G8 climate day of action reports – London, Norwich, New Zealand, Bristol, Germany, USA, Nottingham, Portugal, Brasil

London: Climate activist ‘super-glued to door’ of lastminute.com

An environmental activist was so enraged that lastminute.com continue to push ‘short haul’ flights whilst knowing the damage they do to the climate, that she super-glued herself to the front door of the company’s Victoria HQ.


London: Climate activist ‘super-glued to door’ of lastminute.com

An environmental activist was so enraged that lastminute.com continue to push ‘short haul’ flights whilst knowing the damage they do to the climate, that she super-glued herself to the front door of the company’s Victoria HQ.

At 8am this morning, Penny Eastwood – a member of climate action group, Plane Stupid, pasted superglue over her hands and glued herself to the front doors of the building – blocking staff from entering their offices.

Penny said, “Whilst G8 leaders have simply spouted more hot air, I’ve showed what one woman alone can do to shut down climate criminals.”

She added, “Lastminute.com irresponsibly encourage people to binge-fly five times a year. They’re forcing the world towards the brink of eco-meltdown and all for a quick buck!”

Penny Eastwood is one of those planning to attend this summer’s Camp for Climate Action at Heathrow.

info@planestupid.com
http://www.planestupid.com

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Esso Chelsea 1
London Rising Tide and Friends descended on Chelsea Tractor country on Friday night in a protest against the G8’s pathetic attempt to “consider” climate change and to reduce CO2 emissions.

The Tigers and Clowns blockaded the E$$O station at Fulham Rd for over to two hours to highlight Exxon Mobil/E$$Os role in bankrolling our future down the pipe. Their support for the Liquid Natural Gas pipeline coming to a city near you is paving the way for new Gas Fired power stations, locking us into another 30 years with these emission-spouting beasts. The emissions from these stations are comparable to the existing Coal Fired ones!

Because the tankers carrying this gas have to come from Qatar and are so huge, they cannot navigate the Suez Canal so have to circumnavigate Africa, freezing the gas as they go. In terms of emissions this makes the final figures at use almost as high as energy derived from coal. LNG is NOT a clean fuel!

The protest went well with the overwhelming majority of people, including car drivers… were positive to the message that we were giving out. The Police arrived after about thirty minutes, but after telling us to stay out of E$$Os forecourt, we remained for another hour: their threat of “ten minutes of you’re in the van” being the usual bravado. A good time was had by all, and the Tigers will continue to prowl…….

To get in touch:
london@risingtide.org.uk

For more info on ESSO’s pipeline http://www.fightthepipe.co.uk

STOP THE PRESS:
With the pipeline converging on two fronts the protest three camp in the Brecon Beacons has just been served with an eviction notice and are now on high alert for Monday 11th. Activists are now dug-in and locked-on up trees with support from local people, ready to resist. They need your support. If you can get down there, ring the camp hotline on 07917383517, or email
bristol@risingtide.org.uk

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Esso West London
At around 7.15 pm on the 8th May, in a non-violent action activists from London Rising Tide, who are concerned about climate change, blockaded an ESSO petrol station in West London.

They claim ESSO’s huge economic clout enables the company to influence energy policy, and that that a high pressure pipeline currently being constructed to carry ESSO natural gas to UK power stations is unsafe. They maintain that the solution to the climate change problem is an overall reduction in energy use. The construction of the pipeline has also led to concerns over its damage to environmentally sensitive areas.

Funny clowns with red noses supported activists who were dressed as ESSO tigers while motorists were leafleted and engaged in debate about their energy use. The police arrived after an hour or so and where generally well behaved. At one point the police told activists they could only carry on their protest for another 10 minutes however a deal was done allowing access to for motorists to the petrol station, and the action carried on for another 45 minutes or so.

This action was timed to coincide with the end of the G8 in Germany.

For more info on ESSO’s pipeline http://www.fightthepipe.co.uk

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Norwich petrol station shut down on DoA Against Climate Change and the G8

During this morning’s rush hour twelve activists from Norwich Rising Tide braved the East Coast storm warnings and shut down their local Jet petrol station as part of the International Day of Action Against Climate Change and the G8.

Having met up at silly o’clock in the morning and gathered together banners, rope and ‘Danger, Global Warming’ hazard tape, we arrived at the Jet petrol station on Dereham Road only to find 8 of Norfolk’s finest lying in wait. Ignoring them, we unpacked our banners and stretched them across the three entrances, preventing vehicles from filling up. Passing motorists rushing to work were treated to the sight of us jumping up and down in the rain, waving banners bearing the slogans ‘Closed for a Total Re-think’; ‘Social Change, Not Climate Change’; and ‘International Day of Action Against Climate Change and the G8.’

We handed out leaflets to drivers and pedestrians, explaining that the blockade was part of a series of events taking place around the world to highlight the role played by the leaders of the high-emitting G8 nations in causing climate change, and to show up this week’s so-called ‘climate deal’ for the sham that it is.

One of the banner wavers was heard to shout: ‘We will not stand by and watch the planet burn as the G8 leaders and their corporate bedfellows trivialise the greatest threat facing humanity with a blind faith in techno-fixes and market mechanisms such as fraudulent carbon offset schemes. If we are going to truly solve this problem, we need a rapid transformation to a low-energy society – starting with the dismantling of the oil industry.’

We chose the less well-known Jet as our target to show that there is no such thing as a good oil company. Jet is owned by ConocoPhillips, the fifth largest oil refiner in the world, and the first Western oil company to enter Iraq after the start of the war. Jet and ConocoPhillips have so far escaped the criticism that has been justifiably heaped upon industry giants like Shell and BP, but they are no different. ConocoPhillips, like all oil companies, destroys ecosystems and communities around the world, and is profiteering from oil wars and climate chaos.

The response from drivers and passers-by was predictably mixed, and although the early arrival of the police forced us to change our plans slightly, the action still served its purpose: to highlight the inability of G8 leaders to truly tackle climate change, and to take action in solidarity with those disrupting the summit in Germany and those already suffering from the effects of climate change around the world.



norwich@risingtide.org.uk
http://www.risingtide.org.uk

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TOUR OF EEEEVIL IN WHANGANUI-A-TARA, NEW ZEALAND – ACTION REPORT

The number of protesters had been few, the attention by our friends in blue astonishingly intense – 2 cop cars and one paddy-wagon were following the small group closely.

the Tour of EEEEEvil started in Midland Park with a phat boom-box hailing out loud. first they cycled towards the US embassy. crayons were used to beautify the pavement, being under heavy scrutiny by security guards and police.

a cat’s leap later, the protesters rang the door-bell of the German embassy to tell them they are all scummy polluters of the environment. next station was the British High Commission where a banner was unfolded to make capitalism history.

finally, the group was not keen on visiting the other embassies of the G8 and cycled through the CBD and dispersed around Victoria St, receiving smiles and applause from some people on the streets.

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Bristol CM deaths banner
BRISTOL CRITICAL MASS – ACTION REPORT

This morning saw a good natured critical mass reclaim the streets of Bristol from car-culture. A crowd of 40 to 50 riders gathered in solidarity with protests against the G8 and to draw attention to the chaos of climate change.

This morning saw a good natured and fun critical mass reclaim the streets of Bristol from car-culture! A good crowd of 40 to 50 riders gathered in the centre ready to move off in a carnival of cycling in solidarity with protests against the G8 and to draw attention to the chaos of climate change.

This morning saw a good natured and fun critical mass reclaim the streets of Bristol from car-culture! A good crowd of 40 to 50 riders gathered in the centre ready to move off in a carnival of cycling in solidarity with protests against the G8 and to draw attention to the chaos of climate change. It was interesting to note there was lots of media here this time – normally at a critical mass these is no media, but (being cynical) I wonder if the media arrived this time because there was a little agro at the last one? Shame that the media go for sensationalist news and not real news!

Anyway, the crowd moved off towards Temple Quay, the new financial heart of bristol (?) down Baldwin Street, over the bridge and down towards the roundabout that connects to Bristol Temple Meads, then over into temple quay where we found a mural on the floor ‘We Have the Power’ – very apt! Then on towards Broadmead and onto the bottom of the M32 and round back to the fountains. A good mornings work!

The reception was almost totally positive, flyers were handed out to pedestrians and fellow cyclists and drivers explaining what this was all about. Lots of people waved, cheers and beeped as we passed. There were bemused faces in corporate Bristol as the be-suited Temple Quay was invaded by pedal-power!

