Rest of Europe – Page 46

Castor anti-nuclear blockade finally broken & other actions

Edited direct action highlights from http://www.castor.de/ticker/index_en.html –

Tuesday, November 11, 2008
20 hours later than planned, after many convincing, creative blockades, the CASTOR road transport reached the Gorleben interim storage depot at 00:39 am on Tuesday 11 November

Edited direct action highlights from http://www.castor.de/ticker/index_en.html –

Monday, November 10, 2008
10:33 pm The water cannons in Laase are to prevent people moving into the 50m no-go zone and onto the road.
10:16 pm Several hundred people are on the transport route in Laase. Police are using water cannons.
10:13 pm In Grippel the last activist was removed from the pyramid.
10:02 pm Colourful activity by 100 people in Laase to the left and right of the route.
10:01 pm Grippel: The last person is still chained to the pyramid and there are still 150 people present. The mood is good and there’s good music.
9:53 pm Only one tractor still standing in the way in Quickborn. It’s lost a wheel. Police are using heavy equipment. It’s estimated on location that it will take 30 minutes until the northern route (via Quickborn) is completely free.
9:40 pm In Grippel only one pyramid with one person chained on is left on the road. In Quickborn two tractors are left on the road that seem to be causing the police some problems.
7:44 pm Dear people, we’ve managed to make this the longest CASTOR transport ever. Super!!!!! Stay cool, we have plenty to celebrate.
6:07 pm Press release by the Lüchow-Dannenberg Farmers’ Emergency Association Against Nuclear Power. The chained-on demonstrators in Grippel demand negotiations. After 8 people chained themselves to two concrete blocks in Grippel on the CASTOR trucking route, the detachment of the protesters from the blocks is proving very difficult and time-consuming for the police. It’s estimated that the procedure could take several hours. The chained people, members of the Lüchow-Dannenberg Farmers’ Emergency Association Against Nuclear Power, want to negotiate with a representative of the Lower Saxony state government, say a state secretary.
5:45 pm In Grippel at the pyramid blockade police have detached the first person from the pyramid. The top of this pyramid was not sawn off.
5:33 pm In Grippel the top has been sawn off the pyramid pointing to Gartow. It didn’t provide the police with any clues. Nor can the pyramids be moved because the chained-on arms would be broken. A plan to lift them was given up.
Around 5:11 pm all Robin Wood activists at the waste compound were taken out of the trees by police.
4:13 pm From the Robin Wood rope bridge 300 metres from the storage compound are suspended not 2 but 6 activists.
4:08 pm Police have carried off all the sitters outside the waste compound. But the tractor is still there with two people chained to it.
4:02 pm The work on the concrete pyramids in Grippel is progressing poorly. A second demolition team is brought in. The people are as good as possible under the circumstances.
3:22 pm In the blockade at the waste compound three people have chained themselves to a tractor.
2:56 pm Grippel: The generator is working again and police are preparing to illuminate the action. 350 people still there.
2:53 pm Quickborn: Still 25 tractors on the road, 100 people, increased police presence. The climber is off the elevating truck but it took the police a long time. Two new activists suspended in trees.
2:50 pm Nothing moving at the reloading crane. The carrying people out of the blockade at the sorage compound is proceeding only slowly. The pyramids in Grippel with the people chained to them are still on the road.
2:41 pm The generator of the police in Grippel has broken down, leaving the drill stuck in the pyramid.
2:38 pm In Grippel police begin drilling open the concrete pyramids.
2:06 pm In Grippel police built a roof for the farmers chained to the concrete pyramid. Sit-down blockaders were not to stay there and were removed by police.
1:40 pm The climber on the elevating truck has chained himself on.
1:40 pm In Quickborn a climber has climbed from a tractor onto the elevating truck of the police. The police have been busy with this activist for a considerable time and now needs another crane to get him off the elevating truck.
11:20 am Police have made the 3rd call to vacate the area at the storage compound.
11:17 am In Grippel stand two concrete pyramids with four people chained to each. Currently there are 30 to 40 people there to support them. Visitors should bring coffee and cake and perhaps an umbrella.
11:11 am In Grippel members of a farmers resistance group have chained themselves to concrete pyramids.
11:10 am In Laase 150 people are moving in the direction of the dike.
11:06 am At the blockade of the storage compound police have made the second call to vacate the area.
7 am Now about 1,000 people sitting outside the waste storage compound in Gorleben.
Report in English on blockades on the tracks at Harlingen http://de.indymedia.org/2008/11/231949.shtml.
Claims of extreme police brutality in breaking up blockades under cover of darkness,
beating people with truncheons without warning and pursuing them up to 150 metres into woods at http://de.indymedia.org/2008/11/231982.shtml.
00:03 am: The three CASTOR occupiers were arrested.

===

Sunday, November 09, 2008
11:52 pm Brutal dispersal with gas at one of the Tollendorf blockades. First Aiders and lawyers are not being allowed through.
11:39 pm Three people are sitting on the first CASTOR casket.
11:16 pm The people taken by police out of the demo in Tollendorf were taken behind police barricades into a cordon. The mood is relaxed. In the cordon the clowns are dancing. One can approach up to 50 metres outside the cordon.
10:21 pm In Dumsdorf 30 people are in a sit-down blockade.
22:11 pm The Robin Wood activists were removed from the Oldendorf Bridge, they were not injured.
9:40 pm Robin Wood has two actions. The first is at Oldendorf Bridge. Police threaten to cut down the two activists there. The other is in Wendisch Evern , where parallel to the track a large banner was hung.
9:19 pm 500 people sitting down at rail km 188.
9:04 pm 50 clowns on the track in Grünhagen.
8:57 pm Two activists are hanging from the Oldendorf Bridge, a third has just been led off by police.
8:52 pm Tractors are parked in Quickborn so that a car can still get through, but no CASTOR trucks.
8:12 pm Police have removed two people chained to the track near Eichdorf and are taking them to the prisoner collection point.
6:54 pm Around 6:15 pm route B126 in Metzingen at the snack stand was not passable. There was fire on the road.
6:18 pm The two activists in Lüneburg are still hanging in traverses next to the track. But police high rescue specialists are getting ready to remove them.
6:17 pm 60-70 people on the Oldendorf Bridge. In Metzingen tires are burning on the federal road. There is no more getting through there on federal route 216.
6:03 pm The blockade in Gedelitz at the Free Republic of Wendland managed to force the Hamburg police unit with its heavy gear such as water cannon to retreat all the way through the village.
5:33 pm At the dwarves party of WiderSetzen are 400 people. The mood is good and no dispersal is in sight.
5:27 pm Between Eichdorf and Nahrendorf 25 people are sitting on the rails. No police present. And at rail km 202 (i.e. further west) 70 people are on the tracks.
5:22 pm In Harlingen between rail kms 187 and 188 a giant party is going on with several hundred dwarves.
5:15 pm “Widersetzen” is back on the rails in Harlingen with about 150 people, this time at rail km 188.1.
4:53 pm 50 people at a chain-on action by two people at km 198.2 in Eichdorf.
4:30 pm There is a sit-down blockade between Oldendorf a.d. Göhrde and Eichdorf with more than 100 people.
4:22 pm There are again two blockades in Harlingen. A new one is at rail km 188.5.
4:15 pm The blockade at Harlingen at km 187.8 has been completely dispersed.
4:13 pm Clarification: The damage to rails at Grünhagen is in County Lüchow-Dannenberg, NOT in Grünhagen on the ICE express route Uelzen – Lüneburg.
3:12 pm Near Tollendorf at Km 188 about 100 people have made it on to the track.

