South East England – Page 50

Radley Lakes: Join the protest march on legs and cycles on 10 March

Join a Cycle Ride and March to Say No to NPower’s “Criminal Damage” to Radley Lakes on Saturday 10 March

Repost from Live Journal:

You are invited to join cyclists from across Oxfordshire in a bicycle ride in support of the campaign to “Save Radley Lakes” next Saturday. Cyclists in Oxford are invited to congregate in Broad Street, Oxford City (OX1 3AS) outside the Oxford Campus Store, at 12.45pm on Saturday 10th March, 2007, while walkers from Abingdon and Didcot are invited to congregate at 1.10pm in Abbey Meadow (OX14 3JE) in Abingdon to hear speakers, then walk to Thrupp Lake. The cyclists will proceed toward Radley Lakes, with bells, whistles and banners, coinciding with a march by Save Radley Lakes the same day at Thrupp Lake at 1.55pm.

Join a Cycle Ride and March to Say No to NPower’s “Criminal Damage” to Radley Lakes on Saturday 10 March

Repost from Live Journal:

Everyone is welcome to join the cycle ride as a planned show of support for the campaign, and the ride will end at the lakes. Bring bells, whistles and banners if you can.

The ride will take place at a leisurely pace. Radley Lakes have been used by Oxonians for over 30 years as a leisure site to walk, cycle and enjoy the environment. Npower has filled all the lakes east of the railway with ash, and now it wants to destroy the remainder in the same way, completely destroying habitat for many species of birds, fish, animal, and plant. News of the cycle ride is being broadcast to Cyclox, Critical Mass, Sustrans, CTC, and of course Save Radley Lakes. Cyclists are angry that the Npower’s damage to the lakes will also ruin the beautiful views of the lake environment on the Sustrans cycle route than runs between two of the lakes, and there are reports that Npower’s site workers are already taking liberties with the cyclists “right of way” blocking the path to cyclists.

An experienced cyclist will lead the ride along an official cycle route from Oxford to Thrupp Lake (distance 5 miles). Feel free to forward this message to people or groups who you think might be interested, or email jon.rees@gmail.com Please send me an SMS on 07970 893371 if you intend to join us.

See you Saturday

Route: http://www.sustrans.org.uk/webfiles/leaflets/Hanson%20Way.pdf

documentary: Reclaim Power – voices from the camp for climate action 2006

In the summer of 2006, 600 people convinced that there is no time to waste set up a Camp for Climate Action in the shadow of one of the biggest C02 emitters in Europe: Drax coal-fired power station in Yorkshire / UK. Cine Rebelde produced a documentary film about the camp.

Climate change is now a reality. Leading scientists across the world agree that in a ’business as usual scenario’ we have no longer than 10 years to prevent 2-3 degrees of additional global arming that will lead to irreversible climatic changes with dramatic consequences for our planet.

However, in a world driven by profit and committed to unlimited economic growth, humanity seems very unwilling to change the course of the fossil fuel economy.

In the summer of 2006, the 5th hottest year ever recorded in recent history, 600 people convinced that there is no time to waste set up a Camp for Climate Action in the shadow of one of the biggest C02 emitters in Europe: Drax coal-fired power station in Yorkshire / UK.

With over one hundred workshops on a wide range of topics, the 10 day camp was a space of collective learning, sustainable living and taking direct action on the root causes of climate change. The gathering that showed practical low energy solutions in action, culminated in a day of protest and mass direct action in an attempt to shut down Drax.

DVD 62min + extras
English with subtitles in English, French, German and Spanish
reports on indymedia UK: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/actions/2006/climatecamp/

Trailer download: 2:58 min
http://www.cinerebelde.org/site.php3?id_article=356〈=en

a cine rebelde production in cooperation with http://risingtide.org.uk and http://climatecamp.org.uk

indymedia reports of the Camp 2006:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/actions/2006/climatecamp/

Pictures, information and film orders:
orders@cinerebelde.org
http://www.cinerebelde.org

DVDs will also soon be available from rising tide, climate camp groups and at the meeting in Bristol.

