15 Actions to Topple the Fossil Fuel Empire

Rising Tide has just finished producing two new resource booklets …

1 – 15 Actions to Topple the Fossil Fuel Empire – perfect to help plan your action for up and coming Fossil Fools Day – more on that at http://risingtide.org.uk/node/241

Topple Fossil Fuel Empire coverRising Tide has just finished producing two new resource booklets …

1 – 15 Actions to Topple the Fossil Fuel Empire – perfect to help plan your action for up and coming Fossil Fools Day – more on that at http://risingtide.org.uk/node/241

2 – Climate Action Popular Education Pack – packed with tools to help you run engaging, interactive workshops on all aspects of climate change for a wide range of people.

Both resources can be downloaded from http://risingtide.org.uk/resources/other

Paddy´s Day of Action Against Shell

This year´s St Paddy´s day, 17th March, has been called as an International day of action against shell, in solidarity with the people of Rossport.

People from all over Ireland are set to join forces and show their united strength by going all the way to London to demonstrate on shell´s front door step.

This year´s St Paddy´s day, 17th March, has been called as an International day of action against shell, in solidarity with the people of Rossport.

People from all over Ireland are set to join forces and show their united strength by going all the way to London to demonstrate on shell´s front door step.

Gluaiseacht, the Irish environmental network organising the trip, are calling for people to join them at the shell head office in London, or there is also a call out to take solidarity actions at shell garages and offices, St Paddy´s day parades and Irish embassies all over the world to coincide with the visit from 15th-17th March.

The shell centre is located on the South Bank in front of Jubilee Gardens (SE1)
right next to Waterloo train station and across from the London Eye.

What´s Wrong With shell? – The Corrib Pipeline Project

Since 2000 the small rural community of Rossport, County Mayo, Ireland have been engaged in an epic battle trying to prevent Shell, Statoil, and Marathon from building a potentially devastating toxic onshore gas refinery and high pressure pipeline in their remote and environmentally sensitive region.

Shell are the biggest stakeholder and beneficiary of the project, so have therefore been the main target of protest.

Community Strength

From the summer of 2005 mass pickets shut down the refinery construction site after five Rossport residents were imprisoned for refusing to allow Shell’s
sub-contractors access to their and their neighbours’ small farms which the pipeline is to go through. But in October 2006 the Irish state came to the aid of shell by bringing in a massive two hundred strong police unit to physically force a path for Shell to commence work. A large police presence, consisting of Gardai (Irish police) from all over Ireland, has stayed at the site to aid the work to continue undisrupted.

The costs to the Environment, Community & Health

Since shell started building the refinery, Carrowmore Lake, which is a Special Area of Conservation as well as the local water supply to 10,000 people, has been polluted with dangerously high levels of aluminium coming from the building site.

The gas pipeline is to operate at such high pressure that according to the
government’s safety study if ruptured could potentially kill people and destroy buildings for hundreds of metres around.

The waste from the refinery is to be dumped into Broadhaven bay, where 220 sightings of seven whale and dolphin species, plus sightings of two seal species have been recorded.

This is all not to mention the irreparable damage fossil fuels, like gas, are having on destabilising the global climate.

Although the resistance to shell in County Mayo is strong, the Irish state & shell´s tactics of brutality, repression and intimidation has paid a price on the people fighting the pipeline project.

So mark St Paddy´s day by showing solidarity with their fight!

For more info:

http://www.indymedia.ie/mayo – Reports of news and actions about the pipeline
http://www.struggle.ws/rsc – Rossport Solidarity Camp setup to aid the campaign against shell
http://www.corribsos.com – Campaign group Shell to Sea

http://gluaiseacht.nologic.org/wordpress – Gluaiseacht website

Latest details: Earth First! Winter Moot 2008 – February 22nd – 24th 2008 – Nottingham

Join us for
Activist skill share
Planning radical action on climate change,
Sharing ideas for the Earth First! Summer Gathering
Opposition to the UK genetic crop trials and mega-dams in Iceland
a chance to share info on your own campaign

Arrive from 5pm, Friday February 22nd 2008, with dinner at 7 o’clock.
Open to all those who have been involved in radical ecological direct action and to those who just want to find out more.

