[London,Sat 17] Midday today, five hundred people flashmobbed Heathrow’s Terminal 5 in protest at the governments decision to give the go-ahead on building a third runway and yet another terminal. Among the mob were four naked women, lots of red ‘no expansion’ t-shirts, umbrellas and Heathrow’s largest conga dance.
[London,Sat 17] Midday today, five hundred people flashmobbed Heathrow’s Terminal 5 in protest at the governments decision to give the go-ahead on building a third runway and yet another terminal. Among the mob were four naked women, lots of red ‘no expansion’ t-shirts, umbrellas and Heathrow’s largest conga dance. It was all finished within an hour.
The flashmob had been called for the first Saturday after the decision on the airports expansion plans and comes at the end of a packed week of protests which has already seen the domestic departures lounge of terminal three occupied by a Climate Rush dinner, a plot of land purchased by campaigners in the middle of the propose new runway and suffragettes escalating the militancy of the campaign by smashing windows at the governments Department of Transport.
The week also saw twenty four Plane Stupid activists quietly sentenced for their part in the blockading of Stansted airport late last year.
Many more actions are expected and the Climate Camp is holding a national gathering in Oxford next weekend at which proposals to shut down Heathrow airport down completely for a day are expected to be discussed.
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Attracting most press attention were four brave young ladies who had saved the ten quid for a red ‘STOP AIRPORT EXPANSION’ t-shirt and instead opted for red body paint with a black message across their midriffs, ‘Simply No Slaughter’ and a pair of strategically placed gold sticking plasters proclaiming ‘art’ and ‘port’ (port was indeed on the left.)
Among them were many of the locals who have led the long term opposition to the project, including some I photographed on the march in 2003 in Sipson and Harmondsworth, as well of course as John Stewart of HACAN and local MP John McDonnell who many were congratulating for his seizure of the mace in the House of Commons when the announcement was made.
For three-quarters of an hour the demonstrators chanted, threw red balloons in the air and red tennis balls at an ‘Aunt Sally’ of Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon and conga’ed around the area and had there pictures taken by a large squad of photographers including some from the national press and some TV crews.
They were watched by a few of those waiting to check in and rather more police and airport security staff who made a loose ring around event. But although the atmosphere before the demonstration had appeared a little tense, with police making continued patrols through the departure area presumably looking for trouble-makers, they seemed pretty relaxed – and some were clearly amused by what was happening.
Finally Stewart thanked us all for coming, and repeated the determination of all those involved to keep up the fight to ensure that despite the decision, the runway will never be built. McDonnell was given a cheer for his action in parliament and everyone was invited to take a last chance to pelt Hoon before we all slipped away to the undedrground and bus stations.
16.01.2009
Climate Suffragettes smashed glass front doors at The Department for Transport early this morning in protest against the government’s decision to expand Heathrow.
16.01.2009
Climate Suffragettes smashed glass front doors at The Department for Transport early this morning in protest against the government’s decision to expand Heathrow.
At 4 am, three women, wearing red climate sashes, hurled bricks and broke the glass doors of The Department for Transport, on Marsham Street, London. Echoing the protests of the Suffragettes, they wrapped their bricks in notes that read: ‘NO THIRD RUNWAY, THE SUFFRA-JETS ARE BACK before hurling them at the government building. They also hurled green paint to symbolise the greenwash they heard from the government today. They targeted the building as a direct response to yesterday’s decision to allow a third runway at Heathrow.
A spokeswoman said: “The government has opened the flood-gates for radical action. Yesterday they sacrificed all of our futures and spat in the face of democracy. The third runway is unwanted and is a global threat. When they make democracy meaningless what other
reaction could they expect?
“We have less than ten years to turn climate change around. Women cannot just stand by and let this government treat our futures as a joke. We fight for the safety of humanity, and if the government will only listen to the smash of windows, then so be it.”
Noting that their elected MPs had been refused a vote on this issue, she added;
“The government has bypassed democratic process for the sake of corporate profit. The Suffragettes died for the democratic rights that the government so sweeps aside. We take our lead from our past to defend our future.”
Ministers have approved a controversial plan to build a third runway at Heathrow, the BBC understands.
Despite opposition from residents, environmental campaigners and many of its own MPs, Labour is set to confirm the decision officially on Thursday.
Leading business and union figures back the project, saying it will create jobs and boost the UK’s competitiveness.
But critics have said it will irreparably damage the UK’s credentials on tackling climate change.
Labour unease
The government has long argued, in principle, that it is in favour of the scheme, subject to noise and air pollution limits, and undertakings about access and traffic congestion.
Alongside the commitment to a new runway, Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon is expected to announce increased investment in public transport, including a new high-speed rail link from the airport to central London.
There has been deep unease within Labour ranks about the decision, with several cabinet members reported to be unconvinced about the project and more than 50 MPs openly opposed.
In an effort to appease its critics, BBC political correspondent Jo Coburn said the government would announce new safeguards for limiting emissions with airlines using the new runway required to use the newest, least polluting aircraft.
Business Secretary Lord Mandelson defended the government’s commitment to environmental concerns over Heathrow.
He said: “It’s a classic dilemma – we want to forge ahead in implementing our climate change ambitions when others are not but we don’t want to lose our economic competitiveness in the process. We want to do both these things.”
But backbench Labour MP John McDonnell, whose constituency includes the airport, said the fight against the expansion was only just “beginning” and opponents would “use every mechanism possible” including legal challenges, to stop the runway going ahead.
“If the government is not willing to listen to Parliament or the people then there is no other option but to mobilise the largest coalition of public opposition and protest to halt this disastrous proposal in its tracks,” he said.
The Conservatives say a new runway would be an “environmental disaster” and have pledged to reverse the decision should they win the next election.
Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers said approval of the scheme would show Gordon Brown was “deaf to the concerns of his own party and millions of people living under the flight path”.
The Liberal Democrats have urged ministers to invest in high-speed rail links instead.
Asked about the decision on Wednesday, Prime Minister Gordon Brown declined to guarantee MPs a vote on the issue.
Should the government give the go-ahead, he said there would be a debate in Parliament and that the scheme would have to be granted planning permission.
This is likely to be a lengthy process, with work on a new runway unlike to be completed before 2019.
Public protests
Protests have been growing in anticipation of a decision, which was due to be made in December but was delayed amid reports of divisions within government over the issue.
About 700 homes will have to be demolished to make way for the runway, which will increase the number of flights using Heathrow from about 480,000 a year now to 702,000 by 2030.
Campaigners have bought some land earmarked for the construction of the runway in an effort to frustrate the expansion plans.
Environmental campaigners say proceeding with the new runway will leave the government’s legal commitment to cut carbon emissions by 80% by 2050 in tatters.
