London – Page 47 – Earth First!

BAA climate camp Injunction: What’s Happened At Court & legal briefing

Judge’s reading (reports from first two days below) –

Delivering her ruling in a 90-speech this morning, Mrs. Justice Swift struck out most of BAA’s application, pointing out that much of their evidence was based on news reports and web sites, and ruling that, as there is a “divergence of interest” within the groups named, [with the exception of Plane Stupid], they should not be targeted.

Judge’s reading (reports from first two days below) –

She said it is regrettable that Geraldine Nicholson was ever named in the application, and that there had been no suggestion –despite participation in previous demonstrations– that Joss Garman or Leo Murray had ever harassed or intended to harass anyone.

She has therefore deleted the majority of BAA’s application, substituting wording of her own, intended to allow lawful protest, [as enshrined by right in Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights], although preventing unlawful disruption of airport operations, [as already covered by Heathrow’s by-laws].

The wording of her draft is being studied while the court adjourns for lunch. She is prepared to fine-tune the details, when the court resumes at 2 o’clock.
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1st August –
Please note: this is an article written after telephone contact with people outside the court. Please see the other report here.

The High Court in London was the scenery of some funny encounters today as BAA put forward their case for an injunction they served individuals from certain anti-airport groups earlier last week. We’ll spare you all the boring details, so let’s jump to the exciting bits. Basically, the whole thing was badly put together from BAA’s side. Timothy Lawson Cruttenden (TLC) was representing BAA in this case, interestingly enough the same lawyers firm that tried to slap injunctions on protesters at Brighton’s weapons manufacturers EDO. This eventually failed miserably…

Anyhow, the start of the hearing was brought back to the afternoon and once in full swing, BAA put forward some evidence to give their injunction some substance. Their evidence were some articles from the Evening Standard and the Times newspapers and a chapter from the Eco Defence Handbook. Another bit of evidence was an article about last years Climate Camp in which it was said that local people had joined the protesters and mentiones were made about radical direct action tactics. Interestingly enough, the journalist who actually wrote that was in court today as well and said that some of the things in the article he had just ‘put in’ or made up. As one does…

Evidence like this is classed as ‘hearsay’ as it is no direct evidence and therefore pretty irrelevant in court.

It was unclear whether the injunction applied to the named people within the various organisations they served the papers to, or all members from those organisations. If it would apply to all members of the named organisations (over 5 million), it would probably be difficult to enforce but if it only applied to certain individuals, than the injunction wouldn’t have a lot of effect.

BAA was so unclear about this, the judge was said to be very confused and gave them until tomorrow morning to get things straight: who are you asking to be injuncted and for what reasons? The whole injunction business seems to be a total joke, poorly prepared and mainly used as a scare tactic. As things currently look, it won’t have any effect on the actual camp which is to take place from the 14th August. A spokesperson for the Camp For Climate Action was a lot clearer than BAA: ‘ This injunction is totally irrelevant to us. We won’t be intimidated or bullied. The camp is going ahead! ‘

2nd August –
BAA used most of the morning to put forward their case. It basically boiled down to a couple of things. Firstly, BAA thinks that possible disruption caused by protests may highten the risk of ‘Iraqi-style terrorism’ at the airport. One of the examples the BAA laywer Timothy Lawson-Cruttenden used was that protesters might blockade cars going to the airport which in turn could ‘exposing them to a terrorist strike’. He added: ‘of course we see that in Baghdad every day’. Right.

The defence lawyer spent the afternoon putting forward that there are already far reaching laws in place as well as a competent police force who will be able to take care of such events. An injunction would just confuse the situation, rather than add to it. The laywer for Transport for London and the London Underground, agreed, urging the court to throw out the injunction, calling it ‘neither necessary, desirable nor clear’.

Secondly, although BAA hinted yesterday that they might not seek an injunction for all members of organisations supporting the camp for climate action, it made it clear today that it is seeking to injunct the supporters besides the 4 named people on the injunction.

The judge, Mrs Justice Swift, said she will need the weekend to think things over, so a ruling can be expected on Monday morning. The hearing will continue today (Friday) in the morning, for a couple of hours.

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Heathrow’s Injunction – What it means

Everything you needed to know but didn’t have a clue what to ask about Heathrow’s injunction against protesters. Designed for the lay person, it is essential reading for climate campers.

Heathrow’s Injunction – What it actually means.

To say that Heathrow Airport have shot themselves in the foot with their misguided attempt to impose an injunction against all anti-airports protestors, not just the Camp for Climate Action, is an understatement. There is an injunction, but it is toothless. The main aim of the injunction is to scare people off from coming to the camp and from taking action at Heathrow Airport so we want to explain what the injunction really means for Climate Campers.