EF! fist tree 1Join us for
Activist skill share
Planning radical action on climate change,
Sharing ideas for the Earth First! Summer Gathering
Opposition to the UK genetic crop trials and mega-dams in Iceland
a chance to share info on your own campaign

Arrive from 5pm, Friday February 22nd 2008, with dinner at 7 o’clock.
Open to all those who have been involved in radical ecological direct action and to those who just want to find out more.

Cost: £15 (to include accommodation and food)
Crèche and disabled access both available,
but please call to let us know if you need either or if you have other needs.

At The Sumac Centre, Gladstone Street Nottingham, www.veggies.org.uk/sumac
For more info call 01508 531636 (number not available during the event)

Friday late afternoon and evening will be a chance to arrive, and for introductions, plus a G8 talk & film, and an Introduction to EF!

We’ll be kicking off early on Saturday morning (9am breakfast) – starting with all sharing the most important reasons why we’ve come to Nottingham, we’ll get on with some practical discussions around the EF! Action Update, the website, and the summer gathering.
From what we’ve all said, we’ll be able in the afternoon to move on to ‘where next?’, plus sharing campaigns we’re involved with & seeing what they need, and getting together locally and regionally with other folk who are there.

On Sunday we’ll move into groups to concretely take the ideas forwards from the Saturday, from the campaigns we’re already working on and what we want to do together. We’ll finish at 4pm, after having shared what we’ve come up with. Hoorah.

Earth First! is not an organisation, but a way of using non-hierarchical organisation and the use of direct action to confront, stop and eventually reverse the forces that are responsible for the destruction of the Earth and its inhabitants. For further info check out www.earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/

Plus
All day Friday 22nd February, Saving Iceland UK meeting, also at the Sumac Centre. Open to those interested in travelling to Iceland or taking part in solidarity actions against the construction of large, wilderness wrecking dams in Iceland.

For further information and essential booking contact 01508 531636 or savingiceland@riseup.org

Critical Mass ‘Have a Go Hero’ cleared of all charges in Bristol (& London Critical Mass January ride report/video)

7.02.2008
In May of last year, someone stood in the road and tried to stop a car, who had hit a Critical Mass cyclist off their bike, from driving away. For that he was arrested for obstructing the highway, thrown to the floor by his neck whilst handcuffed, and then – surprise surprise – also arrested for assaulting a police officer.

Bicycle Triumph7.02.2008
In May of last year, someone stood in the road and tried to stop a car, who had hit a Critical Mass cyclist off their bike, from driving away. For that he was arrested for obstructing the highway, thrown to the floor by his neck whilst handcuffed, and then – surprise surprise – also arrested for assaulting a police officer.

Today, after 9 months of nervous waiting, he was finally cleared of all charges, as Bristol Magistrates Court accepted a submission that the police evidence was at best ‘severely flawed’ and at worst, fabricated, and the trial was stopped.

A man that became involved after the event was also charged with assault and is awaiting to see if his charge will also be quashed as he can also argue that he was preventing a police ‘miscarriage of justice’.

The trial took a day and a half to realise what was evident all along – that the defendant was only guilty of trying to do the police’s job when they blatantly weren’t interested in doing it, for blatantly political reasons. Unbelievably, the police admitted to getting together to watch the cctv (presumably over a nice cup of bovril) BEFORE writing their statements, of failing to follow PACE procedures in the arrests, and of trying to pass off a wrestling move (clearly shown on the CCTV footage) as a form of ‘reasonable force’ in an arrest!

But the most unbelievable part of the whole sorry mess is the police’s deliberate allowing of the hit-and-run driver to escape, and then never following up the incident, despite the fact leaving the scene of an accident is a more serious crime than those the defendants were charged with, and despite having a full description of the car, driver AND THE REGISTRATION PLATE. Makes you wonder who the ‘mystery driver’ was doesn’t it …….

The next steps for the defendant is, first, celebrate his narrow escape from a politically motivated conviction, and then sue the police for the shocking way in which he was handled during the ‘practice dummy session’ that passed for his arrest. The local chief constable observed the trial, so we assume that his full apology and compensation won’t take too long to sort.

Critical Mass’s continue in Bristol on the last Friday of every month, meeting at 5.30pm outside the Hippodrome.

———–

A subdued start to a good ride, held up by a massive traffic jam in the Strand, but it livened up later with a bike high in Piccadilly Circus and taunts to impatient car horns. Joyful chants of ‘More bikes less cars’ and ‘Whose streets? Our streets’.