“Expanding Heathrow would shatter the government’s international reputation on climate change,” said Andy Atkins, executive director of Friends of the Earth.
“We need bold and urgent action to create a low-carbon economy, not more backing for the climate-wrecking activities of the aviation industry.”
But the government believes the new runway will not violate its EU commitments on air and noise pollution, pointing out that new aircraft being built will reduce emissions significantly.
‘At risk’
Supporters of the runway say Heathrow is already operating at full capacity and the UK economy will lose business to the rest of Europe if it does not go ahead.
They point out that rival airports such as Paris, Frankfurt and Amsterdam already have at least four runways and that Heathrow is at risk of falling further behind.
Former Labour MP Lord Soley is the campaign director of Future Heathrow, which represents groups in favour of expanding the airport.
He told BBC News that Heathrow brought jobs and “prosperity” to the surrounding areas and in an “ideal world” the expansion would not be needed.
“But the ideal world doesn’t exist and it isn’t true to say that Heathrow isn’t at risk.
“It is at risk and if it continues to decline, then the consequences for west London and the Thames Valley will be very, very serious indeed,” he said.
British Airways, the largest airline at Heathrow, has said expanding the airport is the only “credible option”.
While 500 protesters occupied the domestic departure lounge at Heathrow airport at 7pm on Monday 12th Jan, others tried a simultaneous occupation at Manchester airport….
Northern Climate Rush at Manchester Airport
While 500 protesters occupied the domestic departure lounge at Heathrow airport at 7pm on Monday 12th Jan, others tried a simultaneous occupation at Manchester airport….
At the Northern Climate Rush at Manchester airport between 50 and 100 people attempted to occupy the domestic departures lounge but found large numbers of police screening entry at the doors. The police cordoned off protesters in an area away from passengers.
The group spelled out ‘flying kills’ in coats, scarves and an umbrella on the floor. A man with a cello and a woman with a violin played music by the composer Handel while others ate food from a picnic hamper. However, frustrated at being moved out of passengers sight one of the protesters attempted to breech police lines and was arrested.
Supt Dave Hull said: “Despite repeated attempts to contact the organisers, they failed to engage with us. Therefore, officers did not know how many protestors would attend so we had to prepare for a range of contingencies. One man was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence.”
Around 50 climate change activists gathered in Terminal 3 of Manchester Airport last night to protest against airport expansion and domestic flights. The demo mirrored the Climate Rush ‘Dinner at Departures’ protest at Heathrow’s Terminal 1 at the same time. ( http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/manchester/2009/01/418105.html)
The protesters dressed in Edwardian period arrived to find Terminal 3 locked down with around 70 police officers, including Forward Intelligence Teams from the Metropolitan police. They were read parts of the Riot Act before entering a ‘designated protest area’.
Former Manchester City Councillor, Vanessa Hall, who attended the Northern Climate Rush said:
“ With the speed of intercity trains there is no longer any just or sensible reason to take domestic flights. All expansion plans, including those at Manchester and Heathrow should be shelved. Passenger numbers at Manchester Airport have been falling for at least the last 6 months.”
She added, “In a time of recession and climate crisis, government money should be spent on improvements to rail, trams, and buses, not on subsidies and infrastructure for the aviation industry.”
Aviation accounts for 13% of UK global warming emissions and is the fastest-growing source of greenhouse gases. Airlines pay no tax on aviation fuel, costing the public purse an estimated £10 billion.
Manchester Airport claims it intends to go carbon neutral by 2015 – but this will not include the emissions from the aeroplanes.
www.stopmanchesterairport.org.uk
————– Heathrow Terminal One Climate Rush Picnic a success!
I arrived at Heathrow terminal one with alot of trepidation and caution. Not knowing what to expect, I dressed in a suit and tie to avoid attracting interest. It did not work.
I entered the terminal and when up to domestic departures to see what was happening. I found a place to sit and enjoy a coffee whilst waiting. Being near the place where alot of BAA security guards were gathering, I overheard them trying to guess who was a protester and who was a passenger…it was very funny knowing I sat yards away and they had did not realise….
The airport was in a state of some considerable alert. It seems that Climate Rush and a devilishly criminal plan to have a militant picnic (by mostly women) in departures had BAA on the run.
The cops were another matter. FIT crews were on the upper gangways and over 100 police occupied the departures lounge when i arrived about an hour before. Even more arrived as I sipped my coffee and read the Guardian.
After twenty minutes, two cops sauntered over to me and ask whether they could search me. I asked why. they said there is a protest planned and they were looking for climate chaos extremists. I said I was waiting for a friend. After finding nothing and believing my story, they let me go. I decided to move to Cafe Rouge where everybody was gathering…safety in numbers I thought. soon as I got up there, there was another 30 cops watching absolutely everyone…
As the minutes counted down, I moved with undercurrents down into the departure check in area and was joined by about 50 or 60 people who started to lay out a banner and a well stocked organic and home cooked picnic. Ten minutes later, the bulk of protesters arrived and the departures check in filled up fast. Real passengers moved aside and the police moved in to encircle the picnic. By this stage close to 500 climate rush protesters were spreading themselves out in a ever widening circle. The strings Quartet began playing and a few people started playing with a big ball which looked like the planet.
The BAA corporate media descended and so did lots of TV camera’s hoping for an interview. at one such so many interviews were being given, it became difficult to move around. Speaking with some of the organizers, they claimed an enormous success in suspending the operation of terminal 1. It certainly looked like a success to me.
A while later and after most of the food had been eaten (flushed down with a little wine), everyone rose to their feet and started chanting. After Stanstead, the government, media and police were saying that everyone was an extremist and possibly eco-terrorists. So the protesters, mostly women (some in the 50 and 60’s) started chanting ” do we look like terrorists?” and ‘down with BAA’
After one hour, the cops were closing the circle fearing a blockade or a long-term occupation. I feared we were all going to be hemmed in and arrested so I decided to retreat with my video camera intact and get back home.
Worried about what I had walked away from, I rang a friend who said that everything was alright. the demo had finished 15 minutes after I left and there had been no arrests. In fact the cops relaxed and got quite bored as climate-rush activists offered them food!
7/1/09 – A blockade mounted by more than 50 protestors stopped British mining company Vedanta entering the land of the Dongria Kondh and other Kondh tribes under cover of darkness last night.
7/1/09 – A blockade mounted by more than 50 protestors stopped British mining company Vedanta entering the land of the Dongria Kondh and other Kondh tribes under cover of darkness last night.
The FTSE 100 company plans to mine bauxite on the Dongria Kondh’s sacred mountain in the state of Orissa, laying waste to the forests they depend on for their survival.
Last night’s action follows high level meetings at the weekend between Vedanta’s billionaire chairman Anil Agarwal and Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who backs the mine. After the meeting, Agarwal told journalists that mining would start ‘within a month or two’.
