Category: South East England

South East England

Earth First! Direct Action Manual Is Ready for Print

Cover for Direct Action Manual

Cover for Direct Action Manual

Earth First! Direct Action Manual. To support this publication, preorder your copy or donate today.

After several years in development, the Earth First! Direct Action Manual is ready to go to press. A group of frontline activists has assembled over 300 pages of diagrams, descriptions of techniques and a comprehensive overview of the role direct action plays in our campaigns in defense of the Earth.

We are now in a three-week fundraising campaign to ensure that this critical book gets out to people who can use it. You can preorder your copy and get some extra thank you gifts for your early endorsement by donating today. More importantly, though, we have offered a chance for you to help us spread this knowledge. Every donation over $50 gives you the chance to send a free copy of the manual to a campaign of your choice. The more you give, the more manuals we can put in the mail.

The manual will be printed in the coming month with longtime Earth First! partner, The Gloo Factory. This community-minded, union print shop has supplied Earth First! and its affiliates with stickers and merchandise for decades and remains committed to using a high standard for recycled and reclaimed material, as well as supportive worker conditions.

The manual was first printed nearly two decades ago and has been out of print since its initial dissemination. Though many of the considerations for civil disobedience and intervention have remained tried and true, new elements have altered the ways we put these tactics into action. The Earth First! Direct Action Manual will continue the role of safe and effective actions in stopping the destruction of the planet.

Support this effort today!

Reclaim the Power gathering 8-9 February

After an incredible day of idea generation and visioning at the last gathering, it’s time for concrete proposals and decisions about our next steps.


Location: Oxford
Time: Saturday 8th February 11am ­­– Sunday 9th 4pm
Address: TBC
Crash Space/Social: Provided. Further details TBC.
Meals: Provided, donation cost TBC
Travel Pool: Available. Please book travel tickets in advance so that this can support the most people.
Notes from Manchester Visioning Day are here: http://bit.ly/1lQ0Yd3

In early December a large number of people came together to discuss the radical visions they had for the future – visions that Reclaim the Power, as a network, could help bring about.

It was a very open day of discussion with a clear structure, but with no pre-planned agenda. Everything we talked about was generated by participants, and a huge number of different ideas were placed on the table.

So what next? Well, the idea is that all of that discussion feeds into a month of creative proposal making before the next gathering. This will be a space for short and medium-term decision making where we work out what we’re doing in the next few months – and how this fits in with long term visions.

Rough proposal area groups formed at the December gathering, including:

1. How to challenge corporate power
2. Movement and diversity
3. Energy and fossil fuels
4. Positive solutions

If you would like to link up with these groups and input into proposals for next steps, just contact info@nodashforgas.org.uk and you will be put in touch with a group contact.

This said, all proposals are welcome! If you’re working on your own, outside these groups, then great. The more ideas the better.

The proposal deadline is the 31st January 2014. Please try and follow this rough four point list when writing them, as it is essential that all the proposals be considered on an equal footing.

1. What is it?
2. How does it link to long-term strategic aims?
3. Timeline?
4. Resources needed? (inc, people, costs, skills)

Specific venue and agenda details to follow soon. In the meanwhile, please check http://bit.ly/1lQ0Yd3 to see the discussions and outcomes of the last agenda.

See you soon,

RTP Gatherings Team

info@nodashforgas.org.uk

 

Earth First! Winter Moot 7-9 March 2014: programme up

A weekend gathering for people involved or want to know more about ecological direct action around the UK including fighting opencast coal, fracking, GM, nuclear power, new road building and quarries with discussions and campaign planning – emphasis on the tactics and strategies, community solidarity and sustainable activism.

A weekend gathering for people involved or want to know more about ecological direct action around the UK including fighting opencast coal, fracking, GM, nuclear power, new road building and quarries with discussions and campaign planning – emphasis on the tactics and strategies, community solidarity and sustainable activism.

Evening Friday 7th – afternoon Sunday 9th March 2014, Nottingham

Cost scale £20 to £30. This includes full vegan meals and accommodation.