Video: http://www.archive.org/details/cml25-1-08

Several sound systems this time, some were threatened with SOCPA prosecution if they dared to play in the vicinity of Parliament. Cycle police were back after their Christmas/New Year break, about 28 in all – they usually don’t turn up at all to the December ride. They barked orders and blocked the ride at some intersections but did a good job of corking and even told off a few drivers. Later they shut down a sound system in Whitehall.

Just before Oxford Circus, a wannabe saboteur threw a glass bottle into the road which shattered into lots of puncturing shards, something to watch out for in future.

More:
http://criticalmasslondon.org.uk/
http://criticalmasslondon.org.uk/socpasounds.html

Atomic Weapons Establishment Aldermaston demo – 24th March & byelaw challenge

12 noon Easter Monday – 24th March
Atomic Weapons Establishment Aldermaston

We invite you to participate in a lively demonstration against the development of nuclear weapons at Aldermaston and to celebrate 50 years of anti-nuclear protest in Britain.

12 noon Easter Monday – 24th March
Atomic Weapons Establishment Aldermaston

We invite you to participate in a lively demonstration against the development of nuclear weapons at Aldermaston and to celebrate 50 years of anti-nuclear protest in Britain.

This Easter marks the 50th anniversary of the first march to the Atomic Weapons Establishment Aldermaston – the heart of Britain’s nuclear weapons programme. We need you – and your friends, colleagues, communities, and networks – to surround the base and create a colourful, effective, and massive demonstration.

With parliament voting in March 2007 for a new fleet of nuclear armed submarines, and with the construction of facilities for a new generation of nuclear warheads already underway at Aldermaston, it’s time to send a clear message to the government that 50 years is enough!

While celebrating five decades of sustained campaigning against nuclear weapons, the emphasis will be on embracing the future, pushing for disarmament and working together to build a broad movement that grows from strength to strength.

The event will be lively, with each gate at the site being linked to a different era – with appropriate decoration and entertainment – and is being organised by CND national and regional groups and people from the wider anti-nuclear, peace and anti-war movements. If you would like to get involved in organising for this event in your area, please get in touch.

Groups can come dressed as they want, could be in theme with the gates, or as weapons inspectors, or campaigners from the future, or as nuclear bombs, or flowers!

The possibilities are endless! The event will be organised using the ‘ Block’ structure so that your group comes ready to take up as much space around the site as possible. We have a website for your ‘Block’ to add their details and how much space they can take up along the fence line.

For Example, Eastern Block, dressing as nuclear cowboys can take up 200 meters of fence line using 2 banners 100 people and a radioactive horse prop!

That’s just an example.

We need to start mobilising now and get our coaches booked and the seats full! It will take 5,000 people to surround Aldermaston AWE. The developments at Aldermaston are well on their way, we need to move our campaigning to the next stage, build an even stronger movement and stop the development of new nuclear weapons. THE BOMB STOPS HERE!

http://www.cnduk.org/aldermaston/

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

Aldermaston Women's Peace Campers at courtAldermaston byelaws – judicial review update

On 1 February 2008 Aldermaston Women’s Peace Camp(aign) took their Judicial Review of the Aldermaston Byelaws 2007 to the High Court in London. Lord Justice Maurice Kay and Mr Justice Walker decided to hear the case against the Secretary of State for Defence in full.

The case – a judicial review of the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) decision to introduce byelaws which deny the women’s peace camp their right to freedom of assembly – was brought by Public Interest Lawyers on behalf of a member of the Aldermaston Women’s Peace Camp (AWPC).

At the High Court, arguments from the claimant and defendant were completed by the end of the day and the Justices are expected to give their written judgment within the next fortnight.

After the hearing a spokeswoman from AWPC said “We feel that the byelaws are vague, that they undermine the specific rights of assembly and association and that, in implementation, they will be applied in a discriminatory manner against camp women by the Ministry of Defence Police”.

To date ten women have been arrested under the Aldermaston Byelaws 2007. All cases have been dropped after pre-trial review stage.

In related news, the camp announced today that it will be hosting one of the gates for the Aldermaston march 50th anniversary events this Easter. Called by CND, the 24 March event will be a “lively demonstration against the development of nuclear weapons at Aldermaston and a celebration of 50 years of anti-nuclear protest in Britain.”