—

Sunday, November 09, 2008 at 15:02:08 (CET)

PEOPLE HURT NEAR TOLLENDORF: A blockade- action near Tollendorf faced strong repression by the police. Hundreds of people met in Tollendorf today at 7.30 to continue to the tracks, where the Castor-transport is supposed to go through later in the afternoon. We walked in a huge queue along the forest-path, leaving behind us minor tree-blokades for the police-vans. After walking about a 1km,there was a road in front of us .There, a lot of police was standing already, about 20 metres apart. There was no other choice than try to get running thourough the lines. Lots of people in front of us made it, but we saw some people getting caught or being pushed back by the cops. The more we waited, the harder it was to get through, because more police-vans were arriving all the time. So, the cat and mouse -game started. I saw a police reaching to a person in front of me and I ran across. There was nothing to be done for the people who couldnt get across. Some of them tried other routes. So, we continued towards the tracks, that were really close to us already. But, the police was there waiting for us wearing full riot-gear and having watertanks in the backround. We got settled to the tracks as fast as we could, blockaders spread the huge plastic-material to cover themselves, and we began digging the stones off the side of the tracks to get better resistance positions… And after announcing three times the illegality of our action, the cops attacked. They used violent force and started hitting people with batons. Many got some severe pain from pepper-sprays, which was being done straight into individuals’ faces. Water tanks were being used constantly. We got back to the tracks a few times until it was impossible to stay, due to the serious police-violence. So hundreds of people retreated and got scattered in the forest; some ready to look for other ways to get to tracks, some heading back to their camps to gain more power for the other blockades of today. We havent given up. The resistance continues! (Taken from http://de.indymedia.org/2008/11/231840.shtml.)

—

12:50 pm The rail between Lüneburg and Dannenberg has been bent up at km 190.4 (nerar Grünhagen). Track workers are at the location and estimate that the repair could take quite some time.
12:15 pm The storage compound is blockaded. Sheeting was erected as roofs. About 250 people there. Also tractors. Mood is good. A culture programme is being organised. It is still easy to get through.
INJURIES FROM POLICE HORSE, BATONS, PEPPER SPRAY:
10:51H: The horse procession has started, 25 horses and 25 cyclists taking part. Many police present. Mood is good.
10:49h: The news conference of the blockaders of Berg will be at 1.30 pm in the Kulturhaus Mikado in Karlsruhe. At the assembly and vigil in Govelin one person was injured when kicked by a police horse. The injured man suffered a cranial bruise and a torso injury. He is being taken to hospital. Several people were injured by police batons or pepper spray.

—

Sunday, November 09, 2008 at 08:43:20 (CET)

08:26 H: The Robin Wood people hanging in trees outside the waste compound are well. The Red Cross is keeping them supplied with hot drinks. Everything is peaceful. The Robin Wood activists suspended themselves yesterday evening while people gathered to sit down outside the compound to block it. 500 people have arrived in Tollendorf. It reported that the two men and a woman who had chained themselves to the railway track have been arrested by federal police. Before that they were medically examined. Police had protected them against the cold with foil. The woman was the last to be cut from the concrete block after almost 11 ½ hours chained to it. A police spokesman quoted a doctor as saying her condition is problem-free. Four other demonstrators who were also at the blockade point at midday were first carried away by police and later let go.

—

REPAIRS NEEDED: 00:53 am Before the CASTOR train can move on, the rails and the track bed have to be restored. It’s not known at this point how long that will take.
ALL THREE CUT FREE: 00:25 am The last of the three protesters who had chained themselves to a concrete block under the rail tracks at Berg has been cut free.
00:06 am A video of the blockade of the Gorleben storage compound is viewable at http://www.graswurzel.tv/index.php?mov_id=43&PHPSESSID=b83e29fde90c2638c12cd3d9b382bf4f
00:04 am CASTOR train still stopped at Berg because one person remains chained to a concrete block under the rails.
00:03 am Still 600 people squatting outside the storage compound, surrounded by many tractors.

===

Saturday, November 10, 2008

THE LAST FEW HOURS OF SATURDAY as reported on the German Day X newswire:
11:34 Four Robin Wood activists suspended over the road between Gorleben and the storage compound about 7 metres from the ground.
10:29 pm Blockade of the interim storage compound continues. 500 people and 12 tractors there. Good mood. Lots of police but holding back.
9:57 pm After nine hours no end in sight to blockade of the CASTOR train at Wörth near the French border. Federal police at 9:30 pm, almost nine hours after the blockade began, managed to release the second of the three chained-on people from the massive concrete block, said to be as big as one cubic metre. The train with 11 CASTOR caskets was due in Wörth at 1:40 pm. It’s been stuck in Lauterbourg across the border in France since 1.15 pm. The NDR broadcaster has a picture of the blockaders at
9:44 pm Signalling cables of the railways were set on fire in the morning at Hofgeismar, near Kassel. Police suspect a connection with the CASTOR transport. In Wiesbaden-Schierstein tires were set on fire near cable cabinets. Train services were cancelled until the afternoon.
8:51 pm Still 500 people and 12 tractors blockading the storage compound.
6:43 pm Police have cut the first of three chained protesters from the concrete block in Berg.
5:56 pm 500 people at the sit-down blockade of the storage compound, more coming.
5:55 pm A female protester handcuffed to a tree by police in Karlsruhe was released by court order. The court ruled there was no reason to hold her. She and two other people had demonstrated at midday in Karlsruhe-Mühlburg on a track near the railway line against atomic power. The CASTOR train was due to pass there in the evening. +++++++ 5:52 pm 60 activists, including clowns of the Clowns Army, are with the chained-on people in Berg for support.
5:50 pm The two men and a woman chained to the railway track at Berg had face masks put on them at 4:47 pm

—

Saturday, November 08, 2008 at 16:39:55 (CET)

German Rail reports delays in train traffic in north Germany caused by arson attacks on railway installations in Brandenburg and damage done to signalling equipment. Repairs would take until the late afternoon.

—

Saturday, November 08, 2008 at 16:11:42 (CET)

TRAIN STILL STOPPED: The three activists locked to a concrete block are still stopping the CASTOR train from continuing its journey. Police have not yet succeeded to cut the demonstrators out. They’re working with electric hammer drills to try to break open the concrete. The train is still stopped in the French border station Lauterbourg, about four kilometres from the concrete block.

French police arrest anarchists for train sabotage + web link for more info

11th November 2008
French police raided alleged anarchist cells in three cities on Tuesday and arrested at least 10 suspects following a series of sabotage attacks on the country’s high-speed rail network.

Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said police intelligence officers had been investigating an “ultra-left anarchist movement” for several months and had acted following the weekend’s disruption of train services.

“We found that this ultra-left movement has links in five European countries and in other non-European countries,” she said, alleging that the French gang has contacts in Belgium, Germany, Italy and Greece.

None of those arrested works for the SNCF state rail network, she added.

A source close to the investigation told AFP anti-terrorist officers were examining “possible links between the suspects and the German hard-left, which has claimed responsibility for actions agains trains carrying nuclear waste”.

President Nicolas Sarkozy congratulated police on the arrests and welcomed “the rapid and promising progress made in the context of the inquiry.”

