South West England
To kick start Bristol co-mutiny three vehicles were sabotaged at a Somerset site constructing unaffordable housing (urban sprawl for the middle class).
In anticipation of the Autonomous Days of Action electronic cables were cut and the piercing sound of split hydraulics was endured rendering the earth destroying machines unusable.
Social change not climate change!
ALF/ELF
To kick start Bristol co-mutiny three vehicles were sabotaged at a Somerset site constructing unaffordable housing (urban sprawl for the middle class).
In anticipation of the Autonomous Days of Action electronic cables were cut and the piercing sound of split hydraulics was endured rendering the earth destroying machines unusable.
Social change not climate change!
ALF/ELF
Less than a month to go and people must be curious as to what Comutiny is and who is involved. EVERYONE IS INVOLVED! Everyone is invited to take part during the week in whatever way they/their group feel best!!
Less than a month to go and people must be curious as to what Comutiny is and who is involved. EVERYONE IS INVOLVED! Everyone is invited to take part during the week in whatever way they/their group feel best!!
In Bristol and surrounds, a diverse bunch of enraged creative, dreamers and schemers, builders and gardeners, workers, students and unemployed have been drawn together by the common threads of our indignation at how a combination of corporate greed, social injustice and environmental degradation is leading us all towards climate chaos and financial collapse.
We invite you to converge on Bristol for an uprising of autonomous actions and events from 12th – 20th of September 2009.
The provisional CoMutiny timetable is available now. There is more time to add any events/actions/skillshares/performances/happenings so please send the information to: bristolcomutinyworkshops@riseup.net
The Royal Bank of Scotland is one of the largest investors and profiteers of environmental destruction and the international arms trade. They destroy natural habitats, therefore unbalancing the ecosphere, by using genocidal methods against the species populating the Earth.
The Royal Bank of Scotland is one of the largest investors and profiteers of environmental destruction and the international arms trade. They destroy natural habitats, therefore unbalancing the ecosphere, by using genocidal methods against the species populating the Earth.
Whilst holding shares in arms dealer ITT, who supported the Nazis and now make wars possible in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine, RBS are also the largest financier of the arms industry, having loaned £44.6 billion in the last ten years and holding £36.4 million shares.
In response to the call for action against the arms trade, in the run up to the DESi arms fair, their locks were glued shut in Somerset.
ELF
Video by Emily James, hosted on Vimeo – http://vimeo.com/5953877
Video by Emily James, hosted on Vimeo – http://vimeo.com/5953877
Earth First! Summer Gathering, 18th-24th August 2009, Cumbria
Never has halting the destruction of our planet been so important… Learn how to make them stop!
The gathering this year will be held at Seathwaite in the beautiful Borrowdale. The site is right in the heart of the Lake District and surrounded by mountains, streams and tarns. The nearest train station is Penrith. More detailed directions, public transport, walks & cycle rides to the site
Earth First! Summer Gathering, 18th-24th August 2009, Cumbria
Never has halting the destruction of our planet been so important… Learn how to make them stop!
The gathering this year will be held at Seathwaite in the beautiful Borrowdale. The site is right in the heart of the Lake District and surrounded by mountains, streams and tarns. The nearest train station is Penrith. More detailed directions, public transport, walks & cycle rides to the site
Workshop programme in a variety of formats
WHO
Earth First! is a network of people and campaigns who fight ecological destruction and the forces driving it. We believe in doing it ourselves rather than relying on governments or industry. Direct action is at the heart of what we do, whether we’re standing in front of a bulldozer, shutting down an opencast mine or ripping up a field of GM crops.
Join us for 5 days of workshops, networking and planning actions at a low impact eco-living camp organised non-hierarchically
WHAT
Planning actions and campaigns, meeting and sharing skills with others who care. Over 80 training workshops plus games and evening fun:
• Learn skills for direct action. Tree Climbing, Orienteering, Security for activists, Legal briefing, Escaping public order situations, street medics – first aid, self defence, Boat blockading using kayaks, radio procedures and rock abseiling.