It will be an indoor floor sleeping space so bring a warm sleeping bag and mat. Train to Nottingham then tram to Beaconsfield street– walk to the end turn right on to Gladstone St — 245 Gladstone St, Nottingham NG7 6HX — www.earthfirst.org.uk

Full map/travel details

For offers of help or questions email themiddle@earthfirst.org.uk

 

Programme

Friday

16.30-17.30 Security Workshop
17.30-18.30 Film

18.30 Dinner

20.00 Benefit Gig

Saturday

8.30-9.30 Breakfast
9.30-10.45 Intro go round of campaigns

10.45-11.00 Break

11.00-12.00 Future of Earth First Part 1
12.00-13.00 Security Workshop

13.00-14.00 Lunch

14.00-14.30 Lush/fundraising workshop
14.30-18.15 Campaign Workshops (timings to be finalised to include Fracking, Nuclear, Roads and Coal)
18.15-18.30 Summer Gathering handover

18.30 Dinner
20.00 DJ??

Sunday

9.00-10.00 Breakfast fry up
10.00-10.30 Tidy up of venue
10.30-11.30 Feedback go round
11.30-12.30 Future of Earth First Part 2
12.30-14.00 Summer Gathering Planning (and time of other workshops to run in parallel)

14.00-15.00 Lunch
15.00 End

Anti-fracking defendants found not guilty as movement grows

10th Jan 2014 via Corporate Watch Eleven anti-fracking campaigners have been found not guilty after a three day trial at Brighton Magistrate's Court.

10th Jan 2014 via Corporate Watch Eleven anti-fracking campaigners have been found not guilty after a three day trial at Brighton Magistrate's Court.

The defendants had been arrested on the 2nd day of the protests against Cuadrilla's exploratory drilling Balcombe last summer while sitting on or around a log which had been dragged outside the gates to the Cuadrilla site.

The protesters were approached by what one defendant described as “battalions” of police and arrested en masse. The arrests were violent, with police using pressure point techniques as they dragged people away. One man, who was drinking a cup of tea at the time the police approached was arrested for assault for spilling tea on a police officer during his arrest.

The arrests were part of a concerted police strategy to stamp out resistance to fracking in Balcombe before it had begun in earnest. Those arrested were given stringent bail conditions not to go back to the area close to Cuadrilla's operations. However, police bullying tactics were not successful, despite over 120 arrests during the 2 months that the Balcombe Community Protection Camp was in place. The resistance, which included regular blockades and direct action, significantly delayed Cuadrlla's work. The company's planning permission expired in September 2013 and they left the site on September 28th having dug their well but without beginning testing. It is estimated that the policing costs amounted to £3.7 million during the course of the protests.

The Trial

The campaigners were initially arrested under the provisions of article 241 of the arcane Trade Union and Labour Relations Act, a law brought in by John Major's Conservative government to prevent trade unionists picketing in solidarity with other workers or, as the judge put it (with a straight face) “to protect people's right to work”. One defendant said during his evidence, “I think they were just scraping the barrel and couldn't find a real reason to arrest us and had dug up this obscure secondary picketing law”. The charges were later amended to obstructing the highway.

Several defendants said they were shocked at the police tactics. One woman described a carnival atmosphere at the gates of Cuadrilla with children playing tennis and hopscotch in the road before “militarised” police waded in to break up the protest and arrested her in front of her daughter.

One demonstrator, who had dragged the log into the road, said he had done so to make the point to Cuadrilla that “we need to have a conversation about what you're trying to enforce on a community who don't want this sort of business going on in their back yard”.

The judge ruled that he could not be sure that the defendants had intended to obstruct the highway and that the fact that the road was closed while it was being resurfaced went in their favour. The court had heard that the police had not given sufficient warning before making arrests.

At least another 19 defendants are awaiting trial after being arrested during the Balcombe protests.

The struggle continues

Charlotte Wilson, a spokesperson from the Frack Off campaign said, on hearing the verdict: “The fracking blockades at Balcombe and now Barton Moss near Manchester, are testament to the level of anger and fear surrounding these developments. There are now 70 or more groups resisting fracking developments nationwide. The industry is losing. Each new well is met with months of protests and millions in policiing costs. The scale of the governmrent's sell-off means that roughly 60% of the UK is now available to fracking companies, huge numbers of people are threatened and as a result communities from all corners of the country are getting organised.”

IGas Energy, who describe themselves as a “leading British oil and gas explorer and developer”, are currently trying to set up a well to begin exploratory drilling in Barton Moss, near Manchester, in the face of concerted resistance and direct action from another camp which has been set up for around 45 days. Information about the campaign can be found at the Northern Gas Gala website at  http://northerngasgala.org.uk/.

For more information about anti-fracking movements in the UK see www.frack-off.org.

Balcombe Protectors Acquitted

09 January 2014 People celebrate outside Brighton Magistrates Court after Balcombe protectors acquitted on all charges as a resul

09 January 2014 People celebrate outside Brighton Magistrates Court after Balcombe protectors acquitted on all charges as a result of their courageous actions to defend Sussex from fracking last summer.