THE TERMS OF THE INJUNCTION

Who the injunction applies to:
As well as a few named individuals, the injunction has been granted against a nebulous group of ‘protestors’, where protestor means the anti-aviation protest group Plane Stupid, its supporters and those acting “in concert” with Plane Stupid to disrupt the operation of Heathrow airport.

What it restricts:
a) trespassing on Heathrow Airport’s land;
b) any activity impeding, obstructing or interfering with the operation of Heathrow Airport;
c) inciting or helping others to do a) or b).

Nothing in the terms of the injunction order exceeds current police powers. Mrs Justice Swift has based her order on existing laws and bye-laws, and has not permitted the wide restrictions that Heathrow wanted.

SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE CLIMATE CAMP?
Nothing of substance. The Camp for Climate Action is not covered by the injunction. The Camp for Climate Action is separate from Plane Stupid. While it may be argued that there are links between individuals in Plane Stupid and the Camp, they are separate organisations. The Camp for Climate Action existed before Plane Stupid, and is a self-organising entity controlled by no other organisation.

ARE YOU COVERED?
The key phrase which determines whether you become a ‘protestor’ or not is whether you are acting ‘in concert’ with Plane Stupid and the three named individuals (collectively called the Defendants) to disrupt operations at Heathrow Airport. Being part of the Climate Camp does not automatically make you a ‘protestor’ within the terms of this injunction. You would need to do something else in addition which would link you with the defendants. Experience with other injunctions indicates that to be acting ‘in concert’ with the Defendants would require you to:
a) be a known activist with Plane Stupid;
b) do an action explicitly organised by the Defendants for the purpose of disrupting operations at Heathrow Airport;
c) use materials produced by the Defendants in an action which either trespasses on, obstructs or interferes with Heathrow.

So to be safe we recommend that you don’t bring any banners or leaflets or other materials with any reference to Plane Stupid on them to the camp or on actions.

The injunction comes to an end on 31st August. After that it disappears altogether unless Heathrow can successfully apply to extend it.

SERVICE OF THE INJUNCTION
To be covered by the injunction you have to be served first. If you are not served then you cannot be covered by its terms even if you fall under the definition of protestor.

To prove you have been served Heathrow has to demonstrate that you were either
a) personally handed a copy of the injunction, or
b) seen / photographed / videoed reading a copy of the injunction whether on a website or the ones that are likely to be posted up on their property (this is called service by substitution).

We will deal with what to do about personal service below, but service by substitution is very difficult to prove. The injunction requires Plane Stupid, HACAN and Airport Watch to post the injunction on their websites, and no doubt Heathrow will have it on theirs as well. However, they still have to prove that you went to those websites and explicitly viewed the terms of the injunction – something very difficult to do, if not downright impossible.

Heathrow will also display the injunction around its premises, in particular on the fences and posts of its perimeter. The purpose of this is to say that you must be aware of the terms if you were in the area. But it is an argument likely to fall flat unless they have evidence to show that you actually read the notices.

The court may decide that if you have been provided with the terms of the injunction by someone telling you (eg someone shouting it over a megaphone) then you have been served. However there are any number of problems with proving this in court (as has been show to be the case with the police using megaphones to inform assemblies of sec.14 orders).

PERSONAL SERVICE
It is very likely that, despite the hollowness of their victory that BAA will attempt to serve people personally with a copy of the injunction order. The standard tactic, probably with the support of the police, is to have specially appointed individuals called ‘process servers’ whose job is to go around handing out copies of the order to people they think are likely to be ‘protestors’, and at the same time photo / video / record the fact with a description of the person served.

To be served they must give you a copy of the order, but this can amount to tapping you on the body with it and dropping it at your feet, even as you are running off. It is likely that these process servers will turn up at various protests with copies to hand out. They are also likely to be outside the climate camp attempting to serve it on people coming in or out.

You are not required to stand still and simply wait to be served. As they are officers of the court you are not supposed to actively interfere with them serving people but there is no requirement for you to make their life easy for them. If someone dodgy looking comes towards you with a sheaf of paper don’t hang around and take it, or open your window to accept it. Don’t let them into the camp – they have no right to be there. In the past people have been very creative in protecting those that have not been served, for instance, forming spontaneous group hugs around them or simply standing in a line between them and the process server – process servers are not allowed to break the law to serve the injunction order.

If a process server is being aggressive, take action and make complaints – the are not allowed to assault people or act aggressively. Video their actions (though not faces of those being served) in case there are any subsequent court cases – you have a right to video both process servers and police alike, regardless of what they say.

And if you have been served with the injunction this does not mean you are automatically covered by it – you still have to fall into the definition of ‘protestor’ given above. Simply being a climate camper or involved in a climate camp protest does not mean that.

