribe say the mine will destroy their way of life forever. Vedanta’s subsidiary Sterlite plans to mine for bauxite, the raw material for aluminium, from Niyamgiri mountain in Orissa, eastern India. Vedanta is majority owned by London-based Indian billionaire Anil Agarwal. The Dongria Kondh say the huge open cast mine will destroy a vast swathe of untouched forest, and will reduce their most sacred site to an industrial wasteland. Last month, thirty Dongria Kondh men blockaded a road that is being built through their forest towards the site of the proposed mine. The tribe say they will stage mass protests if mining goes ahead.

The Dongria Kondh cannot appeal this decision by the Supreme Court, but they plan to submit another petition to the Court focusing on the ways in which the mine will violate their cultural and religious rights.

Dongria spokesperson Jitu Jakesika said, ‘We will become beggars if the company destroys our mountain and our forest so that they can make money. We will give our lives for our mountain.’

At this summer’s Earth First! Gathering Saving Iceland is organising a session on bauxite mining and heavy industry and mining in general in Orissa and around the globe, where there will be the opportunity to plan action against Vedanta in the UK.

More on developments in Orissa

Update Australia Action – woodchip arson, Tasmania

anonymous communique:

“On the morning of Thursday the 31th of July, the Earth Liberation Front attacked the Victorian office of Gunns Ltd with molotov cocktails, causing extensive fire damage. This was an act of economic sabotage and resistance against the proposed Tamar Valley Pulp Mill, an eco-cidal project which would cause disastrous and irreversible damage to the ancient and precious eco-system of Tasmania.

anonymous communique:

“On the morning of Thursday the 31th of July, the Earth Liberation Front attacked the Victorian office of Gunns Ltd with molotov cocktails, causing extensive fire damage. This was an act of economic sabotage and resistance against the proposed Tamar Valley Pulp Mill, an eco-cidal project which would cause disastrous and irreversible damage to the ancient and precious eco-system of Tasmania.

This mill’s hunger for woodchips would mean a doubling of the already immense current rate of wood-chipping[1], ravaging the native forests of the North-East of the state. It would bring the Tasmanian Wedge-tailed eagle, the Spotted Tail Quoll and the Giant Fresh-Water Crayfish to the brink of extinction[2]. It would spew 30 billion litres of dioxin and furan laced effluent into the Bass Straight every year[3], consume up to 40 billion litres of fresh water[4], and contribute greatly to climate change[5].

We will not accept Gunns’s continual assault on Tasmania’s old growth forests, wildlife, water supplies and carbon sinks. More extreme forms of eco-cide call for more extreme forms of protest.

We will not cease until Gunns abandons its controversial Tamar Valley Pulp Mill.

In defense of our Earth,

Earth Liberation Front.

[1] Gunns Ltd. Bell Bay Pulp Mill, Draft Integrated Impact Statement.
[2] Gunns’s referral under the EPBC Act, April 2007.
[3] University of Melbourne and Forestry Tasmania 2003: Bekessy transcripts, Wielangta court case 2006.
[4] Gunns Ltd. Bell Bay Pulp Mill, Draft Integrated Impact Statement.
[5] Trees- The forgotten solution to climate change; The Wilderness Society, 2006.”

Spirit of Freedom (August 2008)

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)

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 August 2008 edition of Spirit of Freedom. As people will soon see, ELP’s prisoner lists have grown yet again. If we exclude the Geek anarchist, Vaggelis Botzatzis, and the two Americans Richard Sills and Michael Sykes (all of whom are listed by ELP as ‘Other Prisoners’), there are now 40 listed animal & earth liberation prisoners in Europe & America.
There are also a number of non-listed prisoners, who are not listed either by their own choice, or because they betrayed their fellow activists and became informants. And remember these numbers do not include those people who are either under House Arrest or on Bail pending Trial. Nor do they include the activists whose locations are currently unknown and who are described by the police as “on the run”. Seeing so many good people removed from their families & loved ones for merely acting out of compassion and a desire to stop environmental destruction and animal abuse is heartbreaking.
Some of the prisoners ELP lists are very well known, others are less well known. However ALL of them deserve our love and support. ALL of the listed prisoners welcome letters of support. Even if it’s just a card saying “Hi. I’m thinking of you”. So please, no matter where you are in the world, support the eco-prisoners. And no compromise in defence of Mother Earth.

ECO-DEFENCE PRISONERS

Tre Arrow, SWIS #640393, Multnomah County Detention Center, 1120 S.W. 3rd Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97206, USA. Awaiting sentencing of six and a half years imprisonment having reached a non-cooperation plea-bargain with the authorities who accuse him of involvement in two arsons. 1) an arson on logging trucks 2) an arson on vehicles owned by a sand & gravel company. (Tre is a raw energy vegan – He has asked that his letters of support are written on scrap paper or tree-free paper).