• Network your campaign against ecological destruction. opencast mining, genetic engineering, agrofuels, dam-building, hunt-sabbing, climate actions, oil pipeline resistance, road stopping, anti-whaling, squatting, rainforest protection.
• Learn about ecology, ecocentric ethics and alternatives to the corporate world of exploitation.
• Practical skills for ecological restoration and sustainable living, field trips and hands-on work.
YOU
We are all crew! This is your gathering come prepared to help run the camp and contribute to the programme. Contact us in advance with ideas for workshops, help with organising the gathering, come early to help setup the site or stay on for a couple of days for takedown.
If you can help get in touch!
BRING
Bring tent and sleeping bag. You can either cook food for yourself or for £4 per day chip in with collective cooking of delicious vegan organic food. There’ll be quiet sleeping areas, toilets and running water, a children’s space and spaces for workshops and info stalls.
Veggies will provide vegan cake and snacks. Children and young adults welcome with subsidized meals.
Arrive Tues pm. Workshops from Wed am until Sun pm.
Loads of campaigns are taking to the water in defence of the planet, like at Rossport where Shell are trying to lay onshore pipelines and the Great Rebel Raft Regatta at last summers climate camp. This summer’s EF! gathering will be building on these tactics with training in water based actions.
An excursion to visit communities in the North East threatened by an expansion of coal mining on Monday 24th August. Visit beautiful valleys and strong spirited communities and make links for ongoing resistance.
We aim to make the site as accessible as we can please contact us in advance if you have special needs, questions or concerns.
WHERE
The site is near in the Lake District, Cumbria. The nearest train station is Penrith and there is a bus service to the site, there are car and living vehicle spaces outside the camp.
Dogs: We are fortunate this year to be able to accommodate well behaved owners with dogs on leads but think about whether your dog will feel comfortable in workshops. Please call beforehand so we know numbers.
Cost: £20 – £30 according to what you can afford. We are not for profit all extra cash goes to help fund next year. Under 14’s free.
For more info contact us at :
summergathering@earthfirst.org.uk
www.earthfirstgathering.org.uk
Direct action by local residents against new E.On / RWE npower nuclear power plant planned in Oldbury, Gloucestershire.
Villagers stage Oldbury anti-nuclear protest
August 4 2009
Villagers living near the possible site of a new nuclear power station near Bristol staged a five-hour protest to prevent contractors getting on to the land.
Direct action by local residents against new E.On / RWE npower nuclear power plant planned in Oldbury, Gloucestershire.
Villagers stage Oldbury anti-nuclear protest
August 4 2009
Villagers living near the possible site of a new nuclear power station near Bristol staged a five-hour protest to prevent contractors getting on to the land.
Residents of Shepperdine, near Thornbury, blocked the access road to a field near the existing Oldbury atomic plant until they were finally asked to move by police.
The site is one of a number around the country put forward by the Government as a possible location for one of the new generation of nuclear stations.
Power firm Eon has acquired land at Shepperdine with another company RWE and wants to build a £4-billion station.
The process involved in getting permission will last for many years but as part of the initial site development work, small-scale ground investigation and seismic studies were due to have started yesterday morning on the Shepperdine land to help determine the type and best location for the foundations.
But when contractors from Almondsbury firm Hydrock arrived with lorries, they found their way blocked by the protesters.
About 13 residents occupied the lane leading to a field that has already been turned into a compound.
They said they had two concerns at this stage – whether permission had been given by the British Geological Survey (BGS) for the drilling to take place and whether South Gloucestershire Council had given the all-clear for the compound and parking area to be created.
Protester Reg Illingworth said: “Ultimately, we don’t want a new nuclear power station here.
“But this protest is solely about permission for the preliminary work and the compound, which has already been built.
“We want to know if consent has been given and if we see that in writing, then we will stand aside.”
At one point, four policemen were at the scene but that was later cut to two.
Acting sergeant Steve Wilson said: “It’s a peaceful protest and we are here to ensure it remains that way.”