* * * * * *
Preparations for the Camp for Climate Action 2007 are in full swing. The upcoming meeting will be in Bristol on March 17th /18th.

Rising Tide North America is currently doing a Road Show. Check out:
http://risingtidenorthamerica.org

The Campaign Against Prison Slavery

The Campaign Against Prison Slavery is a group set up to try to expose the reality of prison labour, how little of it teaches skills that can be used after release and which could help reduce the chances of re-offending.

We also seek to expose the private companies that have contracts with prisons that are making huge profits using prisoner labour while the prisoners are paid pennies an hour, any loses incurred by the prison industries contracts are covered by the tax payer.

CAPS now has a new website www.againstprisonslavery.org and the contact details are:

Campaign Against Prison Slavery
P.O. Box 74
Brighton
BN1 4ZQ
E-mail: againstprisonslavery@riseup.net

SAVE PRIOY PARK : Mass Rally (photos)

26.02.2007

As promised by local campaigners, and expected by the wider public, hundreds of local people converged upon Southend Civic Centre last Thursday for the ‘Parkrally’, to oppose controversial plans to widen the A127/A1159 Priory Crescent, or ‘scheme F5’ as it has come to be known.

The event follows the recent ‘storming’ of the British Archaeological Awards celebration at Prittlewell Priory in January, when dozens of local residents disrupted an invite only ‘wine and cheese’ event held for local dignitaries, in celebration of the discovery of the East Saxon king’s burial, which would be destroyed, should the £25m road scheme get the go ahead.

Feelings continue to run high, with majority public opposition to the scheme repeatedly being shown by local groups, and press, six years into the campaign to stop the road.

Speaking from the steps of the Civic Centre, where a meeting of the full Council was taking place inside, campaigner and local resident Shaun Qureshi said, ‘Southend Borough Council are either somehow still ignorant of the fact that so many people continue to demonstrate, or they are arrogant enough to feel that they can simply push us aside.

‘They have only time and silence on their side, and the commonly held misconception that the scheme has already been canned by the Department for Transport, who would be required to provide the funding. The feeling that the scheme will not now go ahead is due to the delay in anyone in authority either taking any responsibility, or coming to a decision on the issue.

‘However, recent events have proven that despite this, significant numbers of the local public can still be mobilised to take action, that we do have majority support, and should the go-ahead be given, that there will be outrage across the town if attempts are made to evict Camp Bling, concrete over the burial or to destroy yet another green space.’

A decision to fund the road widening has been awaited from the DfT since a local Public Inquiry took place in March 2004. Information from the East of England Regional Partnership Group shows that costs have now risen to an estimated £25m for the 870 metre length of carriageway , making it potentially, ‘The most expensive stretch of road in the world.’

http://www.savepriorypark.org

Southend: Hundreds gather to oppose controversial F5 road widening

As promised by local campaigners, and expected by the wider public, hundreds of local people converged upon Southend Civic Centre this evening for the ‘Parkrally’, to oppose controversial plans to widen the A127/A1159 Priory Crescent, or ‘scheme F5’ as it has come to be known.
The event follows the recent ‘storming’ of the British Archaeological Awards celebration at Prittlewell Priory in January(1), when dozens of local residents disrupted an invite only ‘wine and cheese’ event held for local dignitaries, in celebration of the discovery of the East Saxon king’s burial, which would be destroyed, should the £25m road scheme get the go ahead.

