Global – Page 86 – Earth First!

Southeast Climate Convergence march visits Richmond climate criminals. Two lockdown at Bank of America

August 11th, 2008

Despite a massive police presence throughout the city and our major action plan derailed by law enforcement harassment, 50 activists snaked their way through Richmond today in an un-permitted march, paying visits to several climate criminals. Carrying banners reading, “No Nukes, No Coal, No Kidding” and “Social Change not Climate Change,” people marched to the headquarters of Massey Energy, Dominion, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and Bank of America.

At Massey Energy, a notorious coal company involved in mountaintop removal coal mining, activists surrounded the entrance and yelled, “Hands off our mountains!.” The group then moved on to the Department of Environmental Quality which recently rubber stamped Dominion’s dirty coal plant in Wise County, VA. Next the group brought the party to Dominion, who is building the aforementioned coal plant as well as proposing a new nuke plant in Louisa County, VA. Chanting “No coal, no nukes, we won’t stop until you do!” the activists attempted to take over Dominion’s plaza but were repelled by police on horses. In a show of interspecies solidarity one horse bucked a cop off its back.

To wrap things up for the day, the crowd moved on to the the towering Bank of America building, one of the largest funders of the coal industry. In impressive feat of stealth two activists manage to infiltrate the beefed up security at the building and locked to a sign outside of the customer entrance. Marchers supported the lockdown with a die in on the sidewalk. Police eventually cut free the two that were locked down and charged them with trespassing.

All in all it was a great day. While the police may have foiled our original plans they couldn’t stop us altogether. Pretty much every building in Richmond connected to a climate criminal had cops staked out at it and several activists cars were followed anywhere they went. Despite this we had a successful march and lockdown. Lets continue the struggle for climate justice in the southeast!

Billionaire’s for Coal strike in Bank of America’s home state, 4 protests in 3 days

July 11th 2008

July 11th 2008
Today Asheville Rising Tide’s billionaire bloc descended on Bank of America’s regional headquarters to demand that BoA continue to invest their money in coal. The Billionaires for Coal carried signs reading “More Profit, Less Mountains” and sipped on dirty (coal) martinis to applaud BoA for its funding of mountaintop removal coal mining as well as the new generation of dirty coal plants. The Asheville Police Department did an excellent job of blocking access to the bank entrance and the ATM surely scaring off a number of bank customers.

Two days before, activists with Croatan Earth First! visited three Bank of America branches in Raleigh and Chapel Hill. The activist entered the banks raising a ruckus and handing out fliers to customers until being forced to leave. The motley crew of billionaires then proceeded to demonstrate outside and informing the public of BoA’s dirty deeds. A few weeks before several activists were detained by police in Charlotte, NC (BoA’s hometown) for hanging anti-coal poster’s in the neighborhoods of several BoA executives homes. After intensive interrogation, they were let go without charge (remember kids, never talk to cops).

Bank of America is guilty of funding such notorious human rights abusers and ecological destroyers as Massey Energy, Arch Coal, and Peabody Energy. They have recently handed over heaps of cash to companies such as Duke Energy that is currently building the 800 MW Cliffside coal plant in Cliffside, NC.

Spirit of Freedom (July 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 July 2008 edition of Spirit of Freedom. As a number of ELP supporters will be aware, ELP has traditionally dedicated our newsletters to fallen friends, who have either been killed or seriously injured as a result of their protest activities. For the past few months ELP hasn’t carried any dedication and we hoped that we would not have to dedicate another newsletter to a fallen friend again. However last month, ELP received the heartbreaking news about the death of Marie Vesco. Marie was a French activist living in England. She was involved with a number of groups including ‘Food Not Bombs’. On Wednesday the 4th of June 2008 Marie was cycling to the Carnival Against the Arms Trade when a Four Wheel Drive
vehicle (an SUV if your American) swerved across two lanes hitting Marie. A second vehicle then also hit Marie. Marie died instantly: she was just a few days away from her 20th birthday. Marie is remembered as a warm, loud, fun, vivacious figure with an infectious laugh that was always ready to help others. ELP understands that at least two Critical Mass cycle rides have already been dedicated to Marie. Likewise in memory of Marie ELP is dedicating this newsletter to her memory. The loss of Marie is a blow for the movement and our thoughts are with her family and friends.