WHAT IS A BREACH OF THE INJUNCTION
If you are a ‘protestor’ within the meaning of the injunction and you trespass on Heathrow Airport Ltd’s land (there is a map attached to the injunction) then you are in breach of the injunction. You are also in breach if you blockade any road or other form of transport for people or vehicles reaching the airport, as this would amount to interfering with or obstructing the operation of the airport. What it does not stop is action against companies involved with the airport being targeted in their own right. It does not stop leafleting or other lawful protest activities from taking place in any place not covered under the trespass clause.

It is not a criminal offence to breach the injunction as it is a civil matter only. You cannot be arrested for breaching the injunction, even if the police say otherwise. Note, however, you can still be arrested for breaking the law and local bye-laws relating to trespass, etc.

Inciting people to trespass, or to impede / interfere with Heathrow’s operation will also be considered to be breaches of the injunction, but then, only if they can prove that you were served or had knowledge that it was breaching the injunction. Note, incitement can be an offence in its own right depending on what you are inciting others to do.

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU BREACH THE INJUNCTION
The injunction does not give the police any powers of arrest for breach of the injunction (of course you may still be arrested if you are suspected of committing a criminal offence). To pursue you for breach of the injunction Heathrow must get the Court’s permission, which is decided at a ‘committal’ hearing. Heathrow will need to first get your name and address in order to serve you with court papers about the committal hearing. At that hearing they will have to prove that you had been served with the injunction, and that you did something that breached the terms of the injunction.

Technically a breach is contempt of court, and can carry a variety of penalties depending on the severity of the breach, these range from a conditional discharge, through fines and jail time. But jail time in particular is very unlikely except for persistent breaches. Taking you to court for breach of the injunction is an expensive and fairly pointless route for Heathrow, and something they are unlikely to do as by the time they get you to Court the camp will be over. Most other injunctions of this sort, such as the one at the climate camp at Drax last year have proved unenforceable and have been ignored by protesters without repercussions.

The publicity generated by these injunction proceedings has been a fantastic boost for the Climate Camp itself and the campaigns against Heathrow and aviation in general. You couldn’t pay for this sort of coverage. We hope that no one will be deterred from coming to the Climate Camp by the injunction – that would be a surrender of our right to freedom of protest and expression. We can all be at the Camp, sure in our right to be there.

FINAL NOTES ON THE PROTECTION FROM HARASSMENT ACT
The outcome of these injunction proceedings is a victory for protesters in the UK and has made a laughing stock of Heathrow’s owner BAA plc, as well as their lawyer Timothy Lawson-Cruttenden, the self-declared ‘market-leader’ in these types of injunctions. Mrs Justice Swift threw out BAA’s application for an injunction under the Protection from Harassment Act (PHA) forcing BAA to fall back on the more toothless common law option, so damaging greatly the ability of corporations to use the PHA to stifle legal protest.

For the last four years corporations have been using the PHA to attack legitimate protest. Originally designed to protect people from stalkers, the Government and companies who are the target of persistent protests have been relatively successful in attempting to declare otherwise lawful forms of protest such as marches and leafleting, the use of megaphones, drums, whistles etc as amounting to harassment and therefore have been able to obtain court orders restricting or banning protests outright. The misuse of this law has lead to a draconian infringement of the rights to protest and assemble. It has also allowed corporations to obtain court orders based on lower standards of proof than would be allowed in the criminal courts, yet the penalties for breaching the orders made are criminal in nature.

As a last point, we would like to distance ourselves from the negative comments by some fighting the injunction in referring to ‘animal rights nuts’. The animal rights movement has been at the front line fighting the draconian terms of injunctions under the Protection from Harassment Act for four years now. These injunctions have never been about stopping illegal activities, but about curbing the right to lawful protest. The outcome of these current injunction proceedings is another step in that same fight.

legal.collective3@yahoo.co.uk

reports of critical masses & London video

Another London Critical Mass police hassle.

Police routinely interfere with Critical Mass, holding up the front of the ride, targeting sound systems and sometimes ticketing riders. They also video and photograph riders at the start of every event. It is odd though that they never turn up for the December ride, which is close to the New year celebrations.

Another London Critical Mass police hassle.

They just had to spoil it didn’t they. In what would have been a fast and fluid Mass with no holdups at junctions and the police providing useful corking, they decided to shut down a sound system in Park Lane, well outside the SOCPA zone, and hold up traffic by so doing. It is as if the police are desperate to assert their authority one way or another. Maybe they have difficulty trying to justify such a large police presence and expense on routine cycle rides. Luckily the sound system bod emerged from his unpleasant police encounter unscathed and with a smile on his face.

Video Part 1 – video/mp4 18M
Video Video part 2 – video/mp4 22M
The raw video is over two hours long and was made with a helmet cam. It has been edited down into two parts totaling 11 minutes.
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Camp for Climate Action – all the info you need to get there with the right stuff, take action & do workshops

The Camp for Climate Action 2007 – Tuesday 14th August to Tuesday 21st August
Check out Indymedia for news during the camp – this website will not get updated for the duration – site occupied: come on down.