On Easter Monday AWPC will take up residence at their historic home – Falcongate – and invite all women to join them. See link below for details. General details of the Easter event at http://www.cnduk.org/aldermaston/


For background on the judicial review, see: http://www.aldermaston.net/news/212 and http://www.aldermaston.net/news/183

info@aldermaston.net
http://aldermaston.net/falcongate08.php

3 climate days of action: 1st April (Fossil Fools), 1st May (false solutions) & 3rd June (food)

For Fossil Fools Day on 1st April, see previous post
____________________________________________

1 MAY

Mayday Mayday: Invasion of the Climate Snatchers….

Network for Climate Action logoFor Fossil Fools Day on 1st April, see previous post
____________________________________________

1 MAY

Mayday Mayday: Invasion of the Climate Snatchers….

As climate change rises up the political agenda, the same corporations that are largely responsible for the problem are attempting to dominate the mainstream debate about the solutions, in the hope to maintain the economic status quo.

A huge number of techno-fixes are forming a new economic sector: from biofuels to nuclear power, carbon-trading to hydrogen fuel cells, dumping urine in the ocean to carbon capture and storage. Everywhere corporations are seeking the elusive elixir which allows to continue business as usual.

All of these technologies are a distraction from the real solution to the problems we face: a massive reduction in our consumption and the end to economic growth.

What’s wrong with these technologies?

* A lot of these technologies won’t be ready in time to save the climate
* Many actually increase carbon emissions
* Some rely on a different non-renewable resource
* Many have massive environmental impacts
* None of them can provide us with the amount of energy we currently use
* Many will perpetuate problems of social injustice

On May 1st, international workers day, lets challenge these false solutions to climate chaos and show the real solution: far-reaching social change, and reduction in consumption.

____________________________________________
3 JUNE

Day of Action on Food and Climate Change

The Climate Action day that bites….

The kind of food we eat contributes up to a third of our greenhouse emissions. It’s about time for us to switch to plant based, organic, seasonal and locally produced food.

Climate action starts on your dinner plate, in the supermarket, on your allotment and in your back yard, in the food processing and distribution centres, down on the farm, in your high street, at the airport and in the lorry park.

Take action on 3rd June and help highlight the role of food and the food industry in climate chaos.

Get involved – whether you’re into local food, permaculture, animal rights, allotmenting, humanitarian issues, food politics, transport campaigning. Join the dots on climate change.

____________________________________________

Please distribute this info widely, stick it in your diaries and get
planning. More info including a website to follow soon! In the meantime
you can contact us at manchester@climatecamp.org.uk

For lots of resources and on taking climate action and contact details for
your nearest climate action group see
http://www.networkforclimateaction.org.uk

Hitting Total in the Pocket

Over the last 2 months, activists tired of the lies and corporate whitewash have taken direct action to hit Total where it hurts them most – in the pocket.

All 4 garages in the bristol area have been targetted. Horfield, Congresbury, Lawrence Weston, Yate. North, South, East, West. Windows were smashed, equipment disabled, and propaganda sprayed or posted so customers knew why the damage was done.

Over the last 2 months, activists tired of the lies and corporate whitewash have taken direct action to hit Total where it hurts them most – in the pocket.

All 4 garages in the bristol area have been targetted. Horfield, Congresbury, Lawrence Weston, Yate. North, South, East, West. Windows were smashed, equipment disabled, and propaganda sprayed or posted so customers knew why the damage was done.

This was not done as a publicity stunt, the only reason we are telling of our actions is so others are inspired. The aim was to cost Total money, and to show them (and others) that near or far, open or closed, nothing is Totally out of our reach.

Anyone who cares to look can find why we targetted Total, friend of the murderers and human rights abusers, enemy of those trying to heal the world. We dedicate these actions to those monks in the East and punks in the West – to all those who’ve had their heads split open by the cops or the military for trying to speak out.

To all those who think they can do what they want because no one cares any more – we say to you “be afraid. We have the ability, the means and the desire to make you pay, one way or another.” To all those who rely on marches, voting, and other ways of being disempowered and ignored we say to you “be inspired. Nothing is hopeless, everything is possible.”

