Rest of Europe – Page 40

3rd, 4th and 5th of july amsterdam cyclist declare a war on cars

When the wars on cars begin we’ll have: critical masses, alley cat races, tall bike joustings, bike wars, bike polo, road blockades, workshops, infostands, food not bombs, parties and a lot of fun! Bike action days, this summer in amsterdam.

Manifesto

In the weekend of july 4th we declare a war on cars. In this weekend there will be a bike festival in Amsterdam. On different locations events, workshops, info stands, fun & games, parties, and direct actions to block and frustrate the traffic will be held. Cars lead to pollution, climate change, deaths and injuries. They are a nuisance, and are dominating the public space.Where the public space is not designed to facilitate the ever consuming shopping frenzy and industry it is designed to please fossil-fuel-traffic.

Since there is so little time left to prevent climate change to turn into catastrophic disaster we consider it irresponsible to invest in any type of fossil fuels. To give way to the same corrupted industries that got us in this mess in the first place is rediculous. Still the government is constructing more roads and highways, more lanes on existing highways, and investing in more industry and world trade. Even ‘Agro-fuels’ are not going to save the world. On the contrairy they will starve most of the world’s population. The oil-age is at its end and western society is clasping on to its unfairly acquired concentration of wealth and luxury. Now not only devastating life elsewhere on this planet but with climate change also making sure that in the future of the whole earth will not be so pleasant and bio-divers.

We are not going to take it anymore! When the war on cars begins we will send out a message to car users that they do not have ultimate priority in public space anymore, that cars are outdated technology since oil will not be affordable for ever and that we demand a healthy earth for the next generations. We will temporarily reclaim some public space for games and fun, promoting bikes and demanding more space and facilities for bikes, and for informing people about alternatives to an oil-based society.

Throughout the weekend there will be an ´alley-cat´-race, a carrier bike (bakfiets) race, tall bike jousting and bike wars. To enter an event send an email of your team name and which event to enter to or just show up with your (carrier)bike, tall bike or warbike. Also a lot of help is needed in organizing, and mobilizing. Especially outside Amsterdam and Holland! So get in touch, inform your surroundings, get involved, get active!

bikesnotcars@gmail.com
http://bikesnotcars.wordpress.com

Anti-Shell actions at Rossport, Eire

2nd June 2009

Rossport: Causeway at Shell compound ‘washed away’ by Shell to Sea action

2nd June 2009

Rossport: Causeway at Shell compound ‘washed away’ by Shell to Sea action

Part of the Shell causeway extending into the sea at Glengad was yesterday evening removed by Shell to Sea protesters. This was in protest at the illegal blocking of access to the public beach and to oppose the forcing of this unsafe project on the local community and the giveaway of Ireland’s natural resources.

A group of about 30-40 people waded into the sea to gain access to the causeway, and proceeded to remove a large amount of the stone which makes it up. They were confronted by a 70 Shell security after about half an hour of the action, at which point the people left. An upbeat and playful mood prevailed over a beautiful evening.

The Rossport Solidarity Camp has again taken up residence in Glengad, and after a very successful weekend, including a number of actions, will build up the resistance to Shell over the coming weeks and months.

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Monday the 1st of June saw the arrival of a multitude of assorted vessels to Broadhaven bay. The boats, which are subcontracted by The Royal Dutch Shell company (Shell), are attempting to prepare for works on the controversial Corrib gas project.

Today however, their progress has been significantly impaired by resident Shell to Sea activists that had already gathered a small, albeit formidable, fleet of kayaks, ready to deploy within short notice. The Kayaks were birthed from the Rossport Solidarity Camp, which directly overlooks the vicinity that the Shell boats have been operating in the past twenty-four hours.

Currently there are diverse assortments of vessels converging in the once pristine bay; the majority of these are either carrying out, or assisting, dredging and surveillance operations. An Garda Siochana, have also been sighted patrolling the work zone, along with two black ribs; The Laura Emily accompanied by its twin the Galltee, which are both brimming with men dressed in black military fatigues.

