North West England – Page 12

Something’s Brewing….come on down to the 11th OKasional cafe in Manchester

November 30, 2010

After a 8 year absence the OKasional Cafe is back in Manchester!

The squatted space will hold a daily café, regular vegan meals and function as a radical space for meetings, organising, interventions, workshops and events.

November 30, 2010

After a 8 year absence the OKasional Cafe is back in Manchester!

The squatted space will hold a daily café, regular vegan meals and function as a radical space for meetings, organising, interventions, workshops and events.

Come down on the 3rd of December. Meet at 12 at Peace Gardens to help spruce up the space and join us for our first evening of counter cuts food, drinks, discussion and more.

The non-profit, volunteer led project already has 2 weeks of workshops already booked up but still has space for more, so to offer events, workshops, displays, actions, and any kind of helping hand get in contact!

mcrokcafe@gmail.com
http://okcafe.wordpress.com

Season of the Climate Trials

RATCLIFFE ON TRIAL ‘SHOW OF SOLIDARITY’
9am, 22nd November
Outside Nottingham Crown Court

Next Monday 20 activists begin their long awaited trial. Accused of conspiring to shut down Ratcliffe on Soar power station, they don’t deny this was their intention. However they are pleading Not Guilty on the grounds that they planned to act to prevent loss of life and serious injury caused by climate change.

With the trial due to begin Monday morning, we are asking supporters from far and wide to congregate outside the Crown Court at 9am for a Show of Solidarity before the trial gets underway. You don’t need to bring anything but yourselves, and we will be inviting you to hold banners reading “I’d Stop Emissions Too”.

We ask for a calm presence that doesn’t disrupt the trial. But the more attendees the better. This is the culmination of an exhausting 18 month process for the defendants, who face a maximum sentence of three months in prison. A big show of support would make their day.

Get booking your travel, or organise a mini-bus with your local group. For more information, email info@ratcliffeontrial.org

See you next Monday,
Ratcliffe on Trial campaign support group

PS: Join the Facebook Event: http://on.fb.me/92y0Yx

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THE INSTANT INFO BOARD: PRINT IT OUT, STICK IT UP

A few of the Ratcliffe on Trial supporters have been hard at work over the last few days, putting together an “instant info board”. This 8-page document explains, briefly, the various different aspects of the trial, the context, the necessity defence and how to help. We’d love it if supporters around the country could print it out and stick it up in your local social centre, students union, workplace or anywhere else you can think of. Thanks!

Download it here:
http://ratcliffeontrial.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/ratcliffeontrial.pdf

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MANCHESTER AIRPORT ON TRIAL

In May 2010, seventeen people staged a protest/direct action at Manchester Airport, temporarily shutting it down. They did this to stop some of the 5 million tonnes of carbon emissions that the airport is responsible for annually and in opposition to plans to destroy local homes and biodiversity spots to expand the World Freight Centre.

Mission:

17 people are now facing two trials as a result of this action. 11 people will be tried for ‘obstruction of the highway’ in Dec 2010. The remaining 6 will face a trial in early 2011.

Please
-Email statements of support to manchesterairportontrial@gmail.com
-Like the Facebook page: http://on.fb.me/92b4jo
-www.manchesterairportontrial.org/

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Update:
On 25 November 2010, the Copenhagen District Court found Stine Gry Jonassen and Tannie Nyboe guilty in charges of being organisers and instigators of violence and vandalism. The incident took place on 16th of December at Bella Centre last year during the climate summit in Copenhagen. The two women were sentenced to four months of probation. One out of three judges disagreed with the verdict and thought the women were innocent of all charges.

Stine Gry and Tannie Nyboe both acted as spokespersons for the Global Network “Climate Justice Action” (CJA).

During the Cop15 last year, CJA organised several non-violent civil
disobedience protests, including the “Reclaim Power – Push for Climate Justice” rally on 16th of December. The two women were both the public faces of the movement and they are now found guilty in charges of being organisers and instigators of violence and riots. They are both deeply shocked by the outcome of the trial and are now considering an appeal.