Feelings continue to run high, with majority public opposition to the scheme repeatedly being shown by local groups, and press, six years into the campaign to stop the road.
Speaking from the steps of the Civic Centre, where a meeting of the full Council was taking place inside, campaigner and local resident Shaun Qureshi said, ‘Southend Borough Council are either somehow still ignorant of the fact that so many people continue to demonstrate, or they are arrogant enough to feel that they can simply push us aside.
‘They have only time and silence on their side, and the commonly held misconception that the scheme has already been canned by the Department for Transport, who would be required to provide the funding. The feeling that the scheme will not now go ahead is due to the delay in anyone in authority either taking any responsibility, or coming to a decision on the issue.
‘However, recent events have proven that despite this, significant numbers of the local public can still be mobilised to take action, that we do have majority support, and should the go-ahead be given, that there will be outrage across the town if attempts are made to evict Camp Bling, concrete over the burial or to destroy yet another green space.’(2)
A decision to fund the road widening has been awaited from the DfT since a local Public Inquiry took place in March 2004. Information from the East of England Regional Partnership Group shows that costs have now risen to an estimated £25m for the 870 metre length of carriageway (3), making it potentially, ‘The most expensive stretch of road in the world.’(4)
—————————————————————-
ENDS.

NOTES TO EDITORS:
1 British Archaeological Awards 2006:
www.britarch.ac.uk/awards/winners2006.html
2 Camp Bling website: www.savepriorypark.org
3 East of England Regional Partnership Group regional funding allocations advice to Government report January 2006, page 25:
http://www.eera.gov.uk/Documents/About%20EERA/Policy/Regional%20Governance/Regional%20Funding%20Allocations/Final%20EoE%20RFA%20300106.pdf
4 Southend Evening Echo Monday 13th February 2006

Radley Lakes

The Oxford Mail reports that Anthony Bailey was arrested for possible trespass when being evicted from a camp where npower wish to destroy a wildlife site with sulphur rich power station ash. They also report that he has a broken arm.
Unreported are stories that he broke both arms in 2 places and nearly died in Abingdon police station. Details not known but apparently he was kept in an interview room for some 9 hours with nothing happening.
Also the police are reportedly guarding him in the John Radcliffe hospital and demanding the names of all his visitors.
The alleged trespass was in open/wooded ground near the lakes and not in any private house or building.

Radley Lake: The destruction begins – updates

15.02.2007

The Oxford Mail reported last night that a protester has been arrested at the Radley Lakes site after workers started preparing the area for the controversial dumping of power station ash.

15.02.2007

The Oxford Mail reported last night that a protester has been arrested at the Radley Lakes site after workers started preparing the area for the controversial dumping of power station ash.

“The Ant” as the man is know, had set up camp outside the Thrupp Lake. He went into the area owned by RWE npower after workmen began clearing trees today and was arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass.

http://www.saveradleylakes.org.uk

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Radley Latest

17.02.2007
Work has begun in earnest now, with most of the trees on the islands cut down.
NPower’s lawers have also issued an injunction, served on 6 named individuals, plus anyone else they can manage to serve one on down there, pretty much curtailing most of your civil liberties in that area.
This includes taking photgraphs of “protected individuals” (guys with chainsaws and security guards), setting up any camp within a half mile radius of the lake, carrying equipment that could be used to set up tripods, or spike trees, protesting within 5 yards of a “protected individual”…
Apparently, the security guards were feeling harrased.
So- careful not to breath too heavily either- you might end up getting nicked for that too.
So far 3 people have been arrested in the latest wave of the protest- 1 in breach of the injunction (for daring to take photos on a public highway!).
Camps will be demolished after 6 hours, and Camp Kylie, previously home to “The Ant” was demolished in the wee small hours of the morning (no arrests, as there were no longer any occupants, as they’d all been nicked!)

Suggested action- go down there, bear witness, and I leave it up to you as to whether or not you take any notice of this injunction.
I didn’t!

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background & update

RWE NPower have gone to great expense to try and gag the local press, TV and
even Radio, to prevent the news getting out there that they are trashing
Thrupp Lake and cutting down hundreds of trees, causing distress to the
nesting birds and causing pain to the local residents who have made an
application to have the place classed as a Town Green.