India’s Supreme Court has approved Vedanta’s plans, but the mine is yet to receive the environmental clearance required for it to go ahead.
The stand-off between local villagers and Vedanta’s bulldozers at the blockade site continues. Protestor Ajun Chandi, who has received a series of threatening phone calls from Vedanta, says, ‘You must let the whole world know what Vedanta is doing.’
The Dongria Kondh have said they will mount armed resistance if Vendanta try to evict them and destroy the forest covered mountains they call home.
More info at: www.survival-international.org/tribes/dongria
Five brave counterculture warriors don Santa Suits, sing anti-consumerist and anti-capitalist Xmas carols, and leaflet for more mindful attention to love, gifts, and catastrophic climate change – in Oxford Street, in the heart of the shopping district of Old London Town, on the busiest shopping day of the year: Sat 13 De
Five brave counterculture warriors don Santa Suits, sing anti-consumerist and anti-capitalist Xmas carols, and leaflet for more mindful attention to love, gifts, and catastrophic climate change – in Oxford Street, in the heart of the shopping district of Old London Town, on the busiest shopping day of the year: Sat 13 Dec 08.
Turning material wealth into possessions makes you happy; shopping till you drop and retail therapy are good for everybody; proving you love somebody means giving them an expensive present. The bullplop promoted by Capital’s advertising and marketing psyche-manipulators has never needed challenging more than it does today, in the worst of the madness of Xmas shopping mass-psychosis during a cash-strapped credit crunch recession.
Our yuletide ‘tradition’ at London Rising Tide [1] involves a ‘Santas Against Excessive Consumption’ [2] choral street action – mass dressing as Santa Claus, social singing of anti-consumerist Xmas carols, and letting folks know by leaflet that there is an alternative to the dominant the-one-who-dies-with-the-most-toys-wins idiocy of hyperconsumerism. Since the rain was heavy and steady, we sought shelter and performance space in the West One indoor shopping mall on Oxford Street, by Bond Street tube station. But anti-capitalist choristers only dampened what little Xmas spirit the security boss had left – and he threatened to call the cops if we didn’t leave forthwith.
Thankfully, his remit seemed to run out at the doors to Oxford Street, which still left us with a suitably sized covered area in which we could sing to our hearts content, and compete with the McDonalds McFlyer to see who could give away the most leaflets per unit time. The applause of shoppers happy to be spared, if only temporarily, from the soul-rotting rounds of shopping for tat was much appreciated.
The lyrics of the songs you can hear us singing in the video (so you can sing along, or even stage your own Santas Against Conspicuous Consumption street action) are as follows.
___________________________________________________________________
1 (& 3). Jingle All The Way – to the tune of Jingle Bells
Chorus:
Profits here, profits there,
profits everywhere
Christmas time is funny
we smell money in the air
Advertise, glamorize,
fool you with a flair.
Let’s make sure that Christmas
is a businesslike affair.
You’re eating up our lies and dashing to the stores
Then all our prices rise and how the money pours
If we don’t keep you drugged and watching your TV
You might see the hypocrisy
then where would business be?
Chorus
We’ll tell you how to think and tell you what to try
What to eat and drink and how to live and die
And if our plan succeeds, when Christmas-time is nigh
Instead of seeking love and peace you’ll hunt for gifts to buy
Chorus
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2. Consumer Wonderland – to the tune of Winter Wonderland, lyrics by Erica Avery
The TV’s on / are you watching?
Another product / that they’re hawking
one more thing you need
to make life complete
Welcome to Consumer Wonderland
In the stores / you will hear it
“Pricey gifts / show holiday spirit”
That’s what they call it
to get to your wallet
Welcome to Consumer Wonderland
At the mall we can go out shopping
and buy lots of stuff we can’t afford
we’ll have lots of fun with our new toys
until we realize that we’re still bored
When you shop / ain’t it thrilling
until / you get the billing
the money you still owe the stuff broke long ago
Welcome to Consumer Wonderland
___________________________________________________________________
4. Oh Come All Ye Shoppers – to the tune of Oh Come All Ye Faithful
Oh come all ye shoppers
Burdened and despondent
Come all ye followers of ma-a-mon
Come and buy things
Sparkly and redundant
Oh come let us ignore it
Oh come let us deplore it
Oh come let us abhore it
Money and greed.
Ring tills with profit
Ring in exploitation
Ring all ye registers of capitalism
Glory to profit
At it’s highest
Oh come let us ignore it
Oh come let us deplore it
Oh come let us abhore it
Money and greed.
For capitalists, giving means buying tat from them first. For anti-capitalists, a gift economy can undermine the market economics that poison our environment, our culture and our minds – for example, see ‘Creating Our Future World One Gift At A Time’ – http://tinyurl.com/gift-economy
In the week of the law lords’ final ruling on the legal status of critical mass, friday night saw around 200 cyclists brave the damp and cold to take part in the “commonly or customarily held procession” – for the third month in a
In the week of the law lords’ final ruling on the legal status of critical mass, friday night saw around 200 cyclists brave the damp and cold to take part in the “commonly or customarily held procession” – for the third month in a row, no police directly accompanied the ride. the ride itself was mostly fun and smooth-going, but there was a collision at marble arch that marred an otherwise succesful evening.
the mass went over waterloo bridge and then along the strand to whitehall and parliament square. after a few circles there, the next stop was outside new scotland yard, where a very loud cycle sound system notified their presence to the police (along with chants of “one-nil, one-nil”). moving on past buckingham palace and round the back streets of piccadilly, there was a brief stop at piccadilly circus.
this is the third month without direct police accompaniment, and it seems each time the mass is getting better at controlling itself and other road traffic for the safety and benefit of all. it seemed that almost everyone was empowered to have a go at ‘corking’ (blocking incoming side roads at junctions to stop motor vehicles from mingling with the mass). if done firmly and politely, the road is kept clear for the whole mass to pass, and then the inconvenience to other motorists is minimised and the cyclists keep moving safely and freely. also, the front riders stopped every now and then to allow the mass to regroup. meanwhile pedestrians were often catered for and let through at crossings etc.
there were an array of different bikes too, with a couple of modern penny farthings, a very tall ‘double decker’ bike (whose rider was heard now and then shouting for people to keep moving – it was a long way down!!), there was a rickshaw, and at least two sound systems.
after a damp start, the rain held off, things were going smoothly until at marble arch, a bicycle was hit by an irate motorist who had been briefly held up by a ‘cork’ at the top of park lane and then decided to drive like a lunatic. as several cyclists went to aid, the driver at first tried to drive from the scene of the accident, then scraped his own car door by pushing it hard open against a nearby bicycle, and then assaulted the cyclist by poking him in the eye.
several riders kept the car surrounded until police arrived. the first cops were from charing cross, and they seemed to be very much on the side of the motorist, even suggesting that they’d arrest the cyclist who was assaulted! after a while some paddington officers turned up, and acted more professionally, taking details of the various witnesses, and eventually arresting and handcuffing the crazy driver.
a shout out to the cyclists that stuck around to help. next mass on boxing day – meet (as customarily!) under waterloo bridge on the south bank at 6-6.30pm (last friday of every month)
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Since 1994, London cyclists have been gathering every single month to cycle, party and assert their right to the road – the famous Critical Mass.