This event just going to show how people can reclaim a public space from the relentless grind of the rat-race and build some community. Unlike the G8, we care about climate change and got off our ass to do something! See you at the next one!

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G8 German Shell 1
G8 German Shell 2
Germany: 60 – 70 people are blockading a Shell-Station in Evershagen. Nine police emergency vehicles are at the location, however holding back.

20070608_Shell – video/x-ms-wmv 7.6M
20070608_Shell – video/x-ms-wmv 7.6M

On Friday samba bands and protestors shut down the Shell garage in Evershagen, Rostock

Police, unsurprisingly, arrived in seconds, and the riot squads surrounded the garage.

But, despite this, the Shell station was blocked for an hour.

In Germany fuel stations are not kept in stock by tanker trucks. They run huge fuel pipelines from one to the other, linking them across the city. And in every fuel station is an emergency shut-off button.

And, low and behold, someone hit the button, shutting off the fuel supply to some if not all the Shell garages across Rostock, causing a slight headache for the multinational oil and gas company’s profits that day in the lovely north-west German city.

More photos at http://indymedia.ie/article/82971
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Portland, Oregon, USA

ACTION #1: Anti-Borders Action

The Leaders of the 8 most powerful countries, who maintain global inequality, war, and starvation will meet behind closed doors to plot our future for us at a luxurious health resort in Germany June 6th thru 8th. There has been a call out for international days of action across the globe to coincide with the mobilization against the G8. Hundred of thousands of people from around the world are converging on Germany, even some of our neighbors in Portland.

We hear that call and come together in Portland as decentralized and autonomous groups to say No to the G8, No to there Lies, and No More Tricks. They are eight, we are six billion…lets start acting like it and reject their chaotic system of exploitation and control.

We meet at the INS Office to say No to the Border fence being built, ICE Raids, and to reject the idea that multi-national corporations can freely cross borders to exploit people and steal land. While the people are being contained by borders, forced off lands and controlled by militarization.

Friday, June 8th at 5:30pm
INS Office
NW Broadway

Supported by: Cascadia Rising Tide, Portland Sin Fronteras, Food not bombs, and Students for Unity.

ACTION #2: Anti-Dam Action

On Friday, Stop La Parota PDX launched its campaign to pressure companies with ties to the financing of La Parota Dam to sever all connections to the destructive project.

Activists held a colorful demonstration in front of the Lloyd Center Sears to demand the Sears Holding Corporation cut all ties to Grupo Carso. Grupo Carso is the financial umbrella of Mexican billionaire, Carlos Slim Helú, who has publicly declared that Grupo Carso subsidiaries will be involved in every aspect of La Parota.

La Parota, a 765-megawatt hydroelectric dam slated for the Papagayo River in Guerrero, Mexico, is a classic infrastructure expansion project resulting from trade agreements like NAFTA and the FTAA in the worst of ways. The dam would submerge 43,000 acres of forest and farmland along the river’s banks, displacing at least 25,000 mostly indigenous campesinos (subsistence farmers) from the Communal Lands of Cacahuatepec. Already, indigenous resistance to the dam has been met with imprisonment and murder.

Far from being a renewable energy source, sediment accumulation limits the electricity generating capacity of dams to 50-100 years. Meanwhile, large dams are significant contributors to global warming. As the tremendous biomass of a tropical forest decays beneath a reservoir, it gives off greenhouse gases. Dams in tropical regions have been shown to produce anywhere from two to 40 times as much carbon dioxide as an equivalent coal-fired plant.

The reason for this blatant exploitation and ecocide? Electricity generated from La Parota would be incorporated into an international energy grid and used to power factory-centers, maquiladoras (export-oriented sweatshop corridors). The phenomenon of seizing indigenous lands and then forcing inhabitants into working for suboptimal wages is not ‘economic development,’ but a modern version of colonialism.

The CFE made no attempt to include the campesinos in the decision-making process regarding La Parota. In July 2003, without giving notice or seeking permission, the commission simply sent in machinery to build two tunnels to divert the flow of the Papagayo. Farmers from surrounding communities responded with road blockades and encampments to keep CFE equipment out of the area. The ongoing roadblocks have been largely successful, and the CFE has been forced to pull out most of its equipment In Chilpancingo, the state capital, the protesters were 30,000 strong. Their message was clear: “We are ready to die for the land.”

The demonstration was held both in solidarity with the resisting campesinos as well as the resistance in Germany to the G8. La Parota is a manifestation of the global system of oppression created by organizations like the G8 to further the interests of transnational corporations at the cost of people and environmental integrity.

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Asheville Critical Mass
Bank of America climate action 1Bank of America climate action 2
For Immediate Release
June 8, 2007
www.risingtidenorthamerica.org

Asheville Critical Mass Confronts Bank of America for Investments in Coal Industry

Today dozens of cyclists paid a surprise visit to Bank of America to protest their financial backing of coal companies as a part of the International Day of Action Against Climate Change and G8. After tying up downtown traffic, the 30-strong bike ride descended on the downtown Asheville headquarters of Bank of America. Once there, a number of people dumped coal in front of the main entrance, while another person spontaneously sacrificed their bike lock and locked the front doors shut.

With police still not in sight, the bike ride continued on to another Bank of America branch, where participants plastered the bank in stickers, handed out flyers to customers, and held banners reading, “Stop Banking on Climate Change” and “Climate Chaos: Brought to you by Bank of America.”

The protest was held in solidarity with the massive anti-G8 protests in Germany, where leaders of the 8 richest countries continue to drag their feet on making any meaningful reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The bike ride was organized by Asheville Rising Tide, a group dedicated to confronting the root causes of climate change.

Bank of America plays a major role in perpetuating climate change by its massive investments in the coal industry. Pound for pound, burning coal releases more C02 emissions then any other fossil fuel. Bank of America has facilitated nearly $1 billion in loans to Massey Energy and Arch Coal, two of the largest companies involved in the environmentally devastating process of mountaintop removal coal mining. Mountaintop removal mining has already reduced 500 square miles of mountains to rubble and buried over 1,200 miles of streams in Southern Appalachia.

Bank of America has also made loans and facilitated stock offerings for Peabody Energy to the tune of several billion dollars. Peabody is infamous for its human rights violations against Native Americans. Since 1975, over 14,000 indigenous people, mostly Dine’, have been forcibly relocated off of their ancestral lands to make way for Peabody’s Black Mesa strip mine in northeastern Arizona. This strip mine, the largest in the US, has devastated thousands of acres of indigenous land and drained local aquifers that are essential for sustaining life in this desert climate. In addition to these abuses, Peabody Energy, along with a number of other companies funded by Bank of America, are pursuing the construction of a new wave of dirty coal plants.

“By targeting coal industry investors, we can undermine their financial support which they depend on to continue operation. The less money they have, the less coal they can extract and burn. In the face of cataclysmic climate change, we do not have time to wait for government regulations. We must directly intervene now!” said Jennifer Clayson, who participated in the ride.

This week’s G8 meetings failed to even begin to address climate change. While some European countries pushed for 50% emissions cuts by 2050, the US managed to derail even this goal, which falls far short of the reductions that are necessary. In the end, the G8 countries agreed to “consider” cutting greenhouse gas emissions. “In the face of massive species extinction, drought, and rising sea levels, the best these world leaders can come up with is to ‘consider’ doing something? Until there is real change, we, along with people around the world, will continue to take direct action
against those responsible for climate change,” said Liam Jefferson. According to scientists, greenhouse gas emissions need to be slashed by at least 80% by 2050 to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

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San Francisco G8 Critical Mass
San Francisco Bike ride against G8

On Friday June 8, 2007, there was a critical mass-style bicycle ride with an anti-G8 theme which initially gathered at Justin Herman plaza, and then proceeded along the Embarcadero, Columbus Avenue, Market Street, Valencia St., and then ended at Dolores Park. Everything proceeded peacefully, and the size of the group was good for being able to be aware of everyone’s location. There was a large police presence the entire time. This might have stemmed from a fiasco of police response to the 2005 G8 protest which resulted in commanders getting reassigned, inventive charges against participants and FBI visits to journalists.

Most people on the sidewalks appeared happy to see us, or at least had no negative reaction. Sometimes call-in radio shows and ranting sections on youtube and newspaper websites give the feeling that the public has a lot of antibicycle fanatics, but we didn’t see any.