There was also a debate throughout the morning about whether the road being blocked was part of the public highway or privately owned.
When it was confirmed it was a public road, the residents moved aside and the Hydrock lorries went through.
Alan Pinder, of South Gloucestershire Friends of the Earth, was among the demonstrators.
He said: “We want to ensure Eon is going through the proper process.
“You have to do everything by the book if you are going to run a nuclear power station.”
Eon spokeswoman Emily Highmore said: “While we respect the right of people to protest, we would like to reassure everyone the ground investigation works and establishment of a contractor’s compound have been carried out with the full knowledge of South Gloucestershire Council and the BGS.
“It’s still very early days but we’re committed to keeping everyone informed of our activities and would urge anyone with any questions or concerns to get in touch.”
BGS spokesman Clive Mitchell said the organisation had to be notified about drilling of holes deeper than 30m for water abstraction and mineral exploration but not site investigation.
South Gloucestershire Council spokesman Ryan Skeets said: “The council was made aware of intentions by Eon to carry out some temporary ground investigation works that appear to be covered by permitted development rights and therefore would not require prior planning permission.
“The council will monitor these works to ensure they are being carried out in line with these intentions.”
The Campaign Against Climate change held a rally in London on Thursday 6 August in support of the 600 Vestas workers whose jobs making wind turbine blades are to be lost as the company moves production to the USA.
The Campaign Against Climate change held a rally in London on Thursday 6 August in support of the 600 Vestas workers whose jobs making wind turbine blades are to be lost as the company moves production to the USA.
The rally outside the Department of Energy and Climate Change in Whitehall on Thursday evening started in light rain, but it was pouring by the time it finished. Despite the weather, the 80 or so present listened intently to speeches from a Vestas worker, trade union speakers from the RMT, PCW and Billy Hayes of the Communications Workers Union, as well as former Labour Secretary of State for the Environment Michael Meacher MP and Green Party GLA member Jenny Jones, who arrived at the event by bicycle.
Despite the government having spent thousands of billions propping up the banks it is unwilling to put up the much smaller amounts needed to support green industries. The problems of Vestas are indeed very much of the Government’s making, with its failure to put it’s money where its mouth is on green energy policies, relying on hot air rather than support for wind power and other alternative energies.
Making wind turbines is a profitable business, and will become even more so, but unless action is taken – such as nationalising Vestas, at least (as with the banks) on a temporary basis, the UK will be buying them from abroad rather than making money selling them to the rest of the world.
This story is also on Demotix, and I’ll put more pictures on My London Diary next week:
http://mylondondiary.co.uk/2009/08/aug.htm
A wide selection of people: Bristol Rising Tide, Respect Party, Bristol Anarchist Bookfair, FBU, UNITE, Decommissioners and Bristol Co-Mutiny took part in a Solidarity Demo Outside the Environment Agency, today, Tuesday 4th August.
A wide selection of people: Bristol Rising Tide, Respect Party, Bristol Anarchist Bookfair, FBU, UNITE, Decommissioners and Bristol Co-Mutiny took part in a Solidarity Demo Outside the Environment Agency, today, Tuesday 4th August.
On Tuesday 4th August, protesters descended on the Bristol Headquarters of the Environment Agency in Aztec West carrying windmills and banners to support the action of Vestas workers who have occupied the St Cross wind turbine factory on the Isle of Wight for the last two weeks because of plans to close the site with the immediate loss of 600 jobs
The workers are asking that the government – who have pledged £100bn towards renewable energy – nationalise the factory to save it from shutting. On the 4th August the Vestas company are going to court to evict the workers.
Around 20 people turned out to support the protest and they handed out flyers to staff and chatted to them about the Vesta Occupation. Many of the Environmental Agency staff supported the protest and understood the concerns of the protestors and the reasoning for the Vesta occupation.
