Scotland (Central & Southern) – Page 33

Iceland actions – Scotland & Iceland

Saving Iceland Blockades Century Smelter at Grundartangi
19.07.2007

News of Saving Iceland’s latest action as part of the Summer of Resistance to the aluminium industry in Iceland.

Saving Iceland Blockades Century Smelter at Grundartangi
19.07.2007

News of Saving Iceland’s latest action as part of the Summer of Resistance to the aluminium industry in Iceland.

GRUNDARTANGI – Saving Iceland has this afternoon closed the single supply road from Highway 1 to the Century/Nordural smelter on Hvalfjordur and the steel factory Elkem – Icelandic Alloys. Saving Iceland opposes the planned new Century smelter at Helguvik and the expansion of the Icelandic Alloys factory. Activists have used lock-ons (metal arm tubes) to form a human blockade on the road and have occupied a construction site crane.

Century Aluminum, a part of the recently formed Russian-Swiss RUSAL/Glencore/SUAL conglomorate, want to build a second smelter in Iceland in Helguvik with a projected capacity of at least 250.000 metric tons per annum. The planned site is designed to accommodate further expansion. Grundartangi has this year been extended to 260.000 mtpa.

Currently, an environmental impact assessment (1) is under review for the Helguvik smelter, produced by the construction consultants HRV (Honnun/Rafhonnun/VST).

“It is absurd that an engineering company with a vested interest in the smelter construction could be considered to produce an objective impact assessment. The document makes absurd claims, such as that pollution is really not a problem because Helguvik is such a windy place that the pollution will just blow away,” says Saving Iceland’s Snorri Páll Jónsson Úlfhildarson.”

“This smelter will demand new geothermal power plants at Seltún, Sandfell, Austurengjar and Trölladyngju. In addition to the Hengill area which has already been seriously damaged by Reykjavik Energy. The impact assessment does not take these into account, nor the impact of the huge amount of
power lines and pylons required. The plants will ruin the natural and scenic value of the whole peninsula. Also, the recquired capacity, 400 MW, exceeds the natural capactity of the geothermal spots, and they will cool down in three to four decades (2). And Century admits it wants the site to expand further in the next decades. So it is obvious that this smelter will not just ruin Reykjanes but also need
additional hydropower.”

The impact procedure seems to be completely irrelevant anyway, since the company has completed an equity offering worth $360 million to be deployed for partly financing the construction of the Helguvik smelter project (3). This indicates that Century already has high level assurances that the project is to continue no matter what.

This completely contradicts the claims the new government of
Iceland, and particularly it’s environment minister Þórunn
Sveinbjarnardóttir, is opposed to new smelter projects.

Icelandic Alloys wants to expand its facility for producing
ferrosilicon for the steel industry. It is in fact one of Iceland’s largest contributors to greenhouse gases and other pollutants (4).

“Expansion of Icelandic Alloys and Century considerably contribute to Iceland’s greenhouse emissions. If there are no further expansions of heavy industry beyond Grundartangi and ALCOA Fjardaal, Iceland will emit 38% more greenhouse gases than in 1990. If other expansion plans continue, levels would rise to an incredible 63% above 1990 levels. (5). That is completely irresponsible.

This shows that all the talk about ‘green energy’ from hydro and geothermal is, in reality, a lie. Icelanders have to rise up against these foreign corporations,” says Úlfhildarson.

More information:
http://www.savingiceland.org

Notes and references:
1. Environmental Impact Assesment, HRV, may 2007, http://www.hrv.is/media/files/Frummatsskýrsla_2007-05-02_low%20res.pdf
2. Landvernd, Letter to national planning agency, 28th June 2007, http://www.landvernd.is/myndir/Umsogn_Helguvik.pdf
3. Credit Suisse, June 12th 2007, http://www.newratings.com/
analyst_news/article_1548857.html
4. Icelandic Ministry of the Environment, March 2006, http://
unfccc.int/resource/docs/natc/islnc4.pdf
5. Idem.