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).

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, Columbia County Jail, 403 Jackson Street, Portage, Wisconsin 53901, 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).

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).

Gregg Avery TA7450, HMP Winchester, Romsey Road, Winchester, SO22 5DF, England. On remand accused of conspiracy to blackmail, in relation to his involvement with the SHAC campaign. (Gregg is a vegan).

Natasha Avery NR8987, HMP Bronzefield, Woodthorpe Road, Ashford, Middx. TW15 3JZ, England. Jailed for breaching her parole conditions imposed on her for telling a fox hunting murdering scum what she thought of them. Also awaiting trial accused of conspiracy to blackmail, in relation to her involvement with the SHAC campaign. (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, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, 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.

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).

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).

Sarah Gisborne, LT5393, HMP Downview, Sutton Lane, Sutton, Surrey, SM2 5PD, England. Serving 5½ years for conspiracy to cause criminal damage following the damaging of 8 vehicles owned by people linked to Huntingdon Life Science. Due for release at the end of July (Sarah 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).

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.

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)

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.

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.

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).

Daniel McGowan – See details in Eco Defence Prisoners List.

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).

Andrew Stepanian #26399-050, FCI Butner Medium II Federal Correctional Institution, PO Box 1500, Butner, NC 27509 USA. Serving 36 months for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Andrew 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).

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).

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

AMP-Ohio Utility Headquarters Overtaken by Earth First! – No More Business as Usual for Environmentally Destructive Profiteers

Earth First! activists demand cancellation of proposed coal-fired power plant in Meigs County, Ohio

Columbus, OH — At 11:30am Monday morning (8/7/2008), about 100 Earth First! activists occupied the headquarters of American Municipal Power, an electric utility that provides statewide service to member communities.

As part of an ongoing series of direct actions, activists confronted CEO Marc Gerken and demanded that AMP-Ohio cancel its plans for construction of a new and widely opposed coal-fired power plant in southeast Ohio.

Dozens of activists charged the building and occupied the lobby, disabled video cameras with silly string, danced on furniture, banged on pots and pans, and delivered anti-coal messages to employees with chants and songs. Five activists locked themselves down in the lobby and two activists climbed the flagpoles in front of the building, hoisting signs that read “no new coal!” and “we won’t stop until you do.”

Business as usual was disrupted for several hours while police forcibly removed demonstrators from the property, arresting eight. Bail money is still needed for several activists. Please help out by donating to the legal fund at http://earthfirstjournal.org/

Morgan Kipler, an Earth First!er from Columbus, said that the proposed plant “is currently the greatest threat to Ohio’s health, safety, and welfare, and must be cancelled immediately.”

Earth First! opposes the power plant for a number of reasons. The proposed plant would be a major climate change contributor, emitting 7.3 million tons of CO2 into the air every year. The local impact is just as dramatic: Meigs County ranks number one in the state for lung cancer incidence, and number two for related mortalities.

A study released by the Clean Air Task Force shows Meigs County to be in the center of a tri-state hot zone for premature death rates directly attributable to PM 2.5 exposures. PM 2.5 is the particulate matter released by power plants responsible for a multiplicity of life-shortening illnesses including cancer and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.

If the proposed AMP-OH plant is built, it will become one of five coal plants within a ten-mile radius to the southern tip of Meigs County. Additionally, four more coal-fired plants have been proposed for construction in the area by other electric utility providers. This is an obvious injustice as it forms the backbone of the highest concentration of coal-fired power plants in the country.

The power plant is also a bad deal for electric customers. Costs of construction have escalated from $1.2 to $2.9 billion since October of 2005, an increase of about $1.7 million per day over the last 3 years! At a time of cost hikes, nationwide power plant cancellations and rejections, and pending federal legislation on global warming emissions, AMP-Ohio is making a bad decision for its member communities, the people of Meigs County, and future generations in Ohio and beyond.