Over 120 people were arrest during the 2 month blockade of Cuadrilla's Balcombe fracking site. More than twenty trials are still scheduled over the next few month at the moment.

 

  • 10:00am – Court back on
  • 10:00am – Judge tries to explain Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 to public gallery
  • 10:45am – Judge states proceedings could finish today!
  • 11:00am – Defence reads character references. Prosecution doesn’t like them but judge says he will make up his own mind
  • 11:50am – Defence establishes no warning given before arrests
  • 11:55am – Protector explains how his act involves a bed of nails and the police tried to drag him off it without asking him to get up
  • 12:15pm – Bed of nails was placed between log and gate on health and safety grounds
  • 12:25pm – Penultimate protector describes how he was physically assaulted by the police prior to his arrest
  • 12:30pm – Protector describes police using pressure points to inflict great pain on him
  • 12:45pm – Balcombe resident takes the stand as a witness
  • 12:50pm – Witness confirms that road was closed
  • 12:55pm – Witness had picnic with kids
  • 1:00pm – Witness describes how atmosphere changed when a battalion of police arrived – they were trapped as police started violently arresting people – her 5 year old son was traumatised
  • 1:10pm – Prosecution is asking to reopen case and produce new witness – a Cuadrilla drilling supervisor. Defence is objecting.
  • 1:15pm – Judge hearing objections
  • 1:15pm – Judge to allow prosecutions new evidence. Court rises for lunch back at 2pm
  • 2:00pm – Court back in session
  • 2:10pm – Cuadrilla drilling supervisor in witness box
  • 2:35pm – Cross examination of Cuadrilla employee completed
  • 2:55pm – Final protector takes the stand
  • 3:20pm – Defence case over; Court in recess until 3:30pm
  • 3:30pm – Court recovened
  • 3:35pm – Prosecution summing up
  • 3:40pm – Prosecution claim protectors should have just protested e.g. with a placard, and let Cuadrilla get on with fracking Sussex
  • 3:45pm – Judge about to announce verdict
  • 3:45pm – One protector is found not guilty on ridiculous assault charge resulting from police knocking
  • 4:00pm – All protectors acquitted!
  • 4:00pm – District Judge found their actions were reasonable in the circumstances and that they acted with dignity.
  • 4:00pm – Suggested that the Police had very bad memories with regard to their evidence! Big question was deemed to be limits of freedom of speech.

 

New UK Fracking License Areas Confirmed

December 17th The UK government has announced that roughly 60% of the UK is now available to be licensed to fracking companies.

December 17th The UK government has announced that roughly 60% of the UK is now available to be licensed to fracking companies. After a brief “consultation” period it is likely that the licenses will be handed out to fraking companies in the first half of 2014. The licenses would cover the exploitation of both shale oil and gas and coal bed methane (CBM).

The area is based on that covered by a newly finalised Strategic Environmental Assessment (PDF). Despite the name the document does not seem to be particularly focused on the environment and does not address the long term impacts of issuing these potentially 30 year long licenses.

To extract the amounts of gas that companies are bragging are in existing license blocks would require tens of thousands of wells. If large additional areas are licensed next year, the scale of threat will be much larger still. These developments would devastate our remaining countryside, industrialising huge areas with well pads, pipelines, compressor stations and processing plants.

The reality of unconventional gas is that it is very hard to extract. It is literally scrapping the bottom of the fossil fuel barrel. Densely packed wells must be drilled (up to 8 wells per square mile) over large areas, since each well individual wells does not produce much gas and then only for a short time. Worse, fracking is not an isolated technology but is part of a wider trend towards more extreme forms of energy extraction, which if not resisted could see even larger threats such as Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) become widespread.

Right now the community around Barton Moss near Manchester is fighting the threat to their region posed by IGas Energy’s attempts to drill a Shale/CBM exploration well there. Across the country communities are getting organised to resist these threats, with around 70 anti-fracking groups already formed in the last two years, and that number growing fast.

Support Spied Upon, a vital expose film telling the story of activists targeted by secret police

Dear Earth First!ers,

 

Dear Earth First!ers,

 

Due to its effective use of creative direct action tactics in recent decades, Earth First! has consistently been a target of state repression and excessive police tactics. Now we are making a film with other environmental activists who have been targeted by undercover police, with the goal of exposing these abusive repression tactics.