More: http://www.climatecollective.org/post/151

CLIMATE DEFENCE IS NOT AN OFFENCE!

Crude Awakening info update

12 Sept 2010

THE CRUDE AWAKENING MASS OUTREACH EMAIL

A mass action to switch off oil

Saturday, 16 October 2010, Central London

12 Sept 2010

THE CRUDE AWAKENING MASS OUTREACH EMAIL

A mass action to switch off oil

Saturday, 16 October 2010, Central London

Have you been thinking it’s about time a whole load of people got together to take mass action against oil in central London? We thought so. And so it followed that the Crude Awakening was launched. The mobilization is now in full swing and everyone is invited to help publicize and prepare. There is loads to do….please have a read through this email and get involved!

The email is in three parts:

Upcoming events and how to get involved
Frequently asked questions
The call out – please copy and paste and help this get all over the Internet!

1. How to get involved and build up events you are all invited to.

Events already planned are listed bellow:

In London……

17th September, networking meeting at 6pm just inside the entrance to the Brunei Gallery at SOAS, a meeting for people interested in helping to do outreach in the London area the Climate Camp outreach group are meeting.

There is going to be a London coordinating and planning meeting for the Crude Awakening very soon, and the details will be announced shortly.

Thursday 23rd September at 7.30pm, Climate Action Film Night, London Action Resource Centre, Whitechapel (for address see www.londonarc.org)

An evening of films and discussion about climate activism and the oil industry, hosted by London Rising Tide.

A screening of two short films of recent actions against BP and Shell by Rising Tide and friends, plus Petropolis, a visually stunning and disturbing documentary about the Canadian Tar Sands. Followed by a brainstorming session on taking direct action against the oil industry in London – including all the latest info on the Crude Awakening, an oily mass action happening on Saturday 16th October. For anyone who believes in climate justice and wants to help make it happen; anyone hacked off with the greed and irresponsibility of oil giants like BP; anyone back from the Climate Camp and looking to get involved locally… everyone welcome….and there’ll be cake!

The Crude Awakening London Rabble Rouser – a mass outdoor team game, warming us up for the big day– date, place and time to be announced.

Saturday 2nd October. MOLASAPULTPARTY FUNDRAISER …. Venue TBC, more details to follow shortly

Saturday the 2nd and Sunday the 3rd October Stilt making workshop for the stilt block on the mass action!….
This time we’re thinking big, we’re thinking high, we’re thinking tall…. and we’re going as a Stilt Bloc.

Yep, thats right! On stilts!

So in order for this to happen we’re having a skill share weekend in London to build stilts and learn how to walk on them. The weekend is Sat 2nd and Sun 3rd October, 10am to 6pm.

And even if you don’t want to be up high, each stilt walker will need a buddy staying on the ground so there’s a place for everyone, young and old, big or small, high or low…… we need you at this weekend too!!!

Its all free and lunch is included….

We need RSVPs so we know numbers. Email: stilt.bloc@gmail.com

Oh and its MEXICAN DAY OF THE DEAD theme…..

In Manchester….

Sat 9th Oct – Mass Action training

Tue 12th Oct – Publicly announced rouser for CJA international day of action

Crude Awakening mobilisation

We hope that there will be loads more to follow but this is what is lined up so far. If you are planning a build up event let us know so we can advertise it please.

There is a huge amount to do to mobilize quickly for an event this big. Maybe you could organise a film showing or talk (we can probably send a speaker if you email us). You could put on an affinity group or action training workshop, or host a fundraiser. You could book a coach and fill it. You could run a workshop so people can build practical stuff , for example a load of disposable bikes to bring along (email us to let us know if you do make lots of useful stuff). You could have a stall and hand out flyers at your freshers fair (again email for materials). You could make a stencil and graffiti advertise for it all across your city/ region. Unless everyone gets involved there is a real danger we won’t get the numbers we need.
The Crude Awakening is now on crabgrass! Join it, join a working group and lets get planning! https://we.riseup.net/thecrudeawakening (crabgrass is a little bit like facebook for activists and is a way of organising on line). And sign up for more information by email and text alerts on the website. www.crudeawakening.org.uk. Our facebook page is a little slow to get off the ground but it will soon be buzzing.