Key information for people coming
Avenge the Planet – www.reclaimtheskies.com – information for action
24 Hours of Mass Action
Location/getting there
Workshop programme
Toolkit for climate action
Injunction: all-clear details & legal briefing
Legal advice to read before arrival
Eight days of low-impact living, debates, learning skills, and high-impact direct action tackling the root causes of climate change. Why?

The science is clear: global emissions of carbon dioxide must go into rapid decline within the next decade. If they don’t, humanity faces a bleak future.

To achieve this in a way that respects global justice means 90% cuts in developed countries like the UK. How will we cut emissions and end inequality? How will we achieve this in the face of an economic system intent on expanding at any cost, with corporations stealing the language of change to disguise business as usual? Ordinary people will have to join together to create real solutions and take direct action against the root causes of the problem.

This year the Camp for Climate Action will be at Heathrow, the world’s busiest airport and a bigger source of CO2 emissions than most countries. It’s sheer lunacy in this time of ecological crisis, but the aviation industry are pushing to almost double the airport’s capacity by increasing flights and building a third runway. The battle to stop them will be one of the most important environmental battles in Western Europe.

What we do now decides what the future holds. Those who came before us didn’t know the problem, those who come after us will have severely limited options. We have both the power and the responsibility to make a radically better world.

By uniting in collective action this summer we can begin to make it happen.

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Newly published – leaflet and website:
Heathrow Airport and the industries that make it work

Avenge the Planet – encouraging affinity group action against the aviation industry
Hot action not hot air

Full details at www.reclaimtheskies.com

Out Now! Toolkit for Climate Action

Just in time for the 2007 Climate Camp – the Toolkit for Climate Action is now ready. With this toolkit we hope to inspire you to take action – at home, at school, at work, in your community. The toolkit has been put together by the Network for Climate Action, which is has grown out of and is associated with the Climate Camp.

The toolkit contains masses of useful information related to climate chaos including:
*useful contacts, *action resources, *group working, *outreach ideas, *images and graphics, *press and media, *facts and science, *positive alternatives, *flyers and posters, *films and music

You can look at it on the web:

http://www.networkforclimateaction.org.uk

It’s also available as a pack containing a DVD with all the resources on it, printed guides on direct action, legal issues, media and publicity, plus a contact list for people involved in climate action.

Pick up your pack at the Big Green Gathering or the Climate Camp.

Or if you can’t wait or aren’t going there, we can post one to you.

Donations would be great too!
Contact Details
http://www.networkforclimateaction.org.uk/toolkit/contactus.html

CONTRIBUTE!
We’d like the resource website grow and maybe we’ll even put out a second paper edition. If you are up for helping get in touch! Let us know you have any useful climate related resources that should be on it.

FEEDBACK
The pack’s been put together by just a few people and it was lots and lots of work – which means that some of it may not be as great as it could be. It’d be really good to get your comments and offers of help to improve it.

http://www.networkforclimateaction.org.uk

Come and give a workshop, talk or presentation at the Gatwick No Border Camp!

Invitation to contribute workshops and discussions at the No Border Camp, near Gatwick, UK, 19th-24th September 2007.

Continuing the tradition of No Border camps this will be a space to share information, skills, knowledge and experiences, and to plan actions together against the system of border controls.

Invitation to contribute workshops and discussions at the No Border Camp, near Gatwick, UK, 19th-24th September 2007.

Continuing the tradition of No Border camps this will be a space to share information, skills, knowledge and experiences, and to plan actions together against the system of border controls.

The first No Border Camp in UK will be a place for actions and demos, but also a space for discussion around all aspects of migration, a space to learn about new initiatives against the system of controls, detention and deportations, and a place to exchange ideas on how fight with support migrants. We want to look at the whole structure of migration controls.

To achieve this we need your contribution: would you like to deliver a workshops, discussion, forum or presentation?

Every day, from the 20th to the 24th of September we are organising spaces for discussions or plenary forums. The time-slots have been organised so not to clash with actions or demos.

The camp events working group has so far agreed on having workshops/talks on Thursday the 20th from 1 to 4 pm, and on Friday the 21st from 3 to 6 pm.

On Saturday the 22nd from 5pm there will be a plenary forum for groups to present themselves and network with others.

On Sunday in the late morning we are planning a plenary discussion where to exchange ideas on the future of the struggle for the freedom of movement for all and an end to migration controls. No borders – which way forward? And also proposal for international actions.