Car tyres deflate in the night, diggers halted in their tracks, buildings and MPs covered in slime…airports plagued by crazy golf, picnics, city gents and hostage-taking…eco-villages and other autonomous spaces sprout, as others are under threat…tree-sits, banks evicted, fake phone-masts and whaling ships sunk….it must be time for another Earth First! Action Update, bringing you a concentrated quarterly blast of inspiration and contacts to get out there and take direct action against the bastards threatening this planet and its inhabitants.
News from the front-lines – permanent protest camps old and new, and temporary gatherings in a field near you, all the dates and info you need for a summer of blistering action and torrential outpourings!
Successes here, across the pond and round the very other side of the world.
Car tyres deflate in the night, diggers halted in their tracks, buildings and MPs covered in slime…airports plagued by crazy golf, picnics, city gents and hostage-taking…eco-villages and other autonomous spaces sprout, as others are under threat…tree-sits, banks evicted, fake phone-masts and whaling ships sunk….it must be time for another Earth First! Action Update, bringing you a concentrated quarterly blast of inspiration and contacts to get out there and take direct action against the bastards threatening this planet and its inhabitants.
News from the front-lines – permanent protest camps old and new, and temporary gatherings in a field near you, all the dates and info you need for a summer of blistering action and torrential outpourings!
Successes here, across the pond and round the very other side of the world.
A report back from the Coal Caravan, plus info about the communities along its route.
Court news – what happened after protesters planned to shut a coal-fired power plant, and climbed atop a train, plus handy Security Tips for Going on Actions.
Leaving it All in the Ground – news of global fights against the mining of gold, copper, bauxite and aluminium – blockading, torching and night-time pixieing.
A View from the Trees – a story from our eco-centric cousins. And indigenous Peruvians fight on against the wholesale onslaught on our world.
And a round-up of your favourite public order situations – G20, SmashEDO and Athenian rubbish dumps!
Read, download and print it here, subscribe so you get it direct to your door, or look out for it at a climate camp near you.
If you want to be listed or get a bunch of them to distribute, please get in touch.
Share your inspirational news at EF! Action Reports, and it’ll find it’s way into your very own printed EF!AU, in good old black and white print.
THE BATH BOMB
@nti-copyright: copy and distribute!
Issue #23
free/donation
June 09
“Nick Griffin: if you’re reading this, we’re in your house”
Pulling A Fash One: Bath 3, BNP 0
THE BATH BOMB
@nti-copyright: copy and distribute!
Issue #23
free/donation
June 09
“Nick Griffin: if you’re reading this, we’re in your house”
Pulling A Fash One: Bath 3, BNP 0
The BNP went three goals down on Friday the 22nd May in the continuing grudge match between themselves and the people of Bath. This time the venue was the prestigious BRLSi, on Queen Square. Nearly 100 people from a variety of backgrounds (including antifa, anarchists, greens, IWW, socialists and a good number of pissed off Bathonians) responded to a call out from Bath Activist Network to protest a hustings meeting featuring the fascist BNP.
The demo was a huge success, seeing the front doors blockaded for nearly two hours, preventing the meeting from going ahead. The majority of speakers due to represent their parties pulled out of the meeting and opted to speak on the street instead, many making the decision to do so on the night. A tiny mob of eight fascists, most from out of town, turned up and made a pitiful attempt to force their way in before giving up and spending the rest of the night moaning to the police (one of whom had an anti-BNP leaflet mysteriously taped to his back). Bristol-based BNP member Clive Courtney was arrested after shoving a local man to the ground.
The blockade ended when the 50 police who were eventually drafted in demanded that the demo move out of the public view – protesters unanimously refused, and the picket was violently broken up, allowing the fascists entry to a deserted building, as the real democracy was in full swing on the streets! While addressing the empty room, BNP Chippenham MEP candidate Jeremy Wotherspoon denied being racist, said he recently ‘shook hands with a negro’ (his words, not ours).