Support the Eco-Prisoners – Imbolc 2008 – they’re in there for us out here, please write

Spirit of Freedom
(February 2008)
Produced by
EARTH LIBERATION PRISONERS SUPPORT NETWORK

Earth Liberation Prisoners logoSpirit of Freedom
(February 2008)
Produced by
EARTH LIBERATION PRISONERS SUPPORT NETWORK

“The whole experience has been tough, but all the kind and strengthening words and wise thoughts from strangers made it much easier!”
(Former Swedish Animal Rights Prisoner)

Welcome to the February 2008 edition of Spirit of Freedom. As we enter February so we await three major events. First off, Jeff ‘Free’ Luers is due to be re-sentenced. We hope its good news. Secondly, Eric McDavid is also due to be sentenced. As soon as Eric has been sentenced we urge everyone to send him letters of support. And thirdly, the police informant Jacob Ferguson is also due to be sentenced. His cowardly deals and treachery means he won’t be sent to prison. But we await with interest to see what sentence this piece of scum does receive. If anyone hears, please do let ELP know. But whilst we await those three sentencings, please don’t forget all the other eco-prisoners. Remember, no matter where you are in the world, support the eco-prisoners and no compromise in defence of Mother Earth!

ECO-DEFENCE PRISONERS

Tre Arrow, CS# 05850722, Vancouver Island Regional Correction Center, 4216 Wilkinson Rd., Victoria, BC, V8Z 5B2, Canada. On remand accused of involvement with an arson on logging trucks and an arson on vehicles owned by a sand & gravel company. Both arsons occurred in the USA. Tre is fighting his extradition to the USA.

Grant Barnes #137563, San Carlos Correctional Facility, PO Box 3, Pueblo, CO 81002, USA. Serving 12 years for setting fire to a number of SUV vehicles. On one of the vehicles the letters ELF was spray-painted.

Nathan Block, #36359-086, FCI Lompoc, Federal Correctional Institution, 3600 Guard Road, Lompoc, CA 93436, USA. Serving 7 years & 8 months for an ELF arson against a Poplar Tree Farm and an ELF arson against an SUV dealership. Also admitted his role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy.

Marco Camenisch, Postfach 3143, CH-8105 Regensdorf, Switzerland. Serving 18 years. 1) Ten years for using explosives to destroy electricity pylons leading from nuclear power stations. 2) Eight years for the murder of a Swiss Boarder Guard whilst on the run. In ’02 Marco completed a 12-year sentence in Italy for destroying electricity pylons in Italy.

Rod Coronado – See details in Animal Liberation Prisoners List.

Ibai Ederra, Carcel de Pamplona, C/San Roque. Apdo. 250, 31080 – Iruñez – Pamplona, Navarra (España), Spain. Serving just under 5 years for sabotaging machinery at the controversial Itoiz dam construction site.

Jeffrey Luers, #1306729, Lane County Adult Corrections, 101 West 5th Ave, Eugene, OR 97401-2695, USA. Awaiting resentencing. Originally sentenced to 22 years & 8 months for arson on a SUV dealership & the attempted arson of an oil truck.

Eric McDavid X-2972521 4E 231A, Sacramento County Main Jail, 651 “I” Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, USA. Awaiting sentencing having been found guilty of planning to destroy the property of the U.S. Forestry Service, mobile phone masts and power plants.

Daniel McGowan #63794-053, Unit I, FCI Sandstone, Federal Correctional Institution, PO Box 1000, Sandstone, MN 55072, USA. Serving 7 years for an ELF arson against a Poplar Tree Farm and an ELF arson against an old growth logging corporation. Also admitted his role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy.

Christopher McIntosh #30512-013, FCI Fairton, PO Box 420, Fairton, NJ 08320, USA. Serving 8 years for setting fire to a McDonald’s restaurant.

Jonathan Paul – See details in Animal Liberation Prisoners List.

Costantino Ragusa, Casa Circondariale, Via Prati Nuovi 7, 27058 Voghera (PV), Italy. Il Silvestre activist serving 2½ years. 1) 18-months for burgling and firebombing a multinational company. 2) 12-months for organising an anti-GM protest. Costanino is also awaiting trial accused of using explosives to damage an electricity pylon in protest at nuclear energy.

Julio Villanueva, C.P. Prision De Pamplona, 31080, Iruna (Navarra), Spain.
Serving just under 5 years for sabotaging machinery at the controversial Itoiz dam construction site.