Thousands of passengers and more than 160 train services were delayed Saturday after a gang jammed steel rods across overhead power cables on three high-speed lines between Paris and London, Brussels and the French regions.

The attack halted trains and damaged several sections of 25,000-volt power lines, but no one was hurt.

In a separate incident on Sunday in the southwest of the country, another high-speed train rammed a pair of concrete blocks placed on a line. There were no injuries and it is not yet clear whether the incident was related.

Alliot-Marie said 10 suspects were being held, but an interior ministry official said more than 20 had initially been detained in raids conducted in Paris, the central town of Tarnac and the northern city of Rouen.

Following Saturday’s incident, which followed at least one similar incident involving the use of rods designed to reinforce concrete and a series of other acts of vandalism, officials spoke of a “concerted campaign” of sabotage.

Experts from the SNCF state rail company told reporters that the sophistication of the attacks showed the saboteurs were technically very competent, since neutralising the power lines required expert knowledge.

The TGV high-speed rail network has been the target of several extremist campaigns over recent years by criminals seeking to blackmail SNCF, Basque separatist guerrillas and militant trade unionists.

Saturday’s attacks were among the best planned, taking out trains on lines north, east and south of the capital at almost the same moment and plunging the national network into chaos.

In addition to national services, Eurostar trains to Brussels and London and Thalys journeys to the Netherlands and northern Europe were halted.

Despite the most intense protests by anti-nuclear campaigners for several years, a French shipment of radioactive waste arrived in Germany early on Tuesday after a 20-hour delay.

Eleven lorries carrying 123 tonnes of nuclear waste arrived at the Gorleben dump in northern Germany just after midnight (2200 GMT), police said.

For most of the journey from western France the waste travelled by train and was halted for half a day at the German border by three activists who had jammed their arms into a concrete block under the track.

Once in Germany, around 16,000 baton-wielding police were deployed as around 15,000 demonstrators rallied along the route to try to hinder progress using tactics such as setting barricades on fire on the tracks.

The train eventually arrived at its final destination on Monday, more than 14 and a half hours late and the cargo was then transferred to lorries for the final 20 kilometres (12 miles) trip to Gorleben.

Along the final leg some 1,000 activists had to be removed one-by-one by riot police before the lorries could pass. Tractors had been parked across the road and activists chained themselves to tall cement pyramids.

For updated info and background articles, see http://tarnac9.wordpress.com/about/

latest from Gorleben nuke transport protests (& they’ve not even really started!)

November 08, 2008
CASTOR-BLOCKADE WITH CONCRETE BLOCK NEAR WÖRTH: A group of young people at about 12.45 pm Saturday made the railway line unpassable for the Castor train shortly after it crossed into Germany, 500 metres north of Berg station. Three men and women fastened their arms in the massive block placed under the track sleepers. The train has been stopped for now.

November 06, 2008
BLOCKADES HAVE BEGUN: The railway line used to take nuclear waste into the Wendland was symbolically blockaded at three overpasses on Thursday by abseilers. Police seized and held a prominent French woman climber in “preventive detention”, a law that has been ruled invalid by the highest court. The environment organisation Robin Wood suspended three abseilers from three bridges between Lüneburg and Wendisch Evern, saying they would stay there until the waste train came or police removed them. The French activist is used to being under permanent police surveillance because of her frequent spectacular climbing actions. On Thursday evening dozens of supporters demonstrated for her release outside the Lüneburg police directorate.

====

November 05, 2008
TRAIN STOPPED BY PROTEST: Three high school pupils stopped a train bringing the special trucks for the Castor transport to Gorleben for half an hour near Hitzacker on Monday by sitting on the rails. They had to be carried away by police. About 100 demonstrators were near the track. Police were reported to be confused at first until they asked for reinforcements, which took half an hour to arrive. The three were encircled by police and had their IDs taken down. Pictures at http://de.indymedia.org/2008/11/231196.shtml

—

GREENPEACE ACTIVISTS OCCUPY DUMP TOWER: 40 Greenpeace activists occupied a winding tower of the Asse II nuclear dump near Wolfenbüttel on Wednesday morning (pictures at http://de.indymedia.org/2008/11/231338.shtml), attaching a banner that said nuclear waste must be removed from the former potash mine, which is heavily taking water. The action is to last several days. Police have not demanded that the protesters leave the tower and so far everything has been peaceful. From January the mine, which was considered a model for Gorleben, is to be controlled by a different government authority, the Federal Agency for Radiation Protection. Background on Asse II at http://sydney.indymedia.org.au/story/nuclear-worries-increase-german-waste-dump-mine-floods and http://sydney.indymedia.org.au/story/german-nuclear-dump-was-illegal-start.

—

ATTACKS ON POWER COMPANY’S VEHICLES: The «Hamburger Morgenpost» newspaper has published text purporting to claim responsibility for attacks on vehicles of the Vattenfall power company connected with the Castor transport. Windows of a car were damaged and both front tyres stabbed. Police say they have no claims of responsibility for two other attacks. In one case a vehicle loaded with four gas bottles was set on fire, causing an explosion that injured no one. But the pressure wave was said to have caused tens of thousands of euros worth of damage. Five vehicles were totally destroyed and a nearby building damaged. Police were able to stop another arson attack on a Vattenfall vehicle when a witness called them after seeing the attempt. Police assume all attacks were carried out by the same group of people.

—

POLICE IN GÖTTINGEN ROUGHED UP TWO ANTI-NUCLEAR ACTIVISTS who had hung a banner about the coming Castor transport over the entrance to the local railway station. One had his wrists painfully twisted, the other was clapped in handcuffs immediately. Police went to the home of one of them searching for the banner. The activists comment that it’s interesting to see how nervous police can get about a banner and how they fear public scrutiny. Pictures at http://de.indymedia.org/2008/11/231320.shtml.

====
Latest action news & other less direct action-focussed info at http://www.castor.de/ticker/index_en.html

John Gormley interrupted by Plane Mad

November 5, 2008

November 5, 2008
Environment Minister John Gormley was interrupted during his speech to the Green Infrastructure conference this morning in Malahide. The environmental campaign group Plane Mad disrupted the conference to express their opposition to another runway at Dublin Airport. The group oppose the runway on the grounds that it will double the aircraft emissions at the airport. These emissions play a dangerous part in causing climate change. Two activists dressed as cartoon criminals mimed building a runway around the podium that Gormley was speaking from. Aircraft noise was simultaneously played from the back of the room. One of the “criminals” moved among the audience passing out information about the proposed new runway form his bag of “swag”. The minister was also presented with a letter by the group which he accepted.

The activists were dressed as criminals to represent the crime that it would be if Fingal County Council and the Dublin Airport Authority(DAA) were allowed to double capacity at Dublin Airport. The activists had “DAA-CLIMATE CRIMINALS” written on their backs.

Minister Gormley said that he agreed with them on this issue, indeed he had mentioned the “serious threat” of climate change several times in his speech. After the campaigners had made their point they were peacefully escorted out of the conference suite and Mr Gormley was allowed to continue. Despite all he says Plane Mad continue to be disappointed that neither John Gormley or his party are clear or vocal enough in their opposition to expansion at Dublin Airport.