The camp events working group has come up with the following themes for workshops, but other ideas are of course very welcome:

* Migration controls and global apartheid
* European system of migration controls, including biometric ID, companies involved, Eurodata, SIRENE/Schengen Information System, surveillance and what’s happening in the Southern borders (Malta, Italy, Spain, Morocco etc…)
* The role of institutions and transnational organisations in migration control
* Detention & deportation
* Connections between racism and migration and antifascism
* Climate change and migration, migrant labour
* more practical ‘how to run/start a campaign’ workshops

Lets us know if you would like to contribute to the camp in Gatwick, UK, with a workshop, talk or discussion, by emailing us at g-anbc2007 [at] riseup.net

Please note the only time-slots available for workshops are on Thursday the 20th and Friday the 21st September.

thanks
the camp events working group

g-anbc2007@riseup.net
http://www.noborders.org.uk

next Disarm DSEi Public Meeting @ rampART London 28th July

Disarm DSEi Public Meeting Saturday 28th July, 2pm-4pm
rampART centre, 15 Rampart Street, London E1 2LA
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=534642&Y=181247&A=Y&Z=1

Tube : Whitechapel, Shadwell, Aldgate, Aldgate East, Tower Gateway
Bus : 15, 115, D3, 100

There will probably be police photographers outside the meeting, don’t be intimidated. You might choose to wear a scarf in this unpredictable weather.

Disarm DSEi 11 September 2007 – One Day, Many Actions

From 11-14 September, Defence Systems and Equipment international, the world’s largest arms fair, returns to East London’s ExCeL Centre. Despite massive local opposition, and a huge bill to the taxpayer, arms dealers will once again be free to deal in death and destruction.

Against the War— Against the Arms Trade

`Stop the War’ (whichever war) is useless sloganeering unless it is accompanied by a commitment to stopping the global arms trade. War will never stop whilst weapon sales are a booming capitalist business worth in the region of $40 billion a year. There are no borders, no limitations and certainly no morals when it comes to arms trading. Whilst countries such as the US and UK pretend to restrict the sale of arms, there are enough loopholes to enable dealers to trade whatever they like, to whoever they like.

In 2005, DSEi hosted 1,100 companies, 70 official military delegation and 20,000 visitors from across the globe. Many of the countries invited were at war, some with each other. Many were dictatorships with appalling human rights records. Many had huge national debts with populations in severe states of poverty and starvation. We must not let them meet without disruption and opposition. Join us and take action. Say no to war. Say no to the arms trade.

To join the Disarm DSEi mailing list send a blank email to:
disarmdsei-subscribe@lists.riseup.net
07948 318756

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Against War. Against the Arms Trade. Two Day: Many Actions. 29-30 July 2007

Blockade? Party? Destroy? March? Smash? Infiltrate? Invade? Picket? Harass? Clown? Dance? Light candles? Fight? Lock on? Vigil? Disrupt?

You Decide!

In the run up to DSEi 2007, DISARM DSEi is calling for two days of autonomous actions against the arms trade.

There were 1,201 exhibitors at the last DSEi. Find out where your nearest (see www.dsei.org for further information). Take action and say no to death and destruction on your doorstep.

info@dsei.org
http://www.dsei.org/

Camberwell squat centre dances on

Still no word on the eviction. No word from the alleged owners.

So… We decided to press ahead with events… if we get evicted then yah boo. These are what we came up with… There is room for more events… if you have any ideas get in touch. Seriously. There’s no point just consuming this space, make it happen. Every mini-gig or party, meeting or workshop that happens is a dance of defiance to the profiteering scum that boss this world.

Still no word on the eviction. No word from the alleged owners.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Weds 25th: Film night… Film being arranged. 7.30pm

Friday 27th: Café/bar… 7.30 – 1.

Tuesday 31 July: Spanish and Polish Lessons, 7.30 and 8pm respectively.
Beginners and slightly more experienced welcome. Bring pens and paper.
Homework.

Weds 1 August: Film night. Film being arranged. 7.30pm

Thurs 2 August: Discussion night: “Squat or Social Centre”, idea is to discuss squatted and social centres in this country and the world, issues around the differences between them, examples of what people round the world are doing, we will also will try to get an exhibition together of squat centres etc. Maybe some slides. Hopefully a comrade from Madrid will be here, to talk about La Alarma Squat and the Facultad Okupa Autogestionada squatted university they recently got together there.

Friday 3rd: Bar/café, hopefully a party, with DJs… 7.30 – 1am.

Sunday 5th: Ubuntu install fest: Help and hints as to installing free user based software like linux etc. 2pm. Laptops or hard drives obviously would help if you want this stuff!

Tuesday 7: Spanish and Polish Lesson, 7.30 and 8pm respectively.

Weds 8 August: Film night.

Thurs 9th: Historical talk on “Underground Lambeth”, all the stuff hidden beneath the streets and houses of South London’s finest borough (ooh)… 7.30pm.

Fri 10th: Café/bar. 7.30 – 1am.

Sat 11th: Mini bookfair! We agreed to get 4 or 5 stall in, 56a, elephant editions, past tense, last hours, maybe a couple more, and do a big publicity blitz. Mad or what? Could be great! Any ideas for stalls? Past Tense and Elephant confirmed.