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Icelandic Embassy Targeted by Activists

On the morning of 20th July, the Icelandic embassy on Queen St, Edinburgh was targeted by members of Saving Iceland(1). Paint was thrown on the building, the lock was glued and a message was affixed to the exterior reading “The Whole World is Watching”. “Iceland Bleeds” was also painted on the steps. The action served as response to recent acts of police brutality against Saving Iceland activists in Reykjavik who continue to oppose the assault on the Icelandic wilderness by heavy industry.

Icelandic Police attacked a non-violent Reclaim the Streets protest in the centre of Reykjavik, on July 14th. Video evidence(2) shows Icelandic police violently throwing protesters to the ground while others were punched and kicked. Five peaceful protesters were held in police cells, one with a broken rib after the police attack. The Reclaim the Streets demonstration was part of a continuing action camp held near Reykjavik this summer, involving activists from across the globe, including Scotland.

The recent expansion of large-scale aluminium production in Iceland has involved a barely democratic process and a comprehensive devastation of vast natural areas on a scale unprecedented in Europe today.

The Saving Iceland activists responsible for the action against the Icelandic Embassy state:
“We are sending a clear message to the Icelandic government that the destruction of unique ecosystems has environmental implications for us all. The repression of those who are opposing these destructive mega–projects is unacceptable. In the context of the current climate crisis we must all take responsibility for the destruction of our planet by criminal corporations such as Alcoa. The whole world is watching”.

The action in Edinburgh was an expression of solidarity with the activists and Icelandic people who are attempting to stand up to the unjust rule of the aluminium industry over democracy. Saving Iceland activists state: “We will not stop until the corporate invasion of the Icelandic wilderness has ceased. The world is not dying, it is being murdered. And those who are doing it need to be held accountable.”

(1) Saving Iceland is an Icelandic based direct action group opposed to continued expansion of heavy industry in Iceland. It involves participants from all over the world in collective resistance to the Icelandic state’s “Masterplan” which includes the damming of every major glacial river in Iceland by 2020 solely for the purpose of aluminum smelting. Saving Iceland has organised three summers of international protest to halt this vast destruction. It will not cease it’s opposition until all aluminum production leaves Iceland. For more info visit www.savingiceland.org

(2) Video documentation of the police violence on Saturday 14th in Reykjavik can be found at the following link. Note the use of pressure points applied for an extended period to the man on the ground and the accompanying and prolonged screaming: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NenbTc0cQs4&mode=user&search

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The Clown Army and Saving Iceland invade Reykjavik Energy building
20.07.2007

Clowns redecorate Reykjavik Energy O.R.s interior with banner. Strawberries were offered by the corporate scum, but the clowns were not swayed from their action.

Today 25 protestors from Saving Iceland went into Orkuveitu Reykjavíkur (Reykjavik Energy, O.R.) and hung up a banner inside stating: ‘Vopnaveita Reykjavíkur?’ (‘Reykjavik Arms-dealers?’). The banner was not hung outside as planned earlier because of weather conditions. Protestors stayed in the building from 15.15 until 16.00 hrs.

Páll Erland speaking on behalf of O.R. states that they offered strawberries to protestors and welcomed Saving Iceland to put up the banner. While Erland might be happy to discuss strawberries with their visitors, they certainly did not give permission to hang up a banner indicating that they sell energy to companies known to be involved in arms production and serious human rights violations (as documented in our earlier press release). Saving Iceland has now contacted O.R., requesting they put up the banner and discuss publicly with us the ethics of selling energy to corporate criminals such as Century-RUSAL and Alcan-RioTinto.

Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh under threat

We have 12 days to submit objections to the planning department.
please circulate widely and respond asap.

The Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh is under threat as the landlord has put in a planning application to turn the space into a flat. ACE is now the only social centre left in scotland.

We have recently reopened after extensive renovations and continue to be a valuable resource

www.autonomous.org.uk for more information on our current activities

We have 12 days to submit objections to the planning department.
please circulate widely and respond asap.

The Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh is under threat as the landlord has put in a planning application to turn the space into a flat. ACE is now the only social centre left in scotland.