Joyanna Zacher, #36360-086, FCI Dublin, 5700 8th St.- Camp Parks- Unit F, Dublin, CA 94568, USA. Serving 7 years & 8 months for an ELF arson against a Poplar Tree Farm and an ELF arson against an SUV dealership. Also admitted her role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy.

ANIMAL LIBERATION PRISONERS

Jon Ablewhite TB4885, HMP Lowdham Grange, Lowdham, Nottingham, NG14 7DA, England. Serving 12 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied guinea pigs for vivisection.

Gregg Avery TA7450, HMP Winchester, Romsey Road, Winchester, SO22 5DF, England. On remand accused of conspiracy to blackmail, in relation to his involvement with the SHAC campaign.

Natasha Avery NR8987, HMP Bronzefield, Woodthorpe Road, Ashford, Middx. TW15 3JZ, England. Jailed for breaching her parole conditions imposed on her for telling a fox hunting murdering scum what she thought of them. Also awaiting trial accused of conspiracy to blackmail, in relation to her involvement with the SHAC campaign.

Nathan Block – See details in Eco Defence Prisoners List.

Mel Broughton TN9138, HMP Woodhill, Tattenhoe Street, Milton Keynes, Bucks MK4 4DA, England. On remand accused of involvement with an arson and blackmail campaign against an Oxford University vivisection establishment.

Jacob Conroy #93501-011, FCI Victorville Medium I Federal Correctional Institution, P.O. Box 5300, Adelanto, CA 92301, USA. Serving 48 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign.

Rod Coronado, Voice of the Earth, PO Box 732, Tucson, AZ 85702, USA. Due to be sentenced to one-year imprisonment after Rod informed people how to make an incendiary device during a speech at an animal rights gathering.

Donald Currie A3660AA, HMP Parkhurst, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 5NX, England. Serving an Indeterminate Sentence, of not less than six actual years, for carrying out arsons against targets associated the vivisection industry including HLS.

Lauren Gazzola #93497-011, FCI Danbury, Federal Correctional Institution, Route #37Danbury, CT 06811, USA. Serving 54 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign.

Sarah Gisborne, LT5393, HMP Downview, Sutton Lane, Sutton, Surrey, SM2 5PD, England. Serving 5½ years for conspiracy to cause criminal damage following the damaging of 8 vehicles owned by people linked to Huntingdon Life Science.

Joshua Harper #29429-086, FCI Sheridan Federal Correctional Institution, P.O. Box 5000, Sheridan, OR 97378 USA. Serving 36 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign.

Kevin Kjonaas #93502-011, FCI Sandstone, PO Box 1000, Sandstone, MN 55072 USA. Serving 72 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign.

Daniel McGowan – See details in Eco Defence Prisoners List.

Heather Nicholson VM4859, HMP Bronzefield, Woodthorpe Road, Ashford, Middx. TW15 3JZ, England. On remand accused of conspiracy to blackmail, in relation to her involvement with the SHAC campaign.

Jonathan Paul, #07167-085, FCI Phoenix, Federal Correctional Institution, 37910 N 45th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85086, USA. Sentenced to 51 months for an ALF arson on a horse meat plant. Also admitted his role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy.

John Smith TB4887, HMP Lowdham Grange, Lowdham, Nottingham, NG14 7DA, England. Serving 12 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied guinea pigs for vivisection.

Andrew Stepanian #26399-050, FCI Butner Medium II Federal Correctional Institution, PO Box 1500, Butner, NC 27509 USA. Serving 36 months for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign.

Kerry Whitburn TB4886, HMP Lowdham Grange, Lowdham, Nottingham, NG14 7DA, England. Serving 12 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied guinea pigs for vivisection.

Joyanna Zacher – See details in Eco Defence Prisoners List.

PLOUGHSHARES PRISONERS

Helen Woodson, 03231-045, FMC Carswell – Admin. Max. Unit, POB 27137, Ft. Worth, TX 76127, USA. Serving 8 years 10 months for actions that focused on the interrelationship of war & the destruction of the natural world. The actions included pouring red paint over the security desk of a federal court and making threatening communications. Previously Helen had served 20½ years for: 1) Using a hammer to disarm a nuclear missile silo. 2) Burning $25,000 on the floor of a bank whilst denouncing war, environmental destruction & economic injustice. 3) Mailing warning letters with bullets attached to Government & corporate officials.