Amidst other police tactics aiming to break the d.i.y spirit of the event, the Police attempted to ban the ride in September 2005. The court case and obligatory appeals that ensued lasted for 3 years until the 26th of November 2008 when the Law Lords ruled in favour of London Critical Mass. A victory for London – but an unclear result for other Critical Masses around the country.
The Critical Mass bicycle ride has been going on in London since 1994 – a monthly gathering of cyclist who cycle together through London with no planned route and no defined leaders or organisers.
In September 1995, the police effectively tried to ban Critical Mass by claiming it was an illegal procession, and that the organisers had to inform the police of the route ahead of the event. This is an exerpt from the leaflet they distributed on that occasion :
“…Police can impose conditions on processions, demonstrations and other assemblies, and participants render themselves liable to arrest if they fail to comply with those conditions. These cycle protests are not lawful because no organiser has provided police the with the necessary notification. Your participation in this event could render you liable to prosecution. Police policy in facilitating these events is currently under review…”
It may be difficult for the police to accept it, but it is a well known fact that Critical Mass has no set organisers. While some may print leaflets and others host a website, it’s a spontaneous event ; people just show up on the last Friday of the month and ride together, anyone can go at the front and suggest itenaries. Claiming that Critical Mass is organised is like claiming that traffic jams are organised. By their letter, the police refused cyclist the status of ‘traffic’ – one of Critical Mass’ aim being to show that cyclists are traffic and should be allowed to use the road as much as cars.
The October 2005 mass saw one of the biggest turnout ever in London – showing how many people care about Critical Mass, and that people would not let the police stop it. Soon after, Des Key and Friends of the Earth started a court case against the police.
The court case took several years and went up to the House of Lords before finishing, on the 26th of November 2008, ruling in favour of critical mass. The ruling stated that Critical Mass was customary, and therefore did not need to apply for permission, or to inform the police.
The ruling however suggests that Critical Mass is a procession – refusing the idea that cyclist are traffic. As such it is not clear how the ruling may be used in the future for people setting up new Critical Masses around the UK who will not be able to claim these are customary events.
Police has been a regular feature at Critical Mass for the past 3 or 4 years – occasionaly protecting cyclists from angry drivers, but always trying to manage the ride, shouting at people who tried to do it themselves and generally being intimidating towards people who showed any form of initiative. The police were trying to transform Critical Mass into something they could understand : an event where participants are sheepish and simply do as the organisers tell them to do.
It is unclear whether it is related to this judgment, the leaving of Ian Blair or other internal police matters, but the police has not been at Critical Mass for the past two months. Now that the judgement has ruled in favor of Critical Mass, they have even less of a reason for showing up – and we are going to have to re-learn how to manage this event ourselves properly.
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Exeter Critical Mass – meet 12.00 on Cathedral Green on Saturday December 6th. To get in the mood come along to a screening of “We are traffic” at Exeter Phoenix on Thursday December 4th at 19.00
Thursday December 4th@ 7.00 – We are Traffic Screening –
Exeter Phoenix , Bradninch Place, Gandy St, Exeter,
We Are Traffic! chronicles the history and development of the “Critical Mass” bicycle movement– one of the most spirited and dynamic social/political movements of the apathetic 90’s. In over 200 cities in 14 different countries, Critical Mass has now become a monthly ritual.
With traffic congestion, pollution, and road rage on the rise, growing numbers around the world are advocating for transportation alternatives, and Critical Mass is at the cutting edge of this mindset.
Showing in the Black Box Film, everyone welcome to stay after to talk about future events/critical masses etc and maybe for a drink at Northbridge Inn
Snacks provided – feel free to bring more snacks though!
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Exeter Critical Mass – Saturday 6th December @ 12.00 Cathedral Green, Exeter –
Xmas Theme optional – decorate your bikes!
WHAT’S IS ALL ABOUT?
Critical Mass is often described as an ‘unorganised coincidence’. It happens when a lot of cyclists happen to be in the same place at the same time and decide to cycle the same way together for a while
WHAT’S THE PURPOSE?
“Everyday, all over the world, people are resisting the problem culture of the car by getting on their bikes and riding, instead of driving.
Critical Mass is a celebration of the alternatives to cars, pollution, accidents and the loss of public spaces and freedoms.
Not an organisation or group, but an idea or tactic, Critical Mass allows people to reclaim cities with their bikes, just by getting together and out-numbering the cars on the road”
WHAT HAPPENS ON A CRITICAL MASS?
Each one is different and they follow no set route, with the direction being spontaneously chosen as people cycle along. Anyone is free to join or leave the ride as it pedals along.
The ride lasts no more than a couple of hours (depending on the weather!) and usually ends in a conveniently placed pub for more drinks.
Most all, they are peaceful, safe and fun!
DO I NEED A BIKE?
Nope! Critical Mass is not just for bikes – skateboards, roller blades, wheelchairs, pogo sticks – in fact any form of non-motorised, non-polluting are all very welcome!
“Take your clothes off! Swap them with your friends for FREE!” was the message from the Space Hijackers http://www.spacehijackers.co.uk/html/welcome.html, who decided to set up their clothes swap – “the restyling fashion mash-up event of the year” – on the lower ground floor of TOPSHOP at Oxford Circus (London). The idea was to demonstrate that “we don’t need to spend money we don’t have on things we don’t need.”
The action, designed as it was to subvert one of the iconic temples of consumerism seemed to baffle police and didn’t amuse the security staff, who stopped me taking pictures there. One other photographer was manhandled out of the store, but I was treated very politely, with several security men standing between me and the action and telling me that photograph was not allowed. On of the store managers even offered to personally help me find any clothes I might wish to buy elsewhere in the store, a possibility I found most unlikely.
I left the store (with a rather large escort until I left the premises) and walked around to the side exit where I expected the clothes swappers to be ejected, arriving just before they emerged, and was able to photograph them continuing to swap clothes on the pavement in Regent Street. Here one policeman did attempt to prevent me from taking pictures, claiming I was causing an obstruction (which clearly I wasn’t) and as usual I moved back a couple of feet before returning to take pictures when he moved away.