We have recently reopened after extensive renovations and continue to be a valuable resource

www.autonomous.org.uk for more information on our current activities

We need as many folk as possible to write to the following address as soon as possible – we have about 12 days left to object.

you can use the template letter below but it carries more weight if it is a personal letter. please also include your name,address and the date:

kirsty.hope@edinburgh.gov.uk
Planning and Strategy Department
for the attention of Kirsty Hope
Waverley Court
Level G2
4 East Market St
Edinburgh EH8 8BG

with this subject stated:

Re Planning Application 07/02348/FUL

17 West Montgomery Place, Edinburgh EH7 5HA

in solidarity
on behalf of ace
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below attached letter

To the Head of Planning and Strategy, City Development Department, City of Edinburgh Council, 1 Cockburn Street, Edinburgh EH1 1ZJ

Re Planning Application 07/02348/FUL

17 West Montgomery Place, Edinburgh EH7 5HA

Dear Sir/ Madam

I wish to object to the application for planning permission to convert the above property into a flat. This would result in the loss of the valuable community facility currently provided in these premises.

I consider that the ACE charity operating in 17 West Montgomery Place provides a very useful resource in this neighbourhood, and serves a real local need.

I understand that the Council’s development policy is to protect local shops, community halls and meeting rooms – I would urge that this policy be adhered to, and that this planning application be refused.

Yours sincerely

SIGNATURE

Any additional comment :

ace@autonomous.org.uk
http://www.autonomous.org.uk

If you could also send a copy of your message to the local councillors for the Leith Walk ward, that would be great.
Here are their details.

Councillor Angela Blacklock (Labour)
angela.blacklock@edinburgh.gov.uk

Councillor Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party)
deidre.brock@edinburgh.gov.uk

Councillor Maggie Chapman (Green Party)
maggie.chapman@edinburgh.gov.uk
as she is on holiday, please also send to
Councillor Alison Johnstone (Green Party)
alison.johnstone@edinburgh.gov.uk

Councillor Louise Lang (Liberal Democrats)
louise.lang@edinburgh.gov.uk

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

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

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

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

Camp for Climate Action comes to Heathrow this summer.

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

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

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

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

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

Why target aviation?

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

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

Why target Heathrow?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Future critical mass dates are

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

July York Critical Mass Ride Small but Successful

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

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

Miffed by Miffy

I don’t know how it came about but the Miffy rabbit character has for a long time been associated with the Earth First! movement and radical ecological direct action. But do the creators and copyright owners of the character know or approve of Miffy’s political activities?…

Miffy is a picture book character created by Dick Bruna in 1955, after telling his one-year-old son Sierk stories about a rabbit they had seen on holiday. Miffy now features in about 30 titles which have been translated into 40 different languages, selling over 80 million copies all over the world.

Drawn in a very minimalist style, Miffy requires only a few lines and one or two primary colors drawn in two dimensions to be recognisable. Perhaps this, and the sense of air of innocence over mischief explains why she become involved in ecological direct action.

It’s unclear exactly when exactly it began but you can trace her political activities, in this country at least, back to the early 90’s and the anti-roads movement. Seen coyly holding a spanner behind her back, one could only imagine the trail of monkey wrenching she left behind her in her efforts to defend the fields, woodland and hedgerows she loved.

By the late nineties, with the roads building program in retreat, Miffy joined the growing anti GM movement, taking up a spade to join the resistance. More recently, Miffy joined her fellow protesters for a game of golf up in Scotland during the 2005 G8 summit and who know, perhaps she also took part in the blockades in Heiligendamm this year.

At over fifty years old you’d think that Miffy would be her own person, free to express her political beliefs as she sees fit but sadly it appears not. The copyright owners of all Dick Bruna’s character constantly hunt down unlicensed users of her image in order to defend their profitable merchandising business.

While Miffy was created for a children’s book, the design has been capitalised on to sell numerous other products like clothes, stationery, toys, glasses, household items etc. A search for Miffy products on google brings up over 100,000 pages and no doubt many of the products sold are unlicensed copies made in far eastern sweat shops.