THE LECCE FIVE
The Lecce Five have been charged with “subversive association” accused of damaging Esso petrol pumps to oppose the War on Iraq; sabotaging the cash machines of a bank which funds an immigration centre; and targeting the multinational company Benetton in support of Mapuche land rights activists in Chile. All of the defendants are currently either under house arrest or released on bail.

ANTIFA PRISONERS

Lasandra Burwell W063658, Ohio Reformatory for Women, 1479 Collins Ave. Marysville, OH 43040, USA. Serving 5 years for taking part in an anti-fascist demonstration that turned into a riot.

Vahtang Devitlidze, ul. Libbedova 42, UO 68/2, otryad 14, brigada 142, g. Hagyshensk, Krasnodarskiy Kray, 352680 Russia. Serving 2½ years for stabbing a neo-nazi in the leg whilst defending himself from attack.

Augustin Kraus, Vazebni veznice, PP-1, Litomerice, 41 201, Czech Republic.
Serving 14 months for his participation in attacks against local neo-nazis. His charge was “bodily harm”. He speaks Czech, Slovak and Polish. You can also write him short postcards in English.

Gubski Maxim, VK-2 – 21, Batowa str. 4, Bobruisk, 213800 Belarus. Serving 3 years for fighting with neo-nazis.

Vladislav Vladimirovich Plyashkevich, IK-10 otryad 4, Novopoltsk-5 Vitebskaya oblast, 211440 Belarus. Serving 3 years for fighting with neo-nazis.

Christian Sümmermann, BNR: 727/07/7, JVA Tegel, Seidelstr. 39, 13507 Berlin, Germany. Serving 40 months for breaching the peace whilst serving a suspended sentence issued for anti-fascist activities.

Tomasz Wiloszewski, Zaklad Karny, Orzechowa 5, 98-200 Sieradz, Poland.
Serving 15 years for accidentally killing a neo-nazi whilst defending himself.

OTHER PRISONERS

Oscar Santa Maria Caro, CERESO, Miahuatlan de Porfirio Diaz, Oaxaca en Hall B, Cell 5., Mexico. On remand. The exact charges against Oscar are unknown but Oscar is a member of RATA, a known animal rights group.

Sacramento Delfino Cano Hernandez, CERESO, Miahuatlan de Porfirio Diaz, Oaxaca en Hall B, Cell 5., Mexico. On remand. Co-defendant of Oscar Santa Maria Caro.

Olga Aleksandrovna Nevskaya, UU163/5, 7 Otryad, pos. Dzerzhinskiy, Mozhaysk 140090 Moskovskaya oblast, Russia. Eco-activist serving 6 years for arson, criminal damage and causing explosions in protest at the war in Chechnya. Due for release in 2009.

Fran Thompson, #1090915 HU 1C, WERDCC, PO Box 300, Vandalia, MO 63382, USA.
Serving Life for killing, in self-defence, a stalker who had broken into her home. Before her imprisonment Fran was an eco, animal & anti-nuke campaigner.

MOVE
MOVE is an eco-revolutionary group who carried out protests in defence of all life. There are currently eight MOVE activists in prison each serving 100 years after been framed for the murder of a cop in 1979. 9th defendant, Merle Africa, died in prison in 1998.

Debbie Simms Africa (006307), Janet Holloway Africa (006308) and Janine Philips Africa (006309) all at: SCI Cambridge Springs, 451 Fullerton Ave, Cambridge Springs, PA 16403-1238, USA.

Michael Davis Africa (AM4973) and Charles Simms Africa (AM4975) both at SCI Graterford, PO Box 244, Graterford, PA 19426-0244, USA.

Edward Goodman Africa (AM4974), SCI Mahanoy, 301 Morea Rd, Frackville, PA 17932, USA.

William Philips Africa (AM4984) and Delbert Orr Africa (AM4985) both at SCI Dallas Drawer K, Dallas, PA 18612, USA.

Mumia Abu Jamal, (AM8335), SCI Greene, 175 Progress Drive, Waynesburg PA 15370, USA. In 1981 Mumia, former Black Panther and vocal supporter of MOVE, was framed for the murder of a cop. He was originally sentenced to death but is currently awaiting re-sentencing following a court hearing in 2001.

STATEMENT ON VIOLENCE
Some people listed in this newsletter have carried out violent actions. ‘Spirit of Freedom’ does not condone violence. But we are also against censorship & believe people can decide for themselves who they wish to support.