Ian Clotworthy, one of cartoon criminals, said
“Fingal County Council are not fit hosts for a green infrastructure conference when one of the least “green” pieces of infrastructure in Ireland is currently being built at Dublin Airport.”
“We support “UPROAR” in their campaign against this second runway and we oppose it ourselves because of the contribution of aviation emissions to climate change”

UPROAR (United Portmarnock residents opposing another runway) have been opposing the construction of a 2nd runway for 8 years, since 2000. 850 people from the area objected to the runway after the campaign was launched around Christmas 2000. UPROAR were initially extremely successful in that the Inspector reviewing the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and all the information available about the planned development found in favour of the objectors. The Inspector recommended that the planning application be refused on mainly on the issue of noise pollution and community welfare. Her decision however, was overturned by An Bord Pleanala.

Tara Sheehy of Plane Mad who was also in the conference suit in Malahide said,
“Doubling capacity at Dublin Airport will also double the amount of emissions. Spending money in an economic downturn on such a project of pollution is madness.”

The Environmental Protection Agency allocated just over 20,000 tonnes CO2 equivalent for each of the years 2005, 2006 and 2007 to Dublin Airport. This is only 1% of the 2 million tonnes of CO2 (at least), emitted by Dublin Airport’s 21 million passengers.

On a day when even America can elect a president who claims to understand the importance of climate change, Plane Mad would like to see this “Green-tinged” government halt their airport expansion plans. Plane Mad will continue to fight the second runway until it is stopped.

http://www.planemad.org

CLIMATE ACTION NEWS SHEET 84, OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2008

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UPCOMING EVENTS AND ACTIONS:
————————-
1) RBS, E.ON and Shell university recruitment tours, Oct/Nov 08
2) Climate Camp National Gathering, Bradford, 8/9.11.08
3) Remembering Ken Saro-Wiwa, 10.11.08
4) Shared Planet Conference, Birmingham, 21-23.11.08
5) 48 hours of action against E.On and new coal, 28/29.11.08
6) Buy Nothing Day, 29.11.08

—————-
RECENT HAPPENINGS:
—————-
1) Towards Copenhagen 2009 – the first global gathering, 13/14.09.08
2) Coal power station blockaded in Virginia, USA, 15.09.08
3) Rossport – Solitaire leaves Irish waters with no pipeline laid! 20.09.08
4) Flashmob against airport expansion a success! 23.09.08
5) Climate Camp policing condemned, 30.09.08 & 28.10.08
6) Boston (US) Rising Tide pay Citibank a visit, 7/10/08
7) Day of Action Against PacifiCorp dam, 10.10.08
8) Parliament rushed by climate activists, 13.10.08
9) Oxford students just say no to BP jobs, 14.10.08
10) Art Not Oil visit the NT and hoax boss Hytner, 15.10.08
11) Protesters disrupt European biofuels summit, 16.10.08
12) Scottish climate activists target Scottish First Minister, 16.10.08
13) Greenwash Guerrillas EDF Action, 22.10.08
14) Manchester students flashmob RBS and E.On recruitment stalls, 23.10.08
15) Barclays’ coal investments targeted in Leamington Spa, 25.10.08
16) Protestors stop work at Shipley open-cast; Shipley Bodge court case
collapses, 27.10.08
17) The Rainbow Warrior goes to Kingsnorth, 29.10.08
18) Bristol University Death Fair
19) Conveyer belt lock-on stops Australian coal power station, 1.11.08

————————-
UPCOMING EVENTS AND ACTIONS:
————————-

1) RBS, E.ON and Shell university recruitment tours, OCT/NOV 08
Climate criminals are recruiting now, in a University near you. Find out when and where, as they have kindly posted their itineraries online.
www.makeitrbs.com/events/

www.shell.com/home/content/gbr/aboutshell/careers/students_and_graduates/calendar_of_events/calendar_of_events_30052008.html

www.eon-uk.com/Careers/Graduates/807.aspx

Stuck for a direct action idea? Check out Rising Tide’s “15 ways to topple
the Fossil Fuel Empire” on our website.

2) Climate Camp National Gathering, Bradford, 8/9.11.08
The next Climate Camp gathering will be in Bradford on the 8th and 9th November. Come along and get involved.This month we will be in the fair city of Bradford, based up at the student union. Food will be provided by the delicious Treehouse Cafe and crash space will be nearby.

Large Group Facilitation Training
Seeds for Change are running a Large Group Facilitation Training for Climate Campers on Friday November 7th in Leeds (just down the road from the gathering in Bradford), 11AM to 5.30 PM. Please email process at climatecamp.org.uk asap if you are interested.

3) Remembering Ken Saro-Wiwa, 10.11.08
Film screening and fundraiser at 7PM at LARC in London, 62 Fieldgate St, E1 1ES. On the 13th anniversary of the murder of Ken Saro-Wiwa and the rest of the Ogoni 9 by the Nigerian state in 1995, with Shell in close cahoots, we will be remembering what they fought for and what they died for. We’ll also be hearing about the inspirational resistance of people around the world to Shell’s unfortunately far from unique brand of destruction, duplicity and overall mayhem in the chase for ever-greater profits. There will be film screenings of ‘Those Who Dance’ and ‘Shadows and Light: Oil, Power, and the Niger Delta’, inspirational art on the walls and food and drink. Funds raised will go towards Art Not Oil’s new campaign against the Shell-sponsored Oedipus production currently running at the National Theatre.

4) Shared Planet Conference, Birmingham, 21-23.11.08
The University of Birmingham – Shared Planet is the UK’s largest student conference on world poverty, human rights and the environment. It brings hundreds of students together for a weekend packed with big-name speakers, skills and issue based workshops, debates, discussions, film and a massive party! http://peopleandplanet.org/events/sharedplanet

5) 48 hours of action against E.On and new coal, 28/29.11.08

The UK Government is calling for an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050, we are calling for 48 hours of action against E.ON and new coal NOW. Join us in saying ‘No to New Coal’: get your friends together and plan an action for your area. Go stickering, blockading, serving direct action warning notices at supply chain premises, organise an awareness raising talk, hang a banner, get creative on the streets, the options are endless. Get together, get creative, and plan an action! For more information visit – www.e-onf-off.org – where a list of potential targets, action ideas and plenty of resources will follow shortly.

6) Buy Nothing Day, 29.11.08
Saturday November 29h 2008 is Buy Nothing Day. It’s a day where you challenge yourself to switch off from shopping and tune into life. The rules are simple, for 24 hours you will detox from consumerism and live without shopping. Anyone can take part provided they spend a day without spending – better yet, get together with some friends and challenge consumer culture directly!
www.buynothingday.co.uk

7) National Climate March, 06.12.08
March on Parliament to demand that the government acts on climate now! The march this year goes to Parliament Square to demand that the government act now on climate. The march will start at Speakers Corner, Hyde Park – assemble 12 noon. The march will be preceeded by a climate protest bike ride starting from Lincoln’s Inn Fields at 10.30 am: see more here. There will be an After-Party in the Synergy Centre from 5.00 pm till late.!
www.campaigncc.org/index.shtml

8) Earth First! Winter Moot, 6-8.02.09
The Earth First! Winter Moot is a weekend to reflect on where we are as a radical ecologist movement and on where we are going. The moot will be about discussing strategy, strengthening the EF! network, security and communications and action planning. A session is also reserved for discussing a UK mobilisation for the UN climate conference in Copenhagen late 2009. The moot will be held in Brighton (t.b.c.). Please check this website nearer to the time for further details and email any items you would like to add an item to the agenda to moot2009 at earthfirst.org.uk.
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/21557