Earth First! said it will continue to resist the construction of the AMP-Ohio plant with a diversity of tactics.

—–

Earth First! is an international movement rooted in bio-centrism and direct action. This action concludes the Earth First! 2008 national gathering, which took place in Southern Ohio from June 30-July 7.

—

I was fortunate enough to be at the AMP-Ohio headquarters in March, when activists occupied AMP’s lobby and demanded that AMP CEO Marc Gerken schedule a meeting with impacted community members to discuss their concerns about the Meigs County coal plant. Gerken promised to schedule the meeting, then broke his promise several months later.

AMP-Ohio are part of a small army of coal industry environmental criminals, who are trying their hardest to pollute our communities and cause climate chaos in order to increase their profits. But in order to do that, they’re going to have to get past a small army of environmental warriors – like the activists who shut down AMP’s headquarters on Monday – who are willing to put their personal safety on the line in order to confront and shut down these climate criminals.

ELF target Coca-Cola twice and wild boar freed

In solidarity with the Austrian activists, imprisoned illegally by the state, the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) twice this month targeted Coca-Cola in Mexico for their crimes against the earth and its inhabitants, whilst in Spain, ELF and Animal Liberation Front activists reported that they freed a boar that was awaiting death.

Reported: 28th June

received anonymously:

“On June 1 the bottler and distributor of the multinational coca cola was attacked in Mexico state; its walls were covered in paint and a large painting at the entrance read, ‘Multinational murderers;’ the attacks do not stop and will go on increasing.

Solidarity with prisoners of Austria!
For animal liberation!
For the liberation of the land!
For human liberation!
Sabotage and direct action!

FLT/ELF”

Reported: 24th June

translation from www.accionvegana.org:

“On thursday 12 of june we freed a wild boar in Caceres. We opened the fence that kept him encaged. This easy action has given back freedom to an animal that was waiting to be murdered by hunters.

We want to show our solidarity with our Austrian comrades repressed and to every animal liberation activist in jail.

ALF/ELF”

Reported: 7th June

anonymous communique (translation):

“Coca-Cola, one of the American multinationals responsible for the destruction of our planet, complicit in the exploitation and theft of water from indigenous communities (Chiapas), generating human exploitation by forcing children to work more than 10 hours a day in their sugarcane crops (El Salvador), massive pollution of rivers with toxic products (India), contractor of paramilitary groups that killed union workers (Colombia), financer of death by voluntarily giving a portion of their profits to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, racist since the days of Nazi Germany, partnering with large magnates and multinationals such as Nestle, McDonalds, Chrysler, Texaco, (likewise) responsible for global warming, the brutal exploitation of the land and the food crisis afflicting the world today, should be a primary objective for all those combatants who are fighting against the many aberrations and for the liberation of the land, animals and humans, because this global company alone is an example of the influence of the capitalist system on its owners, the extreme abuse of power and the advancing of its global control over many innocents.
Hence the Frente de Liberación de la Tierra has taken firm action against this scourge; in the evening of June 5 the walls of the company were splashed with paint with a special stench, the vehicles of the administrators were likewise victims of our first but not last attack.
We will return but with even more force.

Dedicated to the fighters of Austria = recently imprisoned by the fascist state of that country.
Forward!

..:FLT:.. – Estado de México”

See also the previous Mexican ALF/ELF action, click here

coal power station actions in Australia

Yesterday (Friday June 27) CIA (Concerned, Independent Activists) locked on to and shut down a conveyor transporting coal into Muja power station in Collie. Two activists were arrested.