However, Mercis, the Dutch company that owns the copyright, are not content to simply take action on those producing ‘fake’ merchandise, they appears to have stumbled on Miffy’s radical secret life and they are not amused. They are deeply offended, ironically, by Miffys involvement in the campaign against patents on life, as depicted in sticker produced many years ago promoting the (long dead), www.resistanceisfertile.com website – copies of which can now only be found in resource archives of the (no longer maintained) Totnes Against Genetics (ToGG) website.

Mercis (www.mercis.nl) have unleashed their legal team to threaten expensive legal action against whoever might be held accountable – the inactive Totnes Genetics Group who’s long unmaintained website sill contains a picture of that Miffy sticker.

While ToGG volunteers try to get long forgotten passwords and access from the internet service provider which hosts the website in order to remove the offending image, more important questions have been raised. Will Miffy tolerate this attack on her freedom of expression and will her friends in the movement stand idly by and watch as her freedom to protest is taken away?

Other siting of Miffy can be found at https://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/06/374195.html?c=on#comments

Greenpeace gives away free train tickets at airports across the UK

19 June 2007.

UPDATE (9.25am): The booths have now all been moved by security.

Over the past hour or so, impromptu ticket exchange booths have been appearing in airports across the UK.

19 June 2007.

UPDATE (9.25am): The booths have now all been moved by security.

Over the past hour or so, impromptu ticket exchange booths have been appearing in airports across the UK.

Greenpeace volunteers (fetchingly dressed as stewards and stewardesses – pics here) have been offering BA passengers checking into domestic flights climate-friendly train tickets.

It’s not just because we’re generous souls – it’s also because flying causes 10 times more damage to the climate than taking the train. And it’s responsible for 13 per cent of the UK’s impact on the climate (that’s the government’s own figures).

It’s also the fastest growing source of emissions in the UK; between 1990 and 2050, emissions from aviation could quadruple, which scientists say could wipe out all other emissions savings we make in every other sector.

The main cause of this massive growth in the UK is the proliferation of short haul flights – often unnecessary domestic ones like the 30 or so a day between London and Manchester.

British Airways (despite its claims to be green) is one of the worst offenders, opening new and unnecessary domestic routes, fiercely opposing any measures that will curb growth in emissions, keeping a tight hold over government policy and lobbying hard for airport expansion.

You can find out more about aviation and climate change here.

And you can email BA’s Chief Executive, Willie Walsh, asking him to ground unnecessary domestic UK flights on routes that are already well served by trains, and to end BA’s lobbying for more runways and bigger airports.

faslane peace camp 25 years

Peace Camp 25th B-Day.

Faslane peace camp is about to enter it’s 25th year!!

And so we havin a party, pity we’re still here as is trident, but come join the fun

15th-17th JUNE THIS WEEKEND!!

Peace Camp 25th B-Day.

Faslane peace camp is about to enter it’s 25th year!!

And so we havin a party, pity we’re still here as is trident, but come join the fun

15th-17th JUNE THIS WEEKEND!!

WORKSHOPS, ACTIONS, MUSIC, DANCE, MAYHEM, FOOD. SOUND SYSTEMS,
Bring what you expect to find!!

Tis all free, just turn up and enjoy. SPREAD THE WORD.

all welcome, bands welcome, ppl to do workshops etc

fone is 01436820901

Get train from glasgow to helensburgh, then local 316 bus to peace camp. Tis very easy.

BILSTON GLEN 5TH BIRTHDAY PARTY

Bilston Glen 5th Birthday Party and Sunday Free Cafe, on 24th June
Day time: Free food, workshops, film showings, acoustic jamming

Evening: Sound system and party. Also jamming and chill out space at the main fire-pit

So come on down to the woods, if you haven’t been before, this is the PERFECT opportunity to get involved.
For more info and how to get there see our

home page

and our

myspace

Critical Mass reports – London, Manchester, Glasgow, Bristol, Edinburgh, York

London:
The cycle police were pretty laid back and vastly outnumbered, though they did still try to manage the ride by blocking the front so that the back could catch up. What does it matter if a 1,000 riders get split into two or more though? Towards the end of the ride the police seemed to give up doing anything, they didn’t even try to stop a couple of cars going the wrong way down a one way street, and they just blended in and became a part of the Mass.