 

"Spied Upon" is an internationally made full-length documentary that uses the outing of former UK undercover cop Mark Kennedy as it's starting point. Kennedy had begun his international operation by targeting Earth First! in the UK in 2003, and had worked across Europe as well as for the FBI for seven-years before being outed by his unknowing activist girlfriend and her circle of Nottingham friends in 2010. Now this woman and a number of other women are suing police bosses in the UK for what has been exposed as a regular undercover police tactic of duping activist women into long-term relationships. Spied Upon is working with some of these women to support them and help them have their story told.

 

Mark Kennedy turned private in 2010 and started his own security firm as well as saying that he was working for Global Open, a private security firm known to target animal rights activists on behalf of pharmaceutical company clients. It appears as though that is exactly what Kennedy was doing when he went to Italy to spy on an animal liberation gathering in the summer of 2010. He even tried to strengthen his credibility by saying he was an important Earth First! activist, see the video clip here we shot with Italian activists who tell about when they were unknowing targets of Kennedy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBx38iZ14nc

 

State repression has long featured the use of undercover police, but a lesser known use of undercover tactics has been those used by private security firms on behalf of private corporations. These practices construe an intense invasion of privacy that is not even allowed for state undercover police, and this scandal needs to be exposed! We have also uncovered illegal collusion between private and state security forces. This collusion is a key focus of the film Spied Upon, which we are also making as a tool that activists can use to highlight the current problems environmental groups face today.

 

We plan to release Spied Upon internationally in 2014. However, to do this, we need your support to make this film happen. Our film crew comes from grassroots activism, and we are turning to the grassroots, meaning you, to seek funding. Please take a look at our crowdfunding web-site and teaser video at Indiegogo, and take action to help us please by making a donation if you support our work: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/spied-upon

 

In solidarity,
The crew at Spied Upon

 

PS. Lots more info at: www.spiedupon.com

New Protest Camp at Wisborough Green and Kirdford Proposed Drill Site

253091804226th October A small band of anti-fracking campaigners who wished to be known as ‘protectors’ have set up camp on land adjacent to Celtique Energie’s proposed drill site.

253091804226th October A small band of anti-fracking campaigners who wished to be known as ‘protectors’ have set up camp on land adjacent to Celtique Energie’s proposed drill site.

Many of them have spent time in Balcombe, protesting against Cuadrilla’s drilling activities.

Talking from their camp, where they have permission from the land owner to temporarily reside, one of the group said: “I’m here because the country is on the brink of what could possibly be the most intense environmental catastrophe that we have ever known, and that its sneaked in under the radar of good sense, under the radar of democracy, and people aren’t aware just how dangerous fracking can be, particularly in this country where we are riddled with fault lines.”

Tim, who preferred not to give his surname and age, added: “It is a matter of great urgency that every body stands up and gets active now.

“We’re all activists now and that is how it is – one way or another the country is being industrialised, and it is time for everybody to stand up.”

Fellow ‘protector’ Prajna spoke of one of our ‘existential rights’ – water, saying it is under threat by the process of hydraulic fracturing which uses high pressure water laced with chemicals to stimulate oil and gas reserves trapped in rock beneath the ground.

The 53 year old, who travels with his 46 year partner Kali, spent two months at Balcombe before arriving in Kirdford about two weeks ago.

“If fracking were to take place in Wisborough Green and Kirdford it would be disastrous for this local environment,” said Kali. “But equally it is going to be disastrous for the whole island – poisoned water supplies.

“It is going to affect absolutely every individual and if the water is contaminated than we shall be dependent on corporations who bring it in from elsewhere.”

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A 27 year old called Dominic added: “I’ve come here to raise awareness among local people about fracking – it is an attack on the natural ecosystems of the area.”

Kris, sporting an impressive ginger moustache, said he had been brought up in the oil industry and had lived all around the world, but was now totally disillusioned with the sector for many reasons.

But chief amongst these, he said: “There is a very substantial risk of contaminating the water table.”

Asked why those we spoke to were reticent to give their full names, they said it could give the authorities and corporations a hold over them, and raised concerns about the might of the organisations against which they are campaigning.

———————————————————————————–

One of the most colourful characters we spoke to at the Kirdford camp called himself Bro Rainbow. What follows is a direct transcript of the interview with Bro.

How old are you Bro?

Eternal

Where’s home?

Where the heart is.

Is that right here now?

Always, hope so, otherwise get an ambulance.

Why here right now?

Why right here and now, it’s the only place you can be – here and now – they call it the present – it’s a gift, make the most of it.