Appearances were made by both Gabe Myers, who was basically arrested during the 2005 protest as a ‘sucker’ and charged (and later let go) with felony lynching after dropping a foam sign in the road as a police car drove at high speed towards him, and also Josh Wolf, who spent a record amount of time in jail for refusing to speak to a grand jury formed to probe the battery of the other officer who was driving the vehicle. Grand juries gathering evidence and issuing indictments are allowed unrestricted questioning of witnesses, unlike regular courtroom practice, and a witness is not allowed to have a lawyer present. In situations where a political group is involved (such as the Red Scare of the 1950s), these juries are capable of vastly overreaching and gathering long lists of names of people uninvolved in crimes, who could be branded as suspects. Press reports created a confusing picture, but Wolf was not considered in contempt of court for refusing to testify about the injury of the officer, or to show his video tape, but rather he didn’t agree to unrestricted questions about participants who he had a confidential journalistic relationship with.

The ride was pretty nice. It was very sunny, and most of the route had long stretches uninterrupted by short cycle lights. The nature of the large police response was interesting in that only a small group of friendly bicycle officers, plus some Harley and motorbike riding police officers were mixed together in the crowd. We had no trouble splitting the road and tunnel with cars, and things felt much safer than during ordinary times when you inevitably split the right lane with buses and right-turning cabs. In a few cases, there was mixed body language when some officers objected to the tail-end of the group continuing to move on a red light, so people became worried and stopped. Yet other officers appeared to be hurrying the group through on the red by stopping traffic. In any case, every so often one could squint two blocks down and make out police vans, Chevy Suburban/Tahoes, and cars moving by, sometimes briefly sounding a horn as though they were trying to get around traffic. Occasionally the ride would come across a new group of police parked well away from the start, such as Columbus avenue. Then at the end where people listened to music, while a smaller group stood across the street, it seemed like more vans with police emblem kept turning the corner to drive by.
Reasons behind the negative response by thousands of people (from the left, right, and center) to the G8 are difficult to summarize briefly. On the surface, a meeting of world leaders might appear to be a positive thing, akin to the creation of the UN. In addition, it isn’t clear how much could really get discussed during 2-3 days of talks, or how anything so ominous could arise out of this.

The easiest way to explain it is that the era of colonialism never ended. Governments (spanning multiple presidents) have spent the last few decades working closely with large companies and are controlling the economies and governments of most of the third world against the interests of their populations. It is easy to let your eyes glaze over and think “yes, we just need to invest in Africa” and not realize that the areas of Africa with the most foreign ‘investment’ are the most impoverished, for instance the horrible resource wars in the Congo (where the United States helped assassinate their democratic leader in the 60s, and installed a dictator), or Shell Oil destroying the land base in the Nigerian Delta while sharing none of its profits.

Much of the decisions and content of these meetings is worked out beforehand. Institutions such as the World Bank are where the details of public/private plans are worked out by small committees. One of the most common mechanisms for creating third world poverty is the forcing of countries to take loans for large infrastructure projects such as dams, waterworks and power grids which aren’t used by working class, are carried out by first world corporations (such as Bechtel in Bolivia) and end up indebting the population for decades.

Finally, while it seems like individuals have little chance of influencing such powerful institutions, it is important to remember that the WTO has had to make major concessions to emboldened latin american, african, and SE asian contingents after the major turning point after the 1999 protests. The signing of Merkel’s Climate statement was regarded as a big success during this meeting, although the lack of concrete actions promised in this agreement makes it seem like the public was just successful in making the leaders want to seem responsive. You as an individual might not be able to change it all by yourself, but it is coming about as an emergent property of a movement of less than 10% of the population who become activists.

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FLORIDA: CRITICAL MASS
Picket signs blew in the wind as three bikers rode slowly but surely down Dixie Highway. Uniting with activists worldwide in protest of the Group of Eight summit in Heiligendamm, Germany, Lake Worth contributed a total of six. But the issues they brought hit close to home.

Their destination was the Palm Beach Gardens home of FPL Group Inc. Chief Executive Lewis Hay III.
Their complaint: FPL’s decision to build the West County Energy Center, a natural gas plant, about 1,000 feet from a wildlife preserve, according to the group’s flier. “You can’t smoke 1,000 feet from a school, but you can put a power plant 1,000 feet from an animal preserve?” asked supporter Rachel Kijewski, 22.

The group rode a large part of the four-hour trek in front of their veggie truck. The beat-up blue solution to global warming fights petrol with vegetable oil. “Its exhaust smells like tempura,” said bike rider Panagioti Tsolkas.

Most drivers’ reactions to the trio were positive, giving them thumbs-up. Their journey, however, was not without challenges. Mother Nature poured down rain all Friday afternoon. Averaging 7 to 10 mph on the highway, the group pressed on, stopping traffic the entire way until they were stopped outside the gate leading to Hay’s home inside Old Marsh Country Club.

As the G-8 summit’s gathering of the eight industrial powerhouses comes to a close, Lynne Purvis said she feels their fight is just beginning.
“It’s hard you know,” Purvis said.
“We’re all pretty low budget. These rich executives have all this security and money and to supply these things and we use cardboard signs and public transit.” Laughing in spite of their small numbers, the protestors remained optimistic.
“We’d love if he decided not to build an energy center,” she said. “As easy as it is for him to keep this in his nine-to-five life, it affects us too.”

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Nottingham: Activists picket A453 exhibition

The Highways Agency held a fancy exhibition in Clifton today, to promote their planned widening of the A453. So climate-change activists picketed it.

With thoughts of the G8 and the international day of action on climate change in our heads, we came to the roadbuilder’s PR show to put the other side of the argument. Our display was a lot less flash than that of the H.A. but we got our message across, and many visitors to the exhibition were very supportive.

We wanted to point out the links between the proposed A453 scheme and the proposed M1 widening and EMids Airport expansion…a combined recipe for more traffic growth, more pollution, more C02 pumped into our dying atmosphere. Strangely the H.A. exhibition made no mention of climate change, although they were tackling pollution by giving away free in-car air fresheners!

The exhibition is at Clifton Leisure Centre, Southchurch Drive all day tomorrow (sat 9th). Why not email your comments on roadbuilding and climate to A453Widening@highways.gsi.gov.uk as well.

climateactionnow@hotmail.co.uk

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Portugal G8 climate
In Portugal, the G8 Network has made accions in city of Lisbon and Porto at 8 of June, International Day of Direct Accion for Climate Accion. You can see fotos and videos in the blog www.geoito2007.blogspot.com

In Lisbon we made, in Down Town (Augusta Street), a batlle for climate justice (“World isn´t a target, from CO2 has to be saved”), in wich the people of the street tried to stop the 8 leaders of G8 to fill the world, speacilly south hemisfere, with pollution: the world against the politics of G8! In a world map the G8 throw black balls (the CO2) to the poorest countries while people throw green balls (“the good actions for climate”) to prevent climate disaster and social injustice: meaning that G8 are historical responsables for climate change and their politics will not prevent serious disasters that affect primarily the poorer, because they will continue to polute the world making business of pollution and exploring the poorest countries. We made also some games in the street, inviting people to step pollution and save climate (the G8 stepped the actions to save climate and not pollution…), and put banners in one of the most polluted avenues in city due to automobile traffic saying: “400 thousand cars for day…is to much”, “less car, more public transports, less polution”, “freedom to move, city to the people”.

In Porto we simulate, in Down Town (Santa Catarina Street), a emissions trading market. The G8 leader traded emissions between them (black ballons) and then offered pollution to the people on the street.

Congratulations to all!

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Sao Paulo G8 critical mass
A bad smell surrounded Bicyclist’s Square last friday morning, Global Direct Action Day against G8 and Climate Change. All around the world, people relcaimed the streets to say no to the letarghy of the 8 leaders that met in Germany behind fences and armys.

In Sao Paulo, Brasil, 25 human beings joined to celebrate life, sustainability and the act of living togheter in a Critical Mass ride for life. In Germany, there’re only 8 human beings deciding to keep war and preadatory waste of resources that destroys the planet and kills lifes all around the globe.

A tree was planted on Bicyclist’s Square. It was in honor of a homeless man that was sleeping below the Square and was killed by a car on may 25th, a few hours before may Critical Mass take the streets to celebrate life.