9) Fossil Fools Day 2009, 01.04.09
Just in case you missed the news last month – Fossil Fools Day is back! Whether you’ve been looking for a chance to dip a toe into the growing climate action movement, or have had your kick-ass action planned since last year, now is the time to do it – whatever it is. On April 1st, join the global day of resistance and pull a prank that packs a punch. Call-out now available on the website, so get spreading the word. Info and resources will be posted on the website soon, and look out for leaflets to distribute in December.
www.risingtide.org.uk/fossilfoolsday2009

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RECENT HAPPENINGS:
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1) Towards Copenhagen 2009 – the first global gathering, 13/14.09.08
The first social movements’ meeting was from 13-14 September 2008, in a free school in Norrberg, hosted by the Danish movement ClimaX (klimax2009.org). There were about 100 people present from 21 countries around the world, and mobilisatations towards December 2009 were well and truly launched. For the call to action, translations, and a personal perspective on the meeting, see http://risingtide.org.uk/copenhagen. To get involved, send an email to climate09-int-subscribe at list.riseup.net.

2) Coal power station blockaded in Virginia, USA, 15.09.08
At 6:00am on September 15 around 40 people blockaded the construction site of Dominion Virginia’s Wise County coal-fired power station. Eleven protesters were arrested after four hours. Protesters locked their bodies to eight large steel drums, two of which had operational solar panels illuminating a banner that read “renewable jobs to renew Appalachia.” In addition, protesters held a 10’x30′ banner, which said: “we demand a clean energy future.”

3) Rossport – Solitaire leaves Irish waters with no pipeline laid! 20.09.08
On Friday the 20th September, the pipe laying ship, the Solitaire, finally left Irish waters. During the ship’s time in Ireland, Shell failed to lay any part of the offshore pipe line. The departure of the Solitaire is a massive victory for the Shell to Sea campaign. Resistance in the past six weeks has taken many different forms: fishermen preventing the ship’s access to the bay by refusing to move from her path, site invasions by local people and the Rossport Solidarity Camp, numerous waterborne actions to prevent work by supporters from other parts of Ireland and further afield, national and international solidarity actions and finally, an 11 day hunger strike by local campaigner Maura Harrington, that continued until the ship left Irish waters. The events of the last 6 weeks have inspired not only those involved, but also many who witnessed them from afar, new links and friendships have been forged and many lessons learned. In the aftermath, the Shell to Sea campaign can clearly be seen to have been revitalized, both locally and nationally. It is unclear when the ship will attempt to return to Broadhaven Bay. It is possible it could still be this year if repairs are quick and a suitable weather window appears, or it may not be until next spring. However, while it may be uncertain exactly when the ship will return, what is certain, is that it will meet even greater opposition upon its next arrival. Come and be part of it! The Rossport community is calling on people everywhere to put pressure on Shell, Allseas (the company that owns the Solitaire) and Irish embassies to demand that the Solitaire leaves Irish waters immediately.

4) Flashmob against airport expansion a success! 23.09.08
Over 100 campaigners staged a colourful flashmob against airport expansion at midday today outside Manchester Town Hall. The group included London campaigners opposed to the expansion of Heathrow. The flashmob was timed to coincide with the Labour Party Conference. At 12.45 precisely the campaigners stripped off to reveal red t-shirts with the words ‘Stop Airport Expansion’ emblazoned across them. They then lay down to form the words ‘TAKE TRAINS’ with their bodies. The protest marked the public launch of the recently formed ‘Stop Expansion at Manchester Airport’.

5) Climate Camp policing condemned, 30.09.08 & 28.10.08
A spokesman for Medway Trades Union Council said “We have decided to hold an inquiry into the Policing of the Climate Camp because of our concern over the level of policing and various incidents such as a policeman in riot gear assaulting a protester with a riot shield, as shown on TV, and other allegations including local campaigners being subjected to pepper spray and a local councillor being pushed to the ground”

Also, in the House of Commons, MPs accused police of unnecessary aggression towards climate campers. Home Office ministers were told that officers “provoked violence against peaceful protesters” and even arrested someone for “aggressively picking up litter”.
www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/09/409732.htm

6)Boston (US) Rising Tide pay Citibank a visit, 7/10/08
Four activists chained themselves to the front entrance of the Citibank branch in Harvard Square, Cambridge. The action started as a protest in front of the Bank of America branch a block away before marching down the street to Citibank, where the four activists had already chained themselves to the front door, closing the bank for a period of time. Over 150 people attended the protest, while many more onlookers gathered in Harvard Square. The action, using the tag-line “Not With Our Money”, was intended to raise awareness of the connections between the current financial crisis and the impending climate crisis. Both Bank of America and Citi Bank are responsible for funding dirty coal power that harms the environment, and engaging in predatory lending practices that are fuelling the foreclosure crisis and have left families in Boston homeless. Several groups were involved with the protest including Rising Tide Boston and Rainforest Action Network, both environmental justice groups, and City Life/Vida Urbana, a tenants’ rights organization.

7) Day of Action Against PacifiCorp dam, 10.10.08
A coalition of Klamath River Indian tribes, fishermen, conservationists and local supporters (including Cascadia Rising Tide) ramped up their campaign to remove four fish-killing dams on the river today when they held a spirited protest in front of PacifiCorp’s headquarters in Portland. The “Day of Action Against PacifiCorp” started off at 8:30 a.m. on September 18th when local activists hung a banner proclaiming “Warren Buffett Kills Salmon, Jobs and Communities” over Interstate-84 in solidarity with the Tribes. Around 200 people converged in front of PacifiCorp for a press conference. After the conference, 70 people occupied the area in front of the headquarters, effectively shutting down the front entrance to PacifiCorp as company staff locked the doors.

8) Parliament rushed by climate activists, 13.10.08
Demanding deeds not words from the government, 500 Climate Rushers gathered in Parliament Square to celebrate 100 years to the day since the Suffragettes rushed parliament demanding votes for women. After sharing tea and cake on the lawn of Parliament Square, men and women dressed in Edwardian garb became a little less civilised, and the doors of to Parliament were locked as climate activists rushed the main entrance. Although no one got in, the sounds of protesters striking the doors were clearly audible from the inside.
www.climaterush.co.uk

9) Oxford students just say no to BP jobs, 14.10.08
Activists infiltrated an attempt by BP to woo Oxford graduates at a top-notch hotel on October 14th. One interrupted the cheesy BP PR man’s presentation as he claimed that he ‘loved the countryside’ – while putting the gloss on oil and gas exploration, extraction and financing – to ask, why then, has BP spent more on its green sunflower rebranding than on its annual renewable energy budget? Activists then gave their own presentation of BP’s activities around the world, why major oil companies are counter-productive to climate change solutions, and why any tempted graduates should reconsider their career options. A member of Colombia Solidarity Campaign gave a first hand account of BP’s complicity in environmental destruction, subverting peaceful social movements and funding death squads. A moment of stunned silence was followed by applause as the re-educated audience abandoned the shindig.