Please also raise The Crude Awakening as an agenda point at the next organising meeting at your Social Centre/ Friends of the Earth Group/ Union/ Climate Camp neighbourhood/ Housing Coop etc. Get people talking and excited and committed to the idea that they are going! If you are not already in a group or affinity group you are of course still totally welcome. You will probably want to make contact with some like minded folk to talk things through and make some plans before the big day. For example you could go to climatecamp.org.uk or risingtide.org.uk and find your local active group, or email us and we can try to signpost you on. At the least try to get a couple of mates to come with you, so that you have some support as a group of friends (known by activists as an affinity group).

2. Frequently asked questions

Q. Neither the website nor the flyer gives much info. What is going on?

A. As you have probably twigged there is also a deliberate sense of mystery around the action. So often with recent mass actions we have said exactly where we are going to go, and the police have had as much time to prepare as us, making things much more difficult for people who want to be involved in mass and effective direct action . With this project we are experimenting a little bit. The 10 targets are left unspecified, giving the action more chance of being successful. But at the same time we can openly advertise that we all need to be in Central London so we can get loads of people together at the same place at the same time for the mass action. And those people need to be ready to take action and to have fun. This is not a march and it’s not a camp. This is an action that needs preparation and we can all be involved in most of that preparation….although the targets will be a surprise until much later.

We can’t be sure that this mix of secret and public planning will work, but we can give it a go, have some fun and maybe make some progress…..but maybe, just maybe we have got it totally nailed and this will be the best mass action in London ever! If you don’t show up there it will be difficult for you to know. Our advice is don’t miss it 😉

Q. So what do I need to do to prepare?

A. People need to be ready to move, and to stand their ground. Don’t bring with you anything that you can’t easily walk with or get on a tube with. But do bring with you stuff that will help you and your affinity group hold a space in what ever way you feel you want to. Whether you want to bring armtubes, disposable bikes or a huge slow moving metal and wooden tower with a papier-mâché rhino head (that can fit on and off a tube!?); diversity of tactics and affinity group planning are key to this working. People can also prepare stuff to make this action look beautiful; puppets, masks, banners, a portable molasses fondue……you get the idea.

Q. Why Oil?

A. For a whole host of reasons. Here are just a few…..
Because oil companies search for new oil reserves to make themselves richer while our climate spins into crisis.
Because the UK government starts wars for oil.
Because of human rights abuses and murder in West Africa.
Because of the Deepwater Horizon spill.
Because of the destruction of wilderness in the Arctic and the coast of Rosport in Ireland.
Because of UK public money being used by bailed out banks to fund new oil projects.
Because London is brimming with oil money, oil sponsorship and oil companies.
Because global energy resources are the peoples commons.
Because oil companies and the filthy rich people who profit from them have no place in a sustainable future.
Because Copenhagen failed and now it’s down to us.
Because oil has had it’s day and it’s time we pulled the plug.

Hope that that made things a little clearer. And more specific information will be sent out soon. If you are still struggling with the idea, it is a bit like the Great Climate Swoop of 2009, except where we are going is kept secret. Remember, you are being asked to come and move around London, so stay mobile, be creative, be prepated and be ready to stand your ground. So talk in your affinity group about the ways in which you are going to be able to hold a space and equipment and materials that you might want to bring along to help you. The action is open, and will be shaped by the people who are there. Only the targets and how we are getting to them are secret.

3. The call out – please copy and paste and help get this all over the Internet!

THE CRUDE AWAKENING

A mass action to switch off oil

Saturday, 16 October 2010, Central London

Floods in Pakistan, drought in Russia, huge glaciers breaking up in Greenland…

Our climate system is rapidly sliding into crisis, as oil companies destroy people’s lives and the environment to keep sucking up their profits.