Further ahead: There are plans for a Spanish party, and also a jam session, in 3 weeks maybe. If we still here.

Also there will hopefully be a workshop on how to build bike wheels, we’re waiting for some a delivery of stuff before confirming.

We’re not fucking dead yet!

CAMBERWELL VERSUS DEATH? WE’RE WINNING!

Camberwell Squatted Centre, 192 Warham Street, London, SE5,

Tube: Oval

Buses: P5, 36, 185, 436.

Boat: Dinghy to Kennington Park, which will be flooded by the time you read this.

For more info check the website: www.56a.org.uk/warham.html

First Directions to The Camp for Climate Action 2007…..

The camp dates are drawing nearer and nearer and we’re all desperate to know where it will be… but we’ll just have to wait a little longer!

But what we do know is that if you get yourself to Staines railway station in West London by 10am on Tuesday 14th August, you will be greeted by our friendly welcome team and promptly transported via a magical mystery tour, to the camp! (There will also be lifts to the camp later in the day and throughout the week.)

The camp dates are drawing nearer and nearer and we’re all desperate to know where it will be… but we’ll just have to wait a little longer!

Camp for Climate Action comes to Heathrow this summer.

Aviation is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK, and all our efforts to tackle climate change in other sectors are undone by the massive growth in air travel.
Holding the camp at Heathrow aims to highlight the lunacy of the government’s airport expansion plans, target industry giants profiteering from the climate crisis, and raise awareness of the need to fly less.
The camp will also support local residents in their long-term struggle against the building of a third runway and the destruction of their communities.

There will be a day of mass direct action aiming to disrupt the activities of the airport and the aviation industry, but in the interests of public safety there will be no attempt to blockade runways.

Although the location is different, the philosophy of the camp remains the same: to be a place for the burgeoning network of people taking radical action on climate change around the country to come together for a week of low-impact living, education, debate, networking, strategising, celebration, and direct action.
The camp will feature over 100 workshops covering topics such as climate change impacts, carbon offsetting, biofuels, peak oil, permaculture, practical renewables, campaign strategy, skills for direct action, and much more.
Run without leaders by everyone who comes along, it will be a working ecological village using renewable energy, composting waste and sourcing food locally.

It all comes down to us, now. We are the last generation that can do anything about climate change. In 20 or 30 years’ time, should we not change our ways, we’ll be committed to emissions increases that will see forests burn, soils decay, oceans rise, and millions of people die. If we don’t get this issue right, so much else is lost too.

We still have time, but not for long. Make it count.

Why target aviation?

It is the fastest growing source of CO2 emissions.
It has been left out of the first faltering frameworks to control emissions, eg. the Kyoto Protocol and the Climate Bill.
It is the most damaging form of transport.
Unlike the other high emitting sectors (e.g. energy and food production), there is no alternative sustainable technology.

The only way to reduce emissions from aviation is to reduce the number of flights.
And unlike those other sectors, aviation is not a necessity.
There is a major airport expansion programme planned at 21 airports, with increases in capacity equivalent to a new Heathrow every 5 years. This expansion programme locks us into increased emissions, and undoes all our other efforts elsewhere to reduce emissions.

Why target Heathrow?

Nowhere in the UK is there a larger source of CO2 emissions. Most countries emit less greenhouse gases than Heathrow’s planes.

Heathrow is the world’s busiest international airport. It is an iconic global symbol of aviation.
Heathrow is the heart of the UK?s aviation industry.
Heathrow is the central plank of the government’s airport expansion plans. Heathrow has a planned third runway that can be stopped.

The third runway would bulldoze entire villages and destroy communities. There is a big, established, long-term local campaign against Heathrow and BAA that we can join forces with.

There is an opportunity to highlight bias in the corrupt planning process in favour of big business and development.

The presence of Harmondsworth detention centre nearby highlights the plight of environmental refugees and the fact that climate change is fundamentally an issue of social and global injustice.

Camberwell Squatted Centre: Under immediate threat!!! Court & events update

The Camberwell Squatted Centre has seen its court date brought forward to TUESDAY 10th JULY placing the Centre under danger of eviction in the very near future. How can you help?

Camberwell squat flier The Camberwell Squatted Centre has seen its court date brought forward to TUESDAY 10th JULY placing the Centre under danger of eviction in the very near future. How can you help?

Emergency meeting MONDAY 9th JULY at 7.30 pm
Camberwell Squatted Centre
190 Warham St
off Camberwell New Rd
Camberwell SE5
bus 185, 36, 436
tube Oval

We have been in occupation of the building on Warham St since 10th March. Since then we have filled almost every day with events for any and everyone.

Now we are facing the reality that we have always faced, that we will be thrown out of the building we have lovingly restored to life.