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).

Daniele Casalini, Casa Circondariale, Via Burla 59, 43100 Parma, Italy. Il Silvestre activist awaiting trial accused of using explosives to damage an electricity pylon in protest at nuclear energy. (Daniele is a vegan).

Rod Coronado – See details in Animal Liberation Prisoners List.

Francesco Gioia, C.C. Sollicciano, Via Girolamo Minervini 2/R, 50142 Firenze Sollicciano (FI), Italy. Il Silvestre activist awaiting trial accused of using explosives to damage an electricity pylon in protest at nuclear energy. (Francesco is a vegetarian and Straight Edge).

Paola Gori, Via delle Macchie 9, 57124 Livorno, Italy. Il Silvestre activist awaiting trial accused of allowing her house to be used to plan illegal activity. (Paola is a vegan).

Bryan Lefey #38664-086, FDC SeaTac, Federal Detention Center, P.O. Box 13900, Seattle, WA 98198, USA. On remand accused of an ELF action that saw the damaging of GM trees and the damaging of US Forestry Service vehicles. (Diet unknown).

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).

Eric McDavid, 16209-097. FCI Victorville Medium II, PO BOX 5700, 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, FCI Terre Haute, Federal Correctional Institution, P.O. Box 33, Terre Haute, IN 47808, 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. At the moment Daniel is in transit as he has been ordered to appear before some Grand Juries. Daniel is refusing to answer the Grand Jury questions and is gaining additional prison time because of this (Daniel is a vegetarian).

Jonathan Paul – See details in Animal Liberation Prisoners List.

Briana Waters, 36432-086, FDC – Seatac, Federal Detention Center, P.O. Box 13900, Seattle, WA 98198, 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).

Jon Ablewhite TB4885, HMP Lowdham Grange, Lowdham, Nottingham, NG14 7DA, England. Serving 12 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied guinea pigs for vivisection. (Jon is a vegan).

Dan Amos VN7818, HMP Exeter, 30 New North Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4EX, England. On remand having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to blackmail Huntingdon Life Sciences. (Dan is a vegan)

Gregg Avery TA7450, HMP Winchester, Romsey Road, Winchester, SO22 5DF, England. On remand having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to blackmail Huntingdon Life Sciences. (Gregg is a vegan).

Natasha Avery NR8987, HMP Bronzefield, Woodthorpe Road, Ashford, Middx. TW15 3JZ, England. On remand having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to blackmail Huntingdon Life Sciences. (Nat is a vegan).

Mel Broughton TN9138, HMP Woodhill, Tattenhoe Street, Milton Keynes, Bucks MK4 4DA, England. On remand accused of involvement with an arson and blackmail campaign against an Oxford University vivisection establishment.
(Mel is a vegan).

Martin Balluch, (JA Josefstadt), Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3, 2700 Wr. Neustadt, Austria. One of ten Austrian’s held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. (Martin is a vegan)

Christoph, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria. One of ten Austrian’s held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. At the moment Christopher does not wish to have his full name published. (Christoph is a vegan).

Jacob Conroy #93501-011, FCI Victorville Medium I Federal Correctional Institution, P.O. Box 5300, Adelanto, CA 92301, USA. Serving 48 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Jake is a vegan).

Rodney Coronado #03895-000, FCI El Reno, PO Box 1500, El Reno, OK 73036, USA. Serving one-year imprisonment after he informed people how to make an incendiary device during a speech at an animal rights gathering. (Rod is a vegetarian).

Donald Currie A3660AA, HMP Parkhurst, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 5NX, England. Serving an Indeterminate Sentence, of not less than six actual years, for carrying out arsons against targets associated the vivisection industry including HLS. (Don is a vegan).

Jürgen Faulmann, Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3, 2700 Wr. Neustadt, Austria. One of ten Austrian’s held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. (Jurgen 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).

Joshua Harper #29429-086, FCI Sheridan Federal Correctional Institution, P.O. Box 5000, Sheridan, OR 97378 USA. Serving 36 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Josh is a vegan).

Felix Hnat (JA Eisenstadt), Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3, 2700 Wr. Neustadt, Austria. One of ten Austrian’s held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. (Felix is a vegan).

Jan, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria. One of ten Austrian’s held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. At the moment Jan does not wish to have his full name published. (Jan is a vegan).

Kevin Kroemmer, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria. One of ten Austrian’s held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. (Kevin is a vegan)

Sean Kirtley WC 6977, HM Prison Blakenhurst, Hewell Lane, Redditch, B97 6QS, England. Serving four and a half years for running an anti-vivisection campaign website. (Sean 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).