10)Art Not Oil visit the NT and hoax boss Hytner, 15.10.08
After a visit to the theatre (Darling!), arty climate activists cooked up a letter claiming to be from NT boss Nicholas Hytner questioning the use of oil sponsorship in the arts. The NT were none too pleased about this and the ensuing row reached the letters pages of luvvie-weekly “The Stage”(a first for the direct action movement?). Art not Oil ask: “We’re asking people if they’re up for making an artwork of some kind as a response This could be an image, song, film or poem to appear on our website, or to be printed on a postcard or something similar. We’re open to ideas. (Unfortunately, we aren’t able to pay for your work, but we have no wish to possess it!) If this is of interest, we’d love to see it as soon as possible, as ‘Oedipus’ runs until January 2009 only.”
www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/10/411200.html and
http://www.thestage.co.uk/features/feature.php/22157/chit-chat-hytner-miss-or-maybe-an-attack-

11) Protesters disrupt European biofuels summit, 16.10.08
On World Food Day, 16th October, activists from Action Against Agrofuels disrupted the Biofuels Expo in Newark, one of the largest biofuel industry conferences in Europe. Four banners were dropped, as protesters climbed on the roof outside the main entrance and on a ledge inside the main exhibition hall, where they remained for over three hours. Rape alarms were set off across the exhibition centre. Banners read “Agrofuels for cars and power plants worsen climate change”, “Land-grabbing for agrofuels causes hunger”, “Agrofuels – a climate crime” and “Greenwashing hunger and deforestation”. Separately, Leeds University students held a banner and leafletting protest outside the conference.

12) Scottish climate activists target Scottish First Minister, 16.10.08
At 4am, residents from Clydebank, Paisley, Kirkliston and Cramond peacefully set up a stereo and blasted aeroplane noise through the entrance of the First Minister’s private residency in Edinburgh. The action stands as a protest ‘dawn chorus’ to highlight the experience of living life in the shadow of a growing airport. Ironically, the stereo caused 110 decibels of noise – the equivalent of a jumbo jet taking off. For half an hour about ten residents surrounded the building dressed in bright pajamas, night caps, clutching teddybears, with ear defenders to display the dangerous levels of noise pollution endured by their families and communities. Their placards stated “It’s time to wake up to the impacts of aviation” and “have a taste of your own medicine”. The residents took these steps to state loud and clear to the First Minister, who holds ultimate say over the fate of the expansion plans, that he cannot ignore any of the effects of airport expansion. These impacts include dangerous noise levels, rising air pollution, climate change and increasing economic uncertainty during the current credit crunch.

13) Greenwash Guerrillas EDF Action, 22.10.08
London Rising Tide’s Greenwash Guerillas Brigade, Detection Platoon #1, moved into action on Monday morning, 22 October, at 08:00 hours – targeting energy corporation Électricité de France (EDF) at the central London headquarters of their UK subsidiary EDF Energy. EDF has recently bought out British Energy and have announced that they plan to build 4 new nuclear power stations in the UK in the coming years. Inspired by our counterparts in France demonstrating against new nuclear power, we chose to target EDF’s attempts to muscle in their FALSE nuclear solution to the looming disaster of catastrophic climate chaos. Our action (consisting of 12 Greenwash Guerillas) highlighted the dangers of nuclear power to the biosphere, humanity, and REAL renewable energy solutions.

14) Manchester students flashmob RBS and E.On Recruitment Stalls, 23.10.08
A busy careers fair at Manchester’s GMex was interrupted yesterday by several long whistle blasts. 30 or so protestors suddenly revealed their yellow ‘Leave it in the Ground’ t-shirts and surrounded the Royal Bank of Scotland stall, holding banners and chanting ‘leave it in the ground!’. A protestor then read some extracts from the excellent report “Cashing in on Coal”, which shows that RBS is a climate criminal, pouring money into new fossil fuel extraction projects. The security guards eventually began dragging protestors out so they didn’t get a chance to visit the E.ON stall. However the protest continued outside where people handed out leaflets explaining how E.ON (with a fat loan from RBS) plans to build the first new coal power station in the UK in 30 years, while security guards repeatedly threatened to have them arrested for trespassing.

15) Barclays’ coal investments targeted in Leamington Spa, 25.10.08
Leamington Rising Tide took aim at a town centre Barclays on Saturday 25 October 2008 in protest at the bank’s heavy investment in dirty coal. Banners, leaflets and balloons let people know that ‘Barclays are fuelling global warming’. One of the banners used an image of scales to demolish the myth that Barclays cares about climate change: they invest a whopping 3,300 million invested in coal against 15 million in renewable tech on the other. Over the last two years, Barclays has been involved in 17 separate loans to the coal industry, and together with RBS and HSBC, has loaned $70 billion to E.ON alone.

16) Protestors stop work at Shipley open-cast; Shipley Bodge court case collapses, 27.10.08
Protestors from Earth First! stopped work at an open-cast coal site for over two hours – they ran onto the site and clambered on diggers & dumpers and held out banners stopping the work safely. Some of the digger drivers were very friendly and were glad to have a break as they work very long shifts, from 7am-6:30 with only lunch & half hour breaks at 10 & 3. Today work had not been able to start till 10 as nature was fighting its own corner, with rain drowning the site, and it was stopped again at 1 for 3 hours due to the protest.

Meanwhile, the first court case arising from the eviction of Bodge House, Shipley, where protesters occupied the site of the proposed open cast coal mine from June until August, collapsed today after the prosecution admitted that it didn’t have the evidence to support its case. The crown prosecutor asked for an adjournment, the defence objected, the district
judge agreed with the defence and dismissed the case. Let’s hope the others go the same way.

17) The Rainbow Warrior goes to Kingsnorth, 29.10.08
The Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior led a peaceful armada of boats down the Medway to Kingsnorth, and thirty campaigners, each carrying flags from 30 nations, disembarked onto Kingsnorth’s jetty. E.on’s proposed new plant would emit as much carbon dioxide as the world’s 30 least polluting countries combined (hence the flags), dashing our chances of beating climate change and spelling disaster for millions of families around the world. Meanwhile, another group of volunteers – including two of the Kingsnorth Six (recently cleared of criminal damage to Kingsnorth’s smokestack using the defence of climate change) – occupied a small, concrete, E.ON-owned island just next to the jetty until they were forced to leave by a high court injunction.
http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/blog/climate/vigil-ends-20081030

18) Bristohl Uni Death Fair, 29.10.08
This time it was the 4 horseman of the apocalypse (well, 2 of them) who highlighted the reality behind the shiny facades of companies like E.On and BAE Systems.
http://westsideclimateaction.wordpress.com

19) Conveyer belt lock-on stops Australian coal power station, 1.11.08
29 people from Rising Tide Australia have been arrested after a climate change protest at Bayswater power station today. Four people attached themselves to machinery, stopping the conveyor belts that carry coal to Bayswater’s furnaces for six hours while 25 others occupied the coal piles.
http://www.risingtide.org.au/node/802

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Compiled and sent out by Rising Tide UK.

To receive this News Sheet monthly, send an email to news-subscribe at risingtide.org.uk with the subject line ‘subscribe’ (without the quotes and replace at with @).

German anti-nuclear waste sabotage & actions this coming weekend

Anti-nuclear activists in Germany are gearing up for another transport of highly active nuclear waste to run through France and Germany from 7 to 9 November for dumping at the north German village of Gorleben. About 20,000 police will be deployed to guard the consignment against thousands of demonstrators.