Works, taking place earlier this afternoon, came grinding to a complete halt when twelve activists in kayaks broke through the security line that consisted of nine high speed security boats. The activists managed to tactfully circumnavigate security boats for approximately two and a half hours, which effectively halted Shell dredging works for a considerable period of time.

After numerous attempts by Gardai to secure an arrest, they eventually managed to drag one man from his inflatable Kayak. The man, in his fifties, is reported to have been halting a dredger conveying silt into a barge, and thus stopping afternoon work.

This current work being carried out by Shell is likely to signify the impeding arrival of the Solitaire; at over 400 meters long the Solitaire is the largest pipe laying vessel in the world, and its expected presence in Co. Mayo will undoubtedly provoke formidable resistance.

At this point in the project, all dredging works carried out in Rossport are likely to be held as sacrosanct by Shell’s board of directors, and conversely seen as detrimental by the Irish public.

Shell compound breached in Glengad during RSC gathering

May 31, 2009
This afternoon at 5pm, over 200 people from the local community and the Rossport Solidarity Camp Summer Gathering attempted to dismantle Shell’s illegal compound at Glengad.

After a day of direct action training, local people and their supporters walked to the south side of the compound where they attempted to breach the fence in two places. They were met by strong opposition from over sixty Gardai, including many from the Public Order Unit.

At least five people who scaled the fence into the compound were held by security guards and later arrested.

Later in the afternoon, as the crowd were leaving, a further arrest was made when the Gardai targeted a prominent campaigner and forcibly detained him for speaking out against the actions of the Gardai.

Today’s action comes the day after Maura Harrington was released after 13 days in Mount Joy prison, Dublin for non-payment of fines, including a one thousand euro contribution to the Garda Benevolent Fund.

Around 200 people are attending the RSC summer gathering. It’s a beautifully sunny weekend and preperations are now well under way for another summer of action against Shell in Mayo, on land and sea. Come and be part of it!

71 arrested in Copenhagen resisting the World Business Summit on Climate Change

24th May 2009

24th May 2009
Protesters clashed with police in Copenhagen today while attempting to disrupt the World Business Summit on Climate Change, a gathering of the worlds largest corporations and, not coincidentally, biggest polluters. Organized by the Danish government, the Business Summit gave corporate interests unprecedented access to the ongoing UN climate talks, including face time with UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon and so called climate “hero” Al Gore.

The group of protestors, lead by a banner reading “Our Climate is not Your Business” attempted to breach police lines in order to disrupt the meeting. The lively group of activists wanted hightlight the damaging and disruptive role that corporations play in the international climate talks. The list of corporations attending included #1 carbon emitter in the world Shell Oil, Duke Energy (#12 at last count), and BP among other climate criminals.

“The Danish government appears to be under the impression that some of the world’s most polluting companies are going to put forward tough measures to tackle climate change,” said Kenneth Haar, a researcher with Corporate Europe Observatory. “But unfortunately this doesn’t seem likely to be the case. The majority of the corporations attending the World Business Summit on Climate Change seem more intent on pursuing business as usual – with the promise that future technologies will resolve the problem at a later date.

“Corporate lobbyists have been trying to influence the UN climate talks from the start. But now they are being invited to set the agenda before the negotiators have even sat down. If their demands are listened to, we might as well give up the fight against climate change now.”

The WBSCC draws into question the legitimacy of the UN climate talks. How can we trust a process that opens the door to the very corporations that created the climate crisis, while shutting out the worlds poor, indigenous, and land based

peoples who are least responsible for climate change, yet will bare the brunt of its impacts?

To get involved with the resistance to corporate control over the talks check out:

www.klimakollektiv.dk

Calais No Border Camp Call-Out 23-29 June 2009

The Calais No Border camp is a joint venture between French and Belgian activists and migrant support groups and the UK No Borders Network.

It aims to highlight the realities of the situation in Calais and Northern France; to build links with the migrant communities; to help build links between migrants support groups; and lastly, but not least, to challenge the authorities on the ground, to protest against increased repression of migrants and local activists alike.

This camp calls for the freedom of movement for all, an end to borders and to all migration controls. We call for a radical movement against the systems of control, dividing us into citizens and non-citizens, into the documented and the undocumented.