Oil saturates every aspect of our lives. Oil profits lubricate the financial markets and its sponsorship clings like a bad smell to our cultural institutions. It flows through pipelines to the pumps, airports and factories of our cities.

The failure of the UN COP15 process showed us – if there was ever any doubt – that government and industry can’t tackle climate change. It’s up to us and it’s time to up the ante.

As a movement, our actions against coal and aviation have made a real difference. Now oil’s time is up.

Together, on October 16, let’s give the oil industry a Crude Awakening.

Meet in central London. Be ready to move. Be ready to stay and stand your ground.

Be creative. Be prepared. Be there.

Find out more, get involved and sign up for text alerts at www.crudeawakening.org.uk
Facebook: http://bit.ly/c6S0kg
Twitter: @crudeawake

Part of the CJA global week of action for climate justice
Supported by: Space Hijackers, Climate Camp, Plane Stupid, Rising Tide, Liberate Tate, Laboratory of Insurrectionary Imagination, UK Tar Sands Network

Hope to see you on the streets,
Crude Awakening
crudeawakening.org.uk

Stop Nuclear Power gathering, 23-24 October 2010

Sat 23 – Sun 24 Oct 2010, Bristol

Meet, make plans, take action

Sat 23 – Sun 24 Oct 2010, Bristol

Meet, make plans, take action

Stop Nuclear Power is a grassroots network of groups and individuals taking action against nuclear power. If EdF get their way, Hinkley C will become the first nuclear power station built in Britain for 20 years and will sit next to two other radioactive and dangerous sites. Stop Hinkley is a long running community campaign to stop deadly nuclear reactors operating near their homes.
Their struggle is our struggle. Let’s sit down together in Bristol and make some plans together.

Hinkley is the battleground, if they get one in there, it opens the door for at least nine other nuclear power stations across the country. This Autumn, the government is taking its pro-nuclear propaganda on tour around the UK. We’ll be there. Come to the gathering or send us an email to find out how you can get involved.

www.boycottedf.org.uk

Info for the weekend:

Meeting space during the day on Saturday and Sunday tbc but will be in Bristol.
Crash space is available on a dry, warm and quiet floor space.
If you need a bed please get in contact with us as soon as possible and will try and help you out.
Lunch and dinner will be done communally on Saturday and lunch on Sunday.

For a telephone number to contact during the weekend send us an email.

Please help by letting us know you are coming so we can plan for space, food and logistics.

Email: nonewnuclear@aktivix.org

Trashing, dashing, bashing, mashing: the new EF! Action Update

So what have you been up to the last few months? Just hanging around?
Maybe you’ve been part of human wheel-clamping aeroplanes, climbing up scaffolding tripods inconveniently placed in the road, smashing machines at open-cast mines, playing nuked-dead in the street, kayaking against borehole drill rigs in Ireland, burning mobile phone masts, resisting Tesco, camping against trashing of woodland, with some success at Titnore (& other protest camp updates), or getting in on BP’s act, spilling oil in public places.

Or have you been on holiday, taking part in indigenous blockades against logging, dams and mining, spilunking against high speed trains, slashing tuna cages, blockading Monsanto HQ, trashing GM fields, and more?

Maybe you’re in need of a break. But if you’re not, and are just champing at the bit, the return of AUntie MIffy’s problem page might help, addressing what to do if there’s no local group near you. There’s an article about the beginnings of EF! in this country, looking forwards to the next 20 years, to help inspire. If you need support to get things going where you live, do get in touch. And if all that’s not enough, here’s a quotation, from Paul Watson, the Sea Shepherd captain:

“Future generations will not have the chance and those that came before us did not have the vision nor the knowledge. It is up to us — you and I.”