The police intervened with an incident with a young rider at King’s Cross. I couldn’t make out whether the rider had been involved in accident and the police were just taking particulars or if the rider was being reprimanded. Anyway this led to some booing from the Mass.

Participants did quite a lot of blockading traffic and even a small sit
down in Parliament Square, though this was probably celebratory and
defiant. Nothing was done to stop the sound systems playing in the SOCPA zone this time. The impression I got from other riders was that this was a very good Mass. I went expecting the worst and got almost the best.

http://criticalmasslondon.org.uk

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the incident at kings cross involved a rider being caught stealing a light from the back of a cops bike. the police got pissed and tried to arrest her but a few other riders, and unfortunately i mean a few, intervened and let it be known that it would be very difficult for the police to arrest her – which they decided would therefore not be worth it. i personally think that those on the CM should not allow fellow riders to be arrested – an easy thing to acheive when we vastly outnumber the cops.
respect to the few that helped out.

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The atmosphere on the ride was really friendly with a few small sound systems and a variety of pretty mad bikes and trailers adding to the magic. There were loads of new faces and people of every age and background.

There were also plenty of cops. They had talked to a few people as the ride met up at Waterloo Bridge and were seen handing some kind of paperwork to the owner of one of the sound systems, but no sign of any significant attempt to curtail the ride. Far from being oppressive, they kept themselves to themselves on the whole.

I personally got a quite pissed off a few times by seemingly inconsiderate behavior from the ride itself – for example, not letting pedestrians cross the road. In another example, a bus coming in the opposite direction was blocked by cyclists on the wrong side of the road and held up for at least ten minutes as a result.
The cops did grab a few idiots and give them some stern words on several occasions throughout the ride for cycling on the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic.

The police made fools of themselves at Parliament Square when they tried to block the rides third or forth rotation around the square and ended up stalling the ride there for a good half hour. The ride would have moved off much quicker if left to it’s own devices as the ride likes to move and becomes impatient when people stop.

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Videos from London:

Quicktime video – video/mp4 9.3M
Windows video – video/x-ms-wmv 13M

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Manchester video rough-cut

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BIG BIKE BLESSING – Another great Critical Mass bike ride in Glasgow

About 80 cyclists came out to the Big Bike Blessing on this sunny evening in Glasgow. The priest from the church of the Holly Bikes were sent by St Cycle to help cyclists realize that by ridding their bikes they are actually saving the city dwellers and the planet at the same time. Every cyclists was praised as a hero, a savior for they are the only ones that can help this oil driven economy. They are the only ones that can bring fresh air to the contaminated city. They are the ones taking action on a daily bases no matter where they are from, what their religion might be, or what their profession is. The bike will save us. AMEN!

Holly oil was used to bless about 20 bikes and every cyclist was thanked for their incredible achievement, their heroic act of using their self propelled vehicles. They were told that the Great St Cycles is looking over all of us and that we will be looked after during our ride around the city as long as we stick together.

The ceremonious aspect of this gathering actually created some great interactions and made people curious to the point of wanting to know more. There were some very interesting discussion about our religious belief in bikes (which challenged people in their own beliefs). This also brought all the cyclists together.

As for cultural diversity, and just to show that it’s not about the religion but about bikes, there were a few people sending blessings dressed in a more Hindu style as well. There was even some strange reptile that decided to join the ceremonies of the day.

The Weird Bike Show brought out the ZEM (Zero Emissions Machine) once again, with it’s hopping sound system and provided the brothers and sisters from the church of the Holly Bikes a brilliant ride.

The promised Divine Intervention did occur around Trongate where a pair of shoes belonging to no other than St Cycles were carefully left on top of an electric box before he himself was taken to the sky.

As for the police charging cyclists of blocking traffic last month, there was a completely different vibe this month. There were two police officers on bikes that came along to the ride. They were very mellow and therefor were given quite a few blessings.

We also have some excellent footage that shows how fast bikes can get out of the way to let things like fire trucks and the police through. The only thing holding these emergency vehicles up were the motors … not bikes.