In the early hours of this morning a group of climate campaigners entered the perimeter of the Muja coal-fired power station near Collie. Western Australia and shut down the conveyor belt supplying coal into the station. This is a peaceful protest against the continued use and expansion of polluting and unsustainable power generation in Western Australia. One person has locked onto the conveyor belt used to transport coal into the power station, preventing its operation and stopping the conveyor belt supply of coal into the plant. Benjamin Cody, a thirty year old father of four from Bunbury said that he was shutting down the plant to highlight and protest against government approval of two new coal-fired power stations and plans for the construction of two more. “Each of these will have a lifetime of at least thirty years, committing ourselves and future generations of West Australians to dirty, polluting and unreliable energy until around 2040. The Carpenter and Rudd Governments need to be held accountable, and the transition to WA’s dean energy future has to start now,” Mr Cody said. “Generating electricity from coal-fired power stations is the dirtiest way to produce power on the planet Collie could be the ‘Silicon Valley’ of renewable energies if the government were to direct investment into renewable technology. Instead this money is all being directed towards the coal industry”.

Concerned Independent Activists (CIA) spokesperson, Nicholas Morgan said, “It is disappointing and frustrating that short sighted politicians and vested interests are preventing WA from moving forward into the renewable energy industry. This is not about taking away jobs, it’s about creating more jobs in energy industries that are sustainable and reliable, such as wind, solar, wave, and geothermal. Currently in Germany, there are roughly 250,000 jobs in the renewable energy industry which is growing every year,” Mr Morgan said,”The worldwide renewable industry is worth over $100 billion and is doubling in size every 20 months. Australia has real innovative strength and could play a big part, with environmental, employment and other economic benefits to follow. Australia risks being left behind in the dark ages”.

The action is also taking place in the shadow of WA’s gas and energy crisis. “It is absolutely unacceptable that in this day and age the West Australian government is still relying on fossil fuels for the state’s energy needs” said Mr Morgan. “Western Australia’s energy emergency highlights the need to invest in a range of clean and reliable resources such as solar and wind. It is a sad joke that the government is responding to the lack of gas by reopening the states dirtiest power station which was decommissioned because it used old, polluting technology”.

This action is part of a growing trend around Australia of communities who are frustrated with the lack of action being taken by governments on climate change. “All over the world people are reclaiming their power and asserted their right to live in a world free from dangerous climate change”.

———-

3rd July 2008 – Climate Camp hails Greenpeace action: promises more to come…

Organisers of the Camp for Climate Action have applauded Greenpeace for this morning shutting down the country’s biggest single source of carbon dioxide, Eraring Power Station, south of Newcastle…

Eraring power station is equal first in the dubious honour of biggest CO2 emitter in Australia with another Hunter power station, Bayswater in Muswellbrook.

Camp spokesperson, Holly Creenaune, said that direct action against the causes of climate change was a reasonable response to the inaction of Government on reducing coal dependence.

“The longer the Government prevaricates on this issue, the more people will take action themselves against coal power and exports.”

“Greenpeace have taken action that any reasonable person would take in the face of the urgent need to stop emitting greenhouse gases and the hesitancy of Government to take leadership.

“Next week hundreds of people will follow their bold lead and take part in the largest single direct action against the causes of climate change that Australia has ever seen.”

The Camp for Climate Action will culminate in a peaceful direct action on 13th July at the Carrington coal terminal, where hundreds of people will walk onto the coal rail line and stop coal exports in their tracks.

“This is the reality of the situation: having wasted the last decade doing nothing about climate change but carrying on increasing our greenhouse pollution, we are now faced with the need to begin decommissioning power stations and winding back coal exports.”

For further information

Holly Creenaune 0417 682 541
Georgina Woods 0438 223 771

Issue Two of the ‘Roadblock Report’ Now Out!

3/7/2008
Issue two of the independent newsletter of the I-69 campaign is now out for your downloading, printing and distributing pleasure.
You can find both the first and the second issue on the website of Roadblock Earth First! http://stopi69.wordpress.com/resources or on the media archive section of the I-69 Media Office’s website http://i69mediaoffice.wordpress.com/media-archive

– letter from the editors about media/independent media
-breaking news stories about
• the tree sit eviction,
• Bloomington torch march,
• retaliatory actions across Indiana,
-action reports on:
• home demos,
• solidarity demos,
-updates on
• the nature walks on the route,
• the community barbq,
-opinion pieces about
• the flooding in Indiana,
• a response to allegations of violence in office demos.
-I-69 Listening project interview
-Critical thought piece on the future of the ‘anti-globalization movement.