Print version
Other issues and extra info

Earth First! Summer Gathering set-up plans announced

We can now announce that set-up will begin from around 2pm on Saturday, 31 July. Marquees, tools and construction materials will be arriving on site from Saturday morning so there will be plenty to do. You will be able to camp on the site from Saturday and there will be skeleton facilities (water, basic kitchen) from that time.

We also have a mobile number for setup which is 07766 947852. This will be on-site from Saturday lunchtime, and may well get answered in the few days beforehand but please don’t try ringing until then – e-mail will remain the main contact point until nearer the time – summergathering -{at}- earthfirst.org.uk

What we need to know:

*Please can you let us know when you are coming? – this helps us plan foods, facilities and what jobs to do when.

*It is also helpful if you can let us know if you have any particular skills or interests with respect to set-up – we might need drivers, so if you are over 25, hold a clean licence, are confident driving a 3.5 tonne Luton AND can bring along both parts of your driving licence please let us know.

*Similarly if you are arriving in a vehicle and could potentially provide lifts, transport equipment en route or run errands from site once you arrive please let us know. In this case it is very helpful if you are able/willing to supply us with a contact phone number.

How to get there

As you maybe aware that we do not announce the exact site of the gathering until one week before the main event, this means directions will be available on the website http://www.earthfirstgathering.org.uk/ from Wednesday, 27 July. We realise this will be short notice for people arriving on the Saturday, however to make things easier we will e-mail directions to set-up crew on that day (that still 4 days to check a map!).

The nearest train station is Derby if you want to pre-book train tickets, you will also need to take a local bus service from Derby (these are frequent). We are aiming to have a vehicle on site that can assist if people have difficulties between Derby and the site, so hopefully everyone will be able to get there okay.

There may be a very small number of lifts available from the Nottingham area across the weekend of Saturday 31st July/Sunday first of August. There may also be lifts from the Leeds area first thing on 31 July. Let us know if this may be of interest to you.

What to bring

*Everything you need to the gathering, tent sleeping bags etc. and especially a torch

*It may be wise to come a bit more self-sufficient in food and snacks than you would need to for the main gathering – we will have a basic kitchen but Veggies and the tuck shop are not arriving until Wednesday

*If you are able to bring any tools, especially for basic carpentry, these are often useful

Big thanks for offering to help out

Do get in touch if you have any questions

Love & rage

The EF! Gathering crew

Sabotage the Machines! Cutacre coal mine visit

21 July 2010
Activists entered the Cutacre coal mine in the early hours of a June morning, & sabotaged 7 monster-trucks, used to transport coal around the site.

They report that metal hair-pins were cut to length, coated in superglue & inserted deep into the locks of the vehicles. Another healthy dose of glue followed for good measure.

It is not known how long the vehicles were out of action- oddly nobody hung around long enough to find out.

The site is located in the Greater Manchester area, & is operated by “lets trash the planet” UK Coal. It is on land owned by ” lets sell our mums for money” Peel Holdings.

The activists say they were inspired by fine examples of sabotage at Mainshill, & hope that all over the country, people will resist the destruction, & sabotage machinery.

Nobody was arrested.

Peat Bog protesters found not guilty & coal train stoppers mixed result

Two environmental activists who chained themselves to machinery at a peat bog extraction site at Chat Moss, Salford, Greater Manchester were acquitted by Salford magistrates court last Monday 5th July 2010.

BBC News coverage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bI9U5rcrK2w

BBC News coverage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bI9U5rcrK2w

Iain Hilton from Manchester Climate Action and Sonny Khan from Earth First! North West were accused under Section 4a of the 1986 Public Order Act for allegedly causing “harassment, alarm or distress” against employees of Joseph Metcalfe Horticultural Ltd and AW Jenkinson Forest Products Ltd for their part in a peaceful protest on Thursday 15 April 2010.

http://manchesterclimateaction.wordpress.com/2010/04/28/action-aginst-peat-bog-destruction-in-greater-manchester/