In an interesting side note, members of the public let protesters know that the police were describing them as ‘scum’ and activists have some interesting video footage of angry, rotund Bristol BNP high-up Mark Warren-Clutterbuck having a private chat and a laugh with senior police. The BNP requested that once the blockade was ended, they should be allowed to move in en masse – a request that the police were all too willing to facilitate. The back-patting and obvious mutual support between the cops and Nazis was sickening, but on the night the facts spoke for themselves – public support was overwhelmingly in favour of the blockade, and the ‘no platform for fascists’ position.
The BNP still features hatemonger activists convicted of bombings, murder and assault, internally calls for a reduction in democratic decision-making in the party, and only permits white ethnic, ‘indigenous’ Brits to join as full members. It is impossible for the BNP to publicly advertise, or hold a meeting without protection from the police and a huge and angry reaction from the vast majority of the public. Well done to everyone who turned up and showed once again that the BNP are not welcome in civilised society, let alone Bath. It’s just a shame that the BRLSi organizers toothlessly felt obliged to provide the BNP the credibility they so crave by inviting them; hopefully, there won’t be a next time. And if you do have any info on BNP activity in your area, email either bathactivistnet [at] yahoo.co.uk, or phone 08451 265011.
http://bristolantifa.org
http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/inyourtown/corsham/4365146.Corsham_family_stands_as_BNP_candidates/
Eco Battle For Bathampton: Round 2
News has reached us that B&NES Council has made the public-friendly decision of approving the massively unpopular drain on financial and environmental resources that is the park and ride at Bathampton Meadows. The park and ride, part of a ludicrously expensive, environmentally/socially destructive and massively flawed transport package, is to be built on the ancient meadowlands which are part of the Cotswolds AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) and contain two ancient monuments. The location is poorly-chosen and the council themselves have conceded that the traffic easing effects of the park and ride will be ‘minimal’.
Maybe the council have forgotten the headache that was caused last time the authorities tried to bulldoze the natural habitats surrounding Bathampton. In 1994, a large tree camp was set up to oppose the Bathampton A36/A46 link road, costing the authorities thousands in security costs and putting the project way behind schedule. The same looks set to happen again, with local activists honing their eco-defence skills. Rest assured that if the bulldozers roll in, so will scores of angry locals and activists determined to fight for the meadow inch by inch. The council’s disregard for the environment looks set to ignite a battle that will be giving them serious headaches for years to come. You can still write letters of objection to the scheme, and a template letter can be found at http://www.savebathamptonmeadows.org.uk, and, short notice, push a ‘call in’ for a public enquiry by the 23rd of this month.
Stop the press: at a recent public meeting, we have just heard that the Government Office for the South West have just initiated an ‘Article 14’, a modest-sounding bit of jargon that indicates that they now require more time to consider the scheme – so nothing’s set in concrete yet.
Debt Advice Centre Opens In Twerton
The Bath ‘Can’t Pay, Won’t Pay’ campaign has opened a drop-in centre for advice on debts, benefits, bailiffs and general help with the recession – and possibly any other problems you may have! Pop round the Twerton social centre (4 Day Crescent, Twerton) on Wednesdays between 4pm and 7pm, for a friendly cuppa and a chat with one of our helpful trained volunteers.