The second issue is formatted in 8.5”X11”, to be double sided. Email roadblockreport (at) yahoo.com if you would like a different format.

As well, the I-69 Media Office is announcing the launch of its new website, i69mediaoffice.wordpress.com . The I-69 Media Office is an independent clearinghouse for anti-I-69 information and action reporting. Please explore our ‘under construction’ website for more information on what we do.

Arrests As International Whaling Commission Fails To Protect Whales

Fifteen people were arrested by police at a meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), held this year in Santiago, Chile.

Fifteen people were arrested by police at a meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), held this year in Santiago, Chile. The protesters were supposedly trying to ‘storm’ the meeting but other reports state that the mere presence of people in front of the meeting’s venue was seen as a ‘security threat’.

The IWC meets annually to regulate the whaling industry and make decisions on conservation of whale populations. So far the meeting hasn’t reached any agreements and the commission continues to be strongly devided between the pro- and anti-whaling nations. Skye Bortoli, an activist from Teens Against Whaling described the meeting this year as ‘pathetic’, saying “this body will be known in the future as a small group of ecologically arrogant people who are condemning the world’s whales to agony and oblivion for petty politics and a few lousy bucks.”

Previous Features: Armed Canadian Coast Guard Storms Conservation Vessel | Nottingham Activist Returns From Whale Saving Mission In Antartica | Injured Among Sea Shepherd Crew As Japanese Military Open Fire | Activists Held Hostage By Japanese Whalers In Southern Ocean

This year, like many a year before, the IWC fails to make progress in their protection of whales. Japan and other pro-whaling nations push for a partial lifting of the ban on commercial whaling. Also, the US (which has been involved with Japan’s whaling industry) has been pushing for the regulation of ‘scientific whaling’, something which conservations argue would only legitimize an already illegal activity. Japan uses the ‘scientific research’ as a smokescreen for their illegal commercial whaling practices.

There has been a debate about whether Greenland should be allowed a bigger quota of whales for their hunt and discussions are ongoing about Japan’s hunt in the Southern Ocean. It has been reported that the earliest the IWC might come to some kind of agreement is by next year’s meeting, which is to be held in Madeira, Portugal. The commission continues to be strongly divided between pro-whaling (Japan, Denmark, Norway, Iceland) and anti-whaling (Australia, United Kingdom, New Zealand, South Africa) nations.

Captain Paul Watson, from the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, did manage to get into the hotel this year. He normally never makes it inside as the Sea Shepherd is the only organisation officially banned from attending IWC meetings. Paul, like Skye Bortoli, isn’t impressed with the state of affairs at this year’s meeting: “There were many things that could come out of this meeting. Japan could withdraw from the IWC and become a renegade whaling nation along with their partners in conservation crime Norway and Iceland. Or a compromise may be brokered that will allow the Japanese to withdraw from the Southern Ocean without losing face or thirdly, and most likely, nothing will come out of this meeting at all. From the way things are going so far it looks like Sea Shepherd will be returning to the Southern Ocean to once again enforce the regulations that the IWC and the nations of the world refuse to uphold. Oh well, I come to these meetings with no expectations hoping to be pleasantly surprised. After more than three decades I am still waiting.“

Greenpeace was also present in Chile, with a dominant presence among the various anti-whaling NGO’s and conservationists. Dave writes on the Greenpeace blog: “We hope something good comes out of these meetings, and that the commission transforms itself into a body that protects the whales and not the whalers. While commissioners sit in rooms talking, whales are still dying in the Southern Ocean and around the world from commercial whaling, ship strikes, sonar-related deaths, netting and pollution, amongst other human-induced hazards.”

On a positive note, Chile, the host of this year’s meeting has declared a permanent ban on whaling in its waters. Speaking at a former whale processing plant that Chile closed in 1967, President Michelle Bachelet said she sent a bill to Congress proposing a whale sanctuary along Chile’s coastline and declared the whale a national monument.

Category: Global