Leo, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria. One of ten Austrian’s held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. At the moment Leo does not wish to have his full name published. (Leo is a vegan).

Daniel McGowan – See details in Eco Defence Prisoners List.

Christian Moser, Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3, 2700 Wr. Neustadt, Austria. One of ten Austrian’s held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. (Christian is a vegan).

Heather Nicholson VM4859, HMP Bronzefield, Woodthorpe Road, Ashford, Middx. TW15 3JZ, England. On remand accused of conspiracy to blackmail, in relation to her involvement with the SHAC campaign. (Heather 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).

Sabine, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria. One of ten Austrian’s held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. At the moment Sabine does not wish to have their full name published. (Sabine is a vegan).

Andrew Stepanian #26399-050, USP Marion, P.O. Box 1000 Marion, IL 62959, USA. Serving 36 months for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Andrew is a vegan).

Elmar Völkl (JA Eisenstadt), Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3, 2700 Wr. Neustadt, Austria. One of ten Austrian’s held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. (Elmar 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)

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).

THE LECCE FIVE
The Lecce Five 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

Vahtang Devitlidze, ul. Libbedova 42, UO 68/2, otryad 14, brigada 142, g. Hagyshensk, Krasnodarskiy Kray, 352680 Russia. Serving 2½ years for stabbing a neo-nazi in the leg whilst defending himself from attack. (Diet unknown).

Augustin Kraus, Vazebni veznice, PP-1, Litomerice, 41 201, Czech Republic.
Serving 14 months for his participation in attacks against local neo-nazis. His charge was “bodily harm”. He speaks Czech, Slovak and Polish. You can also write him short postcards in English. (Diet unknown).

Fabio Milan, C.C. via Pianezza 300, 10151 Torino, Italy. On remand accused of fighting with the police after an anti-fascist protest. (Diet unknown).

Andrea Neff, Bnr: 746/07/2, Justizvollzugsanstalt fur Frauen in Berlin, Arkonastrasse 56, 13189 Berlin, Germany. Serving 14 months for anti-fascist activity. (Diet unknown).

Christian Sümmermann, Bnr: 441/08/5, JVA Plötzensee, Lehrterstr. 61, 10557 Berlin, Germany. Serving 40 months for breaching the peace whilst serving a suspended sentence issued for anti-fascist activities. (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).

Yuri Yurevich Milevskiy, SIZO #7 kamera 38, g. Brest, ul. Karla Marksa 86, 224000 Belarus. On remand for fighting with neo-nazis. (Diet unknown).

OTHER PRISONERS

Olga Aleksandrovna Nevskaya, UU163/5, 7 Otryad, pos. Dzerzhinskiy, Mozhaysk 140090 Moskovskaya oblast, Russia. Eco-activist serving 6 years for arson, criminal damage and causing explosions in protest at the war in Chechnya. Due for release in 2009. (Diet unknown).

Vaggelis Botzatzis, Komotini Juridical Prison (“Dikastikes Fylakes Komotinis”), T.K. 69100, Greece. On remand accused of setting fire to two company cars owned by a energy/power company. It is believed that the person or persons unknown who carried out the arson did so in protest at the destruction of the natural environment and in support of two workers who died at the power plant. Vaggelis is also accused of setting fire to a bank and starting a fire inside a car yard. (Meat Eater).

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).

Michael W. Sykes, 100 East 2nd St, Monroe, Michigan 48161, USA. Youth held on remand accused of anti-sprawl arsons, criminal damage, spray-painting an anarchist sign and burning the American flag. (Diet unknown)

Fran Thompson, #1090915 HU 1C, WERDCC, PO Box 300, Vandalia, MO 63382, 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. ‘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

Bicyclists Attack Failed Businesses With Seeds, Art

Friday, August 1st – “We don’t need another parking lot” read one of over 30 stenciled cardboard signs erected Friday evening across the fences of various failed businesses throughout Santa Cruz by a group of bicyclists as part of a “Going Out of Business & Green Futures” community ride.

Parking lot stencilFriday, August 1st – “We don’t need another parking lot” read one of over 30 stenciled cardboard signs erected Friday evening across the fences of various failed businesses throughout Santa Cruz by a group of bicyclists as part of a “Going Out of Business & Green Futures” community ride.

Part protest against car culture, part living art project, and part prank, the group of about 20 bicyclists visited the sites of former gas stations, drive thrus, autodealerships, and more, planting wild flower seeds, and other decorations depicting a deteriorating economy and hopes for a greener, wilder future. “Property is Theft”, “My heroes carry guns in the their minds”, and “Community Garden Coming Soon!” read some of the signs posted outside fenced off buildings and pavement cracking open with weeds.