ABOUT E.L.P. SUPPORT NETWORK
ELP is an international eco-prisoner support network founded, in Britain, in 1993 to support jailed eco-activists. We support the prisoners by producing various regular prisoner lists:

Spirit of Freedom is ELP’s international monthly prisoner listing which is circulated by e-mail.

Urgent ELP! Bulletin is an e-mail service that distributes the names of any new eco-prisoner as soon as ELP gets their details. For more info e-mail ELP4321@hotmail.com

On-Line Newsletters – ELP has a number of websites that provide news, prisoner lists and additional info about ELP & the prisoners.

English language ELP Website
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

North American ELP Website
www.ecoprisoners.org

Turkish language ELP Website
www.geocities.com/yesilanarsi/elp.htm

ELP Extra is an e-mail group that circulates the details of political prisoners, ELP learns about, who do not fall within the remit for support by ELP. To subscribe to the list e-mail ELP4321@Hotmail.com

Belgium ELP.SN is our Belgium contact. For more info e-mail elp_bel@hotmail.com

German ELP.SN is a prisoner led initiative run by eco-prisoner Marco Camenisch. For more info contact Marco Camenisch, Postfach 3143, CH-8105 Regensdorf, Switzerland.

North American ELP is our North American contact. For more information e-mail naelpsn@mutualaid.org

Turkey ELP.SN is our Turkish contact. For more info e-mail yesilanarsi@yahoo.com

Spring into action (though storms may be at the door) – the latest issue of the EF! Action Update has burst forth

Read all about occupations & lock-ons of big industrial places around the world, corporate & government blockades, squatting, airport invasions, subvertising, climate criminals locked & glued shut, trees climbed and chopped down, GM maize fields trashed, hunger strikes, burrowing under fences, jumping on w

Rabbit under fenceRead all about occupations & lock-ons of big industrial places around the world, corporate & government blockades, squatting, airport invasions, subvertising, climate criminals locked & glued shut, trees climbed and chopped down, GM maize fields trashed, hunger strikes, burrowing under fences, jumping on whaling boats, Buying Nothing, Reclaiming the Streets and the unstoppable singing of Christmas songs, not to mention skating penguins. Even some upcoming dates to get stuck in or to meet other direct action crazies. We couldn’t make it up even if we tried.

Another bumper issue, with a special insert on Agrofuels including a list of refineries ‘in the pipeline’ or already on the ground, plus a legal update about the recent changes to your access to solicitors in police stations.

The latest issue of the Earth First! Action Update burst forth at the latest national meeting of the Camp for Climate Action (see climatecamp.org.uk for how the camp idea is audaciously morphing this year).

Download it to print out and share here. Do get in touch with the editorial collective to let them know if you’re dishing it up round your way, or need paper copies, or want to give them one of the rarer ingredients, dosh (to send it to prisoners, protest camps and far beyond) – their contact details and more are here.

Western UK sabotage for the animals

COUNTRYSIDE ALLAINCE SIGNS DESTROYED AND HUNT CARS SCRATCHED.
24 January 2008
Countryside allaince signs were smashed and the side of a landrover was scratched, another hunt car had both sides and bonnet scraped hope the respray didnt cost too much!

COUNTRYSIDE ALLAINCE SIGNS DESTROYED AND HUNT CARS SCRATCHED.
24 January 2008
Countryside allaince signs were smashed and the side of a landrover was scratched, another hunt car had both sides and bonnet scraped hope the respray didnt cost too much!
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MCDONALDS GETS THE ALF TREATMENT.
23 January 2008
“MEAT IS MURDER” was spray painted on the front and back windows of a McDonalds in the west, just to make sure they had trouble opening on time the next day all of the locks were glued.
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HUNT SCUM CAR RECIEVES PASSING VISIT FROM THE ALF
22 January 2008
Passing members of the ALF decided to make the pro hunt stickers on one car in the west impossible to see when the car had all its windows where covered completely in spray painted (have fun trying to drive it to the garage!).

Messages such as “ALF” and “HUNT SCUM” were left on the side so all the other hunters in the area new why it had been done.

If you support the hunt you are scum, but we do appreciate it when you display stickers letting us know this fact, this way we can make sure you get what is coming to you!

For the animals!

Your friendly local ALFers!

Read more at http://www.animalliberation.co.uk/