Why Calais?

We have chosen Calais for two main reasons; it is an important location in the history, development and practice of European migration controls and has long been a major bottleneck for those seeking to get to Britain. But more importantly, it is also a focus of the struggle between those who would see an end to all migration into the EU, and those trying to break down the barriers between peoples, the borders that prevent the freedom of movement for all, not just the privileged few.

Since the mid-nineties tens of thousands have lived in destitution, sleeping rough in Calais, waiting for their chance to cross the channel to England. Between 1999 and 2002 the Red Cross ran a centre at neighbouring Sangatte but this was forced to close after political pressure from France and Britain. Since then, the massive police presence and repression in Calais has forced thousands of men woman and children to wander the Calais region and all along the North coast of France, Belgium and Holland. They are routinely brutalised by the police; tear-gassed, beaten, arrested and repeatedly interned at the nearby Coquelles detention centre. The police regularly burn their shelters and the few meagre possessions that they contain. The local groups that support the migrants by providing food and other humanitarian aid are coming under increasing attack from the police and a number of activists have been arrested in recent months. Meanwhile British Immigration Minister Phil Woolas has been calling for the construction of a permanent holding/detention centre for migrants in Calais docks.

The Bigger Picture

Calais however remains only one small part of the overall picture of European migration controls, a major internal border within the hi-tech EU borders regime. Since the beginning of the decade, the EU been attempting to build ‘Fortress Europe’; externalising EU borders into Africa and Asia with EU border guards patrolling the Mediterranean, in Libya and off the West Coast of Africa courtesy of the Frontex borders agency; and via the European Neighbourhood Policy, where countries from the Ukraine all the way round the Mediterranean to Morocco are now paid by the EU to do its migration prevention work for it.

Migrants’ Rights Are Workers’ Rights

Through this system of border controls, authorities create two kinds of migrants: a small number of ‘skilled’ migrants, who are designated as ‘useful’ to the state; and a massive number of undocumented workers who have no rights and are therefore exploitable as cheap labour. Thus is our fight for freedom of movement also a fight for the rights of all workers.

Transnational solidarity works!

Building links and working together allows us to share information between us on a transnational level. It also allows us to exploit the fault-lines and cracks in Fortress Europe. Last November, transnational solidarity helped to prevent the planned deportation of Afghans from Calais to Kabul.

Campaigning Against Borders

This camp will continue the tradition of the No Border camps across the world since the late 1990s and, like the camp taking place this year in Lesvos in August, it will be a space to share information, skills, knowledge and experiences; a place to plan and take action together against the system of borders which divides us all. For centuries European imperial powers have exploited the land, resources and people of the majority world to become wealthy and powerful, leaving war, environmental destruction and massive inequality in their wake. Those who attempt the journey to the UK or elsewhere in Europe are challenging this injustice by their movement. The situation in Calais is a result of the compromise and conflict of interest between French and UK immigration policy and we call on groups, networks and individuals here to take action across Europe and to become part of a global movement of solidarity that defends their right to choose where they move .

Equal rights for all !!

*No One Is Illegal. Freedom Of Movement And The Right To Stay For All*

http://calaisnoborder.eu.org/

http://london.noborders.org.uk/calais2009

Saving Iceland Summer Mobilisation 2009!

Join us from 18th July to resist the industrialisation of Europe’s last remaining great wilderness and take direct action against heavy industry!

The Struggle So Far

Join us from 18th July to resist the industrialisation of Europe’s last remaining great wilderness and take direct action against heavy industry!

The Struggle So Far

The campaign to defend Europe’s greatest remaining wilderness continues. For the past four years direct action camps in Iceland during the summer have targeted aluminium smelters, mega-dams and geothermal power plants.

After the terrible destruction caused at Kárahnjúkar and Hengill, it is time to crush the ‘master plan’ that would have seen every single major glacial river dammed, every substantial geothermal field exploited and the construction of aluminium smelters, oil refineries and silicon factories, as well as a significant increase in Iceland’s greenhouse gas emissions.

The Situation Now

Despite optimism following the ‘cutlery revolution’ where mass street protests and direct action brought down the Icelandic government and forced the issue of heavy industry back onto the political agenda, the battle is far from over.