CASTOR TRACK SABOTAGED: In the night from 30 to 31 October the CASTOR railway track between Karlsruhe and Mannheim was sabotaged near Stutensee. Rail traffic was brought to a standstill with a barricade. To stop any train running into it without braking, the first goods train using the track was stopped by an emergency signal before it got to the spot.

Grass Roots Gathering in Cork in November

The next Grass Roots Gathering will take place in Cork on the weekend of the 14th, 15th and 16th of November.

This Gathering will have the twin themes of Inclusion and Community Building – Surviving the ‘ Recession’ . During the early planning stages we spent some time thinking about who comes to these gatherings and how we could encourage and enable more diverse participation, especially for people who have found it difficult to attend previous gatherings. To facilitate this we are holding the event in city centre venues with full accessibility, making it child, parent, teenager and elder friendly and asking as many groups and communities as possible what we need to do to make them feel welcome ( Basically trying to let go of thinking that we have all the answers and doing a bit more listening ! ) If you are planning on attending we hope you will try stepping outside your comfort zone and invite or enable a friend you may not have approached due to shyness or stereotyping to join you.

Workshops, activities and events being planned so far include : The present legal situation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gender people, Travellers and settled people working together, Telling stories, sharing experience looking at exclusion. Housing coops, food security, tackling racism in times of unemployment, reproductive rights, women’s right to choose, conflict resolution, social centres, recent experience, L.E.T.S. , reclaiming our natural resources, energy security,

+ Film showings, crimes of the built environment, swap shop, creative corner, activist well being, art activism, welcoming area for people dropping by and the shy among us, and displays by various community groups and campaigns. Also expect some surprises we want to keep people awake at this gathering !

On Saturday night there will be a traditional Cork cabaret. We are inviting some classic local acts but leaving plenty of time free to show case your talents so come prepared ! music , dance , poetry , interventions , comedy ,readings , circus or whatever you fancy all welcome.

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I’m organising accommodation for people who are coming to the Grassroots Gathering 14th 15th and 16th November, Cork City, so if anyone in Cork can put people up for the weekend, or anyone travelling to Cork needs accommodation please email me at:
tracywall@email.com
or text me on:
085 7560078

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Email address for getting in touch with gg organising group as follows:
ggcork08@gmail.com

Greece and the growing re-appropriation attacks against Super Markets

Attacks in Capital circulation and revenue
Greece and the growing re-appropriation attacks against Super Markets

Τhe saturday of May 31st 2008 was a beautiful day for the greek movement of insurrection. One action organised by a small group of comrades caused a fracture in the greek social process. On the last days a big debate was goin’ on in the streets, in the working places, cafes, houses and -in appearance only- on the tv screen. Basic products (milk,rice etc.) were becoming more and more expensive, a process which started since the introduction of the Euro currency, January 2002 and by the last months prices kept raising steeply. Peoples’ resentment concetrated during all these years of price stagnation, was so big that although grossly mediated by the TV news, forced finally the government to introduce measures that were , supposed , to control the rising of the prices, but whose actual target was to calm peoples anger down. (It is interesting to add that inflation rate was steady and did not rise, probably because of “creative” tricks due to Eu rules that oblige member-states to keep a low inflation rate)

Super Market brand owners were profiteering in a really high grade in expense of the peoples pockets and the actual resistance and pressure was rather low. Consumer unions, some newspaper articles, calls for lowering the prices, one day boycotts. But what to do?People are dependent from big Super Markets that control most of the food market and wages in Greece are rather low for eu standards (Pensions are worse) and prices were among the higher in EU. Old people, low income and the unemployed were affected most but we can say that almost all working class people and even lower middle class (petit bourgeois) were having a hard time to get around . So the government announces on the 28 of May “41 measures against price stagnation”.

True is the politicians did not really cared. “So what are they going to do,anyway?”. Opposition parties do nothing but talk, and people rely on the media “apparent” opposition. But it is in these times were nothing seem to happen, when the forces of insurrection that are exorcised to stay away from the fight, make their sudden and unexpected appearance in the scene. And nothing is the same as before..

On Saturday May 31st 2008 a group of comrades, wearing their masks entered a big Super Market in the city center of Athens, re-appropriated products, carried them to a street fruit-market nearby (mostly old and lower-income people go there) and distributed the products to them. Oil, cheese, milk, detergents,shampoos … The action met great correspondence from the people. Clapping applauses, exclamations, whistles. The products disappeared within seconds. The manifesto of the action said : “The game is set. We don’t want to be a part of this fake game, with the governments’ communication tricks, the oppositions’ abstract talking about some “bad” people making profit and the shit of the media. We put into practice our own measures against price stagnation. Re-appropriation now. Everything is stolen from us, Everything belongs to us… That was it…

The attacks start to spread widely. In June three more actions against Super Markets took place in Athens. One more in July. Then came the summer (movements have holidays?) and on September actions started again. Two happened in Thessaloniki , the second biggest city in Greece. One attack was planned on the day when the Prime Minister traditionally addresses the nation , from the International Expo of Thessaloniki and speaks about the government policy of the year to come. Last week three such actions took place (15,16,18 October). In most of the attacks products are distributed among people in street markets, to people passing-by and on one action the loot was left on a central Athens square where many immigrants live and at the exits of the metro station there.
These actions are really popular among people. It would not be an exaggeration to say that people wish every time they go to a street market for an action like that to take place. Media can’t hide the facts , but try to distort them. They like to call us “Robin Hoods”. We are not at all “Robin Hoods”, it is not about charity. The issue at stake here is the diffusion of such “illegal” practices among the society, so that other social groups adopt such practices to defend social autonomy and interests. To debunk the normality that orders “Work-Buy-Pay-Sleep-Shut Up”. To make people collaborators in “illegal” attacks against capitalist order. To promote Mutual Aid.

The Police is really confused. Cashiers have a short work-break. Super Market owners feel anxious about the situation. People have fun.

So what about us Comrades. In Balkans, East and West Europe, States, Latin America, Oceania, everywhere? Can we plan something? What are we waiting for? Capitalist crisis is already here and we are the ones to pay again for the fucking banks and their tricks. The plan is simple, believe us. Two douzins of comrades, masks , sunglasses, an appointment. You converge suddenly and you attack. Some people watching, some others filling the trolleys, everybody distributing them. It is simple, it is direct, dangerous for the enemy and really amuzing. We wish you nice actions and lot of success.

Make Plans
Be Ready

Swedish Peace Activists Repeatedly Break Into Weapon Factories

23.10.2008

23.10.2008
Using hammers and bolt cutters, peace activists repeatedly broke into weapon plants and damaged weapons in Sweden. Activists from the Swedish group OFOG/Avrusta admitted damaging twenty high explosive grenade launchers as well as internal parts to a Howitzer 77. Five people were arrested. Two remain in jail. Two activists who were arrested and released were re-arrested after they returned to the weapons plant to do more damage. A fifth person was arrested Saturday in another break in. All are facing trial on charges from criminal damage to trespass at places of national security.