First stop: Italian Consulate. Fiats, Ferraris, Masseratis, Lamborghinis and Berlusconis kills thousands of human beings every year.

Second stop: Petrobrás building, the brazilian fuel company. The plan to make Brazil become a huge cane brake is no energetic or ecological solution, but only a way to fuel an obsession and keep the state of war, enviromental destruction and irrational mobility standarts.

Off the bikes on the crosswalk, going to the third stop: Japan Consulate. Hondas, Toyotas and Mitsubishis kills thousands of people every year all around the world.

Fourth stop: French Consulate. Renaults and Peugeots pollute as much as the others. In Sao Paulo, air pollution kills about 8 people a day. More than a half of the air pollution comes from private cars.

Still We Ride

Fifth stop: German Consulate. Mercedes, BMWs and Audis spread individualism and agressivity, contributing to the planetary state of war.

Who makes profit on that?

In front of British Consulate, Earth on Danger on the hands of war poodle Tony Blair.

They’re responsible for recycling in São Paulo.

Love against war.

Ethanol is a lie.

Mr. Puttin was’t there.

We’re traffic.

Critical Mass at Daslu, the store where the richest people in Brazil shops. Our “G8-people” shop there and seems to feel nausea about their own land: english written phrases, employees dressing french butler clothes, just beside the polluted Pinheiros river and surrounded by third world favelas.

Canadian consulate on World Trade Center Sao Paulo: Earth in danger (and it’s not because of Bin Laden).

U.S. Consulate. Outside, it looks like Guantanamo.

Note to Mr. Bush: “Brazil isn’t a cane brake / G8: State Terror”

66 years old, 22 years riding.

A gift from Critical Mass: one less car!

Support pipeline protesters, stop G8 climate criminals!

6.06.2007
Pipeline and G8 solidarity protest outside court in Cardiff tomorrow as authorities attempt to evict Brecon anti-pipe tree camp.

Protesters against the monstrous pipeline plowing its way through Wales are in court tomorrow as authorities attempt to evict the 5 month old tree camp in Brecon National Park. This is just one example of how the state is fueling climate change and preventing us from protesting about it. Governments all over the world behave similarly and this week the 8 biggest leaders (G8) are meeting in Germany to make more decisions that will impose on our lives. Whilst many of our friends are in Germany protesting against this undemocratic, centralised source of power we will be protesting outside the court against all governments intruding in our lives and the environment, both locally and globally.

6.06.2007
Pipeline and G8 solidarity protest outside court in Cardiff tomorrow as authorities attempt to evict Brecon anti-pipe tree camp.

Protesters against the monstrous pipeline plowing its way through Wales are in court tomorrow as authorities attempt to evict the 5 month old tree camp in Brecon National Park. This is just one example of how the state is fueling climate change and preventing us from protesting about it. Governments all over the world behave similarly and this week the 8 biggest leaders (G8) are meeting in Germany to make more decisions that will impose on our lives. Whilst many of our friends are in Germany protesting against this undemocratic, centralised source of power we will be protesting outside the court against all governments intruding in our lives and the environment, both locally and globally.

Be at Cardiff Civil Justice Centre, 2 Park Street at 10.30am

In solidarity with our friends in trees and on the blockades.

Cardiff Rising Tide

Shramore Five Lock Out Shell in Ireland

“Peaceful my arse you cunt”, Supt. Joe Gannon speaks to protest spokeswoman.

On Tuesday morning, June 5th, a team of five protesters and their support crew successfully halted Shells operation in Erris for five hours through the use of “lock-On” arm tubes. The blockade ended with the five being cut loose from each other by the fire brigade and arrested whilst a crowd of around thirty people cheered them on. Shramore is the final stop on the peat haulage route from the site of the proposed gas refinery at Bellanaboy.

Shramore blockade 1“Peaceful my arse you cunt”, Supt. Joe Gannon speaks to protest spokeswoman.

On Tuesday morning, June 5th, a team of five protesters and their support crew successfully halted Shells operation in Erris for five hours through the use of “lock-On” arm tubes. The blockade ended with the five being cut loose from each other by the fire brigade and arrested whilst a crowd of around thirty people cheered them on. Shramore is the final stop on the peat haulage route from the site of the proposed gas refinery at Bellanaboy.

Terence Conway of Shell to Sea in Mayo who was present at the protest said “this is an outrageous deal, the government has consistently put out myths about the benefits of this project for the people of Ireland. There are no benefits of this project for the people of Ireland, there are no royalties and all tax is cost deductible which means that Shell, Statoil and Marathon benefit from the deal while the people of Ireland don’t benefit at all. This deal needs to be renegotiated immediately”.

The stoppage commenced at 7.00 a.m. at the peat deposition site when the protesters emerged with their support crew. Three unsuspecting security personnel shut the gates (presumably expecting some kind of trespass or site occupation). This gave the team sufficient time to lock themselves together on the ground in front of the gates. They did this through linking their arms together inside a dual tube system laced with concrete and steel rods. The police did not arrive on the scene until ten minutes later when banners reading “stop before it’s too late!” had been hung from the gates.

Initially the police response was bemused – they were informed that if they attempted to move the people on the ground it would be very likely that they would break their arms. This was filmed and all the police numbers were relayed to a supporter in Dublin. The mood changed when Superintendent Joe Gannon arrived on the scene and a spokesperson informed him that it was a peaceful protest. “Peaceful my arse you cunt” was the response he made to this woman after which he tore down the banners. About an hour later a more supporters arrived on the scene and the police violently removed all support crew from the gates, dragging a couple of people by the hair including a trained medic. The spokesperson once again read out a statement informing the police that they would break the arms of the protesters if they attempted to move them themselves and that they should instead call the fire brigade to deal with the situation. This was ignored and a medic made a run across the road to the protesters after one of the girls screamed when they tried to move her. The medic was grabbed by five officers and hit a number of times before being thrown to the ground.

Over two hours after the protest began the fire brigade finally arrived. By this point the people had been without water for over an hour and the police had refused them access to a doctor despite them visibly burning in the sun and a number of concerned local residents demanding that the five should be given access to medical attention. The firemen gave them water and began to figure out how to cut the group loose – it took them three hours by which time a larger group of supporters had assembled across the road from them.

This tactic was adopted due to the Garda strategy of violence and intimidation. It is difficult to argue that protesters are being violent when they are lying on the ground and unable to move. Unfortunately the misinformation strategy continues. In one instance whilst the fire brigade were cutting the protesters free, a Garda informed a colleague that one of the girls would need stitches in front of the mother of one of the people locked on. Later the police informed a radio journalist that the arrestees had been charged with firearms offences- in fact they were all charged with minor public order offences. The journalist in question has since stated that they will be making a complaint to the Garda ombudsman.

The protest aimed to demonstrate that the issue of the Corrib controversy will not go away. The protesters hope that members of any prospective government recognise the urgent need for a renegotiation of the deal that will not be at the expense of the people of Ireland or their environment. The great Corrib gas swindle cannot be permitted to happen nor will it be allowed.

The ‘Five’ will appear at Belmullet District Court next Wednesday 13th June, to answer some minor public order offences. Support welcome.

http://www.shelltosea.com
Lots more photos at http://www.indymedia.ie/article/82900

Rostock, Global Agricultural day of action

Video Rush of the anti GM March, 03/06/2007; part of the G8 protests – for full coverage, see indymedia.org.uk

Video 20070603_Anti_GM_March – video/x-ms-wmv 11M

Rostock agriculture demo 2Rostock agriculture demo 1Rostock agriculture demo 3Video Rush of the anti GM March, 03/06/2007; part of the G8 protests – for full coverage, see indymedia.org.uk

Video 20070603_Anti_GM_March – video/x-ms-wmv 11M

Mac Users, download Flip4Mac to view.
Watch video.
Be happy.

Can I be nominated for the best shots of the cutest kid award?

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Rostock Sunday. Global Agricultural day of action.

Despite its claims to the contrary the G8 has done bugger all to alleviate starvation in the world. In fact the number of people starving in the world is now at an all time high. Sunday was the day nominated to draw attention to all things unfair in the world of agriculture so a roving demo toured the town to tackle the issues

It has to be said that following Saturdays carnage this decidedly fluffy affair was a welcome assignment. There was a band on a float which sounded like a cross between Orbital and the Levellers, also a Samba band and other assorted drummers and musicians. As well as the usual activists several farmers from Germany and around the world were in attendance raising awareness about everything from GM crops and livestock to exploitation, pollution and corrupt subsidies.