The fall of aluminium prices on the world market and the global economic crisis has taken its toll on heavy industry projects and aluminium companies in Iceland, putting many of the plans for aluminium smelters, mega-dams and geothermal power plants on hold, or ruled out completely. The heavy industry machine is far from having been defeated but recent uprisings show the deep impact Saving Iceland has had on the grassroots and the political landscape.

Political Changes

The recent elections are a major blow for the environmental movement in Iceland, with the ‘Left Greens’ booting the minister of the environment out for being too much of a genuine environmentalist. We are looking at a heavily fortified pro-heavy industry government, doing away with any pretence of the government being ‘Green’ or even remotely Left wing. On top of this, national energy companies have already started negotiations with other types of industry in the North, where some politicians ruled out a new smelter.

Anarchy in Iceland

Years of work by Saving Iceland to introduce the ideas of direct action and anarchy into mainstream society, coupled with a radicalised population following the downfall of the government, has resulted in a constantly growing movement of radical activists and anarchists in Iceland.

Over the past few months squatters have twice taken a social centre and defended it from eviction, refugee and no borders activism is going strong, Food Not Bombs hit the streets every week and actions such as the four “skyr attacks” (where green yoghurt is thrown all over displays, computers and suits) in two months have targeted politicians and nature killers.

The mutual support between the Icelandic radical community and Saving Iceland this summer will make for a very exciting and action-filled mobilisation!

Targets this Summer

The Helguvík aluminium smelter, targeted by Saving Iceland last summer with an action that stopped construction for a whole day after 40 activists invaded the site, is still being built. Powering the smelter will mean eight new power plants, at least seven of which will be geothermal from the Reykjanes Peninsula, drying it up, and Hellisheiði – also targeted by Saving Iceland last summer that saw a drill rig shut down costing thousands of pounds. One of the geothermal plants powering Century’s smelter could be in Bitra, close to Hengill, where a local campaign last winter stopped construction from taking place. The eighth power plant will probably be a mega-dam on the beautiful Þjórsá River.

If ever there was a building site and "test drilling sites" destroying unique and fragile ecosystems and vulnerable to direct action this summer they are on the Reykjanes peninsula, South West Iceland!

Get involved!

Come to Iceland from the 18th July and join us for a summer of resistance and direct action. Check www.savingiceland.org for regular updates and information for people joining us, or email us on savingiceland@riseup.net to let us know when you’re arriving.

Help support our struggle with donations, translations, solidarity actions and by spreading the word.

Camp Climat at Nantes

Activists campaigning against a proposed local airport near Nantes, France, have announced a week of action from 3 – 9 August 2009.

“Le Camp Climat” concept is taking off over the channel, just as it is in the UK. Activists campaigning against the proposed construction of a new airport 16 kilometres north of Nantes (Loire-Atlantique, 44) have announced a camp from the 3 – 9 August 2009.

Activists campaigning against a proposed local airport near Nantes, France, have announced a week of action from 3 – 9 August 2009.

The airport plans have a long history, with the origins of the plan to construct a “hub” for north-west France, dating from 30 years ago. The proposed airport will concrete over 2000 hectares of traditional bocage: pastoral land divided by traditional hedgerows. By contrast Britain’s second busiest airport Gatwick occupies a site of only 300 hectares. And all this despite 3 airports already operational (Nantes, Angers, Rennes) within 100 kilometres of the proposed sites. None of the existing airports are operating at anything like full capacity at the moment, nor will they in the future if current air tickets sales continue their present downward trend.

Despite being beyond any reasonable concept of utility, the Pharaonique project rolls forward, with forced sales of farms, homes, and land. Surveys and geological sampling of the site began in October 2008.

Opposition to the project is centred on two main organisations: the Camp Climat, and a coalition that unites resident groups called ACIPA, which has long pursued a civil campaign amongst the French bureaucracy.

As the threat becomes more imminent, many acts of resistance have already occurred: with tractor roadblocks and sabotage of survey works. A visiting official from the prefecture, come to announce the loss of land and homes, was flanned. The survey workers now work alongside an escort of up to sixty gendarmes. Eight activists face fines of up to 15,000 euros and sentences of 2 – 4 months for their part in the resistance.