During the protest, the court heard how Khan climbed up and locked onto a JCB digger to prevent it loading peat into a delivery lorry. Hilton meanwhile scaled and locked himself to the delivery lorry to prevent it leaving the site. The two defendants were protesting against the environmental impacts of peat extraction – which causes 3 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year in the UK according to Natural England – the equivalent to the average emissions of 350,000 households. [1]

Upon hearing evidence from three employees who appeared in court as prosecution witnesses, the District Judge Jonathan Finestein said that while the protest was “certainly an irritation and certainly cost [the companies] money” he had seen no evidence that the defendants intended to, or did cause harrasment, alarm or distress as the prosecution had alleged and found them not guilty without waiting to hear evidence from the defence.

A request for a restraining order banning the two defendants from peat bog site in Chat Moss was also rejected by the Judge.

The protestors were joined inside and outside court by local campaigners from Save Our North West Greenbelt. [2]

Speaking outside court after the verdict, Iain Hilton said, “We’ve very pleased with the verdict. Our actions were reasonable, peaceful and justified. The entire democratic process of the City of Salford from the Council to local MPs is against peat extraction and have called for it to stop. The people of Salford don’t want the peat to be extracted, so all we did was enforce everyone’s wishes.”

Peat bogs are formed over thousands of years by the decaying remnants of plant matter and actively soak up carbon from the atmosphere, making them extremely valuable in the fight against climate change.

Over 94 per cent of the UK’s lowland peat bogs have been damaged or destroyed, mostly in the last 50 years. The protestors argue that protecting the remaining intact peat bogs and restoring damaged or degraded ones could lock carbon in the soil and help to actively reduce the UK’s carbon footprint, as well as helping to protect many rare species of plants and animals, protecting biodiversity and a wild and rare habitat.

Salford Council agree that peat extraction must stop and are proposing a ban on future extraction at Chat Moss.[3] Planning lead member Councillor Derek Antrobus said: “Curbing climate change is a central aim of the planning system and peat bogland is an important carbon sink. The Government has announced the phasing out of peat for gardening so there can be no justification for its continued exploitation.”

The site at Chat Moss, as well as other peat extraction locations in the area, is owned by corporate giant Peel Holdings, the empire of tax-shy billionaire John Whittaker. Backed by oil money of the powerful Saudi Olayan family, the group variously owns: the Trafford Centre, Manchester Ship Canal and three other ports, four airports and MediaCityUK in Salford, just a few famous names within a huge property portfolio. They also have a large stake in UK Coal, involved in the controversial Carbon Capture and Storage coal power plant proposed in Ayrshire in Scotland, where a direct action campaign is also expected by environmentalists. Peel are disputing the ban, which they claim is unjustified.

Rachel Dawes from Manchester Climate Action said, “Peel Holdings have huge political power in the Northwest. Financial gain is their only interest and this comes at the expense of the environment, locally and globally. Taking direct action is an essential part of the struggle against big business and in situations like this we have to stand up and say enough is enough.”

Hilton added, “The release of greenhouse gases through peat bog extraction has a devastating effect on the world’s climate and the destruction of green belt land is deplorable. These are places that should be enjoyed by everyone and not carved up for the sake of profit.”

Also speaking outside court Khan said, “We’re happy with the support of the local Save Our Northwest Green Belt group. We hope it encourages more people to stand up and take action to stop environmental destruction.”

Notes
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[1] Natural England report – http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/regions/north_east/press_releases/2010/180310.aspx

[2] Save our North West Green Belt and Green Spaces facebook
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&viewas=0&gid=201970218853

[3] http://manchesterclimatefortnightly.blogspot.com/2010/05/mcfly-047-peat-leave-it-as-ground.html

e-mail: manchester@climatecamp.org.uk
Homepage: http://manchesterclimateaction.wordpress.com/

Other press links
——————————–
The Mule – http://manchestermule.com/article/climate-activists-found-not-guilty

Salford Star – http://www.salfordstar.com/article.asp?id=618

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Coal Train Court Verdict
July 09, 2010

Eighteen people from Bristol and Bath were in court yesterday to answer two charges of obstructing the railway at Ffos-y-Fran open-cast coal mine in Merthyr Tydfil. Seven people who had chained themselves to the track and six who had been acting as support and legal observers all pleaded guilty to Section 36 of the Malicious Damages Act 1861, and not guilty to Section 35 of the same act (the section carrying the infamous life penalty). Five people including a legal obvserer and drivers pleaded not guilty to both charges.