One port of call was Lidl whose crimes include low pay, non recognition of unions, promoting GM and selling shit food. Speeches were made here and at several other locations.

Despite the obvious fact that this demo was going to be less confrontational than a sit-in by the Hare Krishnas, two hundred cops in full riot gear were in attendance. This gives the impression that their Policing is not what you would describe as ‘intelligence led’. With nothing else to do they kept themselves occupied by searching anyone under the age of 30 who was wearing an item of black clothing. No arrests were made.

The demo finished with more speeches in the square with plenty of interesting facts and figures. One example is that milk producing EU cows are subsidised for two dollars a day. Meanwhile starving Africans? One dollar a day!

Protesters against Bulldozers at Tara (Ireland) – update – more people needed

Since Sunday, May 20, protesters are blocking the use of heavy construction machinery at ancient archaeological sites in the Tara-Skryne valley in Co. Meath, Ireland. Construction workers are trying to begin work on the M3 four-lane motorway, although no public decision has yet been given by the Minister for Heritage Dick Roche to commence work. Reports state that the peaceful protesters who sat down in front of the machinery, were in some cases badly manhandled by the construction workers. If the protesters do not succeed in preventing the construction work from beginning, the archaeological sites will be quickly destroyed and the destruction presented to the public as a fait accompli.

Since Sunday, May 20, protesters are blocking the use of heavy construction machinery at ancient archaeological sites in the Tara-Skryne valley in Co. Meath, Ireland. Construction workers are trying to begin work on the M3 four-lane motorway, although no public decision has yet been given by the Minister for Heritage Dick Roche to commence work. Reports state that the peaceful protesters who sat down in front of the machinery, were in some cases badly manhandled by the construction workers. If the protesters do not succeed in preventing the construction work from beginning, the archaeological sites will be quickly destroyed and the destruction presented to the public as a fait accompli.

The protesters at the moment are small in number and are made up of the Vigil Keepers, who have been keeping watch on Tara for some time, local people, and general members of the public.

To put it bluntly, if the protesters do not receive enough on site support, the construction company will be able to move the heavy machinery in, and in no time at all, Tara, ancient as it is, will be lost!
The protesters are calling for support.

Dr. Muireann Ni Bhrolchain of the Save Tara Campaign in Ireland wrote –
“It is quite amazing how one person, two people at a gate can stop them. This is the power of one, two, three … but we need you all now. If you care about Tara – now is the time to act.”

Protect Tara Campaign
protect-tara@gmx.net
http://www.protect-tara.org

================================

Collierstown under attack 23rd May

The machinery was persuaded away today, a young protester negotiated a deal with the boss – go back to Garretstown and we will not stop you there thus keeping them out of the Valley.
But the graveyard at Collierstown is in imminent danger and the two gates on the road, one at Collierstown and the other going to Baronstown need to be blocked completely tomorrow.
They are determined to push through there. The Spanish engineers were defending their actions tonight – they said the NRA told them to work on this particular section of the road.
Collierstown – coming from Dublin is after Dunshaughlin, Drive on about 4 miles to Ross Cross – the next cross road. Take the right at the cross road and the site is not far down that stretch of road. You also pass the Tara post office on the way.
The grave slabs are thrown about the place – broken.
There are bones littered on the ground.

Please anyone who can get up there asap. Very few up there at present.
Now – for Tara.
Ring 086- 17585557

================================

Monitors with video equipment are urgenty needed at M3 protest sites. Today (Thursday) there are reports of futher violence against peaceful protesters. Anyone who can get to the protests please do.

Location of protesters: Approx 5 miles past Dunshaughlan, turn right at first crossroads (Tara Post office on corner). Straight on and take first right. Down narrow, windy road and site entrance visable.

Daily protests are ongoing and a National Day of Action has been announced for Friday 1st June. Buses will be departing from Dublin, Cork and Galway. Full details to follow.
Related Link: http://savetara.com

Destruction of Tara Temporarily Halted by Protest

Construction was held up on Fri 18th on the controversial M3 in the Tara Valley by a peaceful demonstration. A small group of concerned active citizens congregated at Rath Lugh at 5:30am. Rath Lugh is one of the seven outer defence forts of Tara which is only approximately 150m from the newly discovered National Monument at Lismullen. When workers arrived at 6:10am, they were unable to get their vehicles on site and gathered on the N3. The workers seemed unaware that the carpark they were using is the newly closed archeological site at Roestown.

Tara protest 2Construction was held up on Fri 18th on the controversial M3 in the Tara Valley by a peaceful demonstration. A small group of concerned active citizens congregated at Rath Lugh at 5:30am. Rath Lugh is one of the seven outer defence forts of Tara which is only approximately 150m from the newly discovered National Monument at Lismullen. When workers arrived at 6:10am, they were unable to get their vehicles on site and gathered on the N3. The workers seemed unaware that the carpark they were using is the newly closed archeological site at Roestown.

According to the maps, the proposed route of the monstrous motorway was supposed to avoid the beautiful iron-age Hill Fort and Coillte Forest. However, since this section of the route was fenced off in December, the removal of ancient trees on the side of the rath has created a cliff face of the hill. The NRA plan on raising the level of the motorway to the top of the rise. This would result in it no longer being visible from the hill of Tara and isolating it from the Tara complex. Rath Lugh is a listed National Monument, but was conveniently not marked on the last Ordnance Survey map.

The demonstrators stood at two gates, one at Roestown on the East of the N3 and the other at Treret at the entrance to the Berrilstown archaeological complex. When workers arrived at 6:10am, they were unable to get their vehicles on site and gathered on the N3. The Assistant Project Manager for the M3 made himself known to the peaceful demonstrators. He seemed shocked as most people are to learn of the extent of the unresolved archaeology still sitting in the path of the 6-lane motorway. The workers seemed unaware that the carpark they were using is the newly closed archeological site at Roestown.

This was a magnificent subterraneancomplex with circular stone chambers joined by architecturally perfect tunnels from the 6th Century AD. Quartz capstones from this site were found in a ditch two weeks ago by a local person. This is an example of the practice of NRA archaeology.

Construction cannot be allowed to continue in the valley until a full independent archaeological assessment of the route through the valley is undertaken. NRA archaeologists have proven themselves inadequate in their professions through allowing themselves be pressured into premature conclusion of their studies. The pace at which they closed up the sites in April was ridiculous and the amount of archaeology still visible in the ground is insulting and unacceptable. This is disappointing yet not surprising considering the NRA have no hard ethics policy. The contractor who has commenced construction in the valley is Howley Construction. Their contract is worth 650 million euro. Can a price be put on the history and knowledge that is being denied and lost within this 6-9km stretch of the motorway alone.

When guards were called to the scene they informed the workers that as it was a peaceful demonstration they had a right to protest. After several hours of these environmental and cultural activists holding the space the construction workers ripped down a fence adjacent to the entrance but were unable to gain vehicular access. There was also a pitiful display of pigeon-chestedness by a lone worker in a mini-digger digging random holes. After the demonstrators moved to allow a local farmer access to cross the route to his cattle the posse of idle construction workers realised that the didle-idle demonstrators were not restricting them from walking on site. At 11:00am approximately they started a few heavy machinery on site but appeared to have run out of diesel after a couple of hours. The space was held at the two gates by the determined joyful group ’til mid-day today, over 30 hours later. No destruction or construction was done in the valley today.

Large cement pipes which were unable to be unloaded at Roestown were then dropped on the archaeological site at Collierstown. As the construction workers are using the access points for the archaeological sites, these are the first areas to be demolished. This strategic destruction of the sites gives urgency to the need for construction to be halted immediately in the valley while their destiny is being decided. The cement pipes at Collierstown are only feet away from the piles of discarded gravestones at the edge of the site. All fencing and site signs have been removed apart from a lone archaeological sign in Polish strewn in the stream that passes through the dismantled graveyard. Bones and teeth are still visible in the topsoil.

This monumental disaster must be averted. The terrifying magnitude of the situation where the destruction and denial of our national landmarks of identity for the personal economic gain of a few already very rich people is beyond comprehension.

Two local farmers stopped at the demonstration yesterday. One said that, since he received his letter of CPO in the post from Meath County Council four years ago, he has never signed his name to any contract or piece of paper. Last Monday, machinery moved onto his land. The other farmer explained how 15 acres of his land has now been isolated from his farm on the other side of the route and no access point has been provided.