The ride was in response to a statement sent by the Corporate Rulers of America that read:

“To the people of the United States,

Due to circumstances beyond our control, we regret to inform you that we will no longer be able to continue running this country as all of our assets are no longer viable.

Effective immediately, we will no longer be providing you with low-wage meaningless jobs, cheap gasoline, or hours upon hours of infotainment. Furthermore, we cannot guarantee that the remainder of our mass produced products are of any quality beyond the value assumed by our corporate logos, nor are they environmentally safe. We also cannot guarantee that your pensions will be paid, that your savings are secure, or that you’ll be getting the best health care in the industrialized world. In fact, to be completely honest, we’ve never really meant anything we’ve said but do thank you for believing in us nonetheless.

We hereby relinquish all deeds of private property and assume no responsibility with what happens to it from here on out.

Finally, we’d like to thank you for all your years of service and sacrifice, but most of all, thank you for your obedience to our way of life, we seriously couldn’t have done it without you. We wish you the best of luck. You’re on your own.

Sincerely,
Corporate America”

By Saturday afternoon, most of the signs had been removed…But the seeds have been sown.

More words & photos

Office Attacked in Protest of Pulp Mill

“On the morning of Thursday the 31th of July, the Earth Liberation Front attacked the Victorian office of Gunns Ltd. This was an act of economic sabotage and resistance against the proposed Tamar Valley Pulp Mill, an eco-cidal project which would cause disastrous and irreversible damage to the ancient and precious eco-system of Tasmania.

“On the morning of Thursday the 31th of July, the Earth Liberation Front attacked the Victorian office of Gunns Ltd. This was an act of economic sabotage and resistance against the proposed Tamar Valley Pulp Mill, an eco-cidal project which would cause disastrous and irreversible damage to the ancient and precious eco-system of Tasmania.

This mill’s hunger for woodchips would mean a doubling of the already immense current rate of wood-chipping[1], ravaging the native forests of the North-East of the state. It would bring the Tasmanian Wedge-tailed eagle, the Spotted Tail Quoll and the Giant Fresh-Water Crayfish to the brink of extinction[2]. It would spew 30 billion litres of dioxin and furan laced effluent into the Bass Straight every year[3], consume up to 40 billion litres of fresh water[4], and contribute greatly to climate change[5].

We will not accept Gunns’s continual assault on Tasmania’s old growth forests, wildlife, water supplies and carbon sinks. More extreme forms of eco-cide call for more extreme forms of protest.

We will not cease until Gunns abandons its controversial Tamar Valley Pulp Mill.

In defense of our Earth,

Earth Liberation Front.

[1] Gunns Ltd. Bell Bay Pulp Mill, Draft Integrated Impact Statement.
[2] Gunns’s referral under the EPBC Act, April 2007.
[3] University of Melbourne and Forestry Tasmania 2003: Bekessy transcripts, Wielangta court case 2006.
[4] Gunns Ltd. Bell Bay Pulp Mill, Draft Integrated Impact Statement.
[5] Trees- The forgotten solution to climate change; The Wilderness Society, 2006.”

Reported anonymously by Bite Back

DC Students for a Democratic Society & Potomac Earth First! Funk I-69

July 31, 2008

Smash I-69 bannerJuly 31, 2008
Resistance to the construction of Interstate 69 continued nationally on Monday as nearly 100 people took over K Street in Washington, D.C. to demonstrate their opposition to NAFTA & I-69. SDSers, Potomac EF!ers, and others danced in the streets, handed out hundreds of fliers and stickers about I-69, and held corporations publicly accountable for their complicity in I-69 and the Plan Puebla Panama. Distracting the police with their funky dance moves, the crowd was able to storm the Cato Institute, a right-wing think tank responsible for forcing neoliberal ideology down the throats of communities across the world, and left their pristine glass doors plastered with anti-I-69 stickers.

The rowdy crowd continued to the offices of HNTB, a planning firm responsible for I-69, but were limited to blocking traffic and chanting by the line of riot police protecting their corporate bosses. The group finally danced its way down to the Washington Post, holding the corporate apologist responsible for uncritically supporting neoliberal policies and free trade agreements throughout the Americas. Once again, the crowd was almost obtained entrance to the offices, distracting those inside and disrupting work, but were forced down the stairs by a line of riot police.

The action forced hundreds of people to stop in their tracks (literally, as traffic was stopped by a dancing reclamation of the streets), open their eyes, and learn about Interstate 69. It also served as a reminder to those responsible for Interstate 69: we know where you are, we will continue to visit you wherever you hide, and all that protects you are thin glass doors and a line of riot police. Capitalism may be globalized, but so is resistance.