So see you in court Mr Property Speculator…

Please check our website for news and also to see how you can keep the spirit of the Camberwell Squatted Centre alive

Black Frog Collective
@
blackfrog@alphabetthreat.co.uk
http://www.56a.org.uk/warham.html

Court update
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Camberwell Squat – owners granted Possession Order

Camberwell Squat Centre | 11.07.2007 01:43 | Free Spaces | Social Struggles | London
Tuesday July 10th, the owners of the building were granted a Possession Order to regain the property. Bailifs could pay a visit any time from Wednesday 11th. Please come along, we plan to stay in the centre for as long as we can…

After two adjournments and much legal shenanniganing the Camberwell Squatted Centre at 192 Warham Street SE5 has entered its final phase…

Twice we have managed to gain adjournments on the grounds that we had a licence to stay in the place granted by Sean Davey and John Desmond, the two characters we had been dealing with from the owners’ side, which had not been properly ended before the case was brought… This time the licence argument was properly tested in a court. We thought we would lose.

Although we were telling the truth and Sean had granted a licence, the other side claimed Sean and John hadn’t done any such thing and anyway even if they had, had no authority to do so, ie they aren’t the owners, only caretakers and builders, not entitled to give us permission to stay…
They gave evidence, we gave evidence. The Judge chose to believe them.

Property being nine tenths of the law, we had expected that this would happen, regardless of the facts in the case. The Judge in fact called us liars, though not in such words. And said they were reliable witnesses. I.e. we were squatters and they businessmen. They want the space to demolish
it, build yuppie flats or whatever money-making scheme they can concoct. Our whole project was about subverting their world-view.

So it goes. When we squatted the building, we expected a short time there; the licence, quickly revoked, gave us hope of longer, but in fact we have strung it out thus far and achieved much, We have had some brilliant events, met and got to know some fine people, explored new ways of being, in a space under our control, not for profit but for fun and with a view to working towards a different world.

We always knew we would be moving on some time – but this is not the end. Every such occupied space is a creation in itself, as well as a stage along a road. The processes we have evolved in running the space, interacting there, as well as the ideas, information, socialising, exchange of ideas and experiences, add up to more than the rickety four walls or the dead hand of property.

Other projects will arise, other spaces will be squatted, all of us who have been through the building will take the four months we have spent there forward in our hearts.

We don’t yet know how long we have before the bailiffs arrive. While we are still there we will carry on having events, using the space, celebrating the time we still have. We hope you will all come by, hang out, help to keep up the amazing atmosphere that has grown up in the place. We do need people to come and hang out in the day, to keep the building secure, in case of early eviction attempts… Do drop by. You have all helped to make this project a living thing.

Check the website or come by the Squat to keep in touch with what’s happening on the eviction front.

Camberwell Versus Death!

EVENTS PLANNED –

Obviously we could be evicted before the later ones here!

WEDNESDAY 11th?FILM NIGHT: THE WORKING CLASS GOES TO HEAVEN?
Lulù is a real hard worker. For this reason he is loved by the masters and hated by his own colleagues. The unions decide agitations against the masters. Lulù doesn’t agree…Classic REFUSAL of WORK movie from Italy!! Subtitles. 7.30pm

THURSDAY 12th:?A talk about the Operation Spanner case of the 1990s, the prosecution and jailing of consenting gay men for their sado-masochistic sex lives and the struggle against their criminalization. Talk by a founder of the Spanner Campaign.

FRIDAY 13TH: Café/Bar, 8 till 1… Is there anyone out there fancies cooking for this…? The usual cooks are a bit tired and all Ramsayed out… Any volunteers email us… It’s not that hard.

SATURDAY 14th
Starbucks Workers Rebel… A film night, talk and social in support of Starbucks workers organising against their evil capitalist bosses in 3 continents. We will be showing the film ’Coffee Sirens’ about Starbucks workers organising, plus talks from people involved in picketing Starbucks here over their attacks on union organisers in the USA and elsewhere. 8pm onwards, plus social after.

SUNDAY 15th
3pm: open meeting to discuss what happens next: Camberwell Squatted Centre is in court on the 20th of July, facing eviction… We will probably lose, after heroic adjournments in the last two court appearances. So what next? For those who want to see another local autonomous social and rebellious space, we’re meeting to work out where to go and how things carry on.

MONDAY 16th
BUILDING MEETING
7pm

TUESDAY 17th
POLISH LESSONS. For the very beginners and very commited. Bring pen and paper. Some homework. 7.30pm
SPANISH LESSONS. For the not so beginners. 7.30pm

WEDNESDAY 18th FILM NIGHT: INVESTIGATION OF A CITIZEN ABOVE SUSPICION
Another classic movie from 1970’s Italy!! A disturbing portrait of police power as played out through twisted eroticism and State repression. Subtitles. 7.30pm

THURSDAY 19th Peace Time In Palestine: Illegal occupation. Illegal Confiscation. Humiliation.?The Wall of Shame. International Support. A talk and slideshow by a witness and human rights observer after two months in Palestine (more on http://ana-en.blogspot.com). 7.30pm

critical masses (reports from end June/beginning July 2007)

Manchester:Ace mass on friday woo! despite all the students being away for the summer there was still an ace turnout of around 30-40 people.nice. and a few stayed for a nice bbq in the park which was real lovely.