The fact that it is governmental manipulation of community needs, vague and watery planning processes, the potential falsification of Environmental Impact Statements and the dnial of the integrity of countless national and world leading independent archaeologists and historians is beyond pathetic. The fact that the motorway won’t even solve the traffic congestion and could only get the commuters to the tailback going into Dublin 10 minutes quicker and that it is all being built by the Public Private Partnership and would have two tolls of €2.80+ on it is beyond a joke.

Who the féck do they think they are?
http://www.savetara.com/Roestown/

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A small number of environmental activists are holding construction workers at bay on the proposed M3.
They need help as quickly and as soon as possible.
On the Navan side of Dunshaughlin take a left turn, they are mainly situated on the Dunshaughlin/Dunsany road.
Ring the activist phone: 0861758557 for specific directions.
Work must be stopped until the election is over at least – and then there may be a chance for Tara.

5pm Monday May 21st – activists being fenced in:
News just coming in that at least one group of activists blocking an entrance have
had a fence built around them this afternoon.
More details as they arrive.

————

Gatekeepers still holding

At 6pm today there were 4 gates occupied.

————

PRESS RELEASE – TARA – Work Halted along Controversial Stretch of Motorway

Today in the Tara Skryne Valley a number of environmental activists prevented machinery from exiting construction depots along a controversial stretch of the proposed M3 motorway. The protesters maintain that no work should be ongoing along the route until directions are issued by Minister Roche regarding the new national monument at Lismullen. Two weeks ago a massive henge, 80mts in diameter, was discovered along the route through the Valley. Indications are that the henge was a ceremonial site connected to the Hill of Tara. No work took place along the contested stretch before lunchtime today.

The protesters, members of the ‘Tara Solidarity Vigil’ along with a number of locals blockaded gates along the existing N3 preventing heavy machinery from entering the site. According to Donagh Maguire, one of the protesters ‘A national monument has been discovered along this stretch of the road and all construction should be halted pending the Minister’s directions. We will not allow this monument to be destroyed in the same way that a number of other important sites have been destroyed over the last few months. While the country is obsessed with the election the NRA are attempting to quietly bulldoze through the Valley. We will not allow this to happen.’

The Campaign to Save Tara, an umbrella organization representing the majority of groups opposed to the M3 said it understood and supported the actions of the protesters. Michael Canney of the campaign said ‘We fully understand and support the actions of the protesters today, many sites have already been destroyed and it is very important that the public are made aware that we could be sleepwalking into a catastrophe for the county and the country if the NRA are not closely monitored.’

ENDS

Donagh Maguire 0861758557 (in the Tara/Skryne Valley)

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TARA SOS – Protestors being assaulted by M3 motorway workers. Ambulance called.
Tue May 22, 2007

Please come to Roestown as quickly as possible.
Protesters at Tara being manhandled by the workers, including the
assistant project manager of SIAC. An ambulance has been called for one
of the young women who has been injured by the workers. The Gardai are
standing by and have allowed the workers to take the law into their own
hands.
A young protester said:”The workers have illegally ploughed through 2
hedges to make a new entrance, they have assaulted the protesters,
because of the non reaction of the gardai and a young female protester
has been thrown and dragged around the place and now needs medical
attention”.
Why are trying to begin work in the Valley before the election? Why not
at Clonee? What is the rush with work in the Valley?

————

Wed:
It is difficult to know how to describe what happened today. We have hundreds of photos and also video footage. To give a resume –
activists manned gates around the Roestown compound individually. They slept there last night. They were joined by member of the public during the day.
Some points need to be emphasised:
one young man was badly assaulted in front of gardaí as the SIAC manager urged on the Howley workers (the contractors on this section) to get him out of the way.
another young woman was thrown out of the way and hurt in the head etc.
another young man was thrown aside by the Howley workers
These by and large are ordinary working men – trying to earn a living. They have been told that they will be fired if they join a union. They did not get this job or take it on the understanding that they would have to behave as bully boys for the NRA.
Protesters were bullied, injured, pushed, intimidated, dismissed by the powers that be. The guards stood back as they were assaulted.
But when they realised that ordinary members of the public and university lecturers were present the attitude changed – so there is a great need for “ordinary people” to be present at this protest.
The election happens on Thursday – they want to destroy the Valley before there is a possible change of Government. The smaller parties have promised to move the road or to review the route or the whole motorway project. They are determined to bulldoze the Valley before then. We have to stop them. Now is the time to act for Tara.
The contractors are determined to attack the Valley – that means Collierstown, Baronstown, Lismullin –
The activists need your help.
It is quite amazing how one person, two people at a gate can stop them.
This is the power of one, two, three … but we need you all now. If you care about Tara – now is the time to act.
Watching three people being threatened by a reversing lowlowder into a small space, reversing into them was the most frightening experience of my life.
We need the academics there – the workers, the chiefs, the guards act differently when they are there.
Photos to follow tomorrow …
Please pass this message on. This is the place where all is happening. You have seen the aerials … you know what they want to destroy … stop them now!
Roestown/ Collierstown/ Baronstown/ Lismullin/ ……………………..

for information ring:
086 1758557
087-9249510
087 3171572

International Day of Direct Action Against Climate Change and the G8 – UK events: Haringey… (& Jeff Luers solidarity callout)

Friday 8th June 2007
Direct Action for Climate Justice – Resistance is Self Defense!

We all know the terrifying statistics: a million species extinct by 2050, 19 of the 20 hottest years on record since 1980, Greenland and Antarctica melting, droughts, floods, famines … the G8 have had over 30 years to address climate change and only succeeded in providing trillions in subsidies to the very industries that are destroying our planet and our future. And while the G8 continues to line their pockets, island states disappear and hundreds of thousands die as a result of the freak weather conditions caused by their irrational and uncontrollable obsession with never ending economic growth.

G8 2007 climate day flierFriday 8th June 2007
Direct Action for Climate Justice – Resistance is Self Defense!

We all know the terrifying statistics: a million species extinct by 2050, 19 of the 20 hottest years on record since 1980, Greenland and Antarctica melting, droughts, floods, famines … the G8 have had over 30 years to address climate change and only succeeded in providing trillions in subsidies to the very industries that are destroying our planet and our future. And while the G8 continues to line their pockets, island states disappear and hundreds of thousands die as a result of the freak weather conditions caused by their irrational and uncontrollable obsession with never ending economic growth.

We have a ten-year window to act. As the megalomaniac G8 leaders meet in Germany, masked behind a barrier of fences and soldiers, intent on leading us further towards catastrophic and irreversible climate chaos, we must shout, scream and roar ‘no more’. Now is the time to take direct action and shut them down, them and their climate criminal industry friends!

The 8th of June International Day of Action Against Climate Change and the G8 has been called by the International Rising Tide Network. This is a call for autonomous, decentralized actions appropriate for your town, city, or local area. Use this international day of action to support local struggles against oil refineries, gas pipelines, strip mines and coal-fired power plants. Disrupt the financial backers of the fossil fuel industry. Organise workshops to spread sustainable post-petroleum living skills. Find a weak point in the infrastructure of resource exploitation and throw a literal or symbolic wrench in the works. It’s time to visit your local polluters and give ’em hell!

We already know of actions planned across the UK, North America, Germany, Canada and Australia and that’s just the start! By 8th June actions will be planned around the world. Pass this call out on to all environmental justice, climate action, radical sustainability and related movements in all the G8 countries and the Global South.

Rising Tide will create a collection of outreach and agit-prop materials (including this call out in five different languages) that can be used by groups around the world to organise locally. These materials will be downloadable from www.risingtide.org.uk and http://risingtidenorthamerica.org.
Direct action and civil disobedience are the rational response in this time of crisis. Support the 8th of June International Day of Direct Action against Climate Change and the G8! Tell us about planned actions for climate justice being planned in your community. Contact us – info@risingtide.org.uk and contact@risingtidenorthamerica.org

In June 2007 the G8 will understand the meaning of rebellion, revolt and revolution. Their recipe for catastrophe will be met with our worldwide resistance!

*G8 Day of Action Resources – Downloadable G8 day of Action flyers and posters.
*Organise a Critical Mass Bike Ride on the 8th of June – here are some leaflet ideas to help you.