Things did threaten to get out of hand when a rather elderly police officer (at my age all policemen are supposed to look young), helped by a ‘Red Cap’ (rather sinister private security wardens employed by the ‘New West End Company’ to ensure shoppers don’t step out of line) started to push people around, but mostly other officers took a more sensible approach, some even talking and joking with the swappers as they continued to exchange items of clothing on the pavement.
Some shoppers passing by stopped to watch, and a few took a leaflet, but there was no evidence of any Damascene conversions, most hurrying on clutching their loaded shopping bags, desperate to spend more money.
One of those taking part was held by the police for a while as they had decided he was the ringleader. He got a big cheer when he was released, waving his pink ‘Get out of TOPSHOP Jail Free’ Chance Card and the Anti-social Behaviour Act Notice for the Dispersal of Groups (see http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2003/ukpga_20030038_en_5 ) which the Met had issued. This required him to leave the Oxford St/Regent St area for the next 24 hours. Fortunately the map provided didn’t include the Red Lion, where he announced his intention of going – and at this point I also left as I was already late for a meeting with friends in Streatham. Some of the others looked as if they were going to continue their fun along Oxford Street.
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All in all, I think it was a good action.
around 30-40 people turned up and swapped clothes, hundreds of leaflets were handed out on oxford street before the action, and when it did happen, TopShop had a shop full of Police, PCSO’s and security, they closed the entrance to the shop and removed the ‘red phone box’ meeting point display.
Lots of literature was handed out, and plenty of pretty activist flesh, (oh my).
two arrests happened, one for refusing to give a name and address (section 50 of the Police Reform Act) apparently it was anti-social behaviour. On the contrary I thought it was incredibly social behaviour show by the hijackers. Both arrests were released without charge fairly swiftly. Although one was driven to Trafalgar square and dropped off there for no apparent reason?
Later on the actions continued with a street party in Kingly Court shopping centre, and then a road blocade at Seven Dials with plenty of dancing.
thanks to all of the non-shop swappers and to the lovely people who swapped their clothes with mine for the great new outfit I have.
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Buy nothing day – brixton report
“Buy nothing day” is an international anti-consumerist day. Put simply : people are encouraged to stop shoping for one day. In Brixton, activist set up a stall to give away free food and other free items.
Activists met at 11am at Library House to pick up vegetables and part of the content of the Library House’s freeshop. The items were brought to Brixton, and were given out for free in front of the supermarket next to the tube station.
——
To mark Buy Nothing Day, activists from Norwich Rising Tide held a Rat Race in the Norwich city centre.
The busiest high street in Norwich was today full of rats. The rats were equipped with placards reading Work Harder, Earn More Money, Buy More Things, Keep Going, and leaflets telling people to join the consumption Rat Race. The reverse of the leaflet, revealed the spoof and informed people that today was buy nothing day and perhaps they should consider the environmental and social consequences of excessive consumption.
600 leaflets were handed out in total (see below), and many passers-by expressed their support, although one by passer was heard to call “Get a job” to which one of the rat (a teacher) shouted back, “It’s a Saturday you tosser!” – the crowd of shoppers that had gathered around the rats all laughed.
——–
“Free Socks!” “Why? Who’s holding him?”
29.11.2008
In Wrexham town centre this morning, the local Freeconomy group held a Sock (FREE) Shop – that’s socks for free, not a shop free of socks or even freeing Sock. Hundreds of pairs of warm socks were distributed in subzero temperatures to people with cold feet – and hands – along with leaflets explaining what Freeconomy Wrexham does and inviting people to get involved in the happy world of giving and sharing.
There was a great deal of puzzlement about a stall offering free socks in the town centre on a busy Saturday morning.
One passing shopper came over to find out more about our campaign to free the mysterious ‘Socks’ from his captor. More commonly, people just couldn’t seem to believe that the socks were for free:
Free? What’s the catch? You don’t get anything for free… do you?
But of course you do. Or, at least, someone does….
Loads of stuff happens for free all the time. Capitalism has only survived this long because of the free labour which is provided by anyone whose work helps someone else to get richer. Marx had something to say about this. Land and resources stolen from the people – our own Eagles Meadow included – are used by businesses to generate profit, and trashed in the process. We nurture our children for free because we love them, but all that free care and attention is what brings the next generation of workers into being – a free gift to capitalism. Much of the free stuff we do as parents, carers, partners, friends, ‘good neighbours’ and so on is largely invisible to the economy, although without it the economy as it is couldn’t function at all.
Freeconomy Wrexham is just doing a bit to raise the profile of free giving and encourage people to spread their free gifts around rather than trashing them, which is what happens when good stuff ends up at the tip, for example. We handed out socks and leaflets for about 3 hours, by which time even multiple layers of our free socks couldn’t keep our feet and hands from freezing, so we called it a day.
LEAFLET TEXT
FREECONOMY WREXHAM… Bring and Take… Free for All…
What’s it all about?
Freeconomy Wrexham is:
for everyone; environmentally friendly; sharing; giving; fun!; re-using stuff; completely free; sustainable.
Turn over to find out more…
Freeconomy Wrexham is about gift and sharing, showing that it is possible to make things work without payment or financial profit. In a world where everything seems to have a price – often more than we can afford – it can be difficult to imagine a completely free event. But all the goods on our stalls and at our events are there for the taking. Everyone is invited to come and help themselves.
Bring and Take is made possible by everyone who gives their time and energy to help out, who donates goods to be given away, who loans a venue for free or lets us use a van or bakes a cake, and – most importantly – everyone who takes away all the things that are donated!
Re-use for the planet. Before you throw anything away, think about whether someone else could use it. Natural resources, time and skills were needed to make that item. If it’s binned, all those things are lost. By sharing and re-using, we can keep wealth in our communities, help each other, create goodwill and happiness, and do a little bit to save the planet.
freeconomywrexham[at]yahoo.co.uk
——–
What, No Prices?
More than 150 people came to Next To Nowhere’s Free Shop on Saturday in Liverpool. This was a one-off event to mark Buy Nothing Day. The organisers encouraged people to come in by offering free tea and toast and free mistletoe on the street outside.
Really, it’s free
Buy Nothing Day originated in the USA in 1992. It was intended to make a statement about over-consumption and the amount of waste this generates, and encourage people to re-think their lifestyles. It generated some controversy, and still does, if the comments to the previous posting about Buy Nothing Day are anything to go by! Some people think consumption by itself is not the issue, others think the event is patronising to people who can’t afford to buy much anyway.
But none of the people who wandered into the free shop last Saturday seemed to feel patronised. Some, who had come to town to do Christmas shopping, looked in out of curiousity, and found they preferred doing some “non-shopping”, and getting some refreshments at the free cafe. People with little money were happy to take away free items they needed, and for the people who had donated things, it was satisfying to see goods they don’t need any more being taken for re-use. Not everybody who came had heard of Buy Nothing Day, and had to be reassured that everything really was free!