Critical mass has a my space account
here:http://www.myspace.com/mcrcriticalmass
and a facebook account here:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=597661675&ref=mf

also an email list at http://lists.riseup.net/www/info/manccriticalmass

so if you have photos or film of the masses please post or upload them or email for the passwords and i’ll send them out to you. also please use these and this list to discuss ideas and calls for help with future events for after the critical mass. In the past we’ve had benefit gigs, party in the woods, film nights, meals, beers in pubs, picnics, bike polo workshops, art exhibition, roller races etc etc. It would be ace if everyone could be involved in organising these. maybe we could even get together a little cm events working group..would anyone be interested in this? we could get together either after cm or in the month to share ideas, organisation and tasks.

these things can be discussed on this list or on myspace comments or on the facebook note or wall

ALSO
At previous critical masses in Manchester we decided on the following tips to ensure that we are all safe,that we cause least annoyance as possible, to make sure the ride stays together and to ensure that everyone feels comfortable. Remember sometimes people on critical mass come because it is a chance to reclaim the road and to feel safe, people who wouldnt usually ride in central manchester and also children, so its good to keep the nice friendly atmosphere to encourage cycling and that safe environment…if people want to discuss these its great, they were points that were agreed at several critical masses by people shouting and waving hands and that kind of thing. there is no organiser and everyone should be able to have their say. (in a way that is responsible and looking after each other)

1. If the light goes on red as the ride approaches the lights we stop and wait for green.
2. If the light changes part way through the ride getting through around 2 people per lane of oncoming traffic stop and cork the road. This basically means that they stand in the middle of that lane holding up their hand/ a sign saying ‘thank you for waiting’ so that cars will stop and let the ride stay together and go through the light safely. Thanking the drivers when everyone is through..we are trying to get drivers onto bikes not to hate us!!!
3. Slower riders and children and people with less confidence ride at the front of the ride and to the left hand side so that they can set the pace and help to stay together and also feel safer as they are less likely to be near traffic/ annoyed drivers.
4. We don’t have a set route for critical mass, instead whoever is at the front at the time can choose where we go, so we take it in turns! just shout left or right or straight on in plenty of time!
5. Have fun!

Future critical mass dates are

MEET CENTRAL LIBRARY 6PM FRIDAY:
27th July
31st August
28th September
26th October
30th November
28th December

2008
25th January
29th February (woo leap year!)
28th March
etc etc

London: Critical Mass 29th June – The June Critical Mass, with a few hundred cyclists, was a fun ride through the City and Holborn and managed to stay dry the whole way through!

Several hundred people left Waterloo bridge at about 7pm, cycling across Blackfriars bridge, along Ludgate Hill, past the Museum of London and onto Liverpool Street station. After some circling of Finsbury Circus the mass kept moving on to Old Street where we had a brief rest. Moving off the mass headed for Cambridge Circus along Theobalds road and High Holborn. From there it moved up and along Oxford Street and down to Westminster Square where there were some skirmishes with the cops over the sound system (see the account: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/06/374738.html)

It was a fun ride. The police for the most part seemed to keep their distance. Entertainingly a couple of police started head bobbing to the music in Old Street – I’m hoping someone got a film of it! Let’s hope next month is slightly sunnier though.

Edinburgh: It went pretty well. Around 50 people. Considerably more than last month. There was no police intervention, apart from preventing all vehicles to go across North Bridge, since it was shut again. We simply diverted down Leith Street, went all the way round the roundabout, then along Queen Street to the meadows from there. In the last 5 minutes the heavens opened.

Glasgow got the sun and a ride out to the West End complete with bike lifts and a film screening afterwards.

July York Critical Mass Ride Small but Successful

Well, it wasn’t a big ride, with just 19 people taking part, but we had fun, made cycling visible and encountered some complete idiots who need their 2 ton weapons removing from beneath them. The driver of a bright red Audi on Nunnery Lane expended much petrol revving, overtaking (twice) and generally being an idiot without any gain for himself, other than a nice picture showing that he, like a notable group of York’s drivers, has no concern whatsoever for cycle lanes or cyclists. No one was hurt, but as one person put it later “we gave as good as we got”, verbally of course.

Next months ride will probably also be small, but that’s no excuse not to show up. On Friday August 3rd we’ll be returning to the streets of York to promote cycling, sustainability and fun, same time and same place.