Section 35 was dropped against all 18, crucially acknowledging that this was not a malicious action as originally alleged, and Section 36 was dropped against the 5 who had pleaded not guilty to it and had clearly had nothing to do with the obstruction.

Five of the eighteen walk out of court with no conviction. For the other thirteen, sentencing will be on August 13th at Merthyr Crown Court. There will be no prison sentences, however it appears restraining orders and an £8000 compensation claim are being considered.

Those involved are very grateful for the continued support of friends in Merthyr Tydfil, Bristol, Bath, nationwide and beyond. Hopefully there will be a big turnout for sentencing, when those facing restraining orders will explain for the record why they felt it necessary to blockade a coal train.

This Sunday, Bristol & Bath Rising Tide host an evening at Kebele Social Centre in Easton, recounting train blockades carried out by Bristolians over the past 30 years opposing social injustices from climate chaos to nuclear waste. Film, food and discussion from 6:30pm.

Manchester Plane Stupid Breach Airside Security in Airport Protest

Update: Ten people from the Tripod part of the action were arrested on Monday morning around 11am – having been there since 6.30am.

They were held for roughly 10 hours in custody. They have been charged with obstruction of the highway and bailed to appear at Trafford Magistrates court at 9.45am on Thursday 3rd June.

The six people who went airside were arrested for criminal damage, conspiracy to commit criminal damage and entering a restricted airfield. They were held for around 13 hours in custody and had their houses searched. They have not yet been charged, but bailed to return to Altrincham police station on 20th August.
—
24.05.2010
Activists from the group Manchester Plane Stupid have breached airside security at Manchester Airport today in a protest against the expansion of the airport. The protest involves two groups. The first group of 6 people cut through the perimeter fence and created a human circle around a stationary plane using arm tube lock-ons.

A second group have used tripods to blockade the road entrance to the World Freight Terminal preventing airfreighted goods from being taken in or out. They have unfurled a banner reading: “More air freight = more climate change. Stop all airport expansion now.”

The group are protesting against the recent decision to expand the World Freight Terminal which will involve the demolition of historic homes on Hasty Lane.

Lisa Jameson from Manchester Plane Stupid said, “This isn’t just about airport expansion or rising carbon emissions. This is about challenging an economic system based on the absurdity of infinite growth on a planet of finite resources, a system which prioritises bail-outs for the banks and then makes us pay for it in public service cuts. Capitalism is the cause of the problem, climate change is just a symptom.”

Following the recent decision to stop expansion at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stanstead airports, the aviation industry is likely to look to regional airports such as Manchester to increase profits.

“The third runway at Heathrow was stopped because ordinary people stood up to the government at the time and the aviation industry using a broad range of tactics. Direct action has historically played an important role in creating social change and will continue to do so.”

The aviation industry consistently overstate their importance in creating jobs and their contribution to the economy.

The lack of tax on aviation fuel is costing the UK economy £9 billion per year. There is also a tourism deficit in the North West region of £2.2 billion.[1] That is the difference between what Britons flying abroad spend in foreign countries and what foreign visitors spend in the North West.

Each round of airport expansion is justified on the promise of more and more jobs. In the 1990s Manchester Airport promised to create 50,000 jobs with the second runway – but the actual number was far lower. We need to begin a just transition to a low carbon economy by creating jobs in sustainable industries such as rail and renewables”

Annie McLaughlin said, “Recently, we’ve seen attempts by British Airways to use the courts to overturn workers’ right to strike. We support the rights of all workers to fight for good conditions. It is essential that the changes needed to prevent climate change are not used as an excuse to restrict workers rights.”