Whatever the general criticisms, this particular free shop worked as a co-operative event, it introduced people to the social centre who had never been there before, and it gave people a taste of how liberating it is to do without currency for once.
——–
Buy Nothing Day Manchester: Primark Feels the Wrath of Santa’s Little Workers!
On Saturday 29th November seven students braved Manchester’s heaving Market Street in support of Buy Nothing Day 2008. In festive dress and armed with some thought-provoking clothing labels of their own, the aim was to raise awareness about unnecessary consumerism over Christmas, and to reveal the true cost of high street fashion to Saturday shoppers.
The action began incognito, as the protestors secretly delivered messages questioning consumer greed and the unethical sourcing of cheap fashion into the pockets, zips, and cuffs of clothing in Primark. Messages such as “I wonder if the person who made this garment is happy?”, and “Do you really need another one of these?” were soon dotted around the bustling store and security quickly reacted, calling all cleaners to the ground floor to remove the labels. The protesters escaped unscathed, merry in the knowledge that the chances of hunting out all the labels would be pretty slim.
After a quick change of clothes the protestors took to the street, antlers and all. With a splendid banner and leaflets a-plenty they approached the swarms of passers-by and announced that they need not spend money this Christmas to be happy. Some engaging debates ensued concerning consumerism and sweatshops. It was felt by some that only the financially privileged could afford to have a conscience, and that outlets such as Primark offered those with a lower income the chance to look (and therefore feel) good. Others had been so far unaware of shops like Primark’s association with factories in India, and were genuinely shocked at some of the stories the protestors relayed about underpaid and mistreated workers. Whilst not everybody agreed, the value of lively public debate cannot be underestimated. Talking about something is the first step to changing it and perhaps now a few people will think twice before buying something just because it is cheap. It’s real cost is inhumanely high.
Pix-&-Vidz of E.ON F.OFF, Pall Mall, London – 28 Nov 08
Pix-&-Vidz of E.ON F.OFF, Pall Mall, London – 28 Nov 08
Greenwash Guerillas London Brigade, Detection Platoon #1, pay a protest-oriented visit to the London Office of filthy climate criminal corporation E.ON UK to confront a Short-Sighted Fat Cat and PR Pushers plugging ‘Clean Coal’ bullplop.
Climate Camp: How to make an E.ON F.OFF placard http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=jbqngfkMZmU
Very useful and generally applicable method for placard & banner production using a projected image
Telling E.ON to Take its ‘Clean Coal’ Greenwash & F.OFF
At a time when the global climate crisis demands clean, renewable, energy generation solutions, a German energy transnational corporation called E.ON want to build a new filthy big coal powered electricity generating station [1] at Kingsnorth in north Kent [2]. All indications are that the UK ‘New’ Labour government will give them the go ahead, despite the fact that their own Environmental Audit Committee has recently called coal a ‘last resort, even with CCS’; where CCS = Carbon Capture & Storage, an unproven pipedream technology that won’t be available for 20 years at the earliest (or so says Alistair Darling, the industry itself and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change).
So building on the recent Mass Action Victory which scuppered E.ON’s UK graduate recruitment plan [3], a bevy of climate crisis protesters targeted E.ON UK’s London office at 100 Pall Mall [4] from 8:00 this morning. This is one of a number of decentralised protest actions arising from a call to ‘Take Back the Power’ through ’48 Hours of Action against E.ON and New Coal’ over Fri 28 and Sat 29 Nov 08 by:
▪ E.ON F.OFF – http://www.e-onf-off.org.uk
▪ Camp for Climate Action – http://climatecamp.org.uk
▪ Rising Tide – http://risingtide.org.uk
▪ Plane Stupid – http://www.planestupid.com
▪ Campaign against Climate Change – http://www.campaigncc.org
Footnotes
[1] E.ON’s proposed new filthy big coal powered electricity generating station – it will emit between 6 and 8 million tons of CO2 every year (equivalent to the annual emissions of Malawi’s 13 million people or more CO2 than Heathrow’s third runway would burn) source – http://www.e-onf-off.org.uk/why.html
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—-
On Friday 28th November London Rising Tide visited the FA Headquarters to protest about E-on’s strive for new coal in the UK.
The FA cup is sponsored by E.on and a full team of Rising Tiders turned out to play football in T shirts bearing the names of the government’s proposed new coal fired powerstations.
Yellow and Red cards explaining the facts about dirty coal were handed out to staff leaving the headquarters and passing public.
—-
Students spoof natwest ads – 48hrs action on coal
In the 48 hours of action against e.on and new coal, South London students affliated with People and Planet use their photoshops skills and sense of fun to target Natwest’s investment in climate change.
Natwest, part of RBS, were given shiney new posters boasting their investment habbits to customers. We had a smashin time putting them up so print some out and have fun to. Also lots of stickering and fun with the space hijackers topshop swap shop – good day!
see www.oyalbankofscotland.com
—- Bristol Rising Tide and activists from in and around Bristol had a day of shenanigans directed at the Royal Bank of Scotland, E-on and new coal.
The day started with a banner drop on one of the flyovers crossing the M32 motorway running into the city centre. Over lunchtime the main RBS branch in the city centre was picketed, with activists handing out forged £20 banknotes (see below) to passers-by and customers only to have an ‘RBS bank robber’ steal them back to give to E-on and the coal industry (see photo). A mock bank statemate was also distributed showing RBS’s investment in coal around the world set against the taxpayer funded bail out of the bank. The picket moved on to an E-on ‘Family Football’ event in the Broadmead shopping centre (see photo). Mid afternoon saw over 50 activists gathering in the city centre for a reclaim the streets party. The party, with mobile sound system roamed the city centre forcing the city centre branch of NatWest to close early and leaving the RBS branch unusable after a very messy cake fight!
Norwich RT Spoof E.on Stall
29.11.2008
Today six activists from Norwich Rising Tide set up a spoof E.on stall on the Royal Bank of Scotland’s doorstep (RBS is one of E.on’s core sources of funding).
The spoof (despite all materials reading E.on F.off – including a table cloth, banner, t-shirts, leaflets, badges and stickers) fooled many of the public. Passers-by said things like “we don’t want to hear anything about E.on” and “I’m not a fan of E.on” (it really was amazing how hostile people were to E.on). Once they were informed that we were revealing the truth about E.on and Coal most then took a leaflet and badge.
In total we gave out 400 leaflets and undertook a questionnaire on behalf of E.on.
Results showed that …
50% of people didn’t know that E.on plans to build a new coal fired power station – they do now.
90% of people didn’t know that RBS will part funding it – again we made sure to inform them of this fact.