Why have you come here?

Because it really actually matters. We are one nation, one tribe, living on a very beautiful space-ship – they call it Earth, but I call it Planet Heart which is just a respelling of Earth.

But actually it is not earth, it is two thirds water and so it is planet Heart, and she is spinning 1,800 mph – can you feel it?

The most amazing life support system that I am aware of in the moment, and what’s going on? Just delusion, truly, and madness. And the future generations are going to look back and they will just be incredulous at what has been happening up until this point.

Basically, do we truly need it? This gas, this fracking, this desecration of the Mother, this ruination of our water, our air, our soil – is it needed?

Yes, because we need to change our consciousness and we need to rise above, that’s from my heart to yours, that we all might live true.

And here’s a poem:

“Listen’t to the mustn’ts child

Listen to the don’ts

Listen to the wouldn’ts, couldn’ts, shouldn’ts and the won’ts,

Listen very closely,

Then listen close to me,

Anything can happen,

And anything can be,

And in the potential reality that I want to exist in, this is not happening – ok.

They say that an English woman’s home is her castle, I say women because we’re women and man, we’re two sided,

We’re not all right, we’re half right, half left.”

That’s the truth of it, otherwise we’d fall over, and hopefully, straight up the middle,

Straight up, fracking is wrong and that is why I am here because I feel it intensely within me, and I am voting with my feet and my whole being, to be here to say please, let’s go in a different direction.

Bless

No Dash for Gas Protestors Have Sentences Quashed

Activists occupy 300ft chimneys at the West Burton power station - video

Activists occupy 300ft chimneys at the West Burton power station - video

18th October from No Dash for Gas

Six activists out of 21 who shut down EDF’s West Burton Gas power station last year walked free from Nottingham Crown Court today, taking the total number of those given conditional discharges to eleven. Lawrence Carter, Hannah Davey, Alistair Cannell, Aneaka Kellay, Ewa Jasiewicz, and David Shakespeare had their sentences for Aggravated Trespass overturned on appeal.

All six had been sentenced to 150 hours community service. None had any previous convictions.

Five protesters received conditional discharges in June when the 21 initially appeared at Nottingham Magistrates Court.

The convictions had been for taking part in the UK’s longest ever power station protest which lasted eight days from October 29th – November 5th of last year.

The protesters, all from the group No Dash for Gas, had camped up two 80 meter Chimney flues for a week in protest at government plans to build up to 40 new gas power stations and make the UK reliant on gas for the next 30 years.

The group argues that the ‘dash for gas’ which also includes drilling for shale gas will exacerbate climate change, crash the UK’s legal obligations to cut carbon emissions and keep millions stuck in crippling fuel poverty.

EDF sued the group for £5million damages but were forced to drop their claim after widespread protest, loss of customers and a successful social media campaign which saw 64,000 people sign a petition in support of the group in less than four weeks.

The remaining ten protesters from the group chose not to pursue an appeal on legal advice.

Ewa Jasiewicz said ‘This is yet another victory for civil disobedience in defence of our climate and against fuel poverty. As energy companies ramp up their prices and millions turn to foodbanks and suffer cold homes and winter deaths, we believe another energy system is possible – one that values people and planet over profit. One that is democratically controlled and based on sustainable, clean energy. Both are not just possible, they are vital if we want to avoid catastrophic climate change and ensure not just real energy security, but social and economic security for all’.

David Shakespeare said ‘Direct action is a vital part of creating social change – this is why, after petitions, letters and all other means failed, we took a stand and shut down the first of up to 40 new gas power stations last year. Whether it’s protecting the Arctic, camping against Fracking or occupying power stations, all these acts of principled protest are part of a movement that is acting to safeguard the future of generations to come. We need to keep the pressure up until governments act in the public interest’.

Trial of anti-road protestor Emily Johns

11th September 2013 Trial of anti-road protestor – and Combe Haven Defenders – Emily Johns, arrested during Operation Disclosure in April: https://combeha

11th September 2013 Trial of anti-road protestor – and Combe Haven Defenders – Emily Johns, arrested during Operation Disclosure in April: https://combehavendefenders.wordpress.com/2013/04/09/st-leonards-woman-arrested-in-peaceful-search-for-secret-link-road-documents/

 

From 10am, Westminster Magistrates Court, 181 Marylebone Road London London England NW1 5BR.

Friday 11 October!  https://combehavendefenders.wordpress.com/save-combe-haven-events-calendar/

Supporters welcome!