The airport, which is owned by local councils, has kept local residents in the dark about the proposed expansion plans, failing to adequately inform them that their homes face demolition.

McLaughlin continued, “The proposed expansion of the freight terminal makes no sense, economically or environmentally. The existing capacity is not fully utilized and an expansion would simply be a stepping stone to expansion of the airport as a whole, which would be an environmental disaster.”

“ With the planet on the verge of climate breakdown it is essential that the real cost of aviation expansion is taken seriously – currently emissions from aviation are not included in Manchester City Council’s Climate Change Action Plan.”

The protesters say they are locked on to halt emissions and are prepared to stay for as long as it takes to get their message across.

Notes to Editors

[1] Brendan Sewill, ‘Airport Jobs: False Hopes, Cruel Hoax’
http://www.aef.org.uk/uploads/Airport_jobs___false_hopes_cruel_hoax.pdf

Plane Stupid / Manchester Climate Action
info@planestupid.com
http://www.planestupid.com

Giant Elephant attacks Manchester Council meeting

……well sort of. New councillors were reminded yesterday that Manchester Airport is still the ‘elephant in the room’ when it comes to the local Climate Change Action Plan – since the Council have refused to include the flight emissions from the Airport in their carbon reduction targets. The 9ft inflatable elephant highlighted that the Council’s much-lauded plans are totally undermined by the omission of the Airport– especially considering that Manchester City Council own 55% of Manchester Airports Group.

As Councillors met altogether for the first time since the election, a trailer bike soundsystem played a set of aircraft noises as a reminder of what life under the flight path can be like for communities in Stockport and Knutsford.
Aircraft Noise – audio/x-ms-wma 4.4M

In November 2009, Manchester City Council released ‘Manchester: a Certain Future’ which laid out plans to reduce the city’s CO2 emissions by 41% by 2020. These calculations did not include the full impact of the airport. The next day the Council Planning Committee approved proposals to bulldoze residents homes at Hasty Lane, to expand the World Freight Centre at Manchester Airport. [1]

A report by the Committee on Climate Change (December 2009) has predicted that Manchester Airport could become as busy as Heathrow with the number of flights doubling by 2050, leading to a flight taking off or landing every 70 seconds.[2]

Recently, the new coalition Liberal Conservative government in London have blocked expansion plans at Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick. It seems the aviation industry will be looking to expand regional airports like Manchester to increase their profits.

Alex Fountain from the Stop Expansion at Manchester Airport coalition said, “The new councillors need to take a fresh approach to airport expansion. The council cannot continue to ignore its effects on local communities – such as rising carbon pollution and noise impacts.”

He continued, “There is a tourism defecit in the Northwest of England amounting to £2.2 billion. [2] That’s £2.2 billion more being taken out of the region than being brought in by airports. The argument that airport expansion is good for jobs and the economy is unfounded. We need an update assessment of the airport’s role in the region.”

Manchester Airport plan to become carbon neutral by 2015 – but this will not include emissions from flights.

A rendition of ‘Nellie the Elephant’ by the Toy Dolls was also heard playing out the soundsystem.
TUNE: Nellie the Elephant by the Toy Dolls – mp3 3.1M

Notes
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[1] Council Approve Expansion Plans – Manchester Evening News – 21st November 2009 http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1183425_fury_over_airports_move_to_demolish_family_homes

[2] Manchester Airport to be as busy as Heathrow – Manchester Evening News – Monday 8th March 2010
http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1194908_manchester_airport_to_be_as_busy_as_heathrow

[3] Brendan Sewill’s ‘Airport Jobs: Cruel Hoax, False Hopes’ – page 21.
Available here:
http://www.aef.org.uk/uploads/Airport_jobs___false_hopes_cruel_hoax.pdf

http://www.stopmanchesterairport.org.uk