————————–
You could link your event in with Day of Solidarity with Jeffrey Free Luers, June 9, 2007:

June marks the seventh year that our friend and comrade, Jeffrey “Free” Luers has been imprisoned and held captive by the state. Sentenced to an outrageous 22 years and 8 months for burning three Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) at Romania Chevrolet in Eugene, Jeff has continued to be active in prison and fight back with his words and inspiration. Although Jeff recently won his appeal and is expecting a reduced sentence, this case is not over:

“I have spoken with my attorney and there are still many battles ahead. Hard choices will have to be made. I am by no means close to walking out of prison, just one step closer. This is a victory, and while my own personal struggle is making headway others are just beginning.”

We encourage people to organize events for Jeff and other political prisoners, uniting struggles for human, earth, and animal liberation. In Jeff’s own words:

“This June, show your solidarity with me, and all those who have struggled, past and present, to make this world a better place. Struggle with us. Hold demonstrations or gatherings at federal buildings or US embassies and demand change. It doesn’t matter what cause or issue you fight for – we are all connected. What does matter is that we stand united and make our voices heard.”

More at http://freefreenow.org/june2007.html

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>ANNOUNCED UK EVENTS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

HARINGEY CRITICAL MASS BIKE RIDE 2007

Can’t make it to Germany? Sick of the all those cars getting in your way on the autobahn! Don’t despair…join us on Saturday 9th of June for the 2007 Haringey Critical Mass. A leisurely ride down the Green Lanes to reclaim our streets and send a breath of fresh air to those meeting in Germany.

Saturday 9th June • Assemble 12 Noon @ Manor House
• Finishing at Chestnuts Park for a picnic •

All Welcome: especially cycles, scooters, wheelchairs, skateboards, rollerblades, pedestrians…
Supported by Haringey Solidarity Group www.haringey.org.uk

FOR CLEAN AIR AND A GREEN G8

WHY HAVE A CRITICAL MASS BIKE RIDE IN HARINGEY?
We are joining together on a Critical Mass Bike Ride through Haringey as a colourful and fun way of highlighting environmental and transport issues in the borough. In the week when the G8 are gathering in Germany and the day
after the International Day of Direct Action Against Climate Change we should also be focusing on the global crisis of climate change and the environmental impacts of oil dependency.

• It’s time we reclaimed our streets from the traffic and congestion that causes toxic levels of pollution and injury and death.
• We want cycle lanes on Green Lanes and all over Haringey to make cycling a safer, more viable form of transport.
• We want measures in place to reduce traffic speeds on all roads in Haringey, where dangerous driving regularly puts cyclists, children and pedestrians at risk.

WHAT’S THE G8 GOT TO DO WITH THIS?

• The G8 (Group of eight, most industrialized nations) Summits are hosted, on rotation, by the group’s member states. In 2007 the summit is to be held on 6-8 June in Rostock, Germany.
• While it seems to be in the news a lot, Climate Change is perhaps the issue that has received least attention compared to the scale of destruction that life on earth is facing. It is the most serious problem facing the world, more serious than international terrorism, according to the UK Government’s chief scientific advisor.
• Climate change needs to be higher on the G8 agenda. However, we cannot leave it just to the scientists and politicians to dismantle the carbon machine.
• This bike ride aims to highlight this issue through action and the promotion of cycling.

Let’s celebrate the freedom and pleasure of travelling by bike – it’s much more fun and much healthier than being stuck in a car in a traffic jam. This will be a fun day out for everyone in a safe, supportive, positive atmosphere, showing how much safer and more pleasant our streets can be.

COME AND JOIN US!

If you feel it’s time to promote cycling and encourage a more sustainable Haringey, or if you would like to get involved, visit the Haringey Solidarity Group website: www.haringey.org.uk

Earth First! summer gathering – Wednesday 18th July until Sunday 22nd July 2007 – location & programme announced

What is the Earth First! Summer Gathering?

* Are you fed up with bare-faced lies from politicians, big business and the media?
* Have you had enough of a world where corporate profit comes before life and dignity?
* Do you want to see an end to mindless consumption>
* Then this Gathering is for you! Read on…

EF! gathering '07 logo (rabbit/fence)What is the Earth First! Summer Gathering?

* Are you fed up with bare-faced lies from politicians, big business and the media?
* Have you had enough of a world where corporate profit comes before life and dignity?
* Do you want to see an end to mindless consumption>
* Then this Gathering is for you! Read on…

Exploring alternatives to the corporate world of greed, lies & exploitation –

The Earth First! Summer Gathering is the place where people involved in radical ecological direct action – or those who want to be involved – get together for five days of time and space to talk, walk, share skills, learn, play, rant, find out what’s going on, find out what’s next, live outside, strategise, hang out, incite, laugh and conspire.

The gathering is also a practical example of non-hierarchical low-impact living in action.

We are a diverse community with a wide range of approaches to our action, so there should be plenty to interest and inspire everyone whether you have been active for years or are completely new to it all.

More info at earthfirstgathering.org.uk

Christiania under attack and Copenhagen-Update

15.05.2007
The police entered christiania yesterday to evict and demolish a house, that partly burned down a couple of years ago. The eviction lead to a night of street fighting in the area. Timeline is translated from modkraft.dk

Christiania May 07 house eviction 115.05.2007
The police entered christiania yesterday to evict and demolish a house, that partly burned down a couple of years ago. The eviction lead to a night of street fighting in the area. Timeline is translated from modkraft.dk

Yesterday’s attack on christiania has to be seen in connection with the attack on Ungdomshuset the 1st of march which lead to a week of riots all over Copenhagen. Again the police is now attacking a free space in Copenhagen that has been under attack from both police and government several times the last couple of years

The reason was officially that there had been made new constructions on the house which against the new administration “rules” for christiania that forbids any construction at all, which also lead to another major police raid in september 2006. Unofficially it is said that the eviction might be a test from the police to see the reaction to evictions on christiania, prior to the promised eviction of all “illegally” build houses in the area..

From several politicians and the opinion in general among left radicals the official reason for the attack has been critized as being pointless. The house was officially asked to be removed by Christiania themselves back in 2006 and there hasn’t been any reason stated why it had to be removed just now a month and a half after Ungdomshuset and a week before the court decides whether or not 3 houses on Christiania should also be evicted.

To many it seems like the police is training for these evictions of houses that are still in function and also this might be an attempt to shift the public opinion AGAINST Christiania by creating and provoking several riots in the area week after week.

However, the riots and fighting yesterday also shows that the police isn’t always the strongest force. People were caught by surprise this morning when they attacked Christiania but by evening the demonstrators proved to be a much more prepared and stronger force than the police seem to have been prepared for.

Even though Copenhagen might have seemed to disappear again in the international news the city has been the center for huge political mobilizations time after time and there has been more and more focus on police brutality in the danish news.
At the same time sentences has been decided by the city court against some of those people arrested around 1st of march. Most of them have been confession trials and might therefor not give any hint about future trials but in one or two trials people have been sentenced for long jail punishments even though there was more civil witnesses supporting them than police witnesses against them.

——-
From modkraft.dk:

Kl. 01.51

The police has bloked Prinsessegade (main road to christiania) and has parked a big amount of vans and officers on the main square in the area Christianshavns Torv

The situation seems unchanged.

Modkraft.dk is ending tonights reportage

Kl. 01.39

A police attack hasn’t begun anyway. Four police vans are parked across Prinsessegade with a number of officers in gas masks in front of and behind the vans.

Further up the street closer to Christiania molotov cocktails and teargas granats are thrown in each others direction but without any real movement.

The police has all equipment ready but nothing is happening

Kl. 01.28

A witness reports that the police has taken on gasmasks and is standing next to their vans by the church half way between the square Christianshavns Torv and the entrance to Christiania

The witness thinks it looks like the preparation for a final attack on the demonstrators.

Kl. 01.24

There has just been new clashes between demonstrators and police around Prinsessegade and Bådmandsstræde.

The police moved forward in vans and had rocks thrown after them. The police then retreated and fired teargas at the demonstrators.

In return the demonstrators threw at least 3 molotovcocktails at the police

It seems as if the clashes doesn’t lead to any changes in position. The police has again retreated.

Kl. 01.05

The fighting between demonstrators and police seems to stop just as slowly. There aren’t as many demonstrators on the street as earlier in the evening.