Members of the Swedish peace and disarmament group OFOG/Avrusta say they have been preparing for more than a year to carry out the actions. OFOG, which loosely translates as the word mischief, is a network of activists working for a nuclear free and demilitarized world. Avrusta is Disarm in English. The group released information to the press announcing their actions and posted videos of their entry and damage on You Tube. See: http://www.ofog.org/avrusta_aktionsvideo

At about 2:30 a.m. Thursday morning, activists approached the BAE Systems weapons facility in Karlskoga, Sweden, about 240 kilometers away from Stockholm. According to statements to the press, they used bolt cutters cut open a hole in the security fence and entered. They left behind a banner welcoming others, which said “The door is open — you are free to start disarming.” The activists used hammers to damage internal parts like cooling aggregates and hydraulic cylinders for the Howitzer 77. A fully operational Howitzer 77 can fire 6 rounds every second for 20 minutes and has a firing range of 30 kilometers. Inside, media reports note that the duo managed to affix a poster to the door that said, “In this factory are manufactured weapons that are used to wage wars — Disarmament is underway.” Disarmament activists, Cattis Laska, 24, and Pelle Strinlund, 37, were arrested and charged with trespassing and criminal damage. Laska is a youth leader and Strinlund is a writer. Both remain in jail pending a hearing.

Simultaneously, other activists entered a weapons facility run by Saab in Eskilstuna, Sweden, about 135 kilometers away. According to OFOG/Avrusta, they damaged twenty grenade launchers with hammers and then alerted guards to their presence. Anna Andersson, 26, and Martin Smedjeback, 35, were arrested and charged with trespass, severe criminal damage, and entering a protected national security area. Andersson is a web developer. Smedjeback is a trainer in non-violence. Both were released from jail on Friday.

The weapons damaged in the Saab plant were described as Carl Gustav type grenade launchers. These are shoulder mounted anti-tank weapons that can fire high explosive rounds. The weapons were reportedly found in boxes labeled for delivery to “US” and “New Delhi.” BAE has a long term contract with the Indian government for howitzers and grenade launchers, according to reports in the Hindu Times.

After being released from jail Friday, Andersson indicated she was glad to be going to trial. “I look forward to a chance to ethically and legally argue for our actions in court. I hope one day the arms manufacturers will be charged for the criminal damage that Swedish armaments cause in wars and conflicts around the world.”

In a surprise move early Saturday, Andersson and Smedjeback returned to the weapons plant where they were arrested again. They now remain in jail.

Also early Saturday morning, a fifth member of the group, Annika Spalde, 39, cut her way through the fence around a weapons plant in Karlskoga and hung a banner encouraging more disarmament actions. She was later arrested. She is charged with severe criminal damage and trespass in a place of national security. Spalde, who was later released, is a deacon in the Swedish church, an author and peace activist.

BAE Systems, owner of the Karlskoga plant, describes itself on its website as “the premier global defense and aerospace company” with 100,000 employees worldwide and annual sales of $31.4 billion. BAE authorities confirmed the break in. Curiously, BAE press people in the US reported “very minor” damage while the BAE security manager in Sweden told the press there that he estimated damage at 50,000 euros and was not certain whether the damage would create delays in scheduled deliveries of the weapons or not.

Saab, owner of the Eskilstuna plant, proclaims it serves the global market with products, services and solutions ranging from military defense to civil security. It says it has 13,700 employees and worldwide sales of $2.5 billion. Lasse Jonsson, spokesperson for Saab, told the media, “They have scrapped a quantity of weapons’ spare parts that awaited export. Only after the police investigation has been completed will we be able to calculate the exact extent of the damage caused.”

Maja Backlund, spokesperson for OFOG, was quoted in the Hindu Times: “Civil disobedience and action are most vital parts of democratic development. Our colleagues who breached the Saab factory managed to damage 25 grenade launchers of the Carl Gustav brand that are in extensive use in Kashmir and other war zones in India.” OFOG also claims that some of the weapons damaged were of the same type as used by the U.S. military in Iraq.

Members of OFOG claim Swedish weapons exports have risen 88 percent since the US invasion of Iraq. They further claim that the Swedish government is violating its policy of peace and neutrality by supplying warring countries with arms.

Deacon Spalde insisted these actions were necessary. “When your government supports an illegal war and sells arms to dictatorships, it’s time for ordinary citizens like us to take action.”

OFOG/Avrusta said “This action is the first disarmament campaign in the 21st century in Sweden.” At this point, the campaign says it consists of activists willing to risk arrest and another fifty support people.

“Our activists have prepared themselves for more than a year for this campaign,” said a group member who asked to remain anonymous. “They are ready to serve time in prison if Swedish society should fail to see that nonviolent civil disobedience to suspend the disastrous Swedish arms exports to wars and dictatorships is less of a breach of law than these amoral arms exports.”

More disarmament actions, OFOG/Avrusta promises, will be forthcoming.

http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2008/10/swedish-peace-activists-repeatedly-break-into-weapon-factories/

http://ofog.org/about-campaign-avrusta

E.ON gets fingered : NEIN KINGSNORTH!

British Climate Camp activists have taken their campaign to the Munich offices of E.ON.
For Immediate release. 14.30 – 22/10/08
E.ON gets fingered : NEIN KINGSNORTH!

British Climate Camp (1) activists have taken their campaign to stop the building of a coal-fired power station in Kent, UK, to the Energy headquarters of E.ON in Munich, Germany (2).

This morning activists involved in the UK Climate Camp coordinated a ‘flash mob’ style action at the office of E.ON Energie. Dressed in splashes of E.ON red, around thirty people swamped the main entrance of the office to give E.ON the finger. Playing on the ‘E.ON F.OFF’ logo (3) from this summer’s Climate Camp the group held their middle fingers in the air, sending a clear message that the multi-national is a target across Europe.

“This summer saw a plethora of highly effective actions against the energy major in the UK” explained Jimmy Hoover, one of the UK Climate Campers who travelled to Munich to coordinate the action. “We wanted to make it very clear to E.ON that its not just about one week in a field in Kent. We have the means and the motivation to take this campaign to stop Kingsnorth and new coal continue all the way home to E.On’s headquarters in Germany. Until the plans for this new coal-fired plant are dropped, we will drag E.On’s name through the mud and expose them for being the climate criminals they are.”

Since this summer’s third and largest Climate Camp, the group have openly stated their intention to return to the Hoo peninsula in Kent to prevent the building of a new coal fired power station, should it be given planning permission by the British government.

“When you’ve got the world’s top climate scientist Jim Hansen explaining that this one power station will make extinct up to 400 species (4), you’ve got to ask why E.On would still be pushing ahead with this act of climate vandalism,” added Mel Evans. “Its clear that E.ON has their profits in mind, rather than the public interest and climate security. With the British tax-payer looking likely to own a 60% stake in the Royal Bank of Scotland – who have provided loans to E.On to build Kingsnorth (5) – I for one don’t want my taxes being used to trash the climate. That’s why we’ve come here today to make sure they get the message loud and clear – E.On, F.OFF!”

For high res images go to http://thevacuumcleaner.co.uk/eonmunich/

Notes to the Editor:

(1) www.climatecamp.org.uk

(2) Brienner Straße 40 80333 München Germany +49 (0) 89 – 12 54 – 01 http://www.eon-energie.com/pages/eea_en/index.htm

(3) http://www.flickr.com/photos/monaxle/2739086776/

(4) James Hansen, NASA climate scientist, estimates that if the new coal power station at Kingsnorth in Kent goes ahead, it will result in 400 extinct species due to its contribution to climate change. www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/sep/04/climatechange.fossilfuels

(5) In 2007, RBS-NatWest took part in loans to E.ON, the company planning to build Kingsnorth, totaling $70 billion.

nein.kingsnorth@googlemail.com
http://www.climatecamp.org.uk