It all started when NPower evicted a group of people who decided to occupy
the house called Sandles which had remained unoccupied for 18 months. They
went in on the 6th Feb with a team of thuggish individuals with faces hid by
balaclavas and sledgehammered their way through a plate glass window to gain
access to the house. Two girls sleeping next to the window were traumatised
and lucky not to have been injured by the flying shards of glass.

After they had evicted the occupants, the security guards, still with their
balaclavas decided to film anyone and everyone who came near the lakes.
Filming vehicle registration numbers and eavesdropping on conversations,
they were carrying out their patrols with gusto, disturbing the wildlife all
through the night during their regular passes and being intimidating to
people who were visiting the area.

A young man called Ant decided on eviction to do a vigil outside the house.
First of all for two days he sat on a chair. Then someone gave him a tent
and brought him some provisions. It seemed an act of kindness for someone
who felt that a protest had to be made. However, the continued stream of
people who supported Ant seemed to aggravate the NPOWER GOONS and soon
NPower obtained some sort of Court Order to stop anyone camping near their
property, carrying a rope or spike within a mile of the site, photographing
their workmen and security guards, and demanding that the people against who
the injunction was served should send a copy of the injunction which they
had received to everyone who supported the Campaign to Save the Lakes.

One of the people named on the injunction is a retired scientist who is
extremely law abiding and is at a loss to understand why his name should
appear on this paperwork. He did have an altercation with a Security Guard
who refused to let him pass down Thrupp Lane BOAT (Byway open to all
Traffic) saying it was a ByWay and he couldn’t drive his vehicle down it.

Anyone who visits the lakes is likely to be followed round by a pair of
burly security guards who are looking for the opportunity to have a
confrontation. Someone visited this morning and reported his path barred by
three security men from NPower, threatening that if he tried to go past
them, he was in breach of the “injunction” and they would have him arrested
because no one is allowed within 5 feet of a Security Guard or NPower’s
property.

CAMP BLING Photo report

Show your support by coming to the following: PARKRALLY ‘SAVE PRIORY PARK!!’ A funding decision on the controversial Priory Cresent road widening is due. Please join us for a mass rally and demonstration from 6.30pm on Thursday 22nd February, at Southend Civic Centre, to show the decision makers your opposition to the scheme. Videos, photos, … Continue reading “CAMP BLING Photo report”

Show your support by coming to the following:

PARKRALLY ‘SAVE PRIORY PARK!!’

A funding decision on the controversial Priory Cresent road widening is due. Please join us for a mass rally and demonstration from 6.30pm on Thursday 22nd February, at Southend Civic Centre, to show the decision makers your opposition to the scheme.

Videos, photos, events etc…..
http://www.ppps.org.uk/ –

Contacts, blog, news, events….
http://www.savepriorypark.org.uk/

>VISTORS ALWAYS WELCOME<

Check http://www.savepriorypark.org.uk/ for directions to the site.

Anti-nuclear campaigners block UK WMD factory

13.02.2007

Yesterday six people were arrested outside AWE mAldermaston during an hour+long blockade of the nuclear weapons factory. Next BtB blockade 19 March – check the website for more info. What follows is a BtB press release, issued yesterday

13.02.2007

BLOCK THE BUILDERS
——————————————-
12 February 2007 – for immediate release
——————————————-

ANTI-NUCLEAR CAMPAIGNERS BLOCK UK WMD FACTORY

From 7am today [12/02/07], a group of around 50 anti-nuclear campaigners participated in blockades and protests outside Britain’s nuclear warhead factory – AWE Aldermaston in Berkshire.

Using a concrete-filled dustbin, metal lock-on tubes and D-locks, two groups blockaded the A340 on two sides of the base, close to entrances used by construction traffic. Roads were closed for one hour and ten minutes while specialist police teams cut out protesters. Cranes and other construction traffic was prevented from entering the site while the blockade was in progress. Other campaigners used large banners and flags to communicate their anti-nuclear message.