EVENTS
Bath Hunt Saboteurs meetings, 2nd and 4th Monday of the month, 8pm, The Bell, Walcot Street
London Road Food Co-op, Wednesdays, 4-7pm, Riverside Community Centre, London Road
debt advice drop-in, Wednesdays, 4-7pm, Twerton social centre, Day Crescent
The Lost Plot workday, Thursdays, 10am-dusk, Bathampton
anti-foie gras demo, Fridays, meet Queen Square 7pm
Bath Stop The War Coalition vigil, Saturdays, 11.30am-12.30, Bath Abbey Courtyard
Bubbling Under, Sunday 21st June, 1-4pm, Porter Cellar, George Street
Calais No Border Camp, 23rd-29th June, France
Bath Cycling Campaign meeting, Monday 22nd June, venue TBC, 7.30pm, http://www.bathcyclingcampaign.org.uk
Transition Bath talk on public transport issues, Wednesday 24th June, 8pm, Widcombe Social Club
Transition Drinks, Wednesday 24th June, 8pm, upstairs at The Raven
anarcho-punk gig, Friday 26th June, 8pm, The Porter Butt, London Road, Bath, feat. Citizen Fish, A heads, Surrender, Filthy Habits
animal sanctuaries benefit gig Saturday 27th June, 7.30pm, The Plough, Easton, Bristol, feat Babar Luck, Ratface & Tracey Curtis, £4 entry
Recycle Your Sundays, Sunday 28th June, the regular series of sociable, easy-paced cycle rides, www.rysbath.org.uk/Hazel 01225 469199
Bath Animal Action meeting, Wednesday 1st July, 7.30-8.30pm, backroom of The Bell, Walcot Street
Bath Activist Network meeting, Thursday 2nd July, 7.30-9pm, downstairs at The Hobgoblin, St James Parade
Bath Friends of the Earth meeting, Monday 6th July, 8pm, Stillpoint, Broad Street Place, Broad Street
Film: ‘Wedding in Galilee’, Tuesday 7th July,7.30pm, Masonic Hall, Frome, £5/£3 concessions; presented by Frome Friends of Palestine – part of Frome Festival
Bath Green Drinks, Wednesday 8th July, 8.30pm, the Porter, George Street
Bath FreeShop, Saturday 11th July, 12-3pm, outside Pump Rooms, Stall Street
Broadlands Orchardshare Volunteering Day, Saturday 11th July, 12-4pm, Broadlands Orchard, Box Road, Bathford, email broadlandsorchardshare [at] googlemail.com or phone 07532 472 256
Danish Climate Camp, Denmark, Saturday 11th July – Sunday 19th July, http://camp09.dk
Recycle Your Sundays, Sunday 12th July, the regular series of sociable, easy-paced cycle rides, www.rysbath.org.uk/Hazel 01225 469199
Bath Greenpeace meeting, Monday 13th July, 7.30-9pm, Stillpoint, Broad Street Place
Transition Open Forum, Tuesday 14th July, 7pm, Widcombe Social Club
French Climate Camp Monday, Monday 3rd August – Sunday 9th August, France, http://www.campclimat.org
Belgian/Dutch Climate Action Camp, Monday 3rd August – Sunday 9th August, near Antwerp, http://www.klimaatactiekamp.org
The Camp for Climate Action in Scotland, Monday 3rd – Tuesday 11th August, Scotland, http://climatecampscotland.org.uk
Cymru Climate Camp, Thursday 13th – Sunday 16th August 2009, Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, http://climatecampcymru.org
Greek No Borders Camp, Tuesday 25th August – Monday 31st August, Lesvos, Greece, http://lesvos09.antira.info
The Camp for Climate Action 2009, Thursday 27th August and Wednesday 2nd September, London, http://www.climatecamp.org.uk
Bristol Anarchist Bookfair, Saturday 12th September, The Island, Silver Street, Bristol, 10.30am-7pm, http://www.bristolanarchistbookfair.org
Bristol Co-Mutiny: Social Change Not Climate Change gathering, Sunday 13th September – Saturday 19th September, http://www.comutiny.wordpress.com
International Day of Climate Action, Saturday 24th October, http://www.350.org/ oct24
Exclusive: Dirty Don’s Dodgy Expenses
With the ample evidence pouring out of the cash trough that is Westminster to attest to the corrupt nature of the vast majority of our MPs, it may come as no surprise to many of you that our own ‘Dodgy’ Don Foster MP is also apparently on the take. Our favourite everyman has been claiming a staggering £380 per week allowance for his second home (£230 above the national average, and working out to a huge £19,760 per year). In addition to this, Mr Foster’s ‘miscellaneous’ claims per year total over £5,000 and have risen by 60% since 2001. Obviously as Don gets more and more used to rubbing shoulders with the shower of cheats and liars that pass themselves off as our leaders, he gets more and more comfortable with helping himself to a plush life using our cash. But, on a salary of a mere £65,000 a year, can we blame poor Don for claiming an additional total of £92,000, including expenses, secretarial services and ‘miscellaneous’ expenses in 2007?