Lastly, 100% of people said they thought that coal fired power stations should be shut down and replaced with renewable energy sources.
—-
On Friday morning, Warwick University People and Planet held a demonstration at the UK headquarters of E-ON in Coventry. This was part of the national 48 hours against E-ON. The demonstration was attended by around 30 people, including a number from Coventry university and Leamington Rising Tide. The group left central campus at around midday and marched to E-ON HQ, chanting and drumming. The action was colourful and lively; entertainment included some carbon capture theatre and singing (see below). We also leafleted employees walking past. Spirits were high and strengthened by the knowledge of the other actions to come in the national 48 hours of actions.
Grace Kelly, EON
E.ON: I want to talk to you!
Protestor: The last time we talk, Mr E.ON, I reduced you to tears! I promise you, it might well happen again!
**Verse 1**
E.ON: Do I attract you?
Do I pollute you with my CO2?
Am I too dirty?
Am I too mirky?
Don’t I like what you like?
Protestor: You could be wholesome
But you’re still loathsome
I should stop being so shy
E.ON: Why don’t you like me?
Why don’t you like me?
Why are you making me cry?
**Pre-chorus**
Protestor: We tried to keep it all pretty,
Just a little banner or two,
But when your plans are so shitty,
There’s nothing else I could do!
**Chorus**
E.ON: I can be Brown
I can be blue
I can pollu-ute the sky
I can be hurtful
I can burn people!
I can burn anything I like!
Protestor: You gotta be green
Gotta be clean
Gotta be everything more!
E.ON: Why don’t you like me?
Why don’t you like me?
Protestor: Why don’t you walk out the door!
**Verse 2**
E.ON: How can I help it
How can I help it
How could I stop burning coal?
Coal is my baby
My little lady
I like to get in it’s hole.
Why don’t you buy me
Why don’t you buy me
Why don’t you buy CCS?
When old coal over
I’ll been much bolder
And still pollute nothing less.
**Pre-Chorus**
Protestor: We tried to keep it all pretty,
Just a little banner or two,
But when your plans are so shitty,
There’s nothing else I could do!
**Chorus**
E.ON: I can be Brown
I can be blue
I can pollu-ute the sky
I can be hurtful
I can burn people!
I can burn anything I like!
Protestor: You gotta be green
Gotta be clean
Gotta be everything more!
E.ON: Why don’t you like me?
Why don’t you like me?
Protestor: Why don’t you walk out the door!
**Bridge**
Protestor: Say what you want to satisfy yourself
But you only want what rich investors say that you should want
(should want)
**Chorus**
—- 1 December 2008
E-ON HQ occupied
Shortly after 9am two mini buses packed with Santas arrived outside their headquarters and a score of festive protesters armed with sacks of coal poured in to the building.
For a good half hour they toured the offices, really scoring a bullseye when they inadvertently crashed the boardroom where a full scale meeting was in progress. Even after security managed to clear the upper floors the huge reception area was occupied until well into the afternoon.
Outside security goons and police created a cordon and refused entry to dozens of visitors. Clearly a good number of meetings were postponed as a result.
The mood soured slightly towards the end and extra grumpy police were summoned to kill the festive spirit. After some jostling the spectre of Scrooge emerged and four were arrested, charges not known.
—-
Yesterday (1st December), activists from across the country staged the third demonstration against e.on’s headquarters in Coventry in eight days. Graham, e.on’s security boss for the day, bemoans the impact on the company…
Yesterday, activists from across the country staged the third demonstration against e.on’s headquarters in Coventry in eight days. Graham, e.on’s security boss for the day, bemoans the impact on the company.
We’d thought we had seen the end of the protests. The 48 hours of action that had been called was annoying enough, but that would be it. We’d taken down the Harris fencing around our headquarters and were waiting for just another days work running and planning to build coal-fired power stations. Before we knew it two van loads of people dressed in Santa Clause costumes with “e.on f.off” emblazoned on them, were unloading coal, scrambling on our building and generally running amok.
Just before 9am yesterday morning, about 15 managed to get inside the building bringing, they say, presents of coal, because apparently e.on has been very naughty this year – because we want to build a new coal fired power station in Kingsnorth and continuing to contribute to climate change. Outrageous. We are a decent, respectable company. Some managed to get to a boardroom meeting and dish out a lump of coal to all sitting there. Others got scarily close to the CEO’s office. Others engaged with staff on the large open plan office that made their voices heard by all. It took us a good hour to clear the pesky Santas from the building.
Meanwhile there was one unsuccessful attempt to scale part of the roof, but at the revolving doors at the main entrance, two were able to get up and hold up a banner. Several of those in the foyer glued onto side doors, while yet another Santa, found himself in the middle of the revolving doors, also glued on in the midst of a pile of coal bags with “Co2 al” printed on them. Later yet another Santa glued themselves to a barrier.
Some claimed to have be bringing the mystical solution of “carbon capture and storage” – coal left as it is.
We had to lock the entire building down, forbid staff from leaving, and turned away loads of visitors that were arriving, it being a busy day for us. This despite us having already introduced various security measures such as new turnstiles – maybe next time we’ll have them locked so the protestors cannot simply walk through them to the open office.
I can tell you that e.on are deeply unhappy at being made a fool of so comprehensively yet again. On the day that Lord Turner released his report that the government would fail dramatically to reach its CO2 reduction targets if e.on are allowed to build a new power station at Kingsnorth before controversial carbon capture and storage technologies have been developed. The protests made Radio 4 headline news at mid-day, much of the local media and other press. There were at least four cameras from mainstream media while a number of other independent photojournalists were also there to make sure it was properly covered. The bosses are not happy, and the protestors got some good images.
My staff, from Initial Rentokil, were not enthusiastic about how they had been made to look like bumbling idiots. They need to calm down a bit and stop kneeling on people’s necks because they have been defied. Some of them were not helping their bosses by being rude to the BBC cameraman and other media. They strutted up and down like lost penguins, trying to shove people around and shoving cameras in to the faces of the Santa Clauses – though they all got waves back. We had to seem important by telling staff in the canteen that they were not allowed to look at the protestors – the top brass were getting jumpy by then.
Some of my security need to think as well, it seems. Wasn’t the brightest thing to say that protestors were fine to stay at the main door. Nor was telling the protestors on the roof of the door that they could not attach the banner to the wall because e.on would not be able to get it down.
If all that was not enough bumbling, in a deft movement, the Santa Claus’s realised that the staff had not locked the revolving door and used the fact to get a half-dozen back in to the building were they ran around singing altered Christmas hymn about no new coal. Loads of more images for the waiting press, including them congo’ing through our main foyer.