AWE is the site of ongoing construction work on new nuclear weapons facilities – on a similar scale to Heathrow’s Terminal 5. Work on the new Orion laser has started, despite the fact that a vote on the future of the UK’s nuclear weapons system is not due until March.

Six people were arrested during the protest, for obstruction of the highway. Two were subsequently charged and will appear at Newbury Magistrates’ Court on 22 February. Between eight and ten hours after arrest, four were given cautions.

All six had been handcuffed on arrest by Thames Valley and Hampshire police, though none had resisted arrest or attempted to abscond. Organising group Block the Builders – an explicitly nonviolent direct action group – are considering writing to Thames Valley police to query this interpretation of police guidelines on the use of handcuffs.

With the government poised to force a parliamentary vote on whether to replace the Trident nuclear submarine fleet, campaigners are concerned that the decision to recommit Britain to a further 50 years as a nuclear weapons state is being made without public consultation. Polls have consistently suggested that a substantial majority of the British public do not want to spend taxes on a new nuclear weapons system.

A spokesperson for Block the Builders said, “In a fortnight there will be tens of thousands on the streets of London, demonstrating their opposition to Trident replacement. When asked, most people don’t want UK WMD: today in this quiet corner of Berkshire, we are translating the will of this – frequently silent – majority, into practical resistance. If the parliamentary vote goes in the government’s favour, then AWE and the MoD had better get used to the idea of a long and active campaign of opposition.”

This morning’s actions are part of an ongoing campaign of nonviolent resistance to new facilities being developed at the Aldermastn site – which campaigners believe will facilitate the next generation of nuclear weapons.

ENDS

btb@aldermaston.net
http://www.blockthebuilders.org.uk

Npower uses Thugs to Evict Radley Lakes Environmental Activists

At approx 5am Tuesday 6th February 12 bailiffs dressed from head to foot in black and wearing balaclavas without warning smashed through the window of the occupied npower property showering sleeping activist in glass. They then proceeded to cut the air supply to a fortified bunker without checking if it was occupied, smash there way into a fortified loft without checking that the occupant Dave was safe. Not long after this they climbed onto the scaffold tower positioned on the garage roof and topped with a wooden box containing a 45 gallon concrete lock. Chris who was in the box at the time said they climbed on top of the box and started to rock the tower before breaking in with sledge hammers. Veteran road protester Muppet Dave said ‘it was one of the most dangerous eviction he had experienced and that it was only luck that nobody was seriously hurt’.

Two activists were arrested and one subsequently de-arrested and Chris is due in Didcot Magistrates Court on Thursday 15th charged with obstruction of the Bailiffs. Shortly afterwards npower swiftly cordoned of the lakes despite a ongoing legal challenge by the local “Save Radley Lakes” group for it to be recognised as common land.

The property was occupied with the intention of creating a field centre to raise awareness and prevent these beautiful lakes being in filled with toxic ash from the burning of coal at the German owned RWE npower Didcot power station. However, despite massive support from the local community, where there is overwhelming opposition to npower’s plans, and nearby environmental groups it soon became clear that npower were having non of it, so we decide to oppose the repossession and dig in. This decision instantly created more media interest embarrassing npower and undermining their greenwash and it was probably for this reason that they decide to disregard the safety of individuals and send in the heavies. We are no seeking to take legal action against Shercurity Ltd for the lack of health and safety procedure and endangerment of life. However, we fully intend to continue our campaign to save the lakes and against RWE npower for both local and global pollution of the planet.

Shercurity Ltd – have dealt with protest evictions (& squatters) before:
Main Telephone number: +44 (0)845 890 9220
Fax: +44 (0)0845 890 9221

Company Offices
Shergroup House, Braintree Freeport, No 3 Freeport Office Village, Century Drive, Braintree, Essex CM77 8YG

London: 20-21 Tooks Court, London EC4A 1LB

http://www.shercurity.net/