Le camp fonctionnera de manière autogérée, avec pour principes de base : une empreinte écologique minimum, des actions à fort impact auprès de la population locale et/ou des médias, des échanges de savoirs sur les pratiques alternatives et écologiques, la mise en commun des bénéfices, la pratique du prix libre ou coûtant et le développement de réseaux. Il s’inscrira dans le cadre d’une semaine de résistance sur le site et fera suite à deux moments forts sur place : le festival « Le Plancher des Vaches » (samedi 1er août) et le pique-nique annuel des opposants au projet d’aéroport (dimanche 2 août).

(The basic principles of the autonomous camp are: a minimal ecological footprint, strong local links, strong media impact, educational activities and exchanges, development of networks, and communal living with food at prix libre (contribute as you can afford). The camp forms part of a week of resistance at the site with a music festival on the 1 August, and an annual local picnic on the 2 August.)

Notre-Dames-De-Landes is 202 kilometres from the ferry terminal at St. Malo, which makes for a pleasant two day ride to be here, but Nantes is also well served by rail: the TGV from Paris (1 train/hour) takes 2h 20mins.

www.campclimat.org

Rossport Shell to Sea Gathering, 29th May – 1st June

Everyone is invited to the third annual June gathering here at Rossport.

Friday 29th May – Monday 1st June.

The campaign has been running for years now, and you can find out more on the Rossport Solidarity Camp website: http://www.rossportsolidaritycamp.110mb.com/

Everyone is invited to the third annual June gathering here at Rossport.

Friday 29th May – Monday 1st June.

The campaign has been running for years now, and you can find out more on the Rossport Solidarity Camp website: http://www.rossportsolidaritycamp.110mb.com/

The gathering is a great chance to see the area (really really beautiful), find out what’s really going on, and to meet the people involved – campaigners, locals, cats.

Also, music, workshops, surfing, kayaking, food (including seaweed).

Preparation is going on now, and it feels exciting.

Last year, when shell tried to lay the RAW gas pipeline, the people resisted all summer. Eventually, the solitaire (the biggest pipe laying ship in the world) was forced to fuck off, with its tail between its legs.

This year they will try again, and it is the special blend of locals, and activists, from near and far, that have kept them away so far.

Come and see what it’s like when all types of people coming together for a common cause. Shell is so powerful, please come along and help.

ps. if you can’t make it for the gathering, you are welcome any time you like through the summer, even if it’s only for a day or two.

pps. please spread the word; emailing, texting, talking about rossport and the gathering.

Hoping to see you here!

Galwegian’s are Reclaiming it’s Streets (Eire)

May 17, 2009

May 17, 2009
Yesterday afternoon, Galwegians and their friends from around the country and world came together on newly renamed (by us), Anti-Shop Street, to take back our space from the capitalist, consumerist culture which has taken over, with it’s bizarre ideas of a life dedicated to shopping, spending, buying and profit, so that we could share an experience of another world, where everything is free, people share and give food, fun, stuff and life, simply because they can and it just feels good!

“Free Food, Free Stuff, Free Fun, Free Social Interaction, Free World for Everyone”, was the chant of the day, encouraging everyone to join in the fun. ‘Feck Money’ could also be heard every now and again, amongst the joyful shouting and whooping! The event started at 1.30pm, when a ‘Really Really Free Market’, magically appeared out of nowhere; clothes, videos, toys, teddies, cards, matches, markers, crayons, zines and more were all decked out on a table and offered to bemused passers-by for free. Confused by the idea of free stuff, those who were afraid to ask were left wondering ‘what’s the catch?’ Needless to say, there was none. Just a group of people who believe in a better world where gifts can be given freely, and the only profit sought is the joy of making others happy. They were promptly joined by Galway Food-Not-Bombs, (who share vegetarian food, messages of peace and a better society, with the public), to feed the participants and onlookers with lovely vegetarian soup, bread and amazing cookies at the REAL recession busting price of no euros and no sense! Participants decorated Anti-Shop street with colourfull banners letting people know “Another World is Possible”, encouraging them to “Spend Less, Give More”, inviting them to “Celebrate Our Streets” and one suggesting that we should just “Feck Money!” Others decorated the ground, chalking messages such as “Capitalism Kills”, until the Gardai informed them it was illegal!