The mass finished in George Sq where everyone left was stamped with a ‘Bike Route’ Stamp ensuring a special discount to the gig at the Art School with Jumble Sales Sound System and Bedlam Boudoir fancy burlesque night.

For those that claimed Critical Mass was dead … I’m pleased to inform you that our numbers are still growing and we’re loving it.

Bless you Bike!!

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Bristol: Critical Mass yesterday was phenomenal. I think we had over 100 participants and it was flowing beautifully for about 40 minutes… Then of course some drivers, three I think, all got a bit impatient all at once and a couple of cyclists were knocked over, 14 police cars an ambulance and a riot van, two arrests later, tail backs from the Fountains right up past Stokes Croft… all got a bit nasty. It will be interesting to see if the press have anything to say and what the police presence is next time…

Just to be clear though, whilst there was quite a lot going on as far as I am aware at least one of those arrested got stuck in to the fracas after the police arrived and had nothing to do with the ride itself, and neither of the cyclists who were hit behaved inappropriately at any point. No motorists were arrested and the police let one hit and run driver leave the scene without formally recording an accident, despite him having deliberately rammed a cyclist and ruined his bicycle.

So, people, I understand there will be another ride on the 29th of May. Meet 5.30pm at the Fountains, leave at 6pm. Those of you who aren’t at Glastonbury that is. The more reasonable cyclists that attend the better we can create a good organic flow and have a safe and effective ride to celebrate cycling.

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I was at the Edinburgh Critical Mass yesterday, with about 15 or 20 of us there. It went along fairly peacefully, with the exception of the police in the middle of the meadows. The banner that someone had, had to be taken down, but apart from that there was no issue, apart from some tailbacks.

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York‘s May Critical Mass a success

Somewhere between 35 and 40 riders took part in this months ride including a number of new faces. Flags displaying statements such as “One Less Car” and “I [bike] YRK” were attached to people’s bikes as they assembled at the Minster. The large amounts of fliering in the previous week seemed to have had a wonderful effect, though the weather could have been better. We met some interesting responses along the way. When we reached the suggested end point of St Sampsons Square, the ride ended up continuing to circle the square for some time before finally stopping. It definitely looks like, having slipped to just 20 a month, the ride is heading back to higher numbers, and could make 100 by the end of the year.
At 6:05 the ride left, heading for Holgate Road and Poppleton Road. After crossing Clifton Bridge, the ride headed down Water End into Clifton, and after a messy turn, proceeded along Kingsway North to the roundabout, where the customary 2.5 rotations was achieved. The ride then followed Crighton Avenue to Burton Stone Lane, where the away team coach for the evening’s City match was found coming in the opposite direction. The ride turned towards town, in along Bootham, through Gillygate, through Lord Mayors walk and out along Monkgate, where the roundabout provided yet more fun. Back in, through Bootham Bar, and round the Minster, then over to the Assembly Rooms and Davey Gate. At this point, the ride approached the agreed finishing point in St Sampsons Square. Due to the cycle racks and phones, the ride went round the first side, where upon, instead of turning into the square, it continued onwards around and around. So immature, but so much fun!

Activist Mediation Network – open for business

The Activist Mediation Network is now up and running. If you know of any activist group or activist individual who has a conflict which is affecting their ability to change our world for the better, then get in touch and we may be able to help sort it out.

activistmediation@aktivix.org
www.activistmediation.org.uk

We are continuing to run training days for people wanting to learn conflict resolution and mediation skills.

Upcoming dates
Monday June 18th in Norwich. Day 1 – How we deal with conflict, Conflict resolution tools, Basic mediation practice. Limited places available.
Book asap by emailing us.

We are probably going to do a 2 day course at the Earth First gathering in Norfolk, 18-22nd July. This is especially for those going to Climate Camp. It will go like this:

Friday July 20th – Day 1 – How we deal with conflict, Conflict resolution tools, Basic mediation practice.

Saturday July 21st – Day 2 – Practising mediation skills. Only available to people who have completed a Day 1 with us.

These days will only run if there is enough demand. There will be limites places and we may decide people need to commit in advance. Get in touch if you are interested.

Apologies that all these dates are in Norfolk. If you think there is a demand for a training day in your area, do get in touch.