As if this weren’t enough, Don makes a nice little earner for his political career by accepting huge wedges of cash; £99,015.09 in 2007 alone to be exact, from a shady character with his roots in white collar crime. The super rich and super crooked Paul Strasburger is a local millionaire, owner of no less than three local estate agents and by far the largest bankroller of the local Lib Dems. While hugely distasteful, being a millionaire and a land shark is not technically a crime. What IS straying towards the illegal however is Strasburger’s dealings with a certain Michael Brown, another bankroller of the Lib Dems. While on the run for theft and money laundering (Brown is now hiding out in the Caribbean) police took an interest in searching the home of Strasburger who had put his house forward as Brown’s bail address. This is just another example of big business scratching the back of politicians – the old boys’ club in action – and adds to the image we are seeing more and more of the rich and political classes sneering at us while they rob for the poor and keep for themselves. Yet still, we can’t hold Don and his Dodgy big business pals solely responsible; after all, when in Rome…
…And The BNP Are At It, Too!
Wonk-eyed Nazi Nick Griffin has gone to great lengths to distance his party from their white supremacist, fascist image, dressing the party up as an alternative to corrupt mainstream politicians. But while the party has temporarily un-stiffened their arms, and tries not to be openly racist (an attempt foiled by even the lightest scrutiny), a brief look over their expenses claims show them to be just as bad as the rest. In Barking and Dagenham, seven BNP councillors attended only 27% of meetings while still pocketing their full £9,801 allowance. A BNP councillor in Sandwell attended none of the meetings at which he was expected and took the full allowance while the party’s 2007 accounts failed their audit as several grand of expenditure was not properly recorded. They have also been in trouble recently after being caught claiming some paid-up party members were self employed to avoid paying income tax and NI contributions. So, as well as being obviously racist (Nick Griffin recently expressed a hope of igniting a racial war while addressing a KKK rally in the USA, and has published books denying the Holocaust), violent and generally repressive and obnoxious, it turns out that the BNP are just as corrupt as the rest of them, and have been joining all the other parties in wallowing in unearned piles of our cash. Bastards, the lot of ‘em!
Nobody Wins Euro Elections
The recent European elections were a resounding defeat for mainstream political parties – and another example of how undemocratic the European Parliament actually is. Labour suffered their biggest setback since the birth of Tony Blair, UKIP struggled to keep the votes they already had, whilst leftist mainstream parties such as the Greens made significant gains. However, the real winner was Nobody. Europe-wide, an incredible 57% voted for Nobody – 65% in the UK – an astonishing mandate for social change on a scale unseen since the inception of the Liberal party in the 1870s.
Unfortunately, and to the disgust of a disillusioned electorate across the continent, the EU REFUSED to acknowledge these votes, and declared that all the seats fairly won by Nobody would be REDISTRIBUTED amongst the other parties. And so we have a situation where parties such as the BNP, who took LESS votes in this election than the last, have taken seats in the EU Parliament for the first time in history.
In France in 2007 the state’s refusal to recognize a 16% vote for Nobody led to rioting in most major cities. Earlier this year, the Icelandic government’s refusal to allow Nobody to take positions of power democratically theirs contributed to the popular overthrow of that government. With the anger currently brewing across Europe, can similar uprisings be far away?
Art With A Capital ‘F’
Those dastardly johnnies from B.A.D. (Bath Arts Dictatorship) have been up to their old tricks again. This lot make up the secretive little cabal of the Bath Festivals committee who hide themselves away in their suite of rooms atop the city’s Tourist Information Centre, busily massaging their fantasies and egos, laying down the law to you, the Bath public, on vot you vill and vill not enjoy, ja?