Galway Shell to Sea, who know all about the urgent need to reclaim control over our own lives, environment and resources, came out to participate and spread the word about the Rossport Solidarity Camp’s June Bank Holiday Gathering, coming up on May 29th.
Entertainment was abundant with random individuals showing off and teaching their juggling and poi skills, traditional Irish music, Capoeira dancing with accompanying music, people playing chess, others blowing bubbles, DIY art with home-made natural paints. And, how better to interact and have fun on our streets then to play Twister! Plus lots of other fun and random stuff…

It was about two hours before traffic wardens arrived to try and kill the fun. Unable to give out parking tickets, due to our inconsiderate lack of licence plate numbers, they made a poor attempt at taking our Twister. Then the Gardai were called in to deal with our menacing antics. The first Garda on the scene told us we had to move the Twister because we were blocking the street. We politely refused and argued that these were our streets and people seemed to be getting by just fine. Shortly thereafter, five to six guards huddled on the opposite corner, obviously a bit unsure of what they should or could do. They no doubt were grateful when the free water arrived in abundance from the sky. Not ready to give up just yet we continued on playing wet Twister for twenty minutes, taking full advantage of all the free water before wrapping it all up with a lot of cheering, clapping and a great sense of achievement. We had Reclaimed the Street if only for a few hours and we’ll do it again and again and again….

To find out more about Galway Reclaim the Streets or get involved in the next one contact thestreetgig@gmail.com

Rossport: Tripod action at Glengad – Work halted at Shell’s illegal compound – update

May 14th 2009
Campaigners using a daring “tripod” technique have halted the illegal work being undertaken by Shell at the Corrib Gas landfall site at Glengad in Co Mayo.

Shell contractors were due this morning to extend the construction compound down onto the public beach at Glengad. However, early bird Shell to Sea campaigners blocked access to the beach at 5 am by erecting two specially-designed tripods, each 20 feet in height. Two men attached themselves to the top of the tripods using climbing equipment and as of lunchtime are still suspended from the tripods.

The men, who live locally, are both in good form and a party atmosphere is evident on the shoreline below them. Gardaí and Shell security have not attempted to remove them so far, as to do so would put the two men’s safety at risk.

Giant tripods of this nature have been deployed by campaigners around the world as a form of direct action. This is the first time tripods have been used in Ireland for this purpose.

The compound has been erected illegally without planning permission to facilitate works along the shoreline, which themselves have yet to receive full legal consent. It is presently the subject of legal proceedings taken by An Taisce against Mayo County Council, which has facilitated Shell’s illegality at every point along the way.

Shell to Sea spokesperson Maura Harrington said: “Yet again, Shell is disregarding both the law and the will of the local community by trying to extend their illegal compound onto the public beach. Today’s action shows that we are as determined as ever to obstruct this obscene project, and the giveaway of Irish natural resources.”

As of 13.30, the new Garda Inspector in Belmullet, Joe Doherty, has directed the two activists to come down for their own safety under Section 8.1 of the Public Order Act. One of those suspended has asked Doherty to apologise for punching him in the stomach during the action last Saturday evening at the compound. For the time being at any rate, the Gardaí and Shell security have been out-manoeuvred.

——

May 15th:

The two people on the tripod came down of their own accord at 5:30 yesterday evening after 12 hours up on the tripods. At this stage all site workers excluding security had left the compound for the day. The two climbers then left the area along with supporters carrying their tripods unaccosted by the watching Gardaí. The beach was patrolled by Gardaí and Security working side by side for the rest of the night.

At 3:30 this morning under the cover of darkness Shell stripped the cliff and broke out onto the beach. They now have an enclosed compound as far as where the tripods extended yesterday.

Shell may have succeeded in breaking onto the beach but overall the community spirit is upbeat and momentum seems to be building. This really is the time to come and stand with the community