There is still a lot of clashes with the police where paintbombs and molotovs are thrown at the police

A witness has estimated the number of demonstrators to be around 100 but there is more inside christiania.

Kl. 00.55

After demonstrators have been retreated to christiania they have now started running out in different locations in the area. There is fighting in a street next to Prinsessegade. The police is slowly retreating.

There are still huge amounts of gas in the streets but the wind keeps spreading it out.

Kl. 00.41

There is still fighting between police and demonstrators in Prinsessegade. Also there is still a lot of gas in the streets but the demonstrators are just moving according to the amount of gas, retreating when there is too much. Molotovs are frequently being thrown at the police

The demonstrators are pouring water on the teargas bullets (?), moving from one to another with water bottles.

The area is covered with a huge policeforce.

Kl. 00.24

The police has fired extremely much teargas in the streets. A witness says taht the demonstrators are crying and vomitting. But people still havent given up but are instead very aggressive. A lot is retreating from the gas but several demonstrators are staying.

Water and lemons are handed out among the demonstrators.

The wind in the area is continuing and the demonstrators are moing towards the police as soon as the gas is gone.

Teargas has just been fired into christiania over the musikplace Loppen (www.loppen.dk)

Kl. 00.18

There are burning barricades several places in the area. In a parallel street to Prinsessegade a larger barricade is on fire

Kl. 00.13

Everything is quiet on Sankt Hans Torv where a demonstration was suppose to start at midnight. 15-20 demonstrators are hanging out there and there isn’t any sign of disturbance.

Kl. 00.11

A clash is being prepared in Prinsessegade. The police has fired huge amounts of gas in the street but a wind is spreading it out. That makes the demonstrators move forward as soon as the worst amount of gas is gone

The police seems to be hesitating, according to a source

Kl. 23.59

The police moved towards the demonstrators a moment ago. They were met with rocks and the like.

One van was set on fire which is out again by now

A minute after the attack the police retreated again and regrouped.
They fired gas at the demonstrators

The demonstrators have retreated a bit but are very disciplined. They are yelling “Hold the line” to each other. A witness calls them “ready for battle”

Kl. 23.55

The situation is tense. Barricades are build in Prinsessegade

By Bådmandsstræde a smaller clash is happening. Opposite earlier the police is hesitating a bit. At other attacks the police has answered to demonstrators’ attacks with powerful attack on them.

It is the demonstrators that are offensive now.. They are yelling out paroles against police brutality

The house the police evicted this morning has been rebuild.

Kl. 23.47

SMS-messages has called for a demonstration at Nørrebro at midnight. As the demonstrations on christiania and in the area earlier it is to protest the eviction of a house on christiania earlier today

Kl. 23. 42

There are two large burning barricades in Prinsessegade. One of them was attacked by a police 15 minutes ago.

A new fire is being made between the two barricades. The mood is tense & battle-prepared.

The area has been blocked by police. No one can enter or leave the neighbourhood. Even the metro has been stopped.

Witnesses describe the situation as silence before the storm

Kl. 23.33

Police has just started a massive and violent attack on the entrance to Christiania. This is after demonstrators again has made attacks on the police. A single demonstrator didn’t make it away and has been arrested and carried away

Kl. 23.23:

The police attacked the entrance to christiania five minutes ago. The demonstrators replied with molotovs, rocks and bottles.

The police has retreated again and a new attack is expected.

There are several burning barricades in the area

The riots started shortly after 22 o’clock where a demonstration on the main square in the area started by sms’s started a larger fire and build barricades. The police attacked the demonstration after about 10 minutes and at least 25 people were arrested.

The demonstrators spread out in the area afterwards and started building burning barricades around the entrances to christiania.

Politiken.dk writes that at least 42 persons had been arrested at 22.30

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Pictures & video: http://indymedia.dk/article/1153
http://politiken.dk/poltv/?ExtID=1646
http://politiken.dk/poltv/?ExtID=1646

More video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImOBGgLEBHI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpse1ohja4g
playlist:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=D96F3A4AD2D6B746

Dublin Shell to Sea – Bringing it all Back Home

Day of Action – They deserve it and you deserve better

On the 18th of May Dublin Shell to Sea is going to escalate its campaign against Shell’s command centre – Corrib house on Leeson Street with another day of action starting at 7.30 am sharp. This attempt to shut down Shell’s HQ, like our last day of action (http://www.indymedia.ie/article/82200), is being called to highlight the incredible theft of our natural resources that totals 51 billion euros in the Corrib field alone. This is only possible with your help; we encourage everyone to come along.

1st Dublin Shell Day of Action 1
1st Dublin Shell Day of Action 2
Day of Action – They deserve it and you deserve better

On the 18th of May Dublin Shell to Sea is going to escalate its campaign against Shell’s command centre – Corrib house on Leeson Street with another day of action starting at 7.30 am sharp. This attempt to shut down Shell’s HQ, like our last day of action (http://www.indymedia.ie/article/82200), is being called to highlight the incredible theft of our natural resources that totals 51 billion euros in the Corrib field alone. This is only possible with your help; we encourage everyone to come along.

Dublin Shell HQ mapFuel Poverty – A National Scandal
Ireland is currently facing a crisis. Our health service verges on the brink of collapse as our nurses are forced to strike for decent working conditions. Our politicians have told us they can’t give in, in fear we all might ask for decent conditions.

We have been constantly reminded in the election campaign about how much we owe our politicians. We are told the Celtic Tiger has brought untold riches and this country is now awash with money. This is true to a certain extent. More money has been generated and emigration has stopped. But still all is far from perfect in this country. Money has been wasted and the greatest giveaway is happening as we speak. 51 billion euros of our natural gas reserves is being given to Shell, Marathon and Statoil (for more info on deal see http://www.publicinquiry.ie/reports.php). Whilst these figures are often too big to contemplate, it is sometimes easier to look at who is being directly affected. As usual it is those who need help most who will be affected worst.

Unbelievably, each winter, up to 3,000 people die prematurely every year from fuel poverty (‘The Potential Health Benefits of Improving Household Energy Efficiency’ Clinch and Healy 2000 and Help The Aged., source: http://www.eirigi.org/campaigns/naturalresources/fuel_p…y.htm). This is our parents and grandparents who are dying. What is our politicians’ response to this? Instead of trying to solve the problem they gave away the one thing that could alleviate the problem – natural gas. Above all else natural gas could have ensured that three thousand people lived out their lives, but they chose to give it away instead (http://www.publicinquiry.ie/reports.php).

Royal Dutch Shell A.G.M. in The Hague
Whilst our politicians are to blame they are not the only ones. Shell, Statoil and Marathon are the thieves in this situation and are making away with enormous amounts of our resources. This week one of the thieves, Shell, will celebrate their grotesque profits at their A. G.M. in Holland. It’s quite telling that the only place that Shell’s board of directors can be held to account (if you are rich) is in a conference hall in The Hague. We the rightful beneficiaries of the natural gas deposits off our west coast won’t have a say.

The new beneficiaries are people like the Queen of Holland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Beatrice) Lord Kerr of Kinlochard (also director of Rio Tinto, Jeroen van der Veer, Linda Cook, Andy Pyle and Terry Nolan (for other members of Shell’s board of directors see (http://www.search.shell.com/cgi-bin/rsearch.cgi). Throughout this week Royal Dutch Shell will wine and dine the global elite and divide out 51 billion euros of our money.
At this meeting the rest of Shell’s shareholders will get the chance to see how their investments are doing and decide what to do with €51 billion they stole from you and Shell’s executives this year will no doubt have a nice cigar and champagne at your expense.

These men and women with their suits and briefcases will sit smug in The Hague with their caviar in the knowledge that they have ripped off a country that needs its resources badly – Our health service verges on the brink of collapse as our nurses are forced to strike for a decent wage, our elderly now live in fear of Winter as up to 3000 people die each year from fuel poverty and pensions are being privatised.

What you can do?
But all is not doom and gloom, on Friday the 18th just as Shell’s Irish elite arrive back having given away our resources to the global rich. Dublin Shell to Sea plans to greet these people by shutting down their Irish nerve centre and headquarters – Corrib House. This is the building where all decisions are taken, where they hatched the plans to steal our resources and target the Mayo communities in their relentless pursuit of profit. So come and join us in protesting against these criminals and blockade their offices on Friday the 18th of May – they deserve it and you deserve better!

Related Link: http://www.shelltosea.com