Their latest two fingers-up to public opinion came in the form of a pair of monstrous and ugly mashed-wire-coathanger ‘sculptures’ by Gloucester ‘artist’ Sophie Ryder, which were dumped in Abbey Square in early April. These metal horrors have no link whatsoever to Bath, other than as a shop window for Ms Ryder’s other output, currently on sale at extortionate prices in the city’s Victoria Art Gallery. Are we seeing yet another B&NES-sponsored example of stealing from the poor to give to the rich?
In arguably one of the best and most enjoyable displays of direct-action ad hoc public comment since the Bush shoe-throwing episode, both beasts were pulled (or pushed) over at Easter weekend. The only thing which marred this display of sound artistic judgment was their miraculous resurrection by crane soon afterwards. How much public dosh was wasted on hoisting them back on their plinths?
Was it just coincidence that Bugs Bunny and pal Bully from TV programme ‘Bullseye’ pitched up at the same time as the Bath Comedy Festival? As they formed a backdrop to the comedy stage itself, how could anybody take them seriously? So is there a bunch of cultural worthies, not a million miles from Kingston Buildings, extracting the urine?
Care In The Co-Mutiny
Activists and groups, dreamers and schemers from across the southwest are coming together from the 12th to the 20th September in Bristol for a week of themed autonomous days of action and practical skill shares, promoting an alternative fairer and more positive future, in contrast to the current nightmare scenario of corporate greed, social injustice and environmental degradation. If you want to get involved and join the Co-Mutineers – you know you do – email comutiny [at] riseup.net.
http://www.comutiny.wordpress.com
Nobody Takes You Seriously Until You Have An Insane Arch-Nemesis
Bath Animal Action’s campaign against foie gras – overpriced liver from tortured ducks and geese, produced under such appalling conditions that only obscure EU trade laws allow its sale in the UK – remains defiant and committed in the face of one of the most reticent restaurateurs yet.
Upmarket tapas restaurant Minibar are still refusing to remove foie gras from their menu, despite bogus claims of ethical concerns, poor sales of the dish, and confessions to the Chronicle that they have a “terrible night” and lose money whenever protesters visit. The reason for this apparently suicidal devotion to cruel cuisine may be related to a small, balding and clearly unstable man claiming to co-own the restaurant. His combination of abuse, mockery and deliberately running down an activist with his expensive 4×4 has brightened up several dull nights already.
Despite an increasingly diverse and desperate array of responses – pushing an activist in the road, claiming to have proof that the food was ethically produced and then refusing to show it, the aforementioned vehicular assault, repeated and groundless threats of arrest from an openly one-sided police farce, and being bored to death for hours by an idiot who could barely hold an opinion for five minutes, let alone an argument – the campaigners have vowed to fight for a foie-gras free Bath!
www.banfoiegras.org.uk/
www.viva.org.uk/campaigns/foiegras/index.html
Upping The Veg-Ante
Last month’s Bristol Vegan Fayre – an annual celebration of vegan food, health and animal-cruelty-free ethics – went shiningly on the 30th and 31st May at Bristol’s Harbourside. Open to people of all dietary decisions, the food and drink flowed freely, particularly the free samples of chocolate and delicious fake meats, and there were stunning displays of Sikh swordfighting, and a solid line-up of reggae and rock over both days. Also on offer were info stalls on nutrition, charities, animal rescue centres and campaigning groups – although unfortunately there were slightly fewer vendors and higher costs this year, and a more commercialised atmosphere than previously: with stalls reflecting the social issues connected to veganism being relegated to out-of-the-way spots in favour of companies intent on tapping into the burgeoning vegan market. Still, a somewhat more grassroots vegan fayre is planned for Bath in late Summer/early September, so keep your eyes peeled.
http://www.bristolveganfayre.co.uk
Bath Activist Network are a local umbrella group campaigning on issues as diverse as development, environmentalism, anti-war, animal rights, workers’ rights and more. Helping to produce The Bath Bomb, we are open to anyone, and our members range from trade unionists to anarchists, liberals to greens, and people who just want to change Bath for the better. For details on meetings, demos, or just to get in touch, email bathactivistnet [at] yahoo.co.uk, or see our website: http://www.bathactivistnetwork.blogspot.com
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