Eventually they released themselves, and proceeded to leave. West Midlands police were there, and had kept a pretty useless, low profile throughout the day. Now, at the request of our boss they decided to do something. They were very low on numbers and clearly were not up for removing the actual protest, despite the fact the protestors were clearly peaceful and mostly singing their silly songs. The police tried to form a line to stop them leave but their public order training was woefully bad and kept letting them escape through despite the fact they were carrying sacks of coal.
A number were seized and arrested; though some were let go because the police were little better than our security guards in terms of knowing what they were doing. Four ended up going to the cells, of which two have been released. They rest sailed away.
All in all, quite a bad day for us here at e.on. We’re going to have to rethink our entire security plan, having been comprehensively embarrassed. The bosses are fuming at having e.on’s reputation yet again dragged through the mud, and it is clear that the campaign against us is not going to fade away.
As part of 48 hours of nationwide action against E.ON, called for by the Camp for Climate Action, Rising Tide, Plane Stupid and Campaign against Climate Change, Nottingham students called a demonstration outside E.ON’s city centre offices (Mount St, NG1 6PG)
They met at 11.45 in front of the the town hall in Market Square on Friday 27th Nov. Then moved over to the offices at 12pm to flyer and protest about E.ON’s plans to build a new coal fired power station at Kingsnorth in Kent, a venture that will wreck any serious plans to cut carbon emissions and protect the planet and its’ population from the most disastrous effects of climate change.
The policing and security arrangements seemed a little excessive to me, to manage 10 students and fluffy toy!
Why target EON and Kingsnorth?
The proposed power station will emit between 6 and 8 million tons of CO2 every year, and is just the first in a plan to build up to seven new coal fired power stations. This will wreck the UK’s chances of meeting its own target of an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050.
Climate change isn’t about warmer summers, here in the UK. It’s about serious changes that will cost millions of people (particularly those that are the worst off and living precariously) their livelihoods and lives. If we can stop E.ON, other companies will be discouraged from risking similar plans, and we will send the strong message that the energy crisis needs to be tackled positively, implementing the solutions that will get us off fossil fuels.
E.ON’s proposed new big coal powered electricity generating station – it will emit between 6 and 8 million tons of CO2 every year (equivalent to the annual emissions of Malawi’s 13 million people or more CO2 than Heathrow’s third runway would burn) source – http://www.e-onf-off.org.uk/why.html
—- Brighton – 28th
In Response the the 48 hours of action against Eon and new coal Brighton activists staged 2 actions over the 48 hours. The first action on Friday 28th Activists staged a demonstration outside the Royal Bank of Scotland with a large banner saying ‘RBS and EON fund Climate chaos’ With some subversive cleaning ladies attempting to Clean some coal but strangely to no avail – (Illustrating the unfeesability of ‘clean coal’). There was also alternative ‘banking advice’being offered to passers by, letting them know about RBS and its investments in EON and the building of a new coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth.
On the Saturday 29th
A stampede of endangered animals decended on Brighton Town centre handing out flyers to raise awareness about EON and its plans to build at Kingsnorth. In the middle of the large shopping centre forecourt the animals staged a dramatic ‘die-in’. With bewildered shoppers and security guards crowding round this tragic scene, Mother earth herself addressed the crowd and explained what might happen to the animal kingdom and the human one if EON and other Coal hungry companies were allowed to have their way and wreak climate havoc!
The 48 hours of action against E.ON and new coal are nearly upon us, and final preparations are being made. Below is a selection of public actions that have been organised. You can also find information and resources, including a media Q&A, on the E.ON F.OFF website at http://www.eon-foff.com
The 48 hours of action against E.ON and new coal are nearly upon us, and final preparations are being made. Below is a selection of public actions that have been organised. You can also find information and resources, including a media Q&A, on the E.ON F.OFF website at http://www.eon-foff.com
Plus post your reports from the day on www.indymedia.org.uk and here
Friday 28th November
COVENTRY
Join Warwick Uni students at E.ON’s headquarters in Coventry.
Meet at 12pm on the piazza. We’ll march from there to the Headquarters, arrive there about 12:30. Once there, there’ll be loads going on, including… .a ‘Catch the Carbon’ competition, drumming workshop, a mass die-in, visually showing the effects climate change are already having and more.
For more see: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=34220633837&ref=ts
LONDON
E.ON vs. Greenwash Guerillas
8am-10am. Meet up in Trafalgar Square at 8.00am to head down to E.ON’s London office at 100 Pall Mall and show E.ON their greenwash won’t wash. All inventive greenwash actions welcome!
LONDON
World Development Movement kids demo at E.ON
Meet at 10am in Trafalgar Square for the children to add their footprints to the banner, then take our footprints to a ‘No new coal’ protest outside E.ON’s London offices in Pall Mall. Come along with your children and participate
Saturday 29th November
LONDON
Stop Coal Sticker Rush
Keep the pressure up on E.ON by spreading the word and putting up some E.ON F.OFF & Stop Coal stickers – you can get them from the Coal Hole (91-92 Strand, WC2R 0DW) from 1pm-3pm on Saturday.
Targetting Royal Bank of Scotland the financier of New Coal and Eon
Bristol Rising Tide is targetting the Royal Bank of Scotland the financier or climate chaos
Come and join in a day of shenanigans targetted on RBS (now 60% owned by the British Taxpayer), the financier of new coal development in the UK. Be a bank robber or help the cooks with their recipe for disaster!
Meeting at the ruined church at 12.00 on Castle Green, then onto the RBS branch in Baldwin Street around 12.15, NatWest in Corn Street around 12.45 and then RBS insurance in Nelson St around 1.15.
Party and Protest in defiance of E-on (owners of Kingsnorth) and coal expansion with solar powered sound system and free cake 3.00 pm at the Hippodrome, St Augustines Parade
[London,Sat 17] Midday today, five hundred people flashmobbed Heathrow’s Terminal 5 in protest at the governments decision to give the go-ahead on building a third runway and yet another terminal. Among the mob were four naked women, lots of red ‘no expansion’ t-shirts, umbrellas and Heathrow’s largest conga dance. It was all finished within an hour.
16.01.2009
A 
Heathrow Terminal One Climate Rush Picnic a success!
Five brave counterculture warriors don Santa Suits, sing anti-consumerist and anti-capitalist Xmas carols, and leaflet for more mindful attention to love, gifts, and catastrophic climate change – in Oxford Street, in the heart of the shopping district of Old London Town, on the busiest shopping day of the year: Sat 13 Dec 08.
In the week of the law lords’ final 
“Take your clothes off! Swap them with your friends for FREE!” was the message from the Space Hijackers 
1 December 2008
The 48 hours of action against E.ON and new coal are nearly upon us, and final preparations are being made. Below is a selection of public actions that have been organised. You can also find information and resources, including a media Q&A, on